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Drag Illustrated

JEGS Named Presenting Sponsor of March’s Second Annual CTech World Doorslammer Nationals in Orlando

ORLANDO – An incredible inaugural event, coupled by a win for the ages in Pro Stock led to a memorable weekend for JEGS at the CTech World Doorslammer Nationals in Orlando, prompting the industry giant to return as a race sponsor for the 2021 event.

The worldwide high-performance parts powerhouse has been named the presenting sponsor for the second annual event, which takes place March 5-7 at Orlando Speed World Dragway.

Pro Stock and Pro Mod will again headline the event, which promises huge payouts, including $75,000 for the winner in Pro Stock. Team JEGS star Jeg Coughlin Jr., who has five Pro Stock world titles to his credit, won the inaugural event a year ago, just one of many special memories the company took from the race.

“Being part of this event last year was really special,” said Scott Woodruff, Director of Media and Motorsports at JEGS. “It was a race created for people who have a passion for racing, and there was just a special feeling before and during the event. We’re excited to show our support for this event and see it grow even more. Everyone involved has done a great job, it was a great success last year and with more time to plan, we’re looking forward to seeing it grow even more.”

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Lyle Barnett’s Inspiring Journey Chronicled in New Mini-Documentary from Kingsridge Media, Set to Debut on New Year’s Day

FORT WORTH, TX – The inspiring career of Lyle Barnett will come to life in a mini-documentary set to be released on January 1 from the team at Kingsridge Media.

From the fiery crash that nearly ended his life to his triumphant return and now his foray into the NHRA Pro Mod ranks with Elite Motorsports, the new mini-documentary chronicles Barnett’s incredible story and why his perseverance has proven to be an encouraging and galvanizing story for so many in drag racing.

Filmed at the Kingsridge Media in-house studio in Fort Worth, viewers will get to hear from Barnett like they never have before, as he touches on the terrifying crash, why he was motivated to return to racing and his reasons for going NHRA Pro Mod racing in 2021. For Barnett, the video also represents an opportunity to talk about what he believes is his greater purpose.

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Justin Ashley Appears on Cover of Drag Illustrated Issue 162 as Previous 30 Under 30 Recipients are Honored

KIRKSVILLE, MO – In spite of all the challenges of the 2020 racing season, Top Fuel rookie Justin Ashley turned in a banner year, winning his first career race and being named the NHRA Rookie of the Year.

It also led to Ashley appearing on the cover of Drag Illustrated’s latest issue, which serves as “The Best of 30 Under 30” tribute. With PRI cancelled this year due to COVID-19, Drag Illustrated was unable to have its typical and popular 30 Under 30 reveal at the event. Instead, the publication chose to recognize 15 standouts from the previous five 30 Under 30 selections, recognizing the young stars who have since gone on to do even greater things since being first recognized.

After his standout season in such an unprecedented year, Ashley, who appeared on the 2017 DI 30 Under 30 list, led the way and called it an honor to appear on his first Drag Illustrated cover.

“Appearing on the cover of Drag Illustrated is a very exciting thing for me. For years, I’ve read Drag Illustrated. In the magazine, I’ve looked at people on the cover, and I thought, “Man, imagine if that could be me one day?” and now to be in the position that I’m in and to actually be on the cover, it’s very rewarding,” Ashley said.

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Second Annual CTech World Doorslammer Nationals Set for March 5-7, 2021 at Orlando Speed World Dragway; Multi-Year Title-Rights Agreement Reached

KIRKSVILLE, MO – After a thrilling inaugural event in March that had the drag racing world buzzing, the CTech World Doorslammer Nationals is set for 2021, with the second annual event returning to Orlando Speed World Dragway on March 5-7.

CTech Manufacturing, an industry leader in the manufacturing of racing carts, cabinets and drawers, will also enter into a multi-year agreement to continue as a title sponsor for the race, which puts the spotlight on the stars in Pro Stock and Pro Mod. The two classes will continue to serve as the main event for the race weekend, which will again offer massive payouts and excitement, building upon the tremendous debut event in 2020.

“Last year, we left the CTech World Doorslammer Nationals full of excitement and extremely pleased with the outcome. It was a phenomenal event and we’re excited to be part of it long-term,” CTech Manufacturing Product Line Manager Nate Birkenmeier said. “It all boils down to (CTech owner) Jim Greenheck and his passion for racing and the racing community.

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Drag Illustrated Subscribers Soar Over Recent Holiday Weekend, Hit All-Time High

KIRKSVILLE, MO – With a special Black Friday deal in place, Drag Illustrated enjoyed a record-breaking holiday weekend over Thanksgiving, putting subscriptions for the popular magazine at an all-time high for the 15-year publication.

Thousands of people took advantage of the special offer, as a number of new subscribers joined the DI family, helping push the magazine to its highest subscription amount ever.

“We added more than 2,500 subscriptions inside of four days and to see that kind of commerce and support in this climate, it’s just a heart-warming thing,” Drag Illustrated Founder and Editorial Director Wes Buck said. “It shows how significant the printed word remains to this industry, and it’s a reminder how much people care and how many people are invested in our product and in the racing community as a whole.

“We stand by the belief that for a car guy, a racer or anyone in the industry, being featured in a magazine is among the most significant things out there. That’s a goal for everybody and we’re proud to celebrate the test of time, and to continue growing.”

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Drag Illustrated Saving Sixth 30 Under 30 List for 2021 

KIRKSVILLE, Mo – Drag Illustrated announced today it will not publish its sixth annual 30 Under 30 list this year. The list, which celebrates 30 outstanding young people in drag racing, is usually published in Drag Illustrated’s December issue, and its honorees are typically celebrated during a major press conference at the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Show in Indianapolis.

