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Drag Illustrated

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Dates Announced For 2025 World Series of Pro Mod

BRADENTON, FL – Just days after the fifth running of the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod presented by Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage and J&A Service, race officials announced today a new Thursday-Saturday format for the 2025 edition. The 2025 World Series of Pro Mod will take place Feb. 27-March 1 at Bradenton Motorsports Park.

“As successful as this past weekend’s race was, we’re constantly looking for ways to improve the experience for our fans and racers,” said Wes Buck, Drag Illustrated founder and editorial director and WSOPM promoter. “After extensive discussions among the WSOPM and Bradenton Motorsports Park teams, we believe it’s time to change up our format a bit and go to a Thursday-Saturday schedule. Thursday and Friday will offer five of the most exciting rounds of qualifying in drag racing, then we’ll go racing on Saturday. We’ll decide a winner under the lights – in front of packed grandstands – on Saturday night.”

The 2024 World Series of Pro Mod saw Derek Ward in his screw-blown ’68 Firebird defeat Jim Halsey in his nitrous-fed ’68 Camaro in a $100,000 winner-take-all Pro Mod final round. This year marked the fifth running of the event, with $500,000 paid out to Pro Mod racers since the first running in 2017.

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Derek Ward Wins $100,000 World Series of Pro Mod Title

BRADENTON, FL – In a final round Pro Mod fans will be talking about for years, Derek Ward outran Jim Halsey to take home the $100,000 winner-take-all payday at the fifth Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod presented by Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage and J&A Service Sunday night at Bradenton Motorsports Park. Ward’s 3.625 seconds at 208.17 MPH run defeated Halsey’s 4.304-second pass at 126.09 MPH in front of an overflow crowd on the starting line.

“It’s incredible,” said Ward, the 2023 NEOPMA champion. “The field of drivers they have here is the best in the world. And we won it today. It’s quite an exciting day. This is the biggest win of my career.”

The World Series of Pro Mod also included the second annual Mountain Motor Pro Stock Invitational and the inaugural Pro 10.5 Challenge, which both paid $25,000 to win. Matt Giangrande earned the Mountain Motor Pro Stock win, while “Quick Nick” Schroeder was victorious in Pro 10.5. Jeff Rudolf won the Chicago-Style Pro Mod Second-Chance race, which paid $10,000 to win.

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Mark Micke Leads Record-Setting Field Into $100,000-to-Win World Series of Pro Mod Eliminations

BRADENTON, FL – After five thrilling Pro Modified qualifying sessions, Mark Micke claimed the $10,000 low qualifier bonus Saturday night at the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod presented by Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage and J&A Service at Bradenton Motorsports Park. Micke’s 3.598-second pass from Friday night kept him and his twin-turbocharged M&M Transmission ’69 Camaro at the top of the quickest 32-car Pro Mod field in drag racing history. Mike Bowman, who won the original WSOPM in 2017, is the No. 32 qualifier with a 3.664-second effort.

Past NHRA Pro Stock world champion Bo Butner also maintained his No. 1 position in the second annual Mountain Motor Pro Stock Invitational in his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Camaro. Ron Green lowered his weekend best to reclaim his No. 1 spot from Friday in the inaugural Pro 10.5 Challenge in his ProCharged 2000 Firebird.

Saturday also saw two final qualifying sessions for the sportsman classes, the inaugural Intercontinental Top Sportsman Championship presented by FTI Performance and the inaugural Intercontinental Top Dragster Championship presented by FTI Performance. Friday’s provisional No. 1 qualifiers, Bryan LaFlam in Top Sportsman and Frank Falter IV in Top Dragster, held on to their top spots.

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Ken Quartuccio Ready for Another Shot at WSOPM Success

BRADENTON, FL – Ken Quartuccio’s Pro Mod experience dates back to 1992, but he eventually moved to small-tire racing and stayed with that segment until finally jumping back into the Pro Mod ranks about four years ago. Now, he’s set to take on the best of the best in the category as he contests the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod presented by Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage and J&A Service, March 1-3, at Bradenton Motorsports Park.

“I am excited to run it,” Quartuccio said. “I have a lot of confidence going into it. It’s my favorite track and I always do well there. I think I’m driving better than I ever have – it’s the perfect time.”

Coming off a race win at the PDRA’s North vs. South Shootout in July 2023, Quartuccio suffered a major crash at the following PDRA event in Michigan that required rebuilding the entire car.

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Pro Line Racing Supports World Series of Pro Mod as Event Sponsor

BRADENTON, FL – Pro Line Racing, a leading supplier of doorslammer racing engines and parts, has signed on as an event sponsor of the upcoming Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod (WSOPM) presented by Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage and J&A Service, race officials announced today. Pro Line Racing will also be on the grounds to support numerous customers competing at the $100,000-to-win event at Bradenton Motorsports Park on March 1-3.

“Eric Dillard and the whole Pro Line Racing team have made an incredible impact on the sport of Pro Modified drag racing, so their support means a lot,” said Wes Buck, Drag Illustrated founder and editorial director and WSOPM promoter. “Our racers rely on engine builders and manufacturers like Pro Line to provide the components they need to perform at such a high level. We appreciate Team Pro Line being on site to support their customers, but also to support the event as a whole.”

