MADISON, IL – At his home race, John DeFlorian and his Total Seal Piston Rings Chevy Camaro team secured the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock world championship, earned the No. 1 qualifying position and picked up their fourth national event victory of the season at the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway.

After securing the No. 1 qualifying position on a 6.269-second pass at 223.65 mph, DeFlorian’s JHG Mountain Motor Pro Stock World Championship was determined in the first round of eliminations on Saturday evening when former world champion Johnny Pluchino and his Feather Lite Batteries Ford came up short to Vincent Nobile’s Jersey Auto Supply Chevy.

“I was a basket case after that,” said DeFlorian who after watching Nobile win, picked up a first-round  victory with a 6.320-second pass at 222.00 mph over Dennis Firkus’ Done Rite Auto Chevy Cobalt’s 6.421 at 218.94. “I knew we won the championship. I had to try to focus but I had tears in my eyes. It’s overwhelming, the immense amount of pressure is insane and people that don’t do it just don’t get it. I’m here at home and our pits were full of people all weekend, friends and guys I’ve raced with. That was awesome. But it was so much pressure. I’m so grateful but thank god the pressure is over. Continue reading →

NORWALK, OH – John DeFlorian and his Total Seal Chevy Camaro picked up their second win of the season and took over the points lead in Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock Sunday at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals.

Facing defending world champion Johnny Pluchino in his third final round appearance, DeFlorian had a solid 6.630-second pass at 221.23 mph bettering Pluchino’s 6.405 at 218.94. It is the first time in five meetings that DeFlorian and the Total Seal team have defeated Pluchino.

“There are so many people I have to thank my crew. I have the baddest crew out here, my wife Liann, Jason Petzold, Jeff Graber, Tony Strobl and then Lump, the best crew chief, they’ve given me a killer car. They are unbelievable, we had tricky conditions out here this weekend and they got us through it,” DeFlorian said. “I have to thank Total Seal, wouldn’t be out here without them. Thank you to Eric Latino for his help. This has been amazing. There’s a lot of people to thank who have been with us for a long time, we appreciate all our supporters. I have to thank NHRA for creating this opportunity with this class. Norwalk, Bill Bader, thank you for the Ice Cream Scoop Trophy, that is just too cool. Big Wally to go with the ice cream scooper. We honestly couldn’t be any happier with where we currently are at this point in the season.” Continue reading →

EPPING, NH – Chris Powers and his Sonny’s Racing Engines Chevy Camaro rallied to victory Sunday at the NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway, race two of eight on the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock 2025 NHRA schedule.

In the final round, Powers was set to take on defending world champion Johnny Pluchino. Pluchino would have trouble at the starting line and have to shut his Feather Lite Batteries Ford off. Powers made a 6.723-second pass at 223.47 mph on a solo run for the first JHG Mountain Motor Pro Stock victory of his career. Powers previously picked up a win in Mountain Motor Pro Stock in 2019 when the category was still an exhibition class in the NHRA.

“I’m so happy, especially for Sonny’s, you know, since the passing of Leonard Sonny in 2021, they lost a lot of customers, but man, they worked their tail off on this engine, all winter long to catch up after last year,” Powers said. “I’m so proud of them, my whole team, they did a heck of a job. We knew we had the car to beat all weekend, and it’s been a while since we got that win at zMAX Dragway in 2019, and I wasn’t sure we’d ever get back. Finally, we did it again, I’m just blessed, so happy to be here.” Continue reading →