NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Everyone likes to win. It's the very point of the game, by most standards. An easy win, though – however much it "still counts" – seldom seems to come with the same sense of reward as emerging victorious from a hard-fought, knuckle-bruising battle. Pro Stock points leader Dallas Glenn believes the challenge itself is where much of the reward can be found.

An 11-time NHRA national event winner – including 10 trophies earned in Pro Stock – Glenn is fiercely competitive, but in the most jovial way. His youthful, boundlessly cheerful attitude is genuine, but so is his determination to demolish whomever is in the other lane. He earned his nickname early, and the "Double-Oh Dallas" moniker was born from a repeatability in leaving the starting line ahead of his opponent, often with a reaction time starting with a .00. The nickname hasn't always held apt, though, and last season there were a couple of key moments at the starting line that resulted in an unfavorable decision at the top end for Glenn.

This year, although the intensity of competition has ratcheted up several notches, Glenn has reached the semi's or better at all but one race. With two wins in three final rounds so far tallied, Glenn has taken residence at the top of the Pro Stock standings.

"I feel like I've done pretty well this year, but obviously, I'm going to feel like I've made mistakes here or there, or I could have been better in certain areas," said Glenn, who pilots the RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro out of the KB Titan Racing stable. "I just always want to challenge myself to be better at all times. The competition is a little tighter this year, but I feel like I've done a better job driving this year than last. Last year, the car was doing most of the work, and I was just trying to keep up with it. This year, I feel like I'm more on pace with where the car is."

That's good for Glenn in a world where there have been five different winners in the first eight races. Glenn's pair of trophies are matched by those of veteran racers Greg Anderson and Jeg Coughlin Jr., two of the most successful drivers across all NHRA categories. Not only is Glenn in a fierce battle with class veterans who stand as giants in the sport, he's also in heated contention with reigning Pro Stock champion Erica Enders, who has a win on her scorecard but is also the leader in low qualifier awards on the season (three so far), indicating threatening horsepower within her Elite Motorsports-powered Chevrolet.

It's tough out there.

"If anything, I enjoy it more because of that," admitted Glenn. "I love the challenge; it's one of the main reasons I love Pro Stock. If it was easy, we probably wouldn't be doing it. That's why I love going bracket racing, too. It isn't easy. There are a lot of bracket racers out there who nobody out here has heard of, and they can go up there, throw one down, and kick your butt at any time."

Glenn, who made his Pro Stock debut in Gainesville in 2021 and scored three wins en route to earning top honors as NHRA Rookie of the Year, has been known to bracket race between Pro Stock races alongside wife and fellow racer Sadie. At a recent local bracket race, North Carolina-based Glenn entered two categories with his longtime bracket racing car, a '68 El Camino handed down from his grandma, Bernice. With a bursting car count, it took well into the night – until 4 a.m., to be closer to exact – but Glenn wheeled his way to the win in both classes.

"To me, I'm just a normal bracket racer at heart," he said. "It's where I came from and where I learned how to drive, and I'm still the same guy I've always been. I'm also a firm believer that it doesn't matter what you're driving, if you're making laps in a car, it's always beneficial. The more shots you get at the Tree, the better."

Well-practiced Glenn has seen the formula work, and while he's hoping to translate his recent additional seat time into more positive moves in Pro Stock, he's also thinking about the long game in terms of the season. So far this year, Glenn has reached the final round in four of the five Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge bonus events.

The specialty race pits the previous event's semifinalists against one another during qualifying, and the winner of the two-round standoff earns a stack of points that will only come into play when the six-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs begin. That's a valuable reward that Glenn, who finished sixth last season, wants very much.

"My ultimate goal throughout the season was to try to make every single Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge," said Glenn, who has won the bonus race twice in 2024. "So far, I've been doing a good job.

"But the biggest challenge this year across the board is that you have to try to be perfect every run. The competition is so insanely tight right now. If you miss it on the good session in qualifying, it can put you in the bottom half of the field with no way of recovering. Right now, the driver who is performing at their best is really going to come forward – but the thing is, that changes every week. If you're not absolutely on your game, you're going home early, and it doesn't matter who you're racing."

Glenn finished a career-best No. 3 in the standings in his inaugural season of Pro Stock, and last season, he had the car to beat as the points leader heading into the Countdown to the Championship. It was feast or famine at the most critical time, though, and even a pair of final rounds could not aid his cause. Glenn feels he's on a strong path this year, and that he's pulling better weapons from the arsenal in a season where it's demanding more than ever.

"The year has been a blur, but it's definitely a fun challenge. I feel really positive about what's ahead," he said. "Greg [Anderson]'s car is showing great potential right now, and he's put up some really great runs. I know we'll keep working really hard to get all our cars in that position or even better. We're definitely trying to step up our game this year. KB Titan started a little behind, but we've made good progress, and I'm going to keep trying to work on my driving and get it a little better, a little better. As long as I keep doing my job and stay with the same mentality I have, I feel I should be right there at the end."