raceannouncerblog

One of the best kept secrets in the Rochester media (unfortunately) is the fact that the area is home to one of the best drag racers in the country. Churchville’s Dan Fletcher quit a good job at Xerox over 10 years ago to follow his dream: to race NHRA and IHRA national and divisional events and do it well enough to make it a living. To say he has succeeded would be an understatement: he has been the NHRA World Super Stock Champion TWICE (1998 & 2001) and has won over 50 NHRA & IHRA National Events–and this doesn’t even take into account his divisional race wins.

Dan Fletcher’s 1969 Camaro Super Stocker started out life as a street car. As most local drag racing fans (and other local drag racers from that era know), Dan’s late father, Tom, bought the car new from a Rochester dealership and other than the trip home, it has been on dragstrips ever since. The car (called “CheckMate”) has seen many modifications over the years but it is still the same basic car that Dan’s dad began what has now become the Fletcher family drag racing dynasty! The car is the WINNINGEST car in NHRA history–no other car comes close. Dan’s prowess behind the wheel comes directly from two things: his dad’s early tutelage and Dan’s own natural ability and experience.

Just a couple of years ago, Dan added a similar 1969 Camaro to run in NHRA & IHRA stock competition and it didn’t take long for Dan to start winning in that car as well.

Now, Dan and his wife Donna have 3 children: Thomas(the oldest of the three), Timothy & Taylor and wouldn’t you just know it, Thomas is already living up to the drag racing legacy his grandfather started.

Just over a year ago, Dan bought a 1969 Chevelle wagon from another WNY drag racing family, the Leber’s out of Kenmore NY. After repainting and freshening up the powerplant, it became Dan’s drag racing teaching tool for his son, Thomas. Proving (again!) that “the apple doesn’t fall too far from the (drag racing Christmas) tree”, Thomas entered races around the WNY area (just as grandfather Tom did with Dan) and SURPRISE!!! he started winning!

But it was this past weekend that proved that maybe, just maybe, the spirit of Tom Fletcher not only lives inside his son, Dan, but also is shining brightly through his namesake grandson, Thomas. Competing at the NHRA open in Maple Grove, PA, Thomas drove his dad’s 1969 Camaro stocker (for the very FIRST time, mind you!) and took it all the way to the finals!!! A red-light start in the final (only missing a perfect start by .002) was the only thing that got in the way of his first win!

What does this all mean? Well, for Super Stock and Stock racers all over the country, it’s more bad news. It’s bad enough that they have to come up against Dan sooner or later in NHRA and IHRA competition. NOW, they gotta worry about the kid!!!  And maybe, just maybe, the local media might pick up on this great racing story!!!

Mike Paz, Motorsports Announcer