Smokies Garage presents some latest news tidbits from within drag racing’s ferocious fast door car racing spectrum….
PDRA Season Pinnacle — Drag racing’s ever popular 1/8th mile sanctioning, the PDRA Pro Line Racing circuit, concluded it’s 2024 World Championship chase during the Brian Olson Memorial World Finals presented by ProCharger held at Virginia Motorsport Park.
For the second consecutive season, Jason Harris wrapped up his 2024 PDRA Pro Boost season with a world championship and an event win at the World Finals.
Harris, from North Carolina, was declared the champion in the second round of eliminations when the only other contender, Kurt Steding, lost his match with eventual race runner-up Jason Lee. In that frame, Harris kept moving on in his ProCharged Southern Diamond Company “Party Time” ’69 Camaro to reach the final round with Lee, who left the starting line first. Harris took over the lead by the time they reached the finish line, though, winning with a 3.595 at 209.20 to get his third consecutive event win. Lee wasn’t far behind with his 3.629 at 209.33.
Harris, who is from is now a four-time PDRA world champion — also winning Pro Nitrous titles in 2014 and 2018.
North Carolina’s Jason Harris repeated as the PDRA’s Pro Boost season champion.
Maryland’s Fredy Scriba, who earned his first career Pro Nitrous national event win at the most recent event to take over the points lead going into the World Finals, knew he had to outlast four-time world champion Jim Halsey and three-time and defending world champion Tommy Franklin to secure his first Pro Nitrous world championship.
After he saw Halsey fall in the opening round of eliminations, and then Franklin lost in the semifinals, Scriba did secure the 2024 Pro Nitrous world champion.
He went on to the final round to defeat first-time finalist Dane Wood, with Scriba running a 3.669 at 208.65 over Wood, who coasted to a 5.298 at 93.48. Scriba is the first driver other than Halsey or Franklin to win the title since 2018 when Jason Harris won his second title in the clas
Veteran racer Fredy Scriba earned his first career Pro Nitrous season championship title.
The Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series professional class world champions also included Ethan Steding in Menscer Motorsports Pro Street presented by Afco Racing, Chris Powers in Liberty’s Gears Extreme Pro Stock presented by AED Competition, Amber Franklin Denton in PDRA Pro 632, Brunson Grothus in Drag 965 Pro Extreme Motorcycle, and Dan Whetstine in Afco Racing Super Street presented by Menscer Motorsports.
Sportsman championships went to Glenn Butcher in MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by PAR Racing Engines, Canadian Kyle Harris in Laris Motorsports Insurance Elite Top Dragster presented by Greenbrier Excavating & Paving, Mark Reese in MagnaFuel Top Sportsman presented by Corbin’s RV, and Nick Meloni in Laris Motorsports Insurance Top Dragster presented by Younce RV.
The PDRA also crowned champions in the Jr. Dragster ranks, with titles going to Ashley Franklin in Coolshirt Systems Pro Jr. Dragster presented by Philadelphia Racing Products and James Beattie III in Classic Graphix Top Jr. Dragster presented by Philadelphia Racing Products.
Mid-West Wrap Up — America’s geographical centre orientated Mid-West Drag Racing Series played out it’s final event of 2024 at Tulsa Raceway Park’s “Throwdown in T-Town”.
With a Championship on the line for the Stoud Safety Pro Mod class title for opponents Keith Haney and Mark Micke, the stakes had not been higher entering the event and for qualifying and racing. Haney led the Championship by just 11 points, meaning a single round of competition would determine the 2024 Stroud Safety Pro Mod Champion.
Mark Micke prevailed to win a hard fought MWDRS Pro Mod season championship.
Qualifying would end with Mark Micke taking the #1 qualifier spot with his 3.600 in Q2. Keith Haney in 2nd at 3.614 from Q3 — a personal best for Keith.
The 2024 MWDRS Pro Mod season title was determined in round two of competition.
With the Championship on the line Micke lined up versus Ed Thornton in a Turbo VS Turbo car showdown between the two fastest cars on the property. Mark would make it to the end of the track first with a 3.668 to Thornton’s 3.796. Ed would pass the MPH markers at 223 MPH, the Fastest Pass of the event. This winlight awarded Mark, and his M&M Transmission team, with the 2024 Mid-West Drag Racing Series Stroud Safety Pro Mod Champion Title!
The final round for the event’s Stroud Safety Pro Mod win featured Micke versus the supercharged Ford Mustang raced by Aaron Wells. In a terrific final round pairing for the season — the two racers left side-by-side and poured on as much power as the track would hold. 3.604 secs later — Aaron would trip the beams first next to Mark’s 3.804 secs to take the victory and the coveted Ronnie “Texas Rattlesnake” Hobbs Trophy for the class category.
