GAINESVILLE, FL – On the heels of its successful PRO Superstar Shootout event in Bradenton, Florida (February 8-10, 2024), The Professional Racers Owners Organization, Inc. (PRO), a not-for-profit 501(c)(6) business organization whose membership consists of the most popular and prestigious drag racing teams and drivers in the world, announced today the decision to form PRO Promotions, LLC, a for-profit business entity.

“The purpose of PRO Promotions, LLC is to create a new platform for the members of PRO to collectively promote the sport of professional drag racing and preserve the long-term sustainability of the sport and its competitors,” said Doug Kalitta, Kalitta Motorsports.

While PRO has been in existence since 1991 as a not-for-profit business organization that provides services and other benefits to its membership, this new formation of PRO Promotions, LLC creates an even more powerful medium to showcase PRO’s combined strength by leveraging the members’ collective intellectual properties and paving the way for larger partnerships with potential marketing and broadcast partners.

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BRADENTON, FL – Austin Prock in his Funny Car debut raced to victory at the inaugural SCAG Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout presented by Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage, at Bradenton Motorsports Park, on Saturday, Feb. 10.

Reigning Top Fuel world champion Doug Kalitta and six-time Pro Stock world champion and winningest woman in history Erica Enders also picked up wins worth $250,000 and $125,000, respectively.

The sportsman classes at the PRO Superstar Shootout also raced for big payouts, with Darian Boesch (FTI Performance Top Sportsman), Matt Dadas (Super Stock), and Monty Bogan Jr. (Stock Eliminator) collecting checks for $50,000 (Top Sportsman) and $30,000 (Super Stock and Stock Eliminator).

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BRADENTON, FL – Fans witnessed historic numbers Friday night at the inaugural SCAG Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout presented by Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage when Funny Car driver Bob Tasca III recorded the first 340-plus-MPH pass by a wheel-driven vehicle in drag racing history. Tasca’s 3.84-second pass at 341.68 MPH at Bradenton Motorsports Park put him No. 2 on the final eight-car Funny Car qualifying order.

Austin Prock, who previously competed in Top Fuel, earned the No. 1 qualifier award in his Funny Car debut. Clay Millican, Thursday’s provisional No. 1 qualifier in Top Fuel, reclaimed his top spot in the final qualifying session. Erica Enders, the reigning and six-time Pro Stock world champion, claimed the No. 1 spot in Pro Stock. All three drivers earned $10,000 No. 1 qualifier bonuses courtesy of Lucas Oil.

Unlike traditional drag racing events, the qualifying order does not determine the eliminations pairings at the PRO Superstar Shootout. The eight drivers who qualified in Top Fuel and Funny Car and the 16 qualified drivers in Pro Stock did a random chip draw to set the first-round pairings for Saturday eliminations.

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BRADENTON, Fla. — Thursday’s results after qualifying for the SCAG Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout presented by Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage at Bradenton Motorsports Park. Qualifying will continue Friday for Saturday’s final eliminations.

Top Fuel — 1. Clay Millican, 3.688 seconds, 336.49 mph; 2. Mike Salinas, 3.688, 328.86; 3. Tony
Schumacher, 3.696, 330.96; 4. Justin Ashley, 3.717, 330.96; 5. Leah Pruett, 3.724, 326.87; 6. Steve Torrence, 3.729, 330.80; 7. Brittany Force, 3.740, 315.78; 8. Antron Brown, 3.740, 304.46.  Not Qualified: 9. Josh Hart, 3.767, 321.88; 10. Shawn Langdon, 4.347, 179.64; 11. Doug Kalitta, 6.179, 108.91.

Funny Car — 1. Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 3.840, 339.87; 2. John Force, Chevy Camaro, 3.849, 332.59; 3. Austin Prock, Camaro, 3.851, 331.77; 4. Paul Lee, Dodge Charger, 3.877, 331.36; 5. Alexis DeJoria, Toyota GR Supra, 3.893, 330.80; 6. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.912, 331.20; 7. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.916, 317.49; 8. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.950, 323.50.  Not Qualified: 9. Matt Hagan, 4.114, 273.77; 10. Ron Capps, 4.396, 187.94; 11. Blake Alexander, 7.411, 95.21; 12. Dave Richards, 12.745, 78.83.

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BRADENTON, FL – Top Fuel veteran Clay Millican laid down a 3.688-second, 336.49 MPH blast in his “Cleetus McFarland”-themed Jacob Construction/Parts Plus Top Fuel dragster to end Thursday qualifying as the provisional No. 1 qualifier at the inaugural SCAG Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout presented by Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage at Bradenton Motorsports Park.

Funny Car world championship contender Bob Tasca III took the provisional top spot in Funny Car, and Dallas Glenn drove to the provisional No. 1 spot in Pro Stock. The professional classes will get three more qualifying sessions on Friday before racing for more than $1.3 million in prize money on Saturday.

The PRO Superstar Shootout also saw two qualifying sessions in the sportsman classes: FTI Performance Top Sportsman, Super Stock, and Stock Eliminator. The provisional low qualifiers in those classes are Jacky Bennett in Top Sportsman, Troy Huntzberry in Super Stock, and Jason Line in Stock Eliminator.

