By Mary Lendzion
Soon after securing the NMRA Richmond Gear Factory Stock championship in 2018, Dan Ryntz circled all six NMRA events on his calendar for 2019 and charted his course.
Then, he climbed into the cockpit of Bart Welte's Mustang powered by a Coyote engine and C4 transmission, and proceeded to set the pace in qualifying with a 10.35 and later landed in the Aerospace Components Winner's Circle with a 10.45 against Gary Windsor at the series first event of the year, the 25th Annual Nitto NMRA Spring Break Shootout in March at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida.
After that successful start, he went on to qualify in the second spot with a 10.33 and won again with a 10.38 against Mike Bowen at the 11th Annual Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals presented by Mahle Motorsport in April at Atlanta Dragway.
The Pennsylvania-based driver led qualifying with a 10.41 and won with a 10.38 against Bryan Gardner at the Inaugural NMRA Ford Gateway Rumble in May at Gateway Motorsports Park in Illinois, and then qualified in the second spot with a 10.39 and won with another 10.39 against Justin Fogelsonger at the 19th Annual NMRA Ford Motorsport Nationals in June at Maple Grove Raceway in Pennsylvania.
In the chase for the championship, Ryntz qualified in the second spot with a 10.44 and made it to the semifinal round of eliminations before exiting with an 11.08 against Steve Higgins at the 14th Annual Nitto NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street Legal Drag Racing in July at Route 66 Raceway in Illinois.
With his sights set on sealing the deal, he qualified in the fourth spot with a 10.43, went a couple rounds of eliminations and emerged as the 2019 NMRA Richmond Gear Factory Stock champion, backing up last year's feat, at the 21st Annual Nitto NMRA All-Ford World Finals in September at Beech Bend Raceway in Kentucky.
I'm thrilled that I was able to repeat, and I'm thankful that Bart Welte let me pilot his car this season," said Ryntz.
Ryntz and his fellow champions will take center stage at the NMRA Muscle Car Nationals presented by E3 Spark Plugs Awards Ceremony presented by Aerospace Components, Dec. 13 at the Indiana Convention Center.
(Please watch for stories on all NMRA champions to be posted on the NMRA and Race Pages Digital websites and in Fastest Street Car in the days to come.)
