The Janac Brothers Racing Reher-Morrison Lee Shepherd tribute car usually piloted by multi-class racer Aaron Stanfield in the Holley EFI Factory X class will instead be driven by Stanfield Racing Engines compatriot Conner Statler at this weekend’s Texas NHRA FallNationals. Statler, of Bossier City, La., is no stranger to racing, but this is his first time in a wickedly quick FX car in a year.
Stanfield, in the thick of the championship hunt in Pro Stock and just 31 points out of the lead coming into the third-to-last race of the season, made the decision to put Statler in the car for the Dallas event.
“I have a really great opportunity to do something not many people get to do in the Pro Stock car, and I think it deserves my full effort,” said Stanfield, who is leading the Factory X points with 119 marks over second-place Lenny Lottig. “I think Conner deserves a good opportunity to get behind an FX car and have a chance of winning.”
For Statler, the move into the FX car meant that he would have to reassess his intentions to run his own Stock Eliminator entry at the FallNationals, but it was an easy decision for the gentleman who graduated from SAM Tech and makes a living as a machinist in one of the most successful engine shops in drag racing.
“We were working at the shop, and Aaron came out and said ,’Hey, you got your driving stuff?’ I said ‘Yeah, at my house,’ then he said, ‘Well, go get in my car and scale it. You’re going to drive it this weekend,’ “ recalled Statler, who readily agreed.
Statler isn’t just an engine man; he’s had some success behind the wheel – most notably driving one of Bobby Brannon’s Stock Eliminator entries at the spring race in Las Vegas in 2021. There, he came up against now-five-time world champion Greg Stanfield, who was driving a second car for Brannon. It was Statler’s first national event behind the wheel, yet the young gun showed his ability as he defeated the elder Stanfield in the final.
The FX cars are a far cry from Statler’s normal ride, including his efforts in Factory Stock in past years, but he has some experience piloting the wily supercharged beasts. He debuted Stephen Bell’s Bob Glidden Ford tribute FX entry at the fall race in Charlotte last year and clocked a respectable 7.151-second pass at 190.75 mph on raceday.
“It’s been exactly one year since I’ve been in the driver’s seat of one of these cars, and it’s definitely fast. It’s been a while since I’ve been in a real fast car, and I’ve got to get sped back up,” said Statler. “But I made two qualifying sessions with this car in Comp at the division race here at Texas Motorplex on Monday and Tuesday, and I feel like I did okay.
“My Stocker is an A/SA, so 9.90 at the fastest. Seven seconds is happening a lot faster, but I’m excited. I’m ready to let the clutch out, for sure.”
Subscribers can follow along on NHRA.tv, and results can be found at DragRaceCentral.com throughout the weekend.
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