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Top Sportsman and Top Dragster
Are Hotter Than Ever
Thanks to PDRA
Competition
PITTSBORO, N.C. (July 13, 2015): The Top Sportsman and Top Dragster categories
provide some of the tightest and toughest competition in drag racing. As the
fastest and quickest sportsman level categories, these bad boys of bracket
racing judge times dialed in to a hundredth of a second at speeds over 200 MPH.
The ability of the drivers and crew to predict their cars performance and then
gauge the finish line at those speeds is mind boggling.
Don’t be fooled by the ‘sportsman’ title of these classes. Racing at speeds at
or above 200 MPH, these guys and gals let it all hang out to make the field each
event, and then turn right around and provide some of the best side-by-side
racing in eliminations.
These classes are now hotter than ever with the prestige and challenge of PDRA
competition drawing in more teams and demanding everyone continually push the
limits of their machines. To top the leaderboard in TS qualifying, you’re
looking at a sub four second run. At the PDRA Summer Drags just a few weeks ago,
Tricia Musi set a national ET record, running 3.947 at 191.16 MPH. There were 28
cars vying for the 16 car field at that event, pushing the bump to an incredible
4.149, held by Aaron Glaser.
There were 34 dragsters hoping to race with the PDRA at the Summer Drags in
Martin, Michigan, traveling from as far as Texas, creating an even tighter
qualified field for Top Dragster, with less than 0.15 separating #1 from #16
qualifiers. Indiana native, Craig Sullivan, held the top spot at a 3.908 while
Laramie Reid closed out the field at a 4.045.
After undertaking such superhero feats just to qualify, drivers often then need
.00 reaction times and run dead on or just one or two off their dial to make
their way through the ultra-tough competition. At the Summer Drags, Tricia Musi
continued to be one to watch. Red light starts by Bruce Thrift and Ryan Hill
gave her a pass through rounds one and two. In the semi finals she used an .015
light to defeat Cheyenne Stanley on a hole shot.
On the other side of the ladder, West Virginian Tim Lawrence had his work cut
out for him. He had to oust points leader Dan Ferguson in round one. Then lucked
up when his competition red lighted in rounds two and three. Each time Lawrence
had a respectable .02 light and went dead on his dial, however. In the finals
against Musi, Lawrence pulled out his best light of the day (.005) to get a
massive lead off the starting line. Musi slowed early and Lawrence cruised to
his first PDRA Top Sportsman victory.
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Last year’s Rookie of the Year, Kyle
Dvorak, made it all the way to the
semis of the Summer Drags, but it was
Joe Hessling and Jim Prevo who would
travel through three rounds of
competition to meet in the finals.
Prevo took out the number one
qualifier in round one and Dvorak in
round three, but encountered trouble
in the final round allowing Hessling,
who had also been putting together
incredible runs all day, to claim the
Summer Drags trophy.
Currently, a couple of young guns are
topping the points for these
nearly-pro categories. Less than 200
points separate the top five in Top
Dragster. While Dvorak is just 20
years old, he drives like a competitor
with decades of experience. His
promising career is just beginning,
but already he is sitting in good
position for the Top Dragster
Championship, currently leading the
points with 970. Justin Melton trails
just behind at 925. Laramie Reid
(845), Derrick Sholar (824) and Craig
Sullivan (758) sit in three through
five respectively.
Last year’s Top Sportsman Champion and
Sportsman Driver of the Year, Dan
Ferguson, is continuing his
domination, now having led the points
for 12 of the 13 events held by the
PDRA. Right behind him is veteran
Ronnie Davis, who would like nothing
more than to add another Championship
to his repertoire. Newcomer Tricia
Musi is already showing that she’s not
to be taken lightly, sitting fourth in
points behind Texan Bob Gulitti. The
always-consistent Bruce Thrift rounds
out the TS top five. With the PDRA now
halfway through their sophomore
season, these drivers know every round
is going to be crucial.
To be competitive at this level takes
dedication not unlike that of
professional teams. In fact, many TS
and TD racers run somewhere two or
three times a month, honing their
skills on a weekly basis. Because they
often push their machines to the limit
just to qualify, they require a great
deal of maintenance and attention,
both between rounds and between races.
The time and financial investment of
both categories often require great
sacrifice.
But with great sacrifice comes great
honor and it’s easy to see the PDRA is
home to some of the best Top Sportsman
and Top Dragster competitors in the
world. With just five events left in
the 2015 season, it’s still anyone’s
game. Each round will be crucial in
the PDRA points chase. Will Ferguson
be able to continue his domination
over the veterans? Will Dvorak become
the next big star? The story will
unfold round by round through the last
half of the season.
Watch online as the PDRA presents the
North-South Shootout at Maryland
International Raceway, July 16-18.
Find full event information at
www.pdra660.com.
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.
PRESS CONTACT: Lisa Collier
Professional Drag Racers Association
lisa@pdra660.com
Photos: Gary Rowe /
RaceWorks.com / PDRA660.com
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