Aaron Wells raced his supercharged Mustang to victory at the 2024 season ending MWDRS event held in Oklahoma.
Women are Winners! — Australia’s opening season round event for the 2024/25 NDRC (National Drag Racing Championship) was hosted by Dragway at The Bend in Victoria state and that included a 12-car field for Australia’s marquee/unique Top Doorslammer class – which runs full 1/4 mile races.
Competition in that class produced a rather significant development when WA-based (Western Australia) Lisa Gregorini and her all-girl Scratch and Match Auto Colour team blazed past the field to become the very first all-female team to win a NDRC Christmas Tree trophy.
In the final Gregorini ran her supercharged Camaro to a winning 5.719/404.39kph to win over a red-lighting Ronnie Palumbo, 5.702/409.36kph, in the A-Final.
Palumbo and Lisa Gregorini headed into the A-Final with two round wins and into what was a rematch of last year’s Spring Nationals match-up (where neither was able to proceed with the final — leaving it to be run at a later date) – which Palumbo eventually won.
An amazing WA-based (Western Australia) all female race team won in Top Doorslammer at the NDRC’s Spring Nationals event.
“Last year was definitely playing on my mind – when Ronnie put me in the other lane (with his lane choice) I thought at least it isn’t exactly the same, hopefully we won’t have dejavu!” Lisa said. “Thankfully both cars were able to accept the tree and it was a great run, a real close race. I had no idea he had red lit until I got out of the car at the end and Daniel (Gregorini) told me!”
The B-Final was taken by John Zappia (5.656/407.93kph) over Lisa’s husband Daniel Gregorini (5.737/396.76kph) and the C-Final saw a win claimed by Peter Kapiris on a holeshot 5.865/399.78kph run over defending Australian TS series champ Russell Taylor’s 5.599/415.05kph performance.
Dashing Diesel Duster — One of the most unique Pro Mod car configuration creations in the world was on a record pace recently at South Georgia Motorsports Park’s “No Mercy 15” event.
There, the Hot Shot’s Secret Motorsports sponsored Firepunk Diesel’s Cummins-Powered Pro Mod Duster broke a world record for diesel-powered door car running as quick as 3.85 ET and 198 MPH on the 1/8th mile surface.
Competing in the Radial vs. the World class, the Firepunk’s Cummins-powered Duster Pro Mod driven by Larson Miller became the quickest and fastest diesel door car in the world, lowering the record five times during the Radial Outlaw Racing Series race!
Larson Miller drove the Firepunk’s Cummins-powered diesel fueled Duster to some world record times.
Firepunk Diesel recorded new records in ET/MPH – 3.94 at 197 mph, 3.90 at 193 mph, 3.89 at 197 mph, 3.87 at 198 mph and 3.85 at 198 mph, and also set a new record 60 ft. time of 0.975 seconds.
In 2021, Firepunk Diesel became the first diesel-powered doorslammer to break into the 3’s with a pass of 3.99 at 183 mph in the team’s former diesel-powered S10 Pro Mod, and that record has stood until now.
Firepunk Diesel Owner, Lavon Miller, commented: “This was an exciting week on the track. Being the only diesel in a class of the top gas-powered racecars, we were excited to demonstrate what diesel is capable of. With a healthy racecar to finish the season, we are looking forward to more improvements in the off-season and seeing how fast we can take this diesel platform in 2025.”
Some Sensational Season Strength! — the 2024 WCPM (West Coast Pro Modified) racing season has been highlighted by some dominance for Washington State’s Garrett Richards.
Racing his WAR-powered and supercharged Ford Mustang, Richards has been highly impressive while winning four of the first 8 racings this year — taking trophies at Mission Raceway Park X2 and also form Woodburn OR and Spokane WA WCPM events.
Garrett Richards drove the most feared car within the WCPM series this season.
Richard’s points leading total (2657) which currently vastly outdistances his 2nd place points rival Ryan Griffin (from WA) has already assured him the WDRA series championship for 2024.
Richards will try however to put a little icing on that cake when he will go for win #5 for the series at the scheduled WDRA series finale which will be part of the Street Car Super Nationals event program held at Las Vegas (Nov 22-24).
Posted with files by Nate Van Wagnen, Michael Narx, Leslie Allen, Jigsaw Communications & Bruce Biegler
Photos by Tara Bowker – Grant Stephens – Les Puchala
