In a thrilling display of grit, determination, and a little bit of luck, Murphy’s Law Garage emerged victorious from the chaos of Mod Nationals 2024, claiming the 11.0 True Street class title. Their journey, however, was anything but smooth. They encountered several mechanical failures, sleepless nights, and unexpected challenges that tested their skills throughout their journey.

The team, led by JB and Seth, arrived at Bradenton Motorsports Park in their fully built 2024 Mustang, a base model stripped down for weight reduction but with a Whipple supercharger, upgraded suspension, and drag radials. They arrived at the drag strip with barely a hair over 3,737 lbs on a nearly empty tank, and with a plan to maximize their power-to-weight ratio for the nationals.

Early test runs had been promising, clocking impressive times and hitting 135 mph, but it was to be short-lived. Disaster struck when the driver side axle shaft came apart, and the team was in a panic for a replacement. Fortunately, thanks to the kindness of fellow racer and shop owner Lorenzo Ortiz, whose impressive racing headquarters served as a temporary base of operations, they were able to acquire some take-off Dark Horse parts and install them, which allowed them to continue their campaign.

But that good feeling was short-lived. Not one, but two axle failures threatened to sidetrack their efforts. The first, a clean break of the stock axle, left the team perplexed. “It snapped clean off!” JB exclaimed in disbelief. Running out of options and time, a plea for assistance on social media found them a local performance shop’s racer named Chris, had a set of heavy-duty G-Force Renegade axles and even met them half-way.

The comradery within racing circles was essential for the ultimate victory. “This is what’s awesome about drag racing. We all race so we understand it.” Chris said as he handed over the needed parts. Despite the setbacks, JB and Seth persisted because of adrenaline, determination, and countless cups of coffee. They fought through tuning challenges, working with experts like Nick from Whipple to get the car dialed in for the hot Florida weather and the sticky track prep.

The final round brought with it a new set of challenges. A check engine light and some stuck traction control forced JB to change his plan mid-performance. “I guess I’ve got an 11-second car now,” he quipped, having to “pedal” the car down the track, chasing after another competitor to keep a competitive average.

Against all odds, their efforts paid off. Murphy’s Law Garage took the 11.0 True Street class win by six-thousandths of a second. This speaks to their effort and strategic driving with some assistance from their fellow drivers in their corner. “This is a story that Seth and I are going to tell our kids,” said JB about their hard-won victory. “We worked really, really, really, really hard for this and got really, really lucky.”

The team’s story demonstrates the uncertainty of car racing. Anything can go wrong, from mechanical failure to an unplanned obstacle. That said, it is also a place of sportsmanship and camaraderie, with competitors who come together to support one another in dealing with all kinds of adversity. Murphy’s Law Garage will go back to Mod Nationals next year, now known as Ford Nationals, to defend its title.