PHOTOS : NATE VAN WAGNEN , COLE ROKOSKY |
ship is my team ’ s . It ’ s theirs , not mine . I get the credit , but it ’ s them behind the scenes .”
With the 2016 world championship coming in a much different manner than his previous titles , McKinney and team felt the thrill of victory in a new way . “ The first two seasons we had such an advantage on everyone , we put it in cruise control ,” McKinney storied . “ The class caught up . We were on cruise control too long . There were a lot of downs . There were times I didn ’ t even want to go . I thought we had lost our touch .”
The team recognized their mistake and went to work . “ This last month we probably put in 50 test runs before Bradenton and Virginia , just trying to get our combination back . We had good help from the Vance and Hines guys . We went testing with them a week before the Virginia race
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and learned a lot of stuff we were overlooking . It makes for very good racing , and it ’ s very rewarding to win this way . We earned every championship we ’ ve ever won , but this one was very hardfought . It ’ s definitely more gratifying to win this way rather than to have the cushion over the competition like we have in the past . This year was by far the best championship . It ’ s gratifying to win this one . The torch is going to have to get passed on to someone else at some point , but it worked out again this year for us .”
Although McKinney and team pulled off their fifth championship in a row , he recognizes that the class has a new level of parity and expects several teams to post three-second runs more often next year . One thing is sure , however , McKinney and his team are not about to let their guard down again .
“ My mom and dad are the heart behind this thing ,” thanked McKinney . “ If it wasn ’ t for them I couldn ’ t do it . Dad ’ s been pushing me since I was little to be the best that I can . I try my hardest and he gives me good equipment . We pull it off . I want to thank my fiancée . She ’ s my rock and she pushes me , too . When we get down and out she keeps us going . My uncle Steve is at just about every race
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with us doing the clutch and in between round maintenance . Ashley Owens is the man behind the tune-up and the chassis . That guy forgot more about all that stuff than anybody else ever knew . He ’ s amazing with what he knows and what he can do with that motorcycle . It makes it easier for me because I know it ’ ll be consistent every pass . I can do my job a lot better because I ’ m not worried about the motorcycle . If it wasn ’ t for him and dad we couldn ’ t do this . Their combined experience and knowledge make them almost untouchable .
“ I definitely want to thank the guys in our shop , D & S Auto Parts . When we ’ re gone they take care of things . My counter man , Jaimie , keeps the place together . Fast by Gast , Paul Gast , he helps us with our motor . He gets repairs done in a timely fashion . Vance and Hines , Eddie Krawiec was actually helping us at the test session a week before the last race . I also want to thank Vance and Hines for helping to sponsor the class this year , and I want to thank the class title sponsor , Drag965 . I definitely want to thank the PDRA . Everybody at the PDRA is just great to deal with ; they ’ re awesome to be around .
From the time you pull in the gate until the time you leave everybody is trying to help you out . We ’ ve raced a bunch of organizations . It ’ s good to go to a place where you feel at home and still get treated professionally .”
In his young career , McKinney has already accomplished more than many do in a lifetime of drag racing . McKinney will celebrate his championship this offseason while also planning his wedding to take place next May – in between races , of course . - LISA COLLIER DI
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