By Mary Lendzion
In his clean, classic and eye-catching Mustang Mach 1, David Mormann is a very competitive contender in NMRA Race Pages Digital Ford Muscle.
And while he had finished toward the top in points for the past several years, he wanted to earn a championship in the worst way in 2020.
With that in mind, the Floridian was focused going into the first NMRA event of the season, the 26th Annual Nitto NMRA Spring Break Shootout, which was Feb. 27-March 1 at Bradenton Motorsports Park in his home state. It worked well for him, as he qualified in the fifth spot in the footbrake category with an 11.08 on an 11.00 index and went all the way to the Aerospace Components Winner's Circle, where the celebrations are always cheerful, with an 11.11.
The adrenaline stayed with him through the 12th Annual Scoggin-Dickey by Parts Center NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals in June at Atlanta Dragway. There, he led qualifying with an 11.005 on an 11.00 index and wrapped up another win, this time with an 11.14, in his Grabber Green Mustang Mach 1 powered by a naturally aspirated stroked 351 Windsor engine backed by a Turbo 400 transmission.
Mormann hoped to keep the momentum going, but after qualifying in the sixth spot with an 11.05 on an 11.00 index, he ran into trouble when a connecting rod bolt broke in his engine in the second round of eliminations at the Nitto Tire NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street-Legal Drag Racing presented by HPJ Performance in early August at World Wide Technology Raceway in Illinois.
Chasing a championship at that point, he wasn't ready to close the curtain on the season, so he decided to race in his Ford F250 pickup truck at the final two events. He's glad he did, as he qualified in the seventh spot with a 16.10 on a 16.00 index and wrangled his third win of the season, this time with a 16.14, at the Arrington Performance NMRA/NMCA All-American Nationals presented by Force Engineering in late August at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Michigan.
Mormann followed that with a 15.99 on a 16.00 index to qualify in the eighteenth spot, and exited eliminations in the first round with a breakout time of 15.92 at the final NMRA event of the season, the NMRA All-Ford World Finals featuring the Holley Intergalactic Ford Festival, in late September at Beech Bend Raceway in Kentucky. With that, he earned his first NMRA Race Pages Digital Ford Muscle championship.
While the Coronavirus pandemic prevented NMRA from having its annual ceremony to celebrate champions, each was invited to share the words they would have shared on stage in front of their fellow racers, family and friends.
HOW DOES IT FEEL TO HAVE EARNED A CHAMPIONSHIP DURING SUCH AN UNUSUAL SEASON
I was very excited to win the championship in such a challenging year.
WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU OVERCAME ON YOUR WAY TO EARNING THE CHAMPIONSHIP
Mechanical issues with the car, and time away from my family and business, Woodmill Cabinetry in Tampa, Florida.
WHICH FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS WOULD YOU LIKE TO THANK FOR SUPPORTING YOU ALONG THE WAY
My beautiful wife, Teresa, as well as Danny Towe, Shane Williams, Randy Fancher, Alan Gaulden and Grant Martin.
WHICH SPONSORS WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE
Alan at Gaulden Mustangs, Toby at Toby Transmissions, Jake at Bullet Machinery and Junior at United Speed World.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT RACING IN NMRA RACE PAGES DIGITAL FORD MUSCLE
I enjoy associating with my friends, family, Randy at Racers for Christ and the competition in NMRA Ford Muscle.
Mormann hoped to keep the momentum going, but after qualifying in the sixth spot with an 11.05 on an 11.00 index, he ran into trouble when a connecting rod bolt broke in his engine in the second round of eliminations at the Nitto Tire NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street-Legal Drag Racing presented by HPJ Performance in early August at World Wide Technology Raceway in Illinois.
Chasing a championship at that point, he wasn't ready to close the curtain on the season, so he decided to race in his Ford F250 pickup truck at the final two events. He's glad he did, as he qualified in the seventh spot with a 16.10 on a 16.00 index and wrangled his third win of the season, this time with a 16.14, at the Arrington Performance NMRA/NMCA All-American Nationals presented by Force Engineering in late August at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Michigan.
Mormann followed that with a 15.99 on a 16.00 index to qualify in the eighteenth spot, and exited eliminations in the first round with a breakout time of 15.92 at the final NMRA event of the season, the NMRA All-Ford World Finals featuring the Holley Intergalactic Ford Festival, in late September at Beech Bend Raceway in Kentucky. With that, he earned his first NMRA Race Pages Digital Ford Muscle championship.
While the Coronavirus pandemic prevented NMRA from having its annual ceremony to celebrate champions, each was invited to share the words they would have shared on stage in front of their fellow racers, family and friends.
HOW DOES IT FEEL TO HAVE EARNED A CHAMPIONSHIP DURING SUCH AN UNUSUAL SEASON
I was very excited to win the championship in such a challenging year.
WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU OVERCAME ON YOUR WAY TO EARNING THE CHAMPIONSHIP
Mechanical issues with the car, and time away from my family and business, Woodmill Cabinetry in Tampa, Florida.
WHICH FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS WOULD YOU LIKE TO THANK FOR SUPPORTING YOU ALONG THE WAY
My beautiful wife, Teresa, as well as Danny Towe, Shane Williams, Randy Fancher, Alan Gaulden and Grant Martin.
WHICH SPONSORS WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE
Alan at Gaulden Mustangs, Toby at Toby Transmissions, Jake at Bullet Machinery and Junior at United Speed World.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT RACING IN NMRA RACE PAGES DIGITAL FORD MUSCLE
I enjoy associating with my friends, family, Randy at Racers for Christ and the competition in NMRA Ford Muscle.