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BRADENTON, FL – The winner of the recently announced Top Fuel vs. Funny Car Shootout at the inaugural SCAG Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout presented by Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage will walk away with a $10,000 bonus courtesy of Red Line Synthetic Oil, race officials announced today. The winner will also collect the first-ever Don Schumacher Nitro Superstar Award, named in memory of the late team owner and former Funny Car driver.

After four qualifying sessions – one on Thursday and three on Friday – the non-qualifiers in Top Fuel and Funny Car will fill in the slots for Saturday’s Top Fuel vs. Funny Car Shootout. The quickest Top Fuel driver and quickest Funny Car driver will move on to the final round to battle it out for the Don Schumacher Nitro Superstar Award and the $10,000 Red Line Oil bonus.

Red Line Oil, a leading manufacturer of engine oils and lubricants, stepped up to support the Top Fuel vs. Funny Car Shootout. The PRO Superstar Shootout is all about stepping outside the box and trying new ideas, an ideal fit for an innovative brand like Red Line Oil.

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BRADENTON, FL – Brittany Force and the Monster Energy Top Fuel team don’t need much motivation to put on a good show. The prospect of winning a race, setting records, and pushing the limits of their dragster are enough for the two-time championship team. But Force and her David Grubnic-led crew can’t deny the added anticipation of starting 2024 with the SCAG Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout presented by Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage, Feb. 8-10, at Bradenton Motorsports Park.

“I’m excited to kick off 2024 in a big way with the PRO Superstar Shootout,” Force said. “There’s a lot of money on the line, which adds a lot of excitement for the teams and drivers. To do well and win would really set the tone for the rest of the year. After a few months off, I’m looking forward to getting back in my car with my team and jumping right into competition. We’ve never had that before. Yes, it’s testing but there’s so much more on the line.”

With $250,000 up for grabs for winning the Top Fuel class, the incentives for pulling off a victory are set at an all-time high for Force. The extra cash will alter how the Monster Energy team approaches what is typically an even-paced pre-season test session.

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BRADENTON, FL – Ahead of its statewide launch in Florida later this year, Outlaw Mile Hi Lite Beer will serve as an event sponsor of the inaugural SCAG Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout presented by Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage, Feb. 8-10, at Bradenton Motorsports Park. The Colorado-based brand will also appear as the primary sponsor on Jerry Tucker’s Camaro and an associate sponsor on Jeg Coughlin Jr.’s SCAG Power Equipment Camaro, which will both compete for the $125,000 Pro Stock title.

“If you think about the Outlaw brand, it’s gritty, it’s authentic, and it’s meant to fulfill the demand for hard-working Americans to be able to get a great beer at a great value,” said Ari Opsahl, CEO, Outlaw Beer. “When I think about the entire drag racing industry, it’s people that are passionate about what they do. It’s what I call authentic. As a beer, we do everything in our power to be authentic. We don’t get involved in the noise that you’ve seen from different beer companies. We’re just a really good light beer in a light blue can, priced at a reasonable dollar amount.

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BRADENTON, FL – Clay Millican is known as one of the most excitable drivers in Top Fuel, and as such, his enthusiasm level for the upcoming SCAG Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout presented by Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage is pegged to the max. He’s set to arrive at Bradenton Motorsports Park a full week before competition will begin Feb. 8-10. His Parts Plus/Rick Ware Racing team will start testing early in the week before joining the 11 other elite Top Fuel teams that will attempt to qualify for the eight-car, $250,000-to-win Top Fuel show.

“Going there knowing that there’s $250,000 on the line, knowing the best cars in the world are going to be there, and having an opportunity to race at Victor’s house is going to be cool,” said Millican, referring to track owner Victor Alvarez. “That is one place that is constantly doing some amazing races. What PRO, Drag Illustrated, and FloRacing have put together is going to be I think the biggest show that we will have seen in who knows how many years. It’s just such a different venue and such a different format. I’m truly pumped about the opportunity to go down there.”

The Top Fuel winner’s share of the $1.3 million in total prize money for the PRO Superstar Shootout is without a doubt on Millican’s mind, but it doesn’t add an intimidation factor. In 2005, Millican won the Rocket City Nationals at Huntsville Dragway, collecting a then-record $101,000 payday and a $5,000 low qualifier bonus. The $250,000 winners’ shares in both Top Fuel and Funny Car at the PRO Superstar Shootout are now the largest single-event paydays in professional drag racing history.

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BRADENTON, FL – As the countdown continues to the SCAG Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout presented by Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage at Bradenton Motorsports Park, Feb. 8-10, Pro Stock driver Matt Hartford has one thing on his mind – winning the inaugural event.

“Obviously, we are looking forward to a race where the payout is almost as much as winning an NHRA championship,” said Hartford. “However, it does shorten the off-season by a month, meaning it’s a lot more work for everyone to get prepared.”

The PRO Superstar Shootout is not just another race for Hartford. It’s an opportunity to see where he stacks up against fellow Pro Stock competitors before the 2024 race season gets into full swing.

“Everyone is in one spot,” Hartford said, referring to the old Super Bowl of Drag Racing in Houston and the test sessions in Vegas years ago. “It’s a big advantage to have everyone in one place.”

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