The record-smashing NHRA POWERade Pro Stock championship season of Greg Anderson this year included some significant Canadian content. Playing an intricate part in Anderson's fantastic success this year is team co-crew chief Jeff Perley, originally from Ottawa...

Perely, who's vast experience with Pro Stock racing includes IHRA Mountain-motor cars as well as an extensive multi-year stint racing with Warren and Kurt Johnson, admits that 2003 was truly a "breakout season" for his new team. Anderson's truly remarkable NHRA campaign for car owner Ken Black (from Las Vegas) reflects highly on the skills of Perley who along with co-crew chief Rob Downing were tasked with making all the crucial chassis and drivetrain tuning decisions. During the 2003 racing season the team won a Pro Stock record 12 NHRA national events (to surpass Darrell Alderman's total of 11), set 22 track records for ET and 20 track records for mph (in 23 events!) and racked up an amazing 67 round victories, the all time highest total for a single season in drag racing, while taking the POWERade title in a romp.

"There is no doubt for my career this was the pinnacle," said Jeff who now resides in North Carolina. "I had some great seasons racing with Kurt and Warren -- but nothing like this. For it all to happen in our first full season with all our guys together is nothing short of amazing. When I was living back in Ottawa I always knew this is where I wanted to be -- but I just wasn't sure how to get there. There was five or six times this season that I caught myself thinking -- How did I get here? I'm convinced that I'm a living example to the fact if you want something bad enough -- you can find a way to do it."

Perley is quick to credit the vision and internal latitude shown by Anderson to his team for it's ultimate championship success.

"Greg as you know was a highly successful crew chief for 14-15 seasons so we could have just as easily followed orders," continued Jeff, who speciality is clutch and suspension. "But I was amazed by the leniency Greg gave me to try things and experiment. He was wide open all year to our ideas and he put trust in us like I never imagined. I was able to do things that I might not have had a chance to do before and proved and disproved a lot of theories. We did more valid testing this year then I have ever done before in my life. All combined our team outworked and outsmarted the competition. We were simply the best in the class."

As for the upcoming 2004 season, Perley is convinced the team will remain extremely hard to beat.

"I firmly believe we have every bit as good a team that has ever been out there," he added. "We are focused on showing everyone that 2003 was not a fluke. I don't think we can stop anywhere short of a back-to-back Championship."

(Bruce Biegler photos)

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