Curtis Peek: Jr DragChamp Racer Spotlight

This week’s DragChamp Jr. Racer Spotlight is all about 2022 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Division 2 Advanced Junior Champion, Curtis Peek.

Featured photo by Lou Crouch

QUITMAN, GA- Curtis Peek started racing Junior Dragsters 5 years ago after being introduced to the sport by attending a PDRA event with his Dad. He made his first passes at 11-years-old and began racing in the 8.90 Intermediate Junior Dragster class where he concentrated on chasing points. After winning his first track championship in 2019, he turned his focus to running big money races.

Fast forward to 2022, he now competes in the 7.90 Advanced Junior Dragster class. His home track is Silver Dollar Motorsports Park but he also races regularly at Gainesville Raceway, Capital City Motorsports Park, and where ever the next big money race may be.

Curtis holds multiple championship titles, including 2022 Gainesville Advanced Jr Summit Points Champion and 2022 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Division 2 Advanced Junior Champion. He also received an invitation to race in the KOC Series Jr Dragster $10,000.00 Invitational presented by DragChamp at Christmas on the Coast coming up December 16-18, 2022 at Gulfport Dragway.

His Race Car

Curtis has owned his current Junior Dragster since July 2018. It is a Mike Bos Chassis powered by a Craw’s Racing ZR4 3¾ motor that runs 7.90 or better.

Outside of Racing

When Curtis isn’t at the racetrack, he can be found hanging around his family’s auto body shop, American Auto Paint & Body Repair or fishing. His favorite movie is The Dukes of Hazzard and his favorite music artist is AC/DC. He likes to spend time on YouTube and his daily driver is a ’98 Chevrolet Silverado Z71.

Curtis’ Accomplishments

• 2019 Silver Dollar Motorsports Park Intermediate Points Champion
• 2020 Mike Bos 64-Car $5k Shootout winner at ECF
• 2022 Gainesville Advanced Jr Summit Points Champion
• 2022 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Division 2 Advanced Junior Champion
• Earned a spot in the $10k Invitational 64-Car Shootout at Christmas on the Coast in Gulfport, MS this December

Curtis’ Q&A

What’s on your bucket list, future goals, what do you hope to achieve? 

Win BIG at the Christmas on the Coast Event at Gulfport, MS this year, win the ECF at least once, and just have fun the rest of my time in juniors.

What is your favorite race car, and why? 

I’ve always thought the 69-72 Chevy Novas made mean looking race cars.

Who has made the biggest impact on your racing success? 

My dad-we’re a team.

Who do you look up to in the sport? 

I look up to several people in the sport-it’s hard to name them all.

Tell us what you do for a living? 

I’m a junior in high school and work afterwards at my family’s body shop.

How do you support your racing, side hustle, sponsor, partner, etc.? 

My parents and race winnings help make it happen.

Who do you hate to see in the other lane, and why? 

My buddies-I hate racing my friends.

What’s the hardest part of drag racing? 

Doing well at both ends of the track in the same pass.

What’s your most embarrassing moment in a race car? 

I ran it out the back and broke out when my opponent was more than 3 seconds off their dial (that was early in my racing career).

What are you saying to yourself just before you stage the car? 

“Focus on the tree and just do your job.”

What do you enjoy the most at the racetrack? 

Turning on the win light!

Are you superstitious? 

No, not really.

Do you love to win or hate to lose? 

Hate to lose.

Which are you better at the starting line or the finish line? 

Starting line.

What motivates you to continue racing? 

Racing is addictive-once you start, it’s hard to stop.

If money were no object, what would your racing operation look like?  Car, trailer, class, race schedule, etc. 

Big toter home, a stacker trailer, a couple of 4.70 – ’69 Novas running every weekend all over the country, using the days in between as travel days.

How often do you use a practice tree? 

I do not use one.

What is your favorite sport?  Favorite team? 

College football-Georgia Bulldogs-GO DAWGS!

What are you really good at? 

That’s a tough question to answer about myself. If I had to, I’d say I’m good at learning new things like in the body shop business. Right now, my strong suit is painting, I’m enjoying learning to paint.

Name one thing most people don’t know about you? 

I like doing impersonations of people.

Would you rather hang out with a crowd or have a quiet evening at home? 

Hang out with a crowd.

What’s your favorite thing to eat?  Individual item, meal, or restaurant? 

Steak, baked potato, and salad!!

Who would you like to thank, who helps you the most? 

God almighty and my parents-I wouldn’t be where I am today without them. 

What is a piece of advice you’d give to an aspiring racer? 

Do not quit and get as much seat time as possible! Every driver is destined to hit a rough patch in their career so learn to be a good loser. You’ll lose a lot more races than you’ll win.

For more DragChamp Jr. Spotlights, click here.