MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Some might say that Cody Anderson has big shoes to fill as the son of the most successful Pro Stock racer in NHRA history.
The truth of the matter, though, is that the 27-year-old has no intention of walking in dad Greg Anderson’s footsteps. Cody is writing his own story in the world of Pro Stock, and it will begin on the first day of NHRA’s 75th anniversary celebration at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.
He will pull to the starting line for the first time in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series behind the wheel of a KB Titan Racing Pro Stock car with primary support from J&A Service, Mid-West Drag Racing Series, and Troy Humphrey Motorsports.
“I’m super excited and grateful for the opportunity,” said Cody, who completed his final licensing passes at historic Rockingham Dragway. “I’ve had a lot of encouragement and support, and honestly this wouldn’t have happened without that. Jim Whiteley, Keith Haney, my grandfather Troy Humphrey, my family, and every guy on this team made this possible for me. Their support has kept my nerves calm. I can’t wait to get to Gainesville.”
After initial tests at Mooresville Dragway and then beginning the process mid-January at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida, the final runs at Rockingham Dragway were enough to lock down an NHRA Pro Stock license with the nod of approval and signatures from two of the best in the class: reigning world champion Dallas Glenn and, of course, Greg Anderson.
“This is pretty awesome, standing on the starting line watching my son,” said Greg, a six-time Pro Stock champion and the most winning driver in the history of the class. “To jump into a Pro Stock car like this – this is the first time he’s ever let the clutch out on any type of vehicle, let alone a Pro Stock car, and I couldn’t be more proud of him. He’s done fantastic.”
Although many second-generation racers get their start in the Jr. drag racing league or in the Sportsman ranks, Cody’s early education came by absorption as he traveled the country with his parents in support of his father’s racing. He was just a toddler, but Cody was there for his father’s first win at Bristol in 2001, and since that time, he’s been in the winner’s circle for many of his 112 Pro Stock victories. He’s been witness to the relentless effort, tireless work ethic, and buckets of sweat that have been behind those wins, and he’s seen firsthand what makes a champion.
The approach to procuring his own license in a Pro Stock car was gradual, and in the beginning, the process was simply to see if the younger Anderson was even interested in pursuing driving a naturally aspirated hot rod at the professional level.
“We’ve taken it slow and gone step-by-step,” explained his father. “After Cody got the burnout down, he was doing it better than I’ve ever done. Leaving the starting line and driving downtrack and shifting gears, you can see that the kid’s got talent, without a doubt. I couldn’t be a prouder papa. This is a new chapter for me, and I am really looking forward to this.”
At the beginning of the year at Mooresville Dragway, the small racetrack just around the corner from the KB Titan Racing shop, Cody got his feet wet in the team’s burnout car — the blacked-out machine is the skeleton of the Pro Stock car his father drove to the 2010 world championship. Glenn, who has been integral in the development of new drivers for the team, made his own initial efforts in the burnout car as well. It is equipped with a traditional Pro Stock clutch and shifter and functions in the same way a complete car does, and it has been a helpful tool in educating drivers new to the class.
Under the watchful eye of his father and guidance of Glenn, Cody made several burnouts and starts off the line, and then the crew ventured south to Bradenton, where Dave Connolly joined the gang of instructors. With his comfort level growing and with the intention of earning his license, the team carried on to Rockingham two weeks before the Gatornationals. There, Cody grabbed more and more gears, finally making his first full pass.
“It’s definitely difficult to drive one of these things,” shared Cody. “But I’ve been enjoying it. It’s starting to get easier, and it gets more and more fun as you start to learn more and get more comfortable.”
