The Mountain Motor Pro Stock father and son team of Dean and Cary Goforth had a roller coaster year to say the least. Cary ended the year by winning the first ever Mountain Motor Pro Stock Association Championship, but it wasn’t an easy road to the top. Along the way Dean suffered a foot injury that sidelined him during the middle of the season and then at the final event he endured a horrific crash in which he rolled three times and hit the guard wall eight times. Amazingly he was uninjured, but the same couldn’t be said for the car. In spite of this less than perfect year for the team, they managed to keep their focus and win three MMPSA victories in the Dean’s Casing Service GXP driven by the younger half of the team. Their wins included the first ever MMPSA event and the final event of the season which was key in earning Championship rights. We took some time to chat with Cary and get some insight into what led to this victory in the face of adversity.

The Mountain Motor Pro Stock father and son team of Dean and Cary Goforth had a roller coaster year to say the least. Cary ended the year by winning the first ever Mountain Motor Pro Stock Association Championship, but it wasn’t an easy road to the top. Along the way Dean suffered a foot injury that sidelined him during the middle of the season and then at the final event he endured a horrific crash in which he rolled three times and hit the guard wall eight times. Amazingly he was uninjured, but the same couldn’t be said for the car. In spite of this less than perfect year for the team, they managed to keep their focus and win three MMPSA victories in the Dean’s Casing Service GXP driven by the younger half of the team. Their wins included the first ever MMPSA event and the final event of the season which was key in earning Championship rights. We took some time to chat with Cary and get some insight into what led to this victory in the face of adversity.

Q: You had a very dominating year in the world of Pro Stock, both in the MMPSA and the ADRL. To what do you attribute your success?

Cary: A great team and a great family. Not only do I have a world class crew, but I also have world class parents. There have been times when I didn’t listen to dad like I should have, but now I am quick to take his advice. My guys did an excellent job this year and everything they did was the best for the team. That’s one thing I can’t replace. We also have lots of people helping us. We have great support at home, which helps a lot, means a lot and takes a lot of pressure off.

Q: Dean had a tough year with his foot injury and the wreck at Tulsa.  How did this affect the team’s focus?

Cary: Dad had a season we wanted to put behind him before the wreck happened. We fought that car all year, but before that he won races with it. Dad’s had some bad luck, and that’s hard to shake. There are two things you can do when that happens- you can try to work through it or you can quit. We chose not to quit. Dad didn’t let the bad luck affect him. I would have already been throwing a fit before the halfway point in the season. He took everything with a grain of salt and remained a good team manager and leader. He didn’t let it affect him because I think he knows it trickles down to affect others, but we’re a strong team and we pulled through.

The sad thing about the GXP is that at Tulsa he was going down the track every time. He’s tough. I’m thankful he’s ok. I’m also glad we had another car, and we put him right in there. He got back into it and drove like I know he can. (Dean raced the very next weekend following his wreck at the ADRL finals)  All we knew was that we had to get back to work and get another car going. We didn’t even have time to reflect on it. I’m thankful he’s alive and he’s not hurt and that he’s focused on next year.

Q: It’s amazing that you were able to go on to win the race and the Championship after your father’s incredible wreck. What gave you the drive to continue?

Cary: I was sitting, strapped in the car and saw the wreck. By the time we got down there he was out of the car and letting everyone know he was ok. When we got ready to start the race again, I got back in the car. After what happened and since I had a single, people were expecting me to just break the beams, but I went down there and ran a 6.30. Dad had told me that we had a job to do. My dad’s a man’s man. He’s a real man. If I would have just broken the beams, he would have beat the crap out of me. We’re here to go fast. I knew I would be robbing everybody if I didn’t. The best therapy for me was to let the clutch out and run low ET of the round, which we did. It would have disrespected my dad and my team for me to give up. We dealt with it in a positive way. We knew we had a job to do and we did it. His wreck tore my family up, and they were scared for my run. So, on my burnout I stuck my hand out the window and waved. Dad wasn’t hurt and we went on to when the Championship that day. The Lord’s blessed us and He’s blessed us a lot. Me especially.

Q: Now that you’ve won the MMPSA Championship, what are you off season plans?

