DINWIDDIE, VA – Three-time Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous world champion Tommy Franklin won the first-ever Pro Nitrous Fab4 Shootout presented by the Travis Mills Foundation Friday night while also qualifying No. 1 at the Travis Mills Foundation PDRA Mid-Atlantic Showdown presented by Red Line Shirt Club. Franklin laid down a 3.648-second pass at 206.99 mph in his Musi-powered “Jungle Rat 3.0” ’69 Camaro in the final qualifying session to defeat Billy Albert and his 3.658 at 206.67 at Virginia Motorsports Park.

The second of eight races in the 2025 Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series season also hosted the first Pro Boost Fab4 Shootout presented by the Travis Mills Foundation. Ed Burnley won that shootout, while his final-round opponent, two-time and reigning world champion Jason Harris, took the No. 1 qualifier award in WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive.

No. 1 qualifier awards in the other professional classes went to Blake Denton in Liberty’s Gears Pro Street presented by Menscer Motorsports, Chris Powers in AED Competition Fuel Systems Extreme Pro Stock presented by Boone Motorsports, Jeff Melnick in PDRA Pro 632 presented by PTC Torque Converters, and Austin Vincent in PDRA Super Street presented by Brian’s Heating & Cooling Continue reading →

DINWIDDIE, VA – Following a hot start a few weeks ago, the 2025 Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series season will continue this weekend at the Travis Mills Foundation Mid-Atlantic Showdown presented by Red Line Shirt Club, May 1-3, at Virginia Motorsports Park. The first of two races on the schedule at the PDRA’s home track, the Mid-Atlantic Showdown will feature competition in all seven of the series heads-up categories, as well as several sportsman and Jr. Dragster classes.

“There’s nothing like coming ‘home’ to Virginia Motorsports Park,” said Tyler Crossnoe, PDRA series director and VMP vice president. “This is our home base, as well as the home track for a lot of our racers. Having raced here since the beginning of the PDRA in 2014, we’ve also built up quite a fanbase at this track. The local fans know when their favorite PDRA racers are coming to town. After kicking off the season at GALOT, we’re ready to build on what we started with another big race this weekend at VMP.” Continue reading →

BENSON, NC – Racing in his Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous debut, former Elite Top Sportsman racer Tim Paap claimed a Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series season-opening win at the Summit Racing Equipment East Coast Nationals Saturday night at GALOT Motorsports Park. Paap lined up against three-time world champion Tommy Franklin in the final round and led wire-to-wire, using a 3.651-second pass at 205.26 mph to hold off Franklin’s 3.652 at 205.66. With Pat Musi Racing Engines doubling the winner’s purse through the PDRA’s new Power Purse program, Paap collected a $20,000 check for his victory.

Joining Paap as professional class winners at the East Coast Nationals were Melanie Salemi in WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive, Blake Denton in Liberty’s Gears Pro Street presented by Menscer Motorsports, Chris Powers in AED Competition Fuel Systems Extreme Pro Stock presented by Jon Kaase Racing Engines, Walter Lannigan in PTC Converters Pro 632, and Connor McGee in PDRA Super Street presented by Brian’s Heating & Cooling.

Sportsman class victories went to Jeremy Creasman in MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by PAR Racing Engines, Steve Furr in Laris Motorsports Insurance Elite Top Dragster presented by Greenbrier Excavating & Paving, Ken Langlois in MagnaFuel Top Sportsman 48, and Chad Traylor in Laris Motorsports Insurance Top Dragster 48 presented by Derrick Wolfe Trucking. Continue reading →

BENSON, NC – Melanie Salemi, who kicked off the Summit Racing Equipment PDRA East Coast Nationals presented by FuelTech as the provisional No. 1 qualifier in Pro Boost on Thursday night, held on to the top spot Friday as qualifying wrapped up at GALOT Motorsports Park. Salemi recorded a 3.615-second pass at 206.29 mph in the screw-blown “Purple Reign” ’68 Firebird to top the list of 28 WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive entries at the first of eight races on the 2025 Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series schedule.

