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PDRA
Announces New Class for 2015: Powershield Coatings Pro
Open Outlaw
PITTSBORO, N.C. January 15, 2015: In only their second
season as the world’s premier eighth-mile drag racing
association, the PDRA is already expanding their class
line up. Pro Open Outlaw will debut at select events
on the PDRA tour in 2015 with an eight car field.
Powershield Coatings, a division of Toefco Engineered
Coating Systems, has stepped up to sponsor the class.
Pro Open Outlaw (PO) will be a unique addition to the
PDRA lineup of professional categories. As signified
by the class name this will be a true outlaw class,
open to dragster and altered body types. Few rules
will govern the class. Other than the obvious SFI
safety standards, rules include 14-71 blowers only-
cast or billet. Screw blowers are prohibited, as is
nitromethane. Transmissions must use torque convertors.
Turbos are limited to 88mm. Wheelie bars are required.
Pro Open Outlaw will operate on a pro ladder with a
.400 pro tree. Weights have been set at 1700 lb
minimum for small blocks and 1900 lb minimum for big
block entries.
“We’re excited about creating new classes for the PDRA,
as we did last year with Pro Boost,” stated PDRA Race
Director Bob Harris. “Pro Boost was a huge success and
we’re sure Pro Outlaw will be as well. New ideas like
this make the show more exciting.”
This new professional category will be featured at the
Spring Nationals (Rockingham Dragway, April 9-12), the
Summer Drags (US 131 Motorsports Park, June 25-27), a
new stop on the PDRA tour at Maryland International
Raceway, July 16-18, Dragstock (GALOT Motorsports
Park, September 11-13), and the season finals at
Virginia Motorsports Park, October 22-24.
Artie McElwee, owner of Powershield Coatings, was
instrumental in founding the PDRA’s sixth professional
category. Besides being a businessman of the sport,
McElwee is a die hard drag racing enthusiast and has
fielded an outlaw dragster since the early 1990s. The
Powershield Coatings dragster is driven by Artie’s
brother Mark while Artie manages the team and assumes
tuning duties. The team has been highly successful in
their tenure, most recently winning the Outlaw World
Championship in Bradenton last year.
“We decided as a company and a family to sponsor this
class to allow not only ourselves a place to race but
many other great teams and families,” expressed
McElwee. “Having various styles of cars with some
rules, nothing complex to manage,
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