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GALOT
Motorsports Claims Its Second PDRA Pro Boost Title
Kevin Rivenbark Won Six Events en route to Championship
PITTSBORO, N.C. (November 8, 2016): It was a
once-in-a-career type of season for GALOT Motorsports’ Pro
Boost teams. Between drivers Kevin Rivenbark and John
Strickland each of the nine national event titles to be
had this season went home to GALOT Motorsports. The
drivers traded trips to the winner’s circle with Kevin
taking the first and last three, while Strickland’s car
mastered the hot weather tune ups, taking home wins during
the summer months. Domination to that extent by a single
team is almost unheard of in drag racing. Rivenbark, who
was runner up in points the first two season of Pro Boost,
credits the team’s incredible success to R&D on their
lockup transmissions. The hard work was not wasted and
produced nine wins and the top two finishers in points.
“It feels wonderful,” Rivenbark said of clinching the
championship. “After the last two years of being number
two, finally being number one kind of feels unreal. It
slipped through my fingers last year. To do it this way
this year, winning six of them, really is just
unbelievable. I can’t fathom it sometimes.”
Rivenbark began the year by winning two events in the
same weekend when the season opener eliminations were
completed at the Spring Nationals at Rockingham Dragway.
He did so in fine fashion, resetting the Pro Boost
National ET Record at each event. He led the points from
that point and never looked back.
Strickland performed well right alongside Rivenbark
throughout the season, actually surpassing the World
Champion through the hot weather months. By the time
Dragstock XIII rolled around at GALOT Motorsports’ home
event on the tour, Rivenbark had the hot weather bugs
worked out of his setup and once again resumed his winning
ways.
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Rivenbark beat his teammate
in the semi-finals of the Sunshine State Shootout to seal the deal for his
first world championship. The eliminations of that event were run in
conjunction with the PDRA World Finals at Virginia Motorsports Park.
Rivenbark capped off his championship in much the same manner he began the
season. He went on to win both races that weekend and reset the ET record
at each event once again. The record now stands at 3.711.
“The very first race at Tulsa, probably about the third run we knew we had
something,” Rivenbark added. “We’d been working on lockups for a couple of
years already. End of last year we got it working, found the magic
combination for it. It just took [our competitors] all year to catch up.
Some people went with the EFI and it just didn’t see the gains compared to
what the lock up converter did.
“I think Mr. Wells is ecstatic. [Winning every event] is one thing he
wanted to accomplish that nobody’s ever done. Jason Harris won almost
every one the first year of the PDRA. For a team to win every race of the
season, it’d be hard to duplicate, for anybody, even ourselves. It was
something we were glad to do. It’s not great for the class for one team to
win all the time, but I think everybody’s pretty much caught up with us,
or they’re at least real close. I think next year it’ll be back equal and
it’ll be very tough to win one.”
One of Rivenbark’s sons is already behind the wheel and quickly following
in his footsteps. In just his first full season Coolidge Rivenbark
finished fifth in MegaCorp Top Junior Dragster national points standings.
Like Rivenbark, Strickland, and Todd Tutterow who ran some in both Pro
Extreme and Pro Boost this season, Coolidge is sponsored by GALOT
Motorsports, as well as MegaCorp Logistics.
“I always thank Mr. and Mrs. Wells for giving us the opportunity to do
this at the level we do it. I also thank our associate sponsors Red Line
Oil, Neal Chance Converters, Ross Pistons, Rite Care, VP Fuels, Ty Drive,
Trend Performance, House of Payne, Bohr Racing Products and RCD.
“Of course, without Todd, Jeff Orr, Brad Schmidt, Ty Tutterow, this
wouldn’t be possible. They had to work a lot of hours, especially when we
were changing back and forth between PDRA and NHRA. Their hard work and
dedication is what makes it happen. I just ride A to B. Without them I
couldn’t do it.”
Although his PDRA season has wrapped up and his officially the 2016 GALOT
Motorsports Pro Boost World Champion, Rivenbark isn’t kicking back and
taking it easy. Along with his ongoing duties at GALOT Motorsports,
Rivenbark will still be behind the wheel for events at GALOT Motorsports
Park this winter, where he expects his black and orange 2015 Corvette
might even dip into the 3.60s.
Rivenbark and the rest of the 2016 champions will be celebrated at the
PDRA Awards Banquet, December 10 in Indianapolis, Indiana. More details
can be found at www.pdra660.com.
Photo: Gary Rowe /
PDRA660.com / RaceWorks.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 2016
PDRA schedule consists of nine 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
704.692.4636
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