Nick Drzayich

In some ways Nick Drzayich is like so many other drag racers, that is, he began racing a long time ago and has never gotten the sport or the thrill of the competition out of his system. Yet, in other ways he is unlike anyone else out there because there aren’t many racers who will run at one event a year and do it in Pro Stock. And there are even fewer who will do it using an engine that they got from the “Professor” Warren Johnson. “Mike Ferderer is a good friend of mine and Warren’s,” Nick said, “and he called last year and asked if I would like to run Pro Stock at the Seattle event. Of course I said yes but I told him that I needed a motor and he said that Warren would loan me one for the weekend.” Sure, Mike, and I’ve got a bridge I’d like to sell you, too. But it was true, and Warren and Nick hooked up last year and Mr. Drzayich was part of the Pro Stock contingent at Seattle. Even though he didn’t qualify (neither did Warren’s son, Kurt), Nick had a great time and he learned a lot about the class of his dreams and he and Warren agreed that they’d like to do it again this year. They did and Nick had another enjoyable weekend and after it was all over he gave rave reviews to both Warren and Kurt Johnson. “They couldn’t be nicer and more helpful,” Nick said. “They came over on Saturday night and spent a couple of hours with us going over our runs, telling us what we did right and wrong and helping us out. They are absolutely the best.”

The road to Pro Stock has been a wacky one for Nick, at least if you consider some of the cars that he has raced in the past. “When I lived back east in the ‘60’s I raced a six-cylinder, four barrel Chevrolet Corvair,” he said with a laugh. “Then when I moved to the Seattle area in the early ‘70’s I bought a 1979 Cadillac Seville that had a 435 horsepower Corvette engine in it. I still have that car and it runs pretty well.” Not only does he still have it, but several of his children have actually raced it. “My kids have raced Jr. Dragsters and that’s a tremendous program for families. I highly recommend it to anyone with kids who like to race.” Of course, like most families, the Drzayich children found that the logical progression was from Jr. Dragsters to Corvette powered Cadillacs. Yeah, right!

Mike Drzayich

Like so many families, the entire Drzayich clan is involved in the sport. Nick’s wife of twenty-five years, Terry, oversees the entire operation, while sons Mike and Adam race in Super Comp. Mike has been so successful that he will be the Division 6 representative at the Jeg’s All Star race in Chicago later this year. “We’re really looking forward to going to Chicago and being a part of the All Star show,” Nick said. “It should be a great experience for everyone.” And just in case this racing gig doesn’t work out for Mike, he is a college grad who speaks fluent Japanese. Brother, Adam, will also go to Chicago to compete in the regular event at the Rt. 66 facility. There are also two sisters, twins Amy and Jamie who are both looking at getting their Super Comp licenses. “The kids all enjoyed the Jr. program and then I took them out and let them drive the Cadillac. It seems like everyone gets a kick out of that car.”

Nick, who is semi-retired, ran a group of auto auctions in the northwest before selling them a couple of years ago. Today he is partners in a couple of Hyundai and Kia car dealerships in Hawaii. Why Hawaii I asked. “Well there was an open point for the franchises in Hawaii,” Nick said. “Besides, it’s a great place to have a business and go visit a couple time a year.” But Nick’s real pride and joy is his family and his racing. “We do it all as a family and everyone has their job. We’ve been doing this so long that I have pictures of the kids in car seats at the races when they were young with ear muffs on to muffle the sound. They’ve all grown up around it and they love it.” And Nick loves Pro Stock. “I’d like to do it full time and that’s something that I’m working on. The sponsorship program is very important and I’d like to get that in place and then go on tour.” Nick did have about a hundred guests, friends and business associates in his hospitality area at Seattle and he said that they had a great time. “It really is a good way to meet customers and entertain them and I believe that is one of the great things that this sport has to offer.”

While the tour has left Seattle and headed down the coast, Nick Drzayich still thinks about Pro Stock. “We have a car that we bought from Tom Martino and a 500 inch engine that we use for testing and we just want to continually learn about the class in hopes that, someday, we can race on a regular basis. Right now I’m planning on starting out the 2004 season in Pomona and Arizona and then I’ll see where we stand from a performance and a sponsorship point of view. ” In the meantime, Nick will be more than happy to watch his children race at the local tracks, on the divisional level and, finally, at the most prestigious venue for a sportsman racer, the Jeg’s All Star event. “We are so lucky to be able to do what we do in drag racing and to do it as a family.” And just think, it all started with a Corvair, moved up to a Cadillac, then a Jr. Dragster, a Super Comp car and now a Pro Stock car. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for the entire Drzayich family. And just like those swallows, you can count on this, whatever direction they head in it will involve the whole family and it will involve drag racing. I’m just not sure if it will involve the Cadillac!!

By Bob Frey