Bucky Austin, famed alcohol driver, made his nitro debut at his home track of Pacific Raceways near Seattle with the help of Steve Plueger. Austin and Plueger have been in business together since the 1970s.
“If I had a mechanical or technical question I would call Steve,” said Austin. “I have always used Steve’s oil pumps when I began racing alcohol dragsters and Funny Cars.”
Bucky Austin, famed alcohol driver, made his nitro debut at his home track of Pacific Raceways near Seattle with the help of Steve Plueger. Austin and Plueger have been in business together since the 1970s.
“If I had a mechanical or technical question I would call Steve,” said Austin. “I have always used Steve’s oil pumps when I began racing alcohol dragsters and Funny Cars.”
After years of dominance in the alcohol ranks, Austin decided that he was over driving in 2006. “I just got bored with alcohol Funny Car and I wasn’t really into driving just to see how fast I can make it go and getting a good light,” explained Austin. He then decided to go try nostalgia fuel Funny Car.
In 2007, Plueger built the Blue Arrow Funny Car and invited Austin to come drive for him.
“I jumped at the chance to drive for Steve. The car was extremely fast and a pleasure to drive,” said Austin. By 2009 Austin quit driving and decided to build his own nostalgia car and Plueger went on to build a big show car.
Now in 2014 Bucky Austin has come back to race in Steve Plueger’s car.
“I am just doing what Steve tells me to do,” said Austin. “Steve wanted the same guy in the car for the next few races so that they can get back to square one with the car.”
The Plueger team is also receiving help from Jimmy Prock and John Force. Plueger was once John Force’s crew chief and car builder.
When asked what track is Austin’s favorite for the alcohol ranks, he says Seattle Pacific Raceway.
“I had won four Northwest Nationals and I won my first big show by beating my nephew Pat Austin in 1986.”
For nitro, he said that Bakersfield was his favorite. “We won two March Meets and two Hot Rod Reunions in Plueger’s nostalgia Funny Car.”
Austin attended his first drag race in 1956 when his brother, Walt Austin, was driving an A-gas 1936 Ford.
“I was the tire wiper for my brother,” said Austin.
In 1958, he helped on his brother’s Top Gas car and then they built another Top Gas car where both of them were drivers and that only lasted for four races. “There were too many chiefs and not enough Indians,” said Austin. “From there I started my alcohol career.”
When Austin received his license a few weeks back for the nitro car, he went through the three mandatory runs to compete his crossover license. He first did two hits in his nostalgia Funny Car, which is normally piloted by Kris Krabill, to begin his crossover. “I made two passes in my nostalgia car and it really was like I didn’t get out of it,” said Austin. He made his third pass in Plueger’s car, and Austin said it caught his attention. “It doesn’t really get your attention until 200-300 feet out and then it has a lot of torque,” said Austin.
Kris Krabill, driver of the Austin and O’Brien nostalgia Funny Car, said,“I watched him as kid back in the alcohol car and he was my hero back then. I am having a lot of fun watching him going down the track and watching him drive in the fuel car.”
The plans for the Bucky Austin and Steve Plueger collaboration is to finish out the year at the Las Vegas nationals and the World Finals in Pomona. “We want to take baby steps and progressively make the car faster. We just want to get in the show and go a couple rounds. You have to be consistent and you need to know when to get off the throttle and don’t destroy more parts,” said Austin.
The team did not qualify in their debut attempt at Seattle and missed the bump by .03 seconds with a 4.39.
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