Drag Illustrated
Drag Illustrated Reveals Fourth Annual 30 Under 30 List at PRI Show
INDIANAPOLIS – The highly anticipated 2018 Drag Illustrated 30 Under 30 list was unveiled Friday afternoon 
during a press conference at the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Show in Indianapolis. The 2018 DI 30 Under 30 list and its members are the subject of Drag Illustrated’s December Issue, which features NHRA Top Fuel driver Blake Alexander on the cover.
Made up of 30 young drivers, crew members, tuners, fabricators, media members and other drag racing insiders, the Drag Illustrated 30 Under 30 list seeks to shine a light on the rising stars of the straight-line sport. The list, which features personalities from numerous classes, series and countries, was picked by a panel of Drag Illustrated staffers after reviewing thousands of nominations from the drag racing community submitted through the ZP Performance Steering Nomination Process.
“I’m so proud of our fourth annual 30 Under 30 list and what it represents,” said Wes Buck, Founder and Editorial Director, Drag Illustrated. “As a sport, we need to be looking forward and identifying the next superstars and heroes who will carry drag racing into the future. This is our way of recognizing the accomplishments of a group of young people we believe have done big things and encouraging them as they continue to make moves in the sport.”
Drag Illustrated to Release Fourth Annual ’30 Under 30’ List at Performance Racing Industry Show
KIRKSVILLE, MO – Drag Illustrated’s annual 30 Under 30 list will be revealed during its official press conference and magazine cover reveal at 1:30 p.m. on Friday at the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) show at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.
The fourth annual list will be announced in the PRI Media Center, Rooms 116 & 117, and one-on-one interviews will be available with Drag Illustrated Founder and Editorial Director Wes Buck, as well as the 30 Under 30 honorees in attendance following the press conference. The cover of Drag Illustrated #139 will also be officially released at that time.
Annually one of the most popular annual issues for Drag Illustrated, the 30 Under 30 list spotlights 30 top drag racing drivers, crew members, fabricators and industry insiders who are all less than 30 years old. The distinguished and highly anticipated list has become a coveted honor within the sport, highlighting the upcoming stars in all areas of drag racing.
Dodge Back As Presenting Sponsor of Drag Illustrated After Hours Party
KIRKSVILLE, MO – Dodge has returned as the presenting sponsor of drag’s biggest party, the Drag Illustrated After 
Hours Powered by Dodge. Celebrating its fifth year in 2018, the must-attend event again takes over Indianapolis’ Blu Night Club on Thursday, Dec. 6 as part of the annual Performance Racing Industry (PRI) trade show, allowing show attendees the opportunity to enjoy the wildly popular party.
“The Drag Illustrated After Hours Powered by Dodge is again the place to be during the PRI weekend and we’re extremely excited to have Dodge back with us for a second straight year,” said Wes Buck, Founder and Editorial Director, Drag Illustrated. “The event somehow seems to get even bigger and better every year, and I know I can’t wait to celebrate in Indy with thousands of my closest friends.”
Now in its fifth year, the Drag Illustrated After Hours Powered by Dodge opening-day party has become the destination event of the entire PRI show, giving party attendees the chance to meet, socialize and mingle with everyone from racers to industry leaders and insiders, as well as crew chiefs, crew members and people involved in every other facet of the drag racing community. Together, it will make for one of the most unique and thrilling evenings in what has been a standout 2018 season for the sport.
Fourth Annual Drag Illustrated ‘30 Under 30’ Nominations Presented by ididit Now Open
KIRKSVILLE, MO – Drag Illustrated announced today that it is now accepting nominations for its 2018 ’30 Under 
30’ list. Made up of some of drag racing’s most impressive young ambassadors, the popular ’30 Under 30,’ which is now in its fourth year, will be the main subject of Drag Illustrated’s 2018 December issue, the annual Tomorrow issue. The ’30 Under 30’ Nomination Period presented by ididit will run through Friday, Oct. 12.
The honorees will again be recognized during a press conference at the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) trade show, which takes place Dec. 6-8 in Indianapolis.
“Our annual ’30 Under 30’ list is something we look forward to releasing each year, and it always amazes me in regards to the number of nominations we receive,” Drag Illustrated Founder and Editorial Director Wes Buck said. “The thousands nominations we get for the young, rising stars in the sport is so thrilling, and just reinforces the fact so we have many young, talented people doing incredible things. It’s just tremendously exciting to see the effort and hard work they’re putting in and also putting a priority on being at the drag strip.”
World Series of Pro Mod Secures Date for 2019 Event at Bandimere Speedway
MORRISON, CO – The date is set for the 2019 Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod presented by One Cure and 
J&A Service. Race officials announced today that the third annual World Series of Pro Mod will take place Aug. 9-10, 2019 at Bandimere Speedway.
Continuing to build on the momentum of the $100,000-to-win race, having a date secured for the biggest and richest Pro Mod race in the history of the known universe was important for race founder Wes Buck.
“We are extremely excited to announce that the date for the 2019 World Series of Pro Mod has already been set and we will be returning to Bandimere Speedway,” Buck said. “It was important to make an announcement immediately to show just how fired up we are, not only about how this year turned out but what we are expecting in 2019 and beyond. We were just so happy about this year and we wanted to lock in the date for next season.”
