RELATED STORY: THIS DRAG RACER PROVES NO AGE LIMIT ON CHASING A DREAM

At 77 years young, Ron Allison may well be the most impressive rookie the South East Gassers Association has ever seen.

Prior to this year, the Sparta, TN-based septuagenarian had been a Legends car champion and jet-ski speed record holder, but this year's SEGA season opener represented his first official drag racing experience. It took Allison just six events to earn his first SEGA Super Stock race title in June and he finished the season with five wins and the 2021 series championship to his credit.

"I didn't think I'd win the first race this year; it's just been like a dream come true," Allison said after a come-from-behind charge in the points chase to win the series season ender at Shady Side Dragway and edge out 2020 class champion Mark Hackett for the 2021 SEGA SS title.

Steve McCreary qualified his '67 Chevelle "War Wagon" on top of a 12-car Super Stock field at Shady Side, followed by 2019 class champ Robert Peffley in the "4-Speed Stampede" Plymouth wagon, Hackett and his "Mercury Poison" Comet, and Allison driving the "Poppy's Toy" '66 Nova in fourth.

Allison opened with a commanding win over "The Dirt Man" Rick Varner, then ran low ET for the meet in beating Hackett to reach the semis against Peffley.

"That was the biggest run today," the new champ said in victory lane. "(Hackett) was five points ahead of me when I had him second round and I had to get him out to win this thing. So a little pressure there, but yeah, it all worked out."

Meanwhile, 17-year-old K.J. Phillips made his Super Stock debut count by qualifying his "Street Legal" '65 Chevelle sixth, then getting past Mike Holt and McCleary before enjoying a bye into the final.

That's where his Cinderella story ended, though, as his classic Chevy's engine let go in a big way, oiling down the right lane and sending him lightly into the guardwall while Allison was long gone for the race win to cap off his new championship.

"He's just a super nice kid and I really hated that he hit the wall," Allison said of Phillips. "But I felt like I could win. I just felt like all day I could beat anybody and it worked out that way, you know?

"But I never thought we'd win so many races or especially the championship this year," he admitted. "I have to thank Larry Pritchett and Ian Landies at Mid-South Racing Engines, they built the motor for me and Larry's been teaching me to drive all year, or at least been trying to. I've still got a lot of learning to do, but you're never too old to learn."