“This certainly isn’t news we wanted to break, but we felt it would be best to hold off on creating our sixth 30 Under 30 list,” said Wes Buck, founder and editorial director, Drag Illustrated. “Our team has been deliberating over this decision for quite some time now. We’ve typically started accepting nominations for the list around now, so it made sense to make a decision and announce it as soon as possible.”

A major factor involved in the decision was the Sept. 14 announcement from the Performance Racing Industry group that the 2020 PRI Show is canceled.

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Steve Sisko, Drag Racing’s $1.2 Million-Dollar Man, Appears On Drag Illustrated’s Special 10th Anniversary Sportsman Issue

KIRKSVILLE, MO – Drag Illustrated wanted to go big when it came to its 10th annual Sportsman Issue this year.  On one magical weekend in July, Steve Sisko helped make that an easy decision.

After becoming drag racing royalty with the biggest payout weekend in drag racing history, Steve Sisko – the sport’s 1.2 million-dollar man – graces the cover of Drag Illustrated issue No. 159, the magazine’s annual Sportsman issue.

As Drag Illustrated celebrated its 10th year producing the annual issue dedicated to the multitudes of talented sportsman racers in the industry, Sisko made the decision an easy one.

Of course, Sisko won the JEGS-SFG $1.1 million during Fourth of July weekend at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Mich., coming back the next day to win the $100,000 race for an unprecedented and historic weekend.

In Drag Illustrated’s cover story for its August issue, Sisko talked about that magical weekend, and also revealed the honor it was to appear on the front of the magazine.

“Being recognized by Drag Illustrated and being chosen to be on the cover is just about as big a deal as winning the SFG 1.1 Million,” Sisko said. “The whole day was a blur. Everything was just going easy. It’s one of those weekends that if you dreamt about it, it wouldn’t even work out as good as it did.”

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Pete Epple Joins Drag Illustrated Team as Technical Editor

KIRKSVILLE, MO – Already established as a strong force in drag racing media, Drag Illustrated has added a marquee name to further cement the publication’s standing, announcing industry veteran Pete Epple as the technical editor.

With more than a decade of experience that includes contributions at nearly 30 performance and automotive racing publications, Epple’s area of expertise will give Drag Illustrated a noted name in the technical aspect of the sport.

“Drag Illustrated is such a force in the media side of drag racing and really has never focused on the technical side of the sport, so to take on that responsibility is pretty amazing, and I’ve got to admit, it’s pretty surreal,” Epple said. “I’ve worked with the publication in a freelance role, and to step into this position is incredible and I’m extremely grateful.

“The Drag Illustrated staff is one of the best in media across motorsports and to add another dynamic layer and bring in that technical side, we’re all excited to take DI to another level.”

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Street Car Takeover’s Justin Keith & Chase Lautenbach Sound Off on DI 158: State of Drag Cover Story

KIRKSVILLE, MO – Following their passion has turned into a lifelong dream for Justin Keith and Chase Lautenbach, as their Street Car Takeover continues to flourish, taking another step forward in 2020 despite some trying times in the world.

That success, as well as SCT managing to hold massive, successful events in the midst of a public health crisis, landed the duo on the cover of Drag Illustrated’s annual “State of Drag” issue. When they launched Street Car Takeover in 2013, they never imagined enjoying the current success — or appearing on the cover of a major motorsports magazine.

“It’s a huge honor to be chosen for the cover of Drag Illustrated, especially one outlining the state of drag racing,” Lautenbach said. “Bringing two guys from the Midwest together with just an idea to go race with our friends has turned into this wild ride. It’s been such a humbling experience.”

Drag Illustrated issue No. 158 takes a look at the state of drag racing on a number of fronts, and Keith’s and Lautenbach’s Street Car Takeover is among that. After powering through a challenging start-up phases, they now host huge gatherings at some of the country’s biggest tracks, drawing incredible participation at places like Indy, Denver and Dallas in 2020.

“What Justin, Chase and the Street Car Takeover events are doing for drag racing cannot possibly be overstated. Organized drag racing, in a lot of ways, can be extremely intimidating. The drag strip isn’t an easy place to be the newbie,” Drag Illustrated Founder and Editorial Director Wes Buck said. “What Street Car Takeover has done, in my eyes, is create an environment free of that pressure and intimidation. It’s geared almost entirely toward racers and enthusiasts who are early in their drag racing hobby, and it’s welcoming to makes, models and people from all walks of the racing life.

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With Incredible Journey, Funny Car’s Paul Lee Earns Cover Spot On Drag Illustrated’s Interview Issue

KIRKSVILLE, MO – When Paul Lee’s successes are discussed, his many racing triumphs may just be a small part of it. It’s not a slight to what he’s accomplished throughout a standout career in both NHRA Funny Car and Top Alcohol Funny Car, but simply a nod to everything Lee has accomplished and overcome.

His businesses – McLeod Racing and FTI Performance – have been wildly successful in the automotive industry, even performing remarkably well through the current COVID-19 pandemic. Still, that only scratches the surface, too, as Lee’s journey is marked by overcoming a “widow maker” heart attack to return to racing in 2019.

Lee’s remarkable tale of perseverance is the main story in Drag Illustrated’s annual “Interview Issue,” which was released digitally on Monday and sent to subscribers this week. It dives into Lee’s adversity, as he details what happened and his arduous road to recovery. It’s a significant story of Lee’s ability to overcome and enjoy every minute of life since, making him an easy choice for the cover of DI 157.

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