Cary: Winning the Championship gave us a trip to Aruba, thanks to Aruba Vacations. I want to thank them for providing that. Now I’ve got to figure out when we’re going! We hope we do some testing this off season as well, possibly one session right before the PRI Show. Right now we’re in the process of taking things apart and going through the normal off season repairs and refreshments, but we’re definitely going to do more testing. We hardly tested last year at all. I think we’ll be twice as good next year if we can get out and test. The whole time I’ll be in Aruba I’ll be thinking about next year.  I’m excited.  I don’t know what I’m going to do all winter except go crazy.

Q: What are your plans for 2011?

Cary: We’re building two new Haas cars. We’re going to put this season behind us. We’re going to learn from it and walk away from it. My idea is to be just as hungry or hungrier for a Championship next year. I don’t know what happened at Dallas. The car wouldn’t get out of its own way. This car is still a great car so I may even start 2011 off with it.

I’m not about to quit cutting lights or driving my butt off. I’m going to be more focused next year, but have more fun too. I’m not going to let things get to me as much. I let the pressure get to me when I shouldn’t have this year. A lot of that pressure is off now that we’ve won a Championship. I’ve now won more races than I ever thought I would.

Q: Do you have any hobbies or pastimes other than racing?

Cary: I used to, before I started Pro Stock and had two cars. I like to spend my time trying to be the best father I can be to my daughter. We’re pals. I’m looking to get her a junior dragster. I have a dragster myself and haven’t bracket raced in two or three years. I’m going to try to do more of that when I’m home. I miss my friends at my home track. I also enjoy spending time with my family and church family. I used to spend a lot of time partying but don’t do that anymore. We just tore our old church down and there’s now a new beginning there. It’s going to be exciting to watch that develop over the winter.

Q: Who are your heroes in the sport?

Cary: My dad. He’s the best driver I’ve ever seen. I’ve watched him through all the years. He’s been my biggest hero. If there was one guy I’d like to be like in Pro Stock, I would love to be a great versatile driver and mechanic like Lee Shepherd. He was cool and calm and could do it all. He was the best at what he did. He could go from 16th qualifier to the winner’s circle. I remember watching him and Glidden throughout the years growing up.  It was neat to watch them both.  If Lee had a lived, I’m sure the record books been different.

Q: What are your thoughts on quarter-mile Pro Stock racing?  As World Champion, would you like to see any change?

Cary: I don’t think there’s anything better than quarter-mile Pro Stock racing. We need to keep the MMPSA alive. To win the first race and first Championship really means a lot. I’m racing against the best guys in the world at what they do. Whether we’re racing against five or fifty I’m still glad to be at the start of this thing. We can say we’ve been here since the beginning of the MMPSA.

Everyone’s working hard to see what we can do to make this better. We’ve got tracks wanting us. We need a sponsor and we’re working on that. We race hard and give it everything we got, but we still need help. I’d like to see us have a series sponsor and gain identity.

I’d also like to see more guys come run with us. These guys that run nothing but eighth mile racing and don’t give us a chance, I think they owe it to Pro Stock racing to come over to the MMPSA and give it a try as well. We run both eighth and quarter with our two cars. The guys need to give this deal a shot. It’s a really laid back deal and a lot of fun. I appreciate everything Kenny does for us and don’t want to take anything away from eighth mile Pro Stock racing with the ADRL, but it would be good to see full fields in both organizations.

Q: Who would you like to thank?

Cary: Mom and Dad and the crew for sure. I’d also like to thank all the employees at Deans – anybody that has anything to do with Dean’s. All these guys contribute and are excited to see us win. They put it up on the sign every time we do well. Access Employer Resources has been with us since day one. John Brady with XS power and LAT racing oils give us all kinds of good help. Jerry Haas provides the best and safest cars on earth.  Dad had an opportunity to drive an RJ car but he wouldn’t get in anything else but a Haas. I believe that’s what saved dad’s life. Sonny Leonard is another guy huge thanks goes out to. Dad and Sonny are really good friends. They have a lot in common. Sonny really goes above and beyond to give all his customers exceptional power. He wakes up every morning with a passion and love for what he does. Last but not least, Ronnie Young with Performax trailers. I would encourage anybody that ever wants to buy a trailer, big or small, and wants to be taken care of by good people to go to Performax trailers. They are wonderful and build a good quality product. He’s taken great care of us.

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