It's hard to rattle a man who has flown through the air, 30-feet high and backward in a car running 200 miles per hour. This mentality is what makes race fans flock in support of Georgia native Stevie "Fast" Jackson.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1Gw6J_D2uA
Jackson didn't have to self-appoint himself a nickname; he got his the old-fashioned way by running fast and winning at backwoods tracks with cars many seasoned drivers wouldn't get out of the electric chair to sit in, much less drive down a track, even an eighth-mile.
Friday afternoon on the big stage of the National Hot Rod Association at the Gatornationals, Jackson not only made his first-ever quarter-mile run but also jumped to the top of the J&A Services Pro Modified field in record fashion.
Jackson, the quickest man on radial tires, covered the Valdosta, Ga., eighth-mile in 3.737 seconds, thundering into NHRA Pro Modified with pretty much the same bravado which has made him a fan favorite on the smaller venues.
Now, about a month later, Jackson established a new Gainesville Raceway track record for Pro Modified cars with a 5.781 elapsed time on the quarter-mile to lead Friday qualifying.
"It's awesome, I mean, we got here just hoping to qualify. And everybody always says that, but we picked the car up six or seven days ago,” Jackson said. “I told the guys before we took it and tested it we wanted to try and qualify 16th and get beat first round, and we'd call it a success."
Jackson changed his mind when he tested the new car from Jerry Bickel Race Cars.
"I told the boys, I don't want to just qualify - I want to qualify in the top half," Jackson said. "After the first run (in qualifying) I thought we were gonna go to the front. We had it real wicked up there. I wasn't going up there to putt it up to the green; I was going to knock it in the hole from about 300 yards out."
While his golfing etiquette might be more like the Happy Gilmore, the fictional golfer made famous by actor Adam Sandler, Jackson clearly marches to the beat of his own drum which is usually a few beats ahead of the orchestra.
"I have a Cinderella story, a zero nothing story in that I started from nothing and worked hard," Jackson said. "I worked really hard, and I sucked a lot and did good a lot. People get behind that kind of a story. I have never had so many people come by and tell me they are pulling for me. I think there are more people down here in the sportsman pits than up there in Top Fuel. To see the fans get engaged like this is what our sport needs."
The Happy Gilmore of drag racing says he's bringing the rednecks back out to the track in force. Some love him, some hate him, and he's just fine whichever way they roll.
"I don't need anyone to love me; I love me. People have to take a side. I love those people just as much who cannot stand me and think I am an arrogant punk, as much as those who love me. That's good, go root on someone else, so when I kick their ass, I am happy because you are mad."
In a testimony to his charisma, Jackson was met at the end of the track following his first-ever quarter-mile run by a famous face in Funny Car racing who he learned from at Frank Hawley Drag Racing School. At this point, Jackson realized his dream had come full circle.
"My dream kicked off about 10 years ago here in Gainesville," admitted Jackson. "I came to Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School. My first run Jack Beckman met me on the scooter when I turned off the track. He was my instructor at Hawley's. All the fuel guys have come down to my pits to congratulate me."
Jackson has a feeling the same will occur once he decides to pursue the next step of his dream, to eventually go nitro racing.
"Oh my gosh, if y’all give me a Fuel car, I’m gonna turn this place upside down," Jackson warned. "I’ll either fix it or break it; I promise you one of the two."
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Bobby Bennett is the Publisher/Editor of CompetitionPlus.com, a leading independent online drag racing magazine, since 1999. For the latest in dragster news worldwide, visit www.competitionplus.com or follow on Twitter @competitionplus
