For years, Johnny Pluchino had a gut-level confidence that, given the chance, he could be a championship-caliber driver in the Extreme and Mountain Motor Pro Stock ranks.
This year, when his father, John Pluchino, gave him the wheel of the family’s 2013 Ford Mustang full-time, the younger Pluchino more than delivered.
On Saturday at GALOT Motorsports Park, rookie Johnny Pluchino put the unofficial wraps on the PDRA’s Extreme Pro Stock title. His closest pursuer, J.R. Carr of Pasco, Wash., took himself out of contention with a first-round redlight at the Benson, N.C., track.
Pluchino capitalized by winning the event -- his fourth victory in five PDRA races in the COVID-shortened season. All that’s left to do to officially lock up the crown is show up for the season finale later this month at Virginia Motorsports Park.