A successful debut race took place in 2017 and it continued to grow to a wildly popular level in 2018, as Carl Stevens Jr. claimed the six-figure payday with a thrilling final-round victory over Danny Rowe on Thunder Mountain. In the days following the highly successful race that saw fans traveling from all over the world to take in the must-see action, Buck and race officials worked with Bandimere Speedway general manager John “Sporty” Bandimere III to quickly get the date locked in for 2019.
Carl Stevens Jr. Claims $100,000 Prize After Winning World Series of Pro Mod on ‘Thunder Mountain’
MORRISON, CO – On the strength of one incredible performance after another on Saturday, Carl Stevens Jr. came 
up victorious at the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod presented by One Cure and J&A Service at Bandimere Speedway, knocking off Danny Rowe in a thrilling final round to be crowned champion and earn the $100,000 payday.
Stevens went a blistering 5.856 at 246.26 mph in his turbocharged ’69 Camaro to best Rowe’s 5.949 at 242.54, claiming the quickest run in the two-year history of the World Series of Pro Mod in the process. It set off a memorable celebration for the North Haledon, N.J., native and his team, soaking in what it meant to win the biggest and richest Pro Mod drag race in the history of the known universe.
“This is easily the biggest event win we’ve ever had,” Stevens Jr. said. “Being on the biggest stage for Pro Mod and getting the win, it’s just incredible. That’s really what it’s all about. The money certainly doesn’t hurt, obviously, but on this grand stage that we’ve been given, in my opinion there’s nothing bigger.”
Drivers Draw First-Round Pairings at Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod
MORRISON, CO – Defending World Series of Pro Mod event champion Mike Bowman led a list of 26 Pro Mod 
drivers who randomly drew their first-round pairings Friday night at the second annual Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod benefiting One Cure and presented by J&A Service.
Bowman and the rest of the Pro Mod competitors took turns pulling numbered Coors Light cans out of a cooler. The number on the bottom of the can represented their spot on the 26-car ladder.
As the defending champion, Bowman was given the opportunity to draw his spot first. He drew the No. 5 spot, then the second spot in the pairing was drawn by Derek Menholt, lining up a rematch of the two turbocharged drivers’ first-round race at last year’s event.
“It’s a tough draw,” Bowman said. “I feel like they’re fast, but I’m fast, too. Derek’s a really good driver and he’s just incredible on the tree.”
Stevie “Fast” Jackson Wins $5,000 Drag 965/Nitrous Outlet Burnout Contest at Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod
MORRISON, CO – After powering through an epic burnout that ended up pulling the chutes, Stevie “Fast” Jackson 
was named the winner of the Drag 965/Nitrous Outlet burnout contest on Friday at the DRAG ILLUSTRATED World Series of Pro Mod at Bandimere Speedway.
The highly entertaining burnout contest took place at the end of the second Summit Racing Equipment Shakedown runs, with Jackson winning the $5,000 prize against a talented field that included Todd Tutterow, Marc Caruso, who was deemed “The People’s Champ” by WSOPM officials, Clint Satterfield and Brandon Pesz. Jackson blasted through his burnout to nearly the 1,000-foot mark in his Bahrain 1 Racing Camaro before the chutes came out, eliciting a wild round of applause from the fans who enjoyed every minute of the contest.
“This is awesome. This is just as good as the race,” Jackson said. “The reason it’s so awesome is because all them people up there (in the stands) were excited they came to watch drag racing. That’s what it’s about. It was crazy. It was all over the track. It was fun. The burnout is the most fun thing I do out here.”
Al-Anabi Performance Joins World Series of Pro Mod as Event Sponsor
MORRISON, CO – World Series of Pro Mod race officials announced today that Al-Anabi Performance has been 
named an event sponsor for this weekend’s DRAG ILLUSTRATED World Series of Pro Mod at Bandimere Speedway.
Celebrating a decade in drag racing, Al-Anabi Performance will have a strong presence at this weekend’s $100,000-to-win, as longtime Pro Mod standout Todd Tutterow, who is sponsored by Al-Anabi Performance, will also be competing in the biggest and richest Pro Mod race in the history of the known universe. The partnership is also another sign of Al-Anabi Performance’s passion and excitement for Pro Mod racing.
“The 2018 season marks 10 years that Al-Anabi Performance has been involved in drag racing, and Pro Mod has always been at the center of that,” said Jason Sharp, Al-Anabi Performance. “We are extremely proud to be involved with a great event like the World Series of Pro Mod and to do our part to support this event as it continues to grow in its second year.”
Aeromotive Partners with Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod for ‘Embedded’ Video Series
MORRISON, CO – The race coverage for the DRAG ILLUSTRATED World Series of Pro Mod, which takes place 
Friday and Saturday at Bandimere Speedway, will get even better as race officials announced today that Aeromotive, Inc. has been named the sponsor of the World Series of Pro Mod’s “Embedded” vlog-style video series.
World Series of Pro Mod Embedded presented by Aeromotive will give fans unprecedented, behind-the-scenes access in the days leading up to the $100,000 winner-take-all event. The video series will include six comprehensive, high-quality videos in a vlog-style format starting Monday and continuing each night through the conclusion of Saturday’s final eliminations.
A team of videographers will be following Drag Illustrated Founder and Editorial Director Wes Buck, race officials, and WSOPM participants and their teams to provide the vlog-style videos, offering the most in-depth access possible for the event. The videos will be available each evening on YouTube and Facebook, giving fans the ultimate VIP video pass to the highly anticipated race.
