b'RACERPROFILEBEARD REMAINS A WINNERON AND OFF THE TRACKMichael Beard is best known to drag racing fans as ait, it would go 11.60 or 11.70 in the quarter-mile. Over the three-time International Hot Rod Association (IHRA)years, we got it down to 10.90s in the quarter. World Champion driver.In 2009, driving for Pageland Dragway, I won the IHRA The Galloway, Ohio racer has also made a huge mark inbracket finals for Division 2 at Darlington. I won the the sport as a promoter, graphics designer and publicGamblers races and the main event that weekend, while relations specialist. His success should come as nohaving the flu. I was dead to the world but got the thing surprise. He truly has a passion for the sport, drag racingto the end to get the win lights.since 1990, just 16 days after getting his drivers license.That was the time he left the Northeast and was living in You have to go back a little while before that to seethe Carolinas. It was a successful time as he qualified for where the passion began. the 2009 IHRA tournament of champions and won the Stock world championship. My dad had drag raced when he was a kid. He was out of the sport for 20 years or so, Beard said. One day,In 2011, he decided to go Super Stock racing with a fuel-he went to the store and he was gone all day. He wasinjected 360 Dodge Challenger race car motor. A year like, Ive been to Beaver Springs Dragway. We loadedlater, he won the 2012 Super Stock world championship. the whole family up and we went and watched. The nextBeard pointed out the Volare is the only car on the planet week, dad went and raced. It was my job to figure outwhich has won a bracket final, Stock world championship what this bracket racing was about.and a Super Stock world championship.I got a 1971 Duster, slant-6 for my birthday when I wasAlong the way, he set records for both J-Crate and 15. I worked on it throughout the winter and summer andI-Crate motors.went I got my drivers license, a couple of weeks later, I was at the race track. Beyond a racer, been a promoter and worked for IHRA during the Bill Bader era from 2000-02.The Duster is still around, but it was a 1974 Duster, the Dust Devil, where BeardI learned so much. When you worked truly made his name. Footbrakefor Bill, you had to say goodnight competition. For well over aon the way out, Beard said. decade, his car of choice hasYou hoped you would look been a 1980 Plymouth Volare. in wave and be on your way. Sometimes, he would motion I won the Worldyou in, he would start telling Championship in 2003 andyou a story about the bought the Volare in 2005,promotional stuff, about he said. When I first boughthim and Aaron Polburn promoting the Monster 26'