BRADENTON, FL – Since moving into drag racing in 2020, championship truck and tractor puller Stan Shelton has made his mark on Pro Modified racing. In 2022 alone, he won twice in MWDRS Pro Mod competition and reached final rounds in quarter-mile NHRA Pro Mod and eighth-mile PDRA Pro Boost. That success across different Pro Mod classes helped Shelton earn an invitation to the $100,000-to-win Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod (WSOPM), March 3-5, at Bradenton Motorsports Park.

“We’ve tried to work hard since we came into drag racing,” said Shelton, who’s entering his third full season. “Of course, we had no experience, so we’ve tried to be as diversified as we can and run as many organizations as we can to learn how to race. We had some success this year in PDRA, Mid-West, and fortunate enough to go some rounds in NHRA as well. We’re super blessed. Whether somebody thinks we deserve to be in [the WSOPM] or not, I can totally get that, but we have worked hard, we continue to work hard, and we’ve got a great team. We’re really jelling here and we’re excited about that race for sure.”

One of the factors that attracts Shelton to Pro Modified drag racing is the diverse cast of characters involved with the category. He’s raced with many of those personalities in his young career, and he’ll get to mix it up with even more at the WSOPM. Along with the three Pro Mod classes in which Shelton has competed, the field will include drivers from PDRA Pro Nitrous, the Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Association, Radial vs. the World, Pro Extreme, and more.

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BRADENTON, FL – Just a couple weeks into 2021, three-time Pro Modified world champion Mike Janis announced an abrupt retirement from driving due to doctor’s orders. Janis’ brief hiatus from competition will end March 3-5 when he takes part in the invitation-only Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod at Bradenton Motorsports Park. He’s one of over 40 drivers competing for the $100,000 winner-take-all prize at the outlaw eighth-mile event.

“It’s going to be a big event for me,” said Janis, who’s continued to run his NHRA Pro Mod operation with son Mike Janis Jr. and drivers J.R. Gray and Mike Thielen. “Not only is it going to be my first time back, but we’re also going to have a brand-new car and a whole different combination. But it’s not like we haven’t been involved all this time. I’m excited. I drove around 30 test passes last year, so I’ve been still sharp at it. It’s going to be fun.”

The Mike Janis Racing operation will be busy at WSOPM, as Gray and Thielen have also accepted their invitations.

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BRADENTON, FL – When Drag Illustrated began announcing driver invites for the 2023 World Series of Pro Mod, fans flocked to social media to point out what they perceived to be a notable omission – Bubba Stanton. As the number of remaining invitations dwindled, the comments equally grew in number and fervor.

“I texted Wes [Buck, Founder and Editorial Director of Drag Illustrated] a couple different times and said, ‘Don’t hold anything against me you see on the internet. That’s just people talking.’” Stanton said. “And I think it’s just because of the local outlaw stuff that I do. Down where I’m from, outlaw is a big deal, and the fans are pretty hardcore here.”

Their pleas were answered, as Stanton did receive his invitation to race for $100,000 at Bradenton Motorsports Park March 3-5. After sweating it out along with his followers, Stanton was elated when he finally got the call.

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BRADENTON, FL – While Mike Bowman’s racing path has moved away from Pro Modified since winning the inaugural Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod at Denver’s Bandimere Speedway in 2017, the 2023 edition of the $100,000-to-win invitational is bringing the Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings standout back to Pro Mod.

The California native has briefly paused the sale of his ’69 Chevelle and is feverishly working to prepare it for WSOPM competition March 3-5 at Bradenton Motorsports Park.

“The car was for sale, but I haven’t sold it yet, so I needed to make a decision. And that is to go back one more time,” said Bowman, who defeated Steven Whiteley in the $100,000 final round at the 2017 WSOPM. “The thing about this race that intrigued me the most was it is going to be the baddest of the baddest dudes in door cars, period. There’s none of this excuse about Denver and the air and I don’t want to do it because of this, that, or whatever. Just being a part of it is pretty special.”

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BRADENTON, FL – Mid-West Drag Racing Series Founder Keith Haney is locked in for the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod, March 3-5, 2023, at Bradenton Motorsports Park. Haney also happens to be the driver of one of the fastest nitrous oxide-injected Pro Mods, a Camaro nicknamed “Black Mamba.”

“I couldn’t be happier to be able to go race against the East Coast guys,” stated Haney. “They talk a lot of smack about us Mid-West guys, but we always seem to be the fastest. It’s going to be exciting to race against some of them I haven’t raced against in years.”

Haney is especially looking to relight the fire against one of his long-time rivals at the $100,000-to-win WSOPM.

