This is the Statt Mann Baby!!  Time to Scatt a little bit.

A significant milestone passed last weekend at the NHRA Gatornationals and few noticed.

Matt Scranton, a two-time Sport Compact Rear Wheel Drive champion, qualified 12th and Justin Humphreys, who won the Modified title in his rookie season two years ago, qualified 16th; two Sport Compact racers beating Pro Stock drivers who once laughed at them.

Scranton even got to the Semis before losing to eventual event winner Greg Anderson.  In the first round he left on The Professor Warren Johnson and hammered him to the finish.

Scranton is the first Sport Compact driver in history to top 200 MPH.  That was in 2002 when the sport was getting off the ground.  Then, Scranton drove a V8 Toyota that was later outlawed because of the V8 powerplant.

So it made sense when Matt turned a 6.62 at nearly 209 MPH to get into the field.  He’d been there before in what should have been a Pro Stock car five years ago.

This time, though, Scranton was in a former Greg Anderson GTO a car that has – and can still – win.

Through the years many had the chops to get into a Pro Stock field but never had the chance or the proper equipment and crew.

After last weekend, that’s no longer the case.  Getting into a Pro Stock field is the toughest qualification in motorsports.  Two studs pulled it off last week.  They won’t be the last.
 
Peace.