Fifteen years ago seems like yesterday to Spencer Massey.

As a 12-year old, Massey, an aspiring second-generation drag racer, received a high-five from legendary Don “Snake” Prudhomme in celebration of what would be the legend’s final national event victory.

That monumental victory came during Prudhomme’s 1994 Final Strike tour. Little did that kid know that many years later, on a rain-delayed Sunday afternoon in Joliet, he’d be celebrating a Top Fuel win just like Prudhomme had done so many years ago. To add icing to the cake, Massey's first NHRA Top Fuel win came in Prudhomme’s dragster.

“It really hasn’t all sunk in and this season has been a dream,” Massey said. “I don’t want anyone to pinch me because I don’t want to wake up from it. We’ve needed to do well and we’ve needed to go rounds.”

Fifteen years ago seems like yesterday to Spencer Massey.

As a 12-year old, Massey, an aspiring second-generation drag racer, received a high-five from legendary Don “Snake” Prudhomme in celebration of what would be the legend’s final national event victory.

That monumental victory came during Prudhomme’s 1994 Final Strike tour. Little did that kid know that many years later, on a rain-delayed Sunday afternoon in Joliet, he’d be celebrating a Top Fuel win just like Prudhomme had done so many years ago. To add icing to the cake, Massey's first NHRA Top Fuel win came in Prudhomme’s dragster.

“It really hasn’t all sunk in and this season has been a dream,” Massey said. “I don’t want anyone to pinch me because I don’t want to wake up from it. We’ve needed to do well and we’ve needed to go rounds.”

Massey’s monumental victory came at the expense of No. 1 qualifier Antron Brown.

“You couldn’t write the book any better,” said Massey, who pointed out this weekend’s race was sponsored by United Association, also a major associate sponsor for Snake Racing.

“It would have been nice to win any of the other races before this one, but we have been trying to cure all of the problems we’ve had. We started to get a handle on it last week and it showed this weekend. Donnie [Bender] and Todd [Smith] can make a car go down the track.”

Massey took over the driving chores this year, sitting in a car that finished No. 2 last season in the NHRA Full Throttle Championship points chase and admittedly the team has struggled to perform, including suffering an uncharacteristic DNQ two races ago at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tenn.

The team relentlessly looked in every nook and cranny of the car. Every inch of the car was scrutinized. Massey isn’t shy about sharing what they were looking for. 

“Making the car more consistent,” Massey admitted. “Making sure that everything was perfect … not that it wasn’t before, but we found key little things that were a little off that may have been a loop into the situation. It showed this weekend that we have a consistent car and ready to go after the Full Throttle championship.”

He might be a rookie by NHRA’s standards, but even as a freshman nitro racer last year on the IHRA tour, Massey performed like a seasoned veteran, winning his debut event. He added three more IHRA national event titles to his resume en route to winning the IHRA world championship.

Granted there’s nothing like hitting a home run in the major leagues, but when you excel in the minor leagues as Massey did, one doesn't forget the experience. Massey didn’t. Dreamers have to begin somewhere.

“Honestly, [winning this race] almost compares to the IHRA championship. Don’t get me wrong the IHRA championship is unbelievable to win. It’s a Top Fuel category whether it’s NHRA or IHRA. I’ve been watching the NHRA races since I was four years old. I wanted to grow up and race Top Fuel like Eddie Hill, Joe Amato and Don Prudhomme since then.”

The opportunity to follow in the company of those legends immediately pressured Massey to win, and when they didn’t come as quickly as they did in IHRA competition, he only tried harder. He wanted to deliver for the new boss. 

“Of course I would have loved to have had a win a little earlier,” Massey admitted. “It wasn’t for me … not that I was spoiled, but for Snake. To have a car that was No. 2 last year in the points, has proven to win championships and races, and we just got into a little down-slump and it was just a matter of time before they got the grip back on things and got us to the winner’s circle.

“Drag racing is like life in that it is up and down. Sometimes it’s a race and sometimes it’s a drag.”

It certainly was not a drag this weekend.
 

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