KIRK ENCOURAGED BY ST. LOUIS PDRA OUTING

LENORE, WV (June 8, 2015) – A runner-up finish in the Top Dragster consolation race during the Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) Mid-America Open last weekend meant rookie driver Justin Kirk was able to leave Gateway Motorsports Park feeling satisfied with the performance of his supercharged ride and looking forward to the next PDRA race later this month in Michigan.

Despite struggling with a new torque converter in the car through Thursday’s test session at the track near St. Louis, Kirk’s crew opted to leave it in for qualifying on Friday and Sunday after Saturday’s planned session was washed away by heavy rain. Three attempts later, a best pass of 4.17 seconds at 173.49 mph over the Gateway eighth mile left them 24th quickest of 31 entries.

“We knew better than to leave it in, but our hard heads got the best of us and it bit us,” Kirk admitted after missing the cut for the 16-car qualified field. “Fortunately they had a second-chance race for the top eight non-qualifiers—and I want to thank PDRA and Chassis Engineering for putting it on—so we swapped back to what we knew and went up there kind of blindfolded and picked up and ran a 4.05 at almost 179 miles an hour that would’ve easily put us in the show. Then we ended up going to the finals of that race, so at least we left with a little bit of confidence.”
 

In addition, Kirk said he’s pleased with how well his Randy Kelley-owned team has gelled after four of 10 scheduled PDRA races have been completed this year.

“I knew we’d all get along okay. Me and Randy, we’ve bracket raced together around home for a long time, so I knew that would work, but I didn’t know we’d get everything adjusted so good and working together right away,” he said. “I’m getting more comfortable in the car, too. I mean, everyone gets the butterflies first run out, but I’ve made about 45 runs in it now and everything’s working, it’s getting better every time out.”

After regrouping at their race shop in Lenore, WV, Kirk and his father, Doug, a former IHRA Pro Stock champion who now serves as his crew chief, will be bringing two dragsters up to the 2nd annual PDRA Summer Drags, June 25-27, in Martin, MI. Justin Kirk will drive his usual 2012 American Chassis-built machine in Top Dragster, while his dad will pilot the family’s nitrous-boosted dragster in the PDRA’s new Pro Open Outlaw class.

“Martin has always been a good track for us with the Pro Stock car, so hopefully that’ll carry over to the dragster this year,” Kirk said. “I’m really looking forward to racing up there, too. I’ve been there before with a Jr. Dragster, but this will be my first time in a big car. It should be fun.”


ABOUT THE PDRA
Based in Pittsboro, North Carolina, the Professional Drag Racers Association is the top sanctioning body in the United States for the sport of eighth-mile drag racing. The PDRA’s professional categories include Pro Extreme, Pro Nitrous, Pro Boost, and Pro Extreme Motorcycle along with Top Sportsman, Top Dragster, Pro Jr. Dragster, and Top Jr. Dragster. The 2015 PDRA schedule consists of ten national events. For more on the world’s premier eighth mile drag racing organization visit www.pdra660.com. Follow the PDRA: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube.

Photo: Gary Rowe / RaceWorks.com / PDRA660.com

 PRESS CONTACT: Lisa Collier
Professional Drag Racers Association
lisa@pdra660.com