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Top and Pro Junior points battles are the closest in PDRA
history
PITTSBORO, N.C. (August 31, 2018): The 2018 PDRA season is now
halfway over and points battles are starting to shape up with
clear leaders. Three races remain for teams to make their push
for a PDRA Championship. In CoolShirt Pro Junior Dragster
Makala Stevens and Anthony Suppers are tied for first with
1058 points each. Most of the field remains close behind, and
it’s still feasible for any of the top 10 Pro Junior drivers
to make a run at the 2018 Championship. What’s even more
impressive for these young drivers is that it’s both Makala’s
and Anthony’s first year following the PDRA tour.
“This is my first time doing PDRA, so this is crazy for me,”
told Makala, who one day hopes to drive a Top Fuel Dragster.
“We go to every PDRA, no matter how far it is, me and my dad.
It’s a great bonding experience for us.
“We have a few friends that do it and they told us it’s very
fun, and we would love doing it. We wanted to try it before
but we never really had the chance. This was our year to
travel and try new things. It’s paid off.”
Makala is a first-generation driver. After attending the Four
Wide event at zMAX, Makala began asking her parents for a
Junior. Her dad later followed suit, racing a truck in No Box.
“We’ve had some trouble with the car, so for me to be sitting
number one is quite crazy,” Makala continued. “It’s an amazing
feeling. We just have to keep working hard at every single
race. We can’t slack off any. We learn new stuff every day
with it. I just hope to be the best that I can. I’d like to
thank Zach and Johnny Pennington. They help me out a lot. And
just the Good Lord above, as well as everybody that supports
me.”
Her points leader counterpart, Anthony, has been equally
amazed at the success he’s found in just his first year with
the PDRA. He won the event at his first-ever appearance with
the PDRA.
“It’s gone really good, so far,” Anthony said, summarizing his
season. “The first race I went to in GALOT I won, which put me
in first. After that it’s been on and off, but overall good.”
Anthony had wins at local tracks and, thanks to sponsor Teets
Excavating, was able to turn an unfortunate incident into an
opportunity. After his engine blew on the first pass at a
local event, Teets Excavating purchased a bigger motor for the
team, allowing Anthony to move from the 8.90 class to the 7.90
class.
“I gotta give a shout out to my dad,” continued 14 year old
Anthony. “He’s the person who’s helped me most in getting this
far, along with my mom and my whole family. Another one is my
biggest sponsor, Mr. Glenn and Ms. Valerie from Teets
Excavating. They’ve helped us out so much. He’s been with me
since the first year I started racing.
“It’s been a really great year. I thank everybody that’s
helped me get through it. I want to thank everybody at the
PDRA. It’s been fun hanging out with a bunch of friends and
getting to know a lot more people and travel a lot more than
we usually do.”
Regardless of who walks away as the 2018 Pro Junior Dragster
World Champion, both Makala and Anthony have much to be proud
of. Their success as first-year PDRA racers is quite
impressive.
In Gilbert Motorsports Top Junior Dragster, Brooke Miller
leads with 958 points. Nipping at her heels is Brayden Davis
with 952 points. Kayden Groves and Arellyn Garner-Jones follow
close behind, making less than a round of competition
difference between the top four in points. Brooke and Brayden
are both relying on their consistency to keep them at the top
of the pack, neither having won an event, but racking up
rounds (and points) nonetheless.
Brooke has raced with the PDRA for four years, with runner up
finishes and number one qualifiers to her credit. This is her
flex season where her age allows her to run both Top and Pro
Junior Dragster. Although she’s running both classes, her
focus on her first year running Pro Junior Dragster has paid
the biggest dividends. The points leaders says she “mostly
just goes out there to have fun,” and uses consistency and
focus to keep going rounds.
“Right before we stage, dad always tells me ‘deep breath’ and
then we go in shallow,” she explained. “I try to tune
everything out and just focus.
“Mostly I’m trying to work on interviews. That’s the hardest
part,” she laughed.
Brooke comes from a racing family who’s made a hefty mark on
the sport and the 13 year old certainly wants to add to the
family tradition with a championship. She thanks partners Pee
Dee Fleet, NGK Spark Plugs, Darlington Dragway, Carolina No
Time, No Limit Productions, Huddleston Performance, VP Racing
fuels and Royal Purple.
Sitting number two behind Brooke is Brayden Davis, who also
happens to be the reigning Top Junior Dragster World Champion.
The 12 year old speaks with a confidence well beyond his
years.
“Earlier in the season I struggled a little bit with having
the light on people, but then not driving the stripe right,”
he explained in an indicative Georgia drawl. “As the season
went on, I got better, making rounds to the finals. It’s going
to be really close this year.”
He said that consistency is what won him the championship last
year and it’s certainly going to play a role in the 2018
points battle as well. His approach while in the driver’s seat
is always the same and well balanced between serious focus and
enjoying the moment. “Right before I go make a round I always
listen to PJ North’s Glory. Right before my dad cranks me up,
my mom and dad and me say a prayer and then we’ll say ‘shake
and bake.
“I want to thank my mom and my dad, my pops, TJ’s Transport,
Timblin Chassis, McKinney Motorsports, everybody that helps
me.”
Three races remain on the PDRA 2018 Tour, including the highly
anticipated PDRA Drag Wars at GALOT Motorsports Park,
September 6-8. Follow PDRA social media for results or tune in
to the live stream at www.speedvideo.com to watch the points
battles unfold.
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, Extreme Pro Stock and Pro Extreme Motorcycle along with
several sportsman and various exhibition categories. The 2018
PDRA schedule consists of eight national events. For more on
the world’s premier eighth-mile drag racing organization visit
www.pdra660.com. Follow the PDRA: Facebook, Instagram, Youtube.
Author: Lisa Collier / PDRA660.com
Photo: Gary Rowe / PDRA660.com
PDRA Media Distribution & PR:
Brett Hore
media@pdra660.com
Phone (720) 662 8516
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