NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Vincent Nobile is not racing Pro Stock this year. The Mitsos family decided to focus on the SAMTech.edu Factory Stock Showdown and that meant Nobile was out of a ride. That didn’t cost him his livelihood by any means; the affable New Yorker compared it to being told not to go fishing after making it a weekly habit. So, call these Mountain Motor Pro Stock dalliances throwing a line out. 

That might not do the Nobile Racing program justice. John Nobile knows Mountain Motor Pro Stock like the back of his hand. Vincent grew up at the track as his father tuned and ran the series on the IHRA side of the fence and that experience has already paid dividends in the two events the pair have competed in this season. 

“His experience is really invaluable,” said Vincent. “This is John Watford’s car and he basically said that we should do whatever we think is necessary with it when we showed up to Charlotte [for the NGK Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals] with it. So, we basically spent a full 10 hours working on the damn thing to get it where we wanted it.”

Vincent qualified 4th and reached the semifinals in the four-wide race. The father-son duo is not racing with brand-new equipment by any means, but it’s competitive and they’re enjoying the opportunity to race together after most of Vincent’s professional career came with Elite Motorsports. 

“This is like the old days,” said Vincent. “My dad turned all the wrenches and drove it, so this is a lot like that except with me in the driver’s seat.”

About that: Driving a Mountain Motor Pro Stock car is not the same 

“You definitely have to appreciate the power because it has more torque,” said Vincent. “As far as that, you just have to be more careful in these cars because of the horsepower. It can get out of hand a little faster. So, in Charlotte, I went 6.26 at 223-mph and it actually felt a little slow. You would think it would feel super-fast, but it didn’t because everything happens a little slower in these cars, whereas in a 500-inch car everything happens a little quicker. Each time you shift one of these cars it really puts you in your seat.”

It’s been a learning experience for the driver who still doesn’t feel completely comfortable driving the car. There’s one more Mountain Motor Pro Stock race on the schedule, at the NHRA New England Nationals in Epping, and the Nobiles figure to be factors at one of their home races. First, Vincent is going to try to capture a Wally for his dad on Father’s Day.