NHRA Carolina Nationals Pro Stock Bike champion Chip Ellis said team owner Junior Pippin was more concerned with making sure his team had enough equipment to compete in the next five races than celebrating their first victory.

Ellis admits he wasn't surprised by the reaction; this is just how Pippin operates.

"The first thing he said was, 'How many motors do we have in the truck?" Ellis recalled.

The response, as Ellis explained, didn't mean he wasn't proud.

"He's just all about racing," Ellis said. "I was going to drive the Wally [NHRA trophy] down to him from North Carolina to Georgia, and he said, 'Nope. Don’t bring it. Stay at the shop. Let’s just keep working."

Pippin loves his team, and he's dedicated to their success. Being a winning team owner means less to him than seeing his rider and team enjoy the fruits of their success and hard work.

"He's dedicated to this team, and of course he wants the Wally, but he wants to see us get more of them," Ellis explained.  

Throughout his lengthy career, Pippin had failed to experience a national event victory. A year after Ellis started riding for Pippin, he delivered an NHRA trophy for his team owner.

Cancer has been brutal on Pippin and his family, starting in 2012 when he left the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series to support his wife Lisa who was diagnosed with breast cancer. Three years later, he would face the deadly disease himself when diagnosed with an inoperable nasal cancer.

​Pippin went through 35 radiation treatments and eight rounds of chemotherapy to eradicate the disease. Recently doctors found a spot on Pippin's lung and believe they can remove without radiation or chemo.

Cancer might have slowed Pippin physically but has done little to deter his spirit of helping his fellow man.

Ellis admitted he's met various individuals whom Pippin has helped in times of need.

Pippin is scheduled to undergo the procedure to his lung on September 28, and doctors advised him to stay close to home in the days leading up to his surgery.

Pippin was at the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals this weekend past but not to oversee his his team. He was there to help a fellow racer in need.

"I'm not surprised he's here; that's just the person he is," Ellis explained. "[NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racer] Hector Arana called and asked if there was someone who had a motorhome he could rent for the weekend. I called Junior, and he said yes, and I was going to drive one and Hector to drive the other."

Pippin had other ideas and shortly after the phone conversation ended, called to tell Ellis he was on his way to zMax Dragway to pick up Arana's trailer and haul it to St. Louis.

"That’s why I enjoy racing with this guy so much," Ellis admitted. "He is the real deal. You look up "good human being" in the dictionary, and there’s a picture of Junior Pippin right there."

The Charlotte victory vaulted Ellis as high as second in the championship point standings two rounds out of first place. The idea of winning a championship for Pippin is something he admits has crossed his mind.

"I’d love to tell you that I haven’t thought about it, because I just want to race one round at a time," Pippin said. "I really don’t want to spend a lot of time thinking about it. But, to win this thing for him, man ... that would go beyond awesome. If there's anyone who deserves it."

Ellis remains third in Pro Stock Motorcycle points headed into this weekend's NHRA event in Reading, PA.