PDRA
Amber Franklin Scores PDRA Championship of Her Own in Family’s ‘OG Jungle Rat’
FREDERICKSBURG, VA – As a past Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) Pro Jr. Dragster world champion, Amber Franklin knew 
what it would take to win a world championship in her first full season of $hameless Racing Pro 632 competition. The second-generation PDRA champion used a combination of determination, consistency, and strong performances to clinch the 2022 Pro 632 world championship.
Franklin’s Pro 632 career started at the last two races of the 2021 season. When she raced to the final round at both events, Franklin and her team’s goals changed from merely making decent passes and winning a round or two to winning races and pursuing the 2022 championship.
“We came out stronger than we anticipated,” said Franklin, the 2017 Pro Jr. Dragster world champion. “That set the tone quickly for this year. We were looking for wins, then once that was accomplished, we knew the championship was something we could obtain.”
Franklin’s first win came at the second race of the 2022 season, the Vortech Doorslammer Derby presented by Stroud Safety at Beech Bend Raceway Park, where she defeated longtime friend Lexi Tanner in the final round.
Johnny Pluchino Scores Second Extreme Pro Stock World Championship, Fourth Overall PDRA Title
FREDERICKSBURG, VA – Second-generation Mountain Motor Pro Stock driver Johnny Pluchino continues to make his mark on the class, 
as he clinched his second Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) Liberty’s Gears Extreme Pro Stock presented by AED Competition world championship. The 2022 title is Pluchino’s fourth PDRA world championship and the team’s fifth, adding to his two titles in Pro 632 and his father John’s 2016 Extreme Pro Stock championship.
“I was asked on the top end what this means to me and the first word that came to mind was grateful,” Pluchino said after winning in the second round of eliminations at the Proline Racing Brian Olson Memorial World Finals presented by ProCharger. “To be in the position I’m in because of all the people that are around me, whether it’s my dad and crew, the sponsors and partners that we have, just everybody. It puts me in this position to be successful. I’m a kid living out my dream. I’ve had this dream to race at this level and be successful as long as I can remember. For all these piece to come together, grateful is the best way I can explain it.”
Behind the wheel of the family’s Kaase-powered $hameless Racing/Strutmasters ’13 Mustang, Pluchino won the Vortech Doorslammer Derby presented by Stroud Safety at Beech Bend Raceway Park, the North vs. South Shootout presented by Line-X and Iron Man Quick Connect Push Bar at Maryland International Raceway, and the Summit Racing Northern Nationals presented by Penske Racing Shocks at Maple Grove Raceway.
PDRA to Celebrate 10th Season with Eight Points Races, Plus ProStars in 2023
US 131 Motorsports Park, Darlington Dragway return to PDRA tour
FREDERICKSBURG, VA – The Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) will celebrate 10 years of all-eighth-mile championship drag 
racing with an eight-race tour in 2023. The 2023 schedule includes stops at staple PDRA facilities like Virginia Motorsports Park and GALOT Motorsports Park, as well as returns to U.S. 131 Motorsports Park and Darlington Dragway. Along with eight points races, the 2023 PDRA schedule features the third annual Summit Racing Equipment PDRA ProStars specialty race.
“I’m truly excited about the 10th Anniversary schedule in 2023 for the PDRA,” said Tyler Crossnoe, series director, PDRA. “Introducing familiar faces back on tour is always exciting, especially being two racing surfaces that are known for being fast and giving consistent racing all weekend long, pairing with the returning facilities from this season. Marking the 10-year anniversary of the PDRA is an important milestone, and with the schedule line-up below, we feel it could be the most competitive and exciting season yet for our racers and fans.”
The season will kick off with the traditional season opener, the East Coast Nationals, March 30-April 1, at GALOT Motorsports Park. Virginia Motorsports Park will then host its first of three races, the Mid-Atlantic Showdown on April 22-24. The series continues on to Summit Motorsports Park for the third annual American Doorslammer Challenge, May 25-27, and Maryland International Raceway for the North vs. South Shootout, June 15-17.
Jim Halsey, Fulton Competition Engines Secure Third Consecutive PDRA Nitrous Wars Title
FREDERICKSBURG, VA – Not only did Jim Halsey secure his fourth consecutive Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous world championship in 
Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) competition this season, but he also clinched a third consecutive Structural Concrete Nitrous Wars title for engine builder Gene Fulton and Fulton Competition Engines.
