PDRA
PDRA Announces New Class for 2015: Powershield Coatings Pro Open Outlaw
PITTSBORO, NC – In only their second season as the world’s premier eighth-mile drag racing association, the PDRA 
is already expanding their class line up. Pro Open Outlaw will debut at select events on the PDRA tour in 2015 with an eight car field. Powershield Coatings, a division of Toefco Engineered Coating Systems, has stepped up to sponsor the class.
Pro Open Outlaw (PO) will be a unique addition to the PDRA lineup of professional categories. As signified by the class name this will be a true outlaw class, open to dragster and altered body types. Few rules will govern the class. Other than the obvious SFI safety standards, rules include 14-71 blowers only- cast or billet. Screw blowers are prohibited, as is nitromethane. Transmissions must use torque convertors. Turbos are limited to 88mm. Wheelie bars are required. Pro Open Outlaw will operate on a pro ladder with a .400 pro tree. Weights have been set at 1700 lb minimum for small blocks and 1900 lb minimum for big block entries.
Melanie Simmons Salemi Moves to Pro Boost in 2015
PITTSBORO, NC – Canadian-turned-New Yorker, Melanie Simmons Salemi, will be pulling the next gear in her 
racing career, moving from Top Dragster to Pro Boost in 2015. Pro Boost quickly became one of the most sought after classes in the PDRA, among racers and fans alike. The class has had only one female competitor (Carol Long) prior to Melanie campaigning in the PDRA 2015 season.
The 30 year old is teaming up with fellow Canadian and Pro Boost racer, Jay Santos. Both Salemi and Santos will have new ‘69 Camaros for the 2015 season built by Melanie’s brother-in-law, Jim Salemi who owns G-Force Race Cars.
Ronnie Davis Building New Top Sportsman Corvette For 2015
Veteran Top Sportsman racer Ronnie Davis, who is known by the nickname “The King,” has earned an enviable and 
well-deserved reputation throughout his career by winning IHRA championships in 1990, 1991, 1997, 2000 and 2002 as well as taking NHRA titles in 2006 and 2010.
These days Davis runs in and is a key part of the Professional Drag Racing Association’s eighth-mile racing program. He not only competes in Top Sportsman, the class that has defined his career for the last 25 years, but he also supports PDRA through his Davis Golf Carts Sales operation, which is the official pit vehicle provider for the organization.
TOUGH DECISION FOR THE PDRA – PRO STOCK WILL NOT BE CONTESTED IN 2015
Pittsboro, NC – After much discussion and deliberation, the PDRA is saddened to announce the retirement of the 
Pro Stock class for the 2015 Season.
Unfortunately, the expected team participation in the Pro Stock Class for the 2015 season fell short of the numbers to make the Pro Stock teams a viable class in the series.
While PDRA has not excluded adding the Class back to the roster in the future, there are no present plans for renegotiation with the teams.
Bryant Marriner Puts Up Five Thousand Dollar Pro Nitrous Bonus
PITTSBORO, NC – “I want to give five thousand dollars away. I can’t wait to hand the cash to a PDRA driver.”
So says Pro Nitrous team owner Bryant Marriner as the PDRA prepares for its sophomore season of eighth-mile competition. In an effort to see history made in the Pro Nitrous class, Marriner is prepared to hand over five thousand dollars in cash to the racer who breaks into the 3.60s in 2015.
Marriner, owner of Morrisville, North Carolina-based Bryant Industrial Crane & Rigging, wants to see the barrier broken, and he’s ready to get behind the effort by offering a major incentive in the form of cold, hard cash.
Rick Jones on Quarter-Max, the PDRA and an Unbelievable Season
PITTSBORO, NC – When Rick Jones teamed up with Elite Motorsports a few years ago he probably never dreamed of 
the day he’d be sitting on the other side of an astronomical year with multiple race wins, records set and a Pro Stock Championship to the team’s credit.
As co-crew chief for the Elite Motorsports Camaro driven by Erica Enders, Jones’ cup was overflowing in 2014. His RJ Race Cars and Quarter-Max businesses continued to thrive, Quarter-Max increased involvement to support the budding Professional Drag Racers Association throughout the season, and Rick and his team served customers across many genres of drag racing, all while helping Erica become the first female in history to win a Pro Stock Championship.
