Nashville, TN, (May 29, 2018) One of today’s most exciting classes in NHRA drag racing has become the Pro Mod series, now in its first season sponsored by E3 Spark Plugs. The 2018 E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service is a show like no other in the NHRA series as it allows multiple makes of cars, builders and engines to compete on a level playing field. This combination is drawing ever increasing throngs of fans to each city that Pro Mod races at NHRA. The 2018 season is shaping up yet again, as a special one with winners and runners-up being divided with barely thousands-of-a-second from a Pro Modified entry field of over 30 cars per market.
One of the competing racers is Steve Jackson from Augusta, Ga. Steve started racing in 1994 in an
S-10 truck with a small block Chevy. Jackson says he was introduced to drag racing at an early age. “My dad had a 1967 Camaro street car with a big block Chevy. Back then nitrous on street cars was taboo, so he hid the bottle in the trunk and had the activation button on the shifter. We would race the car at our local drag strip in Jackson, SC on Thursday nights, and then street race it for money on Saturday and Sunday’s in Hephzibah and Augusta, GA,” says Jackson.
Jackson built his first vehicle at 17 years of age. He explained how he would sneak over to Jackson, SC on Thursday nights and take all the exhaust out from under his truck, put slicks on it and ‘tear it to hell.’ Then stay at the track all night fixing it so that he could drive to school the next morning.
In his early 20’s Jackson was building bigger and better engines. “I would grudge race at Darlington, SC on Wednesday, in Jackson, SC on Thursday, Orangeburg, SC on Friday, fix the truck on Saturday and then race at Dorchester, SC on Sunday.”
For years, Jackson mainly raced small tire and Drag Radial type races. Once he started grudge racing, he moved on to strictly Radial Racing and Super Street. All along the way Jackson claims Pro Mod was always his dream style of racing.
Having accomplished that dream, Jackson now commands the speed of his two Real Pro Mod series cars: a 2017 Camaro Pro Mod, with a Jerry Bickel chassis, and a BAE 521 supercharged Hemi engine, in addition to an equally impressive 2015 Camaro Pro Mod with a Rick Jones chassis, and a BAE 521 supercharged Hemi engine. While Jackson claims he is currently running supercharged, he says, “I have tuned everything under the sun. I have raced Pro Nitrous as well. I own a turbocharged car now but turbos are dumb.”
Jackson fills his trophy room with quite a few accolades from along the way with awards such as:
- ORSCA World Championship
- PURS World Championship
- Arabian Drag Racing League Super Street World Championship
- ADRL Pro nitrous World Championship
- Arabian Pro Series World Championship
- Bahrain Drag Racing World Championship
- Drag Radial record holder 14 times
Jackson’s 2017 NHRA season includes four finals where he won two races, finished third in points and was named Rookie of the Year. Jackson plans to compete in the full 12-race NHRA series in 2018. Also in his sights for the year are the World Series of Pro Mod in Denver, Radial vs. the World and the Bahrain Drag Racing Championship. Jackson claims his top speed in the ¼ = 5.707@ 252 MPH, and a 3.640@202 MPH 1/8 mile hit.
Of all the time spent at the track, Jackson recalls his favorite personal memory. He says, “Riding around the pits on my scooter with my daughter after a tough loss. As racers, we sometimes get caught up in what we do too much. A six year old will tell you the truth. And remind you to try harder next time.”
Ask Jackson his favorite motorsports hero and he’ll tell you he can’t pick just one. He narrowed down his top choices however to John Force, Todd Tutterow and Scotty Cannon. Jackson states, “They say what they think. They don’t take no for an answer. They do it their way. And they will flat out kick your ass.”
In his own personal cars and trucks Jackson uses E3 Spark Plugs to get him down the road. A lot of companies however has helped him get down the track including: KTR, SEI, Bahrain 1, Strange Engineering, Lucas Oil, VP Racing Fuels, Diamond Pistons, Trend, BAE, Jeremy Everist, Chuck Ford Superchargers, RSG, Mickey Thompson, Menscer Motorsports, XRP, Eastern Atlantic Underground, Neal Chance Racing Converters, RJ Race Cars, Quartermax, PRS, Jeff Sitton, Phil Shuler, Jack Barbee, Mark Savage, Billy Stocklin, Mike Hawkins, E Ray Bryant, Tracy Teasley, and Robbie Lowry, Matt Walden, and Bell Groves Jr. All of which are being put to use about 40 weeks a year. Jackson says, “I’m never not racing, but when I do have an off day, I’m in my boat wakesurfing or wakeboarding.” And just for a fun fact that many may not know, all of Jackson’s racecars are numbered 949. “That was my employee number when I worked at a car dealership. I remember my last day working at the car dealership. My service manager, and several of my co-workers told me that I would be back begging for my job in less than six months. I use #949 to remind myself to never forget where I came from.”
Steve Jackson has built a formidable career over the years and he says that he is blown away by the path that he has traveled. Jackson states, “It’s astonishing to me how fortunate I am. I wake up every morning and chase my dream. Never ever let someone tell you that your passion is silly. I’ve been told hundreds of times to get a real job. I have my sights set on Top Fuel and sooner or later I’m going to get there. Life is a fantastic ride so hang on!”
Just like Steve Jackson, E3 appreciates the support from the racers/teams/participants competing in the E3 Spark Plug Pro Mod class of the NHRA and are excited for the 2018 season and is thankful for everyone in the sport and everyone in the stands! For more information about E3 spark plugs, visit online E3 Spark Plugs, email (https://e3sparkplugs.com/contact/), or call 904.567.5994 to speak to one of E3’s support specialists. For more information about Steve Jackson, go to stevejacksonracing.com.
ABOUT E3
E3 is a true high-performance aftermarket manufacturer providing high-performance spark plugs and ignitions systems for drag racing, off-road, late model, street rod and muscle car, tuner, sports car, marine, lawn and garden and powersports. E3 Spark Plugs are the product of years of fundamental research in the combustion field. The unique patented electrode configuration of the new E3 spark plugs increases the amount of combustion pressure created during each power stroke of an engine, which results in a marked increase in power output, fuel economy, and reduced emissions in all gasoline engines.