The Structural Concrete Nitrous Wars trophy is a specially branded nitrous bottle that’s handed off to the latest Pro Nitrous low qualifier at each race on the PDRA tour. At the end of the season, the driver with the most No. 1 qualifiers takes home the bottle and their engine builder is also named the Nitrous Wars champion.
Halsey and Fulton were tied with Tommy Franklin Motorsports and Pat Musi Racing Engines with three low qualifier awards apiece going into the Proline Racing Brian Olson Memorial World Finals presented by ProCharger at Virginia Motorsports Park. Halsey took the tie-breaker, leading the 19-car qualifying order with his 3.658-second pass at 207.34 MPH in the Brandon Switzer-tuned “Daddy Shark” ’68 Camaro.
First-Ever PDRA Pro Boost World Champion Todd Tutterow Wins Second Title
FREDERICKSBURG, VA – At the end of the Professional Drag Racers Association’s (PDRA) first season in 2014, Todd “King Tut” Tutterow 
claimed the Pro Boost season championship. At the recent conclusion of the PDRA’s ninth season, Tutterow was crowned the world champion in WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive yet again.
Tutterow, driver and tuner of the screw-blown P2 Contracting ’20 Camaro, started the season with back-to-back wins at the East Coast Nationals presented by FuelTech at GALOT Motorsports Park and the Vortech Doorslammer Derby presented by Stroud Safety at Beech Bend Raceway Park. Runner-up finishes at two of the last races of the year, plus a rainout at ProFab DragWars at GALOT, put Tutterow in the position to clinch the 2022 world championship with a first-round win at the Proline Racing Brian Olson Memorial World Finals presented by ProCharger at Virginia Motorsports Park.
“We started out up front, which makes it a little easier,” Tutterow said. “Melanie [Salemi] was right there on our heels the whole time. She kept gaining and gaining. We lost GALOT [DragWars]. That didn’t really seal the deal, but it made it a lot easier. Then we had a very lucky run first round. My car was missing, running on about six cylinders, and [Don Tolley’s] car shut off. It was just meant to be.”
Jim Halsey Collects Unprecedented Fourth Consecutive PDRA Pro Nitrous World Championship
FREDERICKSBURG, VA – For the fourth year in a row, Jim Halsey wrapped up the Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) season as 
the Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous world champion. The driver of the Brandon Switzer-tuned, Fulton-powered “Daddy Shark” ’68 Camaro won two races and took runner-up honors at another two races to hold off Chris Rini’s late-season charge.
Halsey is now the only driver in PDRA history to win four world championships in the same class.
“It’s pretty satisfying,” said Halsey, who credited his team, including Switzer, wife Cathy, crew chief Eric Davis, Michael McMillan, and Melissa Switzer. “To be the only person to do four in a row is pretty gratifying. The first championship was probably the most exciting because we hadn’t done it before. This one, being four in a row, it just shows what kind of work these guys put into the program and the dedication they have.”
PDRA Cancels Monday Completion of World Finals
DINWIDDIE, VA – A combination of overnight rain and more inclement weather on Monday led Professional Drag Racers Association 
(PDRA) officials to cancel the remaining rounds of eliminations that were left to complete at the Proline Racing Brian Olson Memorial World Finals presented by ProCharger at Virginia Motorsports Park.
“This is certainly not how we wanted to finish the 2022 season,” said Tyler Crossnoe, series director, PDRA. “We got to work on the track as soon as possible this morning and spent several hours trying to get it ready to go racing. Unfortunately, the rain we received overnight saturated the racing surface and isn’t allowing us to get the track prepped the way we want it. We’re not going to send racers down the track unless it’s absolutely safe. Tuesday’s forecast doesn’t look any better. Unfortunately, we have no choice but to cancel the rest of the event.”
Officially, the event is complete as of Sunday. The round of Top Dragster that was not completed will revert to the previous round’s points total. All purses are split evenly among the remaining contestants.
PDRA World Finals Conclusion Pushed to Monday Due to Rain
DINWIDDIE, VA – A late Sunday evening rain shower and more rain in the forecast forced Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) officials to postpone final eliminations at the Proline Racing Brian Olson Memorial World Finals presented by ProCharger at Virginia Motorsports Park. The series completed two rounds of eliminations before rain started. Eliminations will continue Monday.
