With his 201.73 mph pass on Saturday in the Janac Brothers Racing Stanfield Racing Engines Factory X Camaro, Conner Statler became the third driver to gain admission into the elite Jesel FX 200-mph Club. The honor came on top of his admission in the ARP FX Six-Second Club, which occurred in his first run of the season in Charlotte where he threw down a 6.944 at 199.20.
“This is a dream come true,” said Statler on Sunday morning after being honored at pre-race ceremonies. “I think every little boy that sees the people on that stage looks at his daddy and says, ‘I want to be a racecar driver,’ but that doesn’t happen too often. The percentage of it actually happening is small, and I’m in that small percentage. It’s a blessing and an honor, and it’s something you can’t put into words.”
The fact that Statler is etching his name in these exclusive clubs in Holley EFI Factory X, a still-developing category featuring some of the wildest racecars on the grounds, is not lost on the young man. To be able to drive – let alone tame – this particular style of vehicle is a source of pride.
“This car is truly an animal,” said Statler. “It makes as much or more power than a Pro stock car but with a way smaller tire and still has a clutch. Inside, it’s busy.”
Statler earned the Factory X No. 1 qualifier award here at the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 Nationals and will square off with Chris Holbrook and the Varsity Ford Mustang in round one as he begins the challenge for his first FX win.
“I hope the goal we accomplished yesterday is the momentum to continue forward and hold one of those Wallys up today,” he said. “We have good cars in this class that we’ll have to get around, but we’ll just have to see what the day holds.”
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