The Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis took place on Labor Day weekend from Sept. 2-7.
The event, sanctioned by the National Hot Rod Association, is regarded as The Masters of drag racing, and no one was more masterful than former Bowie High School graduate Kyle Ratcliff.
See, Ratcliff won the stock championship with an elapsed time of 10.608 seconds and a top speed of 120.55 miles per hour – defeating veteran driver Tom Rambo.
Ratcliff overcame plenty of odds to win the title – including a field of 181 other drivers.
“It was very grueling,” said Ratcliff, who also works as a financial planner in Denton, “especially the heat. It was very hot over that weekend. I was hot, and I was tired.”
Pete Peery, Kyle’s stepfather who lives in Bowie, serves as the crew chief. Peery was understandably proud with the accomplishment.
“It’s the Super Bowl of drag racing,” Peery said. “It’s the biggest race you’ll ever win in the NHRA. There are more entries at this event, and there’s much more prestige than any other race.”
Ratcliff’s road to the title wasn’t easy, having to win seven rounds to take the trophy.
In the opening round, all Ratcliff had to do was defeat 95-time national winner Dan Fletcher, and that’s exactly what he did.
Ratcliff said he had a “little bit better light” to defeat Fletcher, as was told to senior editor Kevin McKenna in National Dragster magazine, the official publication of the NHRA.
Then Ratcliff was challenged by four-time national champion Jimmy DeFrank. Ratcliff defeated DeFrank because he fouled by one one-thousandth of a second.
That’s how drag racing works. Every second counts. But every thousandth of a second means even more than that ever will.
The sport takes its toll mentally and physically.
Ratcliff said his ribs were sore after the final day because he beats his chest to prepare for every race.
In the final versus Rambo, Ratcliff dialed at 10.58. He took a lengthy lead and eventually claimed his second career win. Kyle also won at Topeka, Kan., a couple of years ago. Read more in the weekend Bowie News.

Editor’s Note: The Storm Center column is the expressed written views of sports editor Eric Viccaro and not The Bowie News.

Kyle Ratcliff, a 1983 Bowie High School graduate, won the stock division at the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis in September. Click on the image itself for the complete photo. (Courtesy photo from National Dragster magazine/NHRA)