To Jim Bailey, his days of racing Top Fuel are a distant memory.

Bailey, who once drove a second dragster for Doug Herbert on the IHRA series, races at a much slower pace with his AA/Stock Automatic 1965 Belvedere.

"That's what I consider a long time ago when I was in my youth," Bailey said with a smile. "I really have no desire to go back there, and really enjoy what I am doing now."

While the average racer or fan might not agree, Bailey believes the exhilaration of racing a Stocker can replace the thrill of Top Fuel. At least in his mind, it can.

"I believe so," Bailey said. "You really get into the challenge of it all and try to push yourself to see how far you can take it with the mechanics of the car and the rule parameters you are given. Then, of course, there's the challenge of maintaining your driving skills."

Bailey, who hasn't raced fuel in almost 15 years, isn't sure he's fully adjusted to the difference in racing demands between the two styles of drag racing.

"It's just you and your car, as opposed to a paid crew and crew chief," Bailey said. "Both a Top Fuel car and Stocker have variables. You just do the best you can to keep them all under control. I don't think it ever ends."

Bailey admitted the car he's racing this weekend was part of a bucket list when he decided to walk away from a Top Fuel career that yielded nine IHRA national event titles.

"I had built an raced a Max Wedge car for ten years," Bailey said. "I told my wife after I had raced the last race with that car, 'I'm not done racing, but I am done with this car."

Bailey made a bucket list of cars he's like to own and race after selling the classic Mopar.

"This is one of the cars and found it down in Louisiana," said Bailey.