“What better place than to get Stevie Jackson and me back together, one of the biggest rivalries in drag racing?” he rhetorically asked. Haney pointed out their Lights Out grudge racing days, specifically in 2018 when he lost to Jackson. “The starting line had as many people on the starting line as you could put and then some.

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BRADENTON, FL – World Series of Pro Mod officials announced that RedTide Canopies, the premier custom canopy and outdoor event printing provider, has been named the official canopy and signage partner of the 2023 event set for March 3-5.

“We’ve worked with Joshua and the team at RedTide for the last few years and felt it was important that our relationship continues to evolve, and we’re excited for that next step to be with World Series of Pro Mod,” said Wes Buck, Drag Illustrated Founder and Editorial Director. “We look to set the standard in everything we do, and that most certainly includes signage and event branding. RedTide shares our vision for this event and is the perfect partner to help us make our collective vision a reality.”

The Utah-based company’s mission is to engage the community, businesses, and individuals alike by striving to help local businesses grow and encourage individuals to support their local economy.

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BRADENTON, FL – Second place won’t be good enough for Doug Winters at the 2023 Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod. The NHRA Pro Mod veteran has made it known that he wants to win the $100,000 winner-take-all cash prize all at the event set for March 3-5 at Bradenton Motorsports Park.

“We were in Denver for the 2019 World Series of Pro Mod, and we got runner-up at that event,” explained Winters. “We’re looking forward to getting back and getting the win this time.

“I know what it’s like to run for $100,000 in one round and come up short and get zero. I’m definitely looking forward to the chance to recoup that $100,000 that I got shut out of in 2019,” he continued.

The WSOPM will feature 40-plus of the best Pro Mod drivers. Only the 32 quickest racers will qualify to compete for the cash prize. Some drivers weren’t sure if they would get the call to battle it out on the biggest Pro Mod stage. Winters was one of them.

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BRADENTON, FL – As a second-generation PDRA Extreme Pro Stock world champion, Johnny Pluchino knows what it takes to excel in the Mountain Motor Pro Stock ranks. He’s proven that twice now after winning the 2022 world championship to go along with his 2020 title. With the No. 1 back on his window, Pluchino is set to take part in the inaugural $hameless Racing Mountain Motor Pro Stock Invitational (MMPSI) presented by Seminole Paving during the 2023 Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod, March 3-5, at Bradenton Motorsports Park.

Pluchino secured the second invitation to the eighth-mile MMPSI, which will pay $25,000 to the winner of the 16-car field. He joins record holder John DeFlorian as the first two invitees.

“I want to be there with the best of the best on a good stage and in great air,” said Pluchino, also a two-time PDRA Pro 632 world champion. “I want to put up some numbers and take home the big check. I’m excited to see the list of drivers. I’m sure it’ll be really stiff competition, but we’re up for the challenge.”

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BRADENTON, FL – Pro Modified has a rich history of unique body styles, and when Craig Sullivan rolls into Bradenton Motorsports Park for the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod, March 3-5, 2023, he will definitely continue that longstanding tradition.

Sullivan pilots a screw-blown 1949 Mercury, affectionately named “El Mero Mero.” Built by Larry Jeffers Race Cars, it fulfills Sullivan’s vision of doing something over the top that grabs everyone’s attention.

“With all of my race cars, we’ve always dared to be different,” Sullivan said. “I had a dragster that had a Burmese python skin all the way down the side of it that was a wrap; we’ve done the ‘Barn Burner’ that looked like a vehicle that Richard Petty put outside of a barn and left there.”

Sullivan says that when he received the invitation from Drag Illustrated Founder and Editorial Director Wes Buck, he was “overwhelmed,” and immediately accepted his spot in the big show.

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BRADENTON, FL – The Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod continues to expand and diversify with the addition of the inaugural Xtreme Front Wheel Drive Challenge. The Xtreme Front Wheel Drive Challenge will be held in conjunction with the 2023 World Series of Pro Mod, March 3-5, at Bradenton Motorsports Park, officials announced.

“We couldn’t be more excited to add the inaugural Xtreme Front Wheel Drive Challenge to the 2023 running of the World Series of Pro Mod,” said Drag Illustrated Founder and Editorial Director Wes Buck. “This is a community of racers, teams and fans that we feel strongly deserve to be a part of this massive event and will bring a unique energy and enthusiasm to WSOPM. We’ve extended invites to many of the best Sport Compact racers in the world and can’t wait to see them battle it out for $20,000.”

Bradenton Motorsports Park in Bradenton, Florida, has played host to some of the biggest XFWD events, and BMP Owner Victor Alvarez is ready to welcome them back.

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