Pro Line Racing is a global, top-tier provider of high performance drag racing engines, parts and turnkey packages, as well as EFI software and associated tuning capabilities. Pro Line’s talented team of tuners and specialists brings a diverse range of experience to every customer. Through Pro Line’s focus on achieving customers’ goals, Pro Line-powered racers have achieved world records, event wins, and championships in numerous Pro Modified and drag radial classes and series.

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Elite Motorsports Continues Partnership with 2024 World Series of Pro Mod as Official Truck and Trailer Source

BRADENTON, FL – Elite Motorsports, the leading provider of motorsports transportation solutions, has reaffirmed its commitment to the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod (WSOPM) presented by Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage and J&A Service by continuing as the Official Truck and Trailer Source for the 2024 event.

The WSOPM, scheduled for March 1-3 at Bradenton Motorsports Park, will bring the best racers from seven different classes to compete for cash prizes plus bragging rights. Elite Motorsports owner Richard Freeman is looking forward to this year’s installment.

”Elite Motorsports is excited to continue supporting the World Series of Pro Mod,” stated Freeman. “We have a number of customers who will be involved in this event, and our business focuses on fulfilling travel needs in the motorsports community through our ever-changing inventory of new and used high quality units.”

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Original WSOPM Champion Mike Bowman Looking to Make History Again

BRADENTON, FL – At the beginning of this year, Mike Bowman wasn’t sure he’d even be at the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod (WSOPM) presented by Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage and J&A Service, taking place March 1-3 at Bradenton Motorsports Park.

The 2017 WSOPM champion was still unwinding from a grueling 2023 season on Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings, and considered spending 2024 simply racing Jr. Dragsters with his daughters. But one of his television co-stars quickly – albeit unknowingly – changed his plans.

“To be honest, I was pretty burned out on NPK,” said Bowman. “My wife Kristy and I were sitting there having a drink, and I saw [Justin] Swanstrom was going to be at WSOPM. It kept popping up on my phone, and I’m like, ‘Hell no. He’s going and I’m not going? Are you kidding me right now? You know what, I think I want to go.’ Once I decided I was going to go, I got really excited and the next morning I was working on the car.”

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Stroud Safety Named Official Safety Solution of the World Series of Pro Mod

BRADENTON, FL – Stroud Safety has been tapped as the Official Safety Solution of the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod (WSOPM) presented by Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage and J&A Service, race officials announced today. This partnership marks a significant milestone for both organizations, emphasizing their shared commitment to the safety and performance of drag racing’s elite.

“This is the premier event of the year for door car racing, and that lets us be on that same platform with our product,” said Tommy Cunningham, owner of Stroud Safety. “Wes [Buck] put together a group of people around him that understands racers just as much as he does, and I think that’s a plus. It’s a good family environment, and we enjoy that.”

Stroud Safety, founded in 1989 by Bob Stroud, has been at the forefront of motorsport safety innovation, crafting high-quality parachutes and safety equipment that have become the standard in drag racing. Under the ownership of Pro Mod racer Tommy Cunningham since 2019, Stroud Safety has expanded its vision, blending the rich heritage of racing innovation with cutting-edge safety technologies. Stroud’s products, born from the ethos “designed by racers, for racers,” embody the spirit of competition and the paramount importance of safety in motorsports.

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Past NMCA Pro Mod Champion Eric Gustafson Gearing Up For WSOPM Debut

BRADENTON, FL – After winning the 2020 NMCA Xtreme Pro Mod championship, Eric Gustafson took a planned hiatus from driving to focus on business and family. He put the team in the capable hands of his crew chief Cameron Hensley and co-crew chief/tuner Jason Lee, who took over driving duties for the next few years.

What Gustafson didn’t know is that he would suffer two significant personal health setbacks during this time, but being the competitor that he is, has returned to full health and is ready to take on the best of the best at the 2024 Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod presented by Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage and J&A Service, March 1-3, at Bradenton Motorsports Park.

Gustafson, who made his return to competition at the U.S. Street Nationals at Bradenton in late January, will get back behind the wheel of his 1969 Coast Packing/R&E Racing Camaro Pro Mod, which was recently rebuilt top to bottom by Lyons Custom Motorsports.

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Bill Miller Engineering Renews World Series of Pro Mod Partnership

BRADENTON, FL – Bill Miller Engineering (BME), an industry leader in forged aluminum pistons and connecting rods, has renewed its support of the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod presented by Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage and J&A Service, March 1-3, at Bradenton Motorsports Park. BME is the latest industry leader to support the $100,000 Pro Mod event, now in its fifth year overall and second year in Bradenton, Fla.

A noted powerhouse in motorsports, BME has manufactured championship-winning aluminum connecting rods, forged racing pistons, wrist pins and superchargers for more than four decades. Operating out of a state-of-the-art facility in Carson City, Nev., BME has stayed at the forefront of machine tool technology.

“As a longtime supporter of Drag Illustrated and their World Series of Pro Mod, I’m excited for this year’s event,” said Bill Miller, founder, BME. “Many of the Pro Mods competing will be using our components, most notably Mark Micke and his record-setting turbocharged Camaro. Mark uses our new Pro Mod Rod, along with BME pistons and wrist pins, to withstand the extreme conditions created when generating nearly 5,000 HP.”

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