No. 1 qualifier awards in the professional classes also went to Tim Paap in Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous, Blake Denton in Liberty’s Gears Pro Street presented by Menscer Motorsports, Chris Powers in AED Competition Fuel Systems Extreme Pro Stock presented by Jon Kaase Racing Engines, Lexi Tanner in PTC Converters Pro 632, and Austin Vincent in PDRA Super Street presented by Brian’s Heating & Cooling.

The PDRA’s sportsman categories also completed two more qualifying sessions on Friday, with No. 1 qualifier awards going to Glenn Butcher in MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by PAR Racing Engines, Jody Stroud in Laris Motorsports Insurance Elite Top Dragster presented by Greenbrier Excavating & Paving, Vonnie Mills in MagnaFuel Top Sportsman 48, and Danielle Gonzalez in Laris Motorsports Insurance Top Dragster presented by Derrick Wolfe Trucking Continue reading →

BENSON, NC – With record fields on hand for the season-opening Summit Racing Equipment East Coast Nationals presented by FuelTech, the Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series kicked off professional qualifying a day early at GALOT Motorsports Park. Thursday afternoon saw racers in six of the PDRA’s seven professional categories put numbers on the board in the first qualifying session, with two more sessions set for Friday.

A pair of rookies – Tim Paap in Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous and Tim Dutton in Liberty’s Gears Pro Street presented by Menscer Motorsports – took the provisional No. 1 spots in their respective categories. Melanie Salemi led the way in a stacked WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive field, while reigning world champion Chris Powers went to the top in AED Competition Fuel Systems Extreme Pro Stock presented by Jon Kaase Racing Engines. Lexi Tanner took the provisional No. 1 spot in PTC Converters Pro 632 and Austin Vincent went to the top in PDRA Super Street presented by Brian’s Heating & Cooling.

The PDRA’s sportsman classes also started qualifying, with Glenn Butcher (MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by PAR Racing Engines), Jody Stroud (Laris Motorsports Insurance Elite Top Dragster presented by Greenbrier Excavating & Paving), Steve Furr (MagnaFuel Top Sportsman), and John Platt Jr. (Laris Motorsports Insurance Top Dragster presented by Derrick Wolfe Trucking) taking the provisional No. 1 positions. Continue reading →

BENSON, NC – The Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series is primed for its biggest season yet in its 11-season history, with large car counts, increased event and championship payouts, and fierce competition across the series’ professional, sportsman, and Jr. Dragster categories. It all starts this weekend at the Summit Racing Equipment East Coast Nationals presented by FuelTech, April 2-5, at GALOT Motorsports Park. It’s the first of eight national events for the drivers and teams competing for nearly $200,000 in PDRA world championship prizes.

“With support from partners like Red Line Oil, we increased our championship payouts by more than $100,000,” said Tyler Crossnoe, series director, PDRA. “The racers in our headlining Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous and WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive will get to compete for a $25,000 championship bonus this season. Those championship payouts combined with $10,000-to-win and $25,000 per event in total payouts for both of our Pro Modified classes have attracted some of the world’s best Pro Mod drivers and teams. We’re expecting big turnouts for the East Coast Nationals, and we could see record fields come together by the time the 16-car fields are set on Friday night.” Continue reading →

FREDERICKSBURG, VA – BigStuff Total Power Management, manufacturers of state-of-the-art electronic engine and powertrain controllers, will serve as the title sponsor of the PDRA North vs. South Shootout, Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series officials announced today. The BigStuff Total Power Management North vs. South Shootout, June 12-14, at Maryland International Raceway is the fourth of eight national events on the 2025 PDRA schedule.