Montecalvo Welcomes Crew Chief Tommy Lee
CENTER MORICHES, NY – For the last three seasons John Montecalvo and his Championship caliber Extreme Pro 
Stock team have utilized the talents of Justin Belfance as Car Chief and Crew Chief. A young talent in the sport, Belfance has been busy not only as Montecalvo’s main hired hand, but also starting a family with his wife Ashley in their Georgia home. With his growing family requiring greater time commitments Belfance has stepped aside from his race career and busy travel schedule. In his place, Montecalvo welcomes well known tuner and driver, Tommy Lee.
Tommy Lee has been a fixture among both Mountain Motor and 500 cubic inch Pro Stocks for decades. With experience as both a driver and a crew chief, Lee is as well-rounded and knowledgeable as they come. “We we are excited to have Tommy Lee on board with us; it’s a bad news/good news scenario for our team” told Montecalvo. “It’s tough to say goodbye to Justin. He was a good fit for our team and did an outstanding job for us and we wish him all the best. We’ll miss him, but I feel very comfortable having Tommy join us as he knows his way around Mountain Motor Pro Stock.”
Diesel Power Coming to PDRA in 2015
Diesel pioneer Greg Hogue will compete in Top Dragster
PITTSBORO, NC – Drag racing has always been a hotbed of innovation and experimentation, and with that in mind 
the Professional Drag Racers Association is proud to announce that a bold new step forward will be taken when diesel motorsports pioneer Greg Hogue enters the Top Dragster wars in 2015 with his unique diesel-powered dragster.
For the last decade Hogue has been a leader in the rapidly expanding diesel motorsports arena as an engine builder and components manufacturer, as well as a highly successful racer. His credentials include, among many accomplishments and accolades, being the first to push a diesel-powered truck through both the 9 and 8-second barriers, and also being the first to compete with a diesel-powered vehicle in NHRA’s Super Street, Super Gas, and Super Comp categories.
PDRA Puts Exclamation Mark on Inaugural Year
PITTSBORO, NC – The 2014 Performance Racing Industry Trade Show was abuzz with all the expected announcements and plans for another 
season. But for Professional Drag Racers Association racers, staff and supporters it was also a major occasion for celebration. The organization announced new partnerships and plans for 2015 and capped off the event with their first ever awards banquet on Saturday evening.
Besides celebrating an incredible first season, the PDRA made sure to celebrate their champions in grand style. Class Champions each received a monetary award and Championship trophy. Professional champions as well as Top Sportsman and Top Dragster Champs also received a Championship ring. In Pro Extreme, Mississippi’s own Bubba Stanton was crowned King as the first champion of the organization’s premier class. Jason Harris celebrated his incredible season by accepting the Pro Nitrous title. Todd Tutterow, Cary Goforth and Eric McKinney rounded out the professional category champions in Pro Boost, Extreme Pro Stock and Pro Extreme Motorcycle, respectively. Sportsman champions included Dan Ferguson in Top Sportsman, Travis Harvey in Top Dragster and Isaac Evans and David Roloff in Pro and Top Junior Dragster.
Huddleston Performance Increases PDRA Presence with Purchase of Infamous “Lowmad”
PITTSBORO, NC – Several companies took the leap with the Professional Drag Racers Association as they stepped out for their debut in 2014. 
One of those companies was Huddleston Performance, who sponsored both the Pro and Top Junior Dragster categories. Huddleston Performance is one of the frontrunning companies for Junior Dragster racing, providing turn-key cars, engines, clutches and a full line of components for racers all over the world. Now Huddleston Performance mastermind, Bo Huddleston, and his team are ready to increase their PDRA involvement by debuting a new Pro Boost team and increasing their sponsorship involvement.
Bo’s son Thomas, a former junior driver himself, will pilot the Pro Boost car, which will be strikingly familiar to professional eighth mile followers. A few short days ago, the Huddleston family purchased the famous “Lowmad,” a 1955 Chevrolet Nomad machine, previously campaigned by David Elsberry’s team.
