It was a local boy showdown, Maple Valley versus Covington, in the stock final Sunday at the 25th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways.

Brad Plourd, who grew up in Maple Valley, beat Dallas Glenn of Covington thanks to a killer reaction time at the starting line, coming off .008 seconds after getting the green light with a 12.562 elapsed time winning in a double breakout.

“It’s so tough to win anywhere, but it’s nice to do it at home,” Plourd said in a phone interview Monday. “Having all of my friends and family here that have been supporting me my whole life here at the track with us to celebrate, it couldn’t get any better.”

Plourd had 11 wins in his career heading into the weekend. He got two more at the Northwest Nationals adding to his collection Sunday by following up his win in the Stock category by beating Stefan Kondolay in the Super Comp class. Plourd was the defending champ in the class.

Thus far this season Plourd had made it to two national event finals but was the runner up in both.

“So, this makes up for that,” he said. “To do it in front of all the people I grew up with as far as all the people I used to race against in weekly bracket races, it was pretty cool to get it done there.”

This weekend Plourd will head to Boise, Idaho, to drive in a bracket race then head to Brainerd, Minn., for the next NHRA event in two weeks.

He’s working on putting together a run in divisional races in the hopes of taking a shot at a title in the Super Comp class.

“I’ve just got to continue doing what I’m doing and the points will fall,” Plourd said. “I’m a long shot, but, I’ve got a shot.”

Winning a sportsman class championship is just what Plourd may need to get a shot at driving in one of the pro classes such as a top fuel dragster or pro stock.

Since the Reporter first featured Plourd in 2010, he has moved to Indianapolis and has made some inroads toward that goal.

“I know a lot more people now in high places,” he said. “It’s such a long shot (to get a pro ride) it doesn’t matter how good you do. You have to know the right people. If I could make a living driving a top fuel car, that would probably be as good as it can get. I love what I’m doing now, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

And he said he couldn’t do it without the support of his sponsors, Jeg’s, Lucas Oil, Hoosier Tire, K&N Air Filters and Huntsville Engine, or without the help of his parents Bernie and Ronnie Plourd or his girlfriend Katie Yeager, who flew in from Alabama to see Plourd race.