“We’re proud to join BigStuff TPM in announcing their sponsorship of the PDRA North vs. South Shootout at Maryland International Raceway,” said Will Smith, marketing director, PDRA. “BigStuff has been a part of the industry for years, and with new ownership, they’re trying to reach new customers and new markets in 2025. We pride ourselves on connecting our partners with one of the most diehard racer bases in drag racing. PDRA champions use BigStuff products, and I’m sure we’ll see more racers join them with this new partnership.”

Founded by John Meaney in the early 2000s, BigStuff was acquired in 2021 by Ben Davidow, who has focused on advancing BigStuff’s innovative product development and technical support. PDRA Elite Top Sportsman standout Bryan LaFlam joined the BigStuff team in April 2024 as a co-owner and Director of Operations. With Davidow in California and LaFlam in the racing hot bed of North Carolina, they work together to serve customers in a wide variety of racing disciplines, classes, and series. Continue reading →

FREDERICKSBURG, VA – Brian’s Heating & Cooling LLC, a Lexington, S.C.-based HVAC service provider, will serve as the presenting sponsor of the Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series’ Super Street division, series officials announced today. The small-tire class will compete for an increased $5,000-to-win prize at seven of the eight national events on the 2025 Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series schedule.

“Brian McGee has been a part of the PDRA community for some time now as his kids race in the series,” said Will Smith, marketing director, PDRA. “He jumped at the chance to get involved with Super Street as a class sponsor because he wants to see the class continue to grow. It’s grown by leaps and bounds in terms of car count and on-track performance in the few years since it started. Super Street will see its biggest year yet thanks to partners like Brian’s Heating & Cooling LLC.”

With a 30 years in the HVAC industry, Brian’s Heating & Cooling LLC confidently provides exceptional service to both commercial and residential clients in Lexington, S.C. and beyond. The company pairs the highest quality products and experienced workmanship. Brian’s team of technicians can repair, maintain, or replace any make or model of heater, water heater, or air conditioner. Continue reading →

FREDERICKSBURG, VA – Derrick Wolfe Trucking LLC., a food-grade carrier based in New York, will expand its support of fast bracket racing this season as the new presenting sponsor of Laris Motorsports Insurance Top Dragster in the Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series, officials announced today. Laris Motorsports Insurance Top Dragster presented by Derrick Wolfe Trucking LLC will compete at all eight national events on the 2025 PDRA schedule.

“We greatly appreciate Derrick Wolfe Trucking LLC’s support of our Laris Motorsports Insurance Top Dragster program,” said Will Smith, marketing director, PDRA. “Top Dragster is one of the most popular classes in our series when it comes to racer support. No matter where we’re at in the country, we can always count on a strong Top Dragster turnout. Derrick Wolfe is a big believer in the class, and he’s backing that up by getting involved as the class presenting sponsor for the 2025 season.”

Wolfe launched Derrick Wolfe Trucking LLC in 2017 and has grown it into a family-oriented business operating in the Rochester, New York, region. The food-grade carrier has sponsored local Top Dragster competitor Tyler Rudolph for the last four years. Rudolph races at his local Empire Dragway, but he also runs the full PDRA tour. Continue reading →

FREDERICKSBURG, VA – PDRA officials announced today the introduction of Power Purse, a new program bringing new and existing marketing partners to another level of involvement with the series and its competitors. This new program will directly double the winner’s purse of a marketing partner’s choosing for one particular race, hence the name, Power Purse.

“Coming off a highly competitive 2024 season, rolling into the PDRA off-season with a huge increase to the overall series championship fund by over $100,000, we still felt like we needed to do more,” said Tyler Crossnoe, series director. “Our teams work hard year in and year out to chase event wins that can lead to a championship, but there’s something about winning an event on the calendar that is different than the others. We’ve seen it with the DI Winter Series over the last few months – chasing a large money payout is intriguing and can drive the best in the world to push even harder than before.”

The goal of PDRA Power Purse is to not only provide specialty events for each class throughout the year but to highlight every class at least once throughout the season. Continue reading →