Steve Spiess knows what being a Pro Stock winner is about. In the interestof fair reporting, Spiess' experience was gained racing in the IHRA’s Mountain Motor division.

 

In this world of corporate downsizing, Spiess has downsized in his own kind of way – under the hood. He’s replaced the 800-plus cubic inch engine that aided him in winning the 2005 IHRA world championship with a standard issue 500-inch powerplant.

“Everybody said it wasn't going to be easy and it's not,” Spiess said. “We're gaining on it pretty fast and learning quickly. Everything you've looked at in the mountain motor stuff you just do the same way in this just not in as big of moves. There's no room for error.” Steve Spiess knows what being a Pro Stock winner is about. In the interestof fair reporting, Spiess' experience was gained racing in the IHRA’s Mountain Motor division. The former IHRA world champion made his debut in the NHRA's 500-inch division last weekend at the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida.

 

In this world of corporate downsizing, Spiess has downsized in his own kind of way – under the hood. He’s replaced the 800-plus cubic inch engine that aided him in winning the 2005 IHRA world championship with a standard issue 500-inch powerplant.

“Everybody said it wasn't going to be easy and it's not,” Spiess said. “We're gaining on it pretty fast and learning quickly. Everything you've looked at in the mountain motor stuff you just do the same way in this just not in as big of moves. There's no room for error.”

Spiess put in his practice laps in the week prior to the Gainesville during the major ESTN test session in Valdosta. He’s quickly discovered his strengths and weaknesses involving this new challenge.

”We're still having a little problem with the starting line and getting the weight transferred at the back of the car,” Spiess pointed out. “As soon as we figure that out I think we're going to be okay.”

The Pontiac GTO Spiess commandeers has seen action as a competitive mountain motor entry. He does say the day is coming soon when he’s going to need a purpose-built 500-inch car. What he’s got now, he adds, should be fine for now.

”We sent it back to Rick Jones [chassis builder] over the winter and he converted it over,” Spiess said.  “He swears up and down that his chassis are the same in either car. This car was new last year and he has made very few changes for this year’s cars.”

 

Longtime drag racing fans will remember the large ownership contingent who owned a portion of the Route 66 Dragway. Spiess was part of the group.

“We were more or less forced out,” Spiess said. “We had a buy/sell agreement a year ago last January the NASCAR people took out Tony George and his crew, the Indy people, and the original owners.”

Spiess said that buyout actually turned into blessing because the capital gained funded his 500-inch Pro Stock pursuit. He didn’t originally see the situation this way.

“I really didn't want to get rid of it,” Spiess said. “It was kind of an ego thing being able to say that I owned a part of it. I was very proud of all the work and effort that my construction company and I put into it. I wish we were there but the money with the way the economy's going down and work at home was slow, it might have all played out the right way.”