Richard Freeman wondered what he was getting himself into when he decided to go IHRA mountain motor Pro Stock racing. When he pulled fifth gear for the first time with the 818-inch Jon Kaase engine, he found out.

“It sets you back and you better have a hold,” Freeman explained. “I mean that's all there is to it, you better be holding on.”

Freeman is no novice to drag racing having raced in the NHRA Competition eliminator ranks for almost 15 years. He made the decision to go Pro Stock racing last year.

Knowing the state of NHRA POWERade Pro Stock and the investment required he found the IHRA as the perfect alternative. Richard Freeman wondered what he was getting himself into when he decided to go IHRA mountain motor Pro Stock racing. When he pulled fifth gear for the first time with the 818-inch Jon Kaase engine, he found out.

“It sets you back and you better have a hold,” Freeman explained. “I mean that's all there is to it, you better be holding on.”

Freeman is no novice to drag racing having raced in the NHRA Competition eliminator ranks for almost 15 years. He made the decision to go Pro Stock racing last year.

Knowing the state of NHRA POWERade Pro Stock and the investment required he found the IHRA as the perfect alternative.

“Pro Stock racing isn’t cheap regardless of where you do it at,” Freeman said. “Plus, beyond the racing I have a family and particularly a three-year old daughter and that’s first and foremost in determining what I do.

“Add in there a business to run, so 11 or 12 races a year fits into our schedule. Besides that the people at the IHRA make us feel really at home here.”

Freeman’s Comp car provided an inkling of what driving a Pro Stock car would resemble. The experience couldn’t prepare him for 220-mile per hour doorslammer racing.

“I love the speed,” Freeman said. “I had never been faster than 195-miles per hour before this. There’s nothing like the launch in this car. When you go down the track and plug it into fifth, it keeps pulling.”

Freeman has witnessed some of the IHRA mountain motor Pro Stock racers transfer over to the 500-inch ranks. He said he could run a 500-inch car again, but the experience just wouldn’t be the same.

“I could do it, but I don’t think it would be nearly as much fun,” Freeman said.