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Following his most recent win at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals in Reading, Johnny Pluchino is on the verge of clinching the season championship in the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock class. Pluchino, of Smithtown, N.Y., is headed to Las Vegas for the Ford Performance NHRA Nationals, the final event of the season, with an 81-point lead over Bo Butner. Pluchino needs to qualify and win just one round of eliminations in order to make it official. He can also clinch the title if Butner does not qualify, or is eliminated before the final.

The six-race Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock series has been a huge hit with NHRA fans this year as they’ve watched low six-second, 225-plus mph entries battle in Charlotte, Bristol, Richmond, Brainerd, and Reading.

Following a runner-up finish to Butner in the series debut at zMax Dragway, Pluchino took control of the championship by driving his Feather Lite Batteries Mustang to victories in Richmond and Reading.

Pluchino has a long history in the Mountain Motor Pro Stock class, having previously won four championships including two in the eighth-mile PDRA series. Heading into Las Vegas, Pluchino is coming off a victory at the season-ending PDRA event at Virginia Motorsports Park.

Butner, a former NHRA world champion in both Comp and Pro Stock, has remained in the hunt for the title with wins in Charlotte and Bristol behind the wheel of his JHG Camaro. Butner also won his third-straight U.S. Nationals title in Super Gas earlier this year.

Brad Waddle also has a Mountain Motor Pro Stock win this season at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minn., where he defeated Dennis Firkus in the final round.

The Mountain Motor Pro Stock class in Las Vegas is shaping up to be one of the best events of the season as there are already 11 pre-entries competing for just eight available qualifying spots. In addition to championship contenders Pluchino and Butner, the field also includes Butner’s wife, Randi Lyn, who recently recorded the class’ first three-second eighth-mile run.

Qualifying for the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock class begins at 10:30 a.m. (PDT) on Friday, November 1. The first round of eliminations is scheduled for Saturday, November 2 at 5:40 p.m.