“We had some pop-up showers come in sooner than expected that brought things to a stop,” said Tyler Crossnoe, series director, PDRA. “Our PDRA and VMP teams started drying the track once the rain stopped, but we don’t have a big enough window to start racing again before more rain hits. We’re expecting more rain through the night. We’ll get to work on the track as soon as possible so we can crown the rest of the champions and the World Finals event champions on Monday.”
Before the rain hit, the PDRA decided all but two world championships. The 2022 world champions are Jim Halsey in Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous, Todd Tutterow in WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive, Johnny Pluchino in Liberty’s Gears Extreme Pro Stock presented by AED Competition, Amber Franklin in $hameless Racing Pro 632, Tim Essick in Menscer Motorsports Pro Street presented by AFCO, Henry Underwood in MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by US Rail, Larry Roberts in Lucas Oil Elite Top Dragster presented by Laris Motorsports Insurance, Joe Roubicek in MagnaFuel Top Sportsman presented by Vortech Superchargers, Tisha Wilson in Lucas Oil Top Dragster presented by Laris Motorsports Insurance, and Chris Suppers in Coolshirt Systems Pro Jr. Dragster presented PRP.
Salemi, Halsey, DeFlorian, Lannigan, Gast, Riddle, and Curry Lock In Low Qualifier Spots at PDRA World Finals
DINWIDDIE, VA – Melanie Salemi checked off one of the three things on her team’s to-do list – qualifying No. 1 in WS Construction Pro 
Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive – Saturday night as she chases a Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) world championship. Salemi’s 3.579-second pass at 209.46 MPH from Friday night stands as the quickest pass of the Proline Racing Brian Olson Memorial World Finals presented by ProCharger so far. Next, she needs to break her own elapsed-time record and win the race to maintain her championship hopes.
The pro classes ran two final qualifying sessions Saturday at Virginia Motorsports Park to set the fields for Sunday eliminations. The other low qualifiers are Jim Halsey in Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous, John DeFlorian in Liberty’s Gears Extreme Pro Stock presented by AED Competition, Walter Lannigan Jr. in $hameless Racing Pro 632, Paul Gast in Drag 965 Pro Nitrous Motorcycle, and Bill Riddle in Menscer Motorsports Pro Street presented by AFCO. Paul Curry took the No. 1 spot in AFCO Super Street presented by Menscer Motorsports.
The sportsman No. 1 qualifiers are Glenn Butcher in MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by US Rail, Jody Stroud in Lucas Oil Elite Top Dragster presented by Laris Motorsports Insurance, Barry Daniluk in MagnaFuel Top Sportsman 48 presented by Vortech Superchargers, and Marty Jones Jr. in Lucas Oil Top Dragster 48 presented by Laris Motorsports Insurance.
Halsey, Salemi, DeFlorian, Lannigan, Gast, Lutz and Curry Take Provisional No. 1 Spots at PDRA World Finals
DINWIDDIE, VA – Defending Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous world champion Jim Halsey is one step closer to securing a fourth consecutive 
Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) world championship after taking the provisional No. 1 spot at the Proline Racing Brian Olson Memorial World Finals presented by ProCharger on Friday night at Virginia Motorsports Park.
After two of four qualifying sessions, the other provisional low qualifiers in the pro classes are Melanie Salemi in WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive, John DeFlorian in Liberty’s Gears Extreme Pro Stock presented by AED Competition, Walter Lannigan Jr. in $hameless Racing Pro 632, Paul Gast in Drag 965 Pro Nitrous Motorcycle, Bill Lutz in Menscer Motorsports Pro Street presented by AFCO, and Paul Curry in AFCO Super Street presented by Menscer Motorsports.
The sportsman classes completed two of three qualifying sessions. The provisional low qualifiers are Glenn Butcher in MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by US Rail, Vic Puglia in Lucas Oil Elite Top Dragster presented by Laris Motorsports Insurance, Barry Daniluk in MagnaFuel Top Sportsman presented by Vortech Superchargers, and Kyle Harris in Lucas Oil Top Dragster presented by Laris Motorsports Insurance.
