PDRA Sportsman Racers To Compete For Big Money At Thunder Valley Throwdown

The Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series is raising the stakes for grassroots racers in a big way.

PDRA officials announced the creation of the inaugural PDRA Sportsman Spectacular, a special event designed to reward the sportsman competitors who form the foundation of the series. The Sportsman Spectacular will debut during the PDRA Thunder Valley Throwdown presented by Larry Jeffers Race Cars, set for August 7-9 at Bristol Dragway.

The event will feature increased payouts across every PDRA sportsman and Jr. Dragster category competing during the fifth stop of the seven-race 2026 season, creating one of the most lucrative weekends of the year for sportsman racers.

For PDRA Series Director Tyler Crossnoe, the initiative is about recognizing the racers who help make the series successful week after week.

“Sportsman racers are the backbone of our sport,” said Tyler Crossnoe, series director, PDRA. “With support from companies who share our vision, we wanted to do something special to reward and recognize our sportsman competitors. The Thunder Valley Throwdown at Bristol Dragway is the perfect place to do it. The staff at Bristol Dragway has been hard at work preparing a brand-new concrete racing surface this offseason, and we are excited to enhance our third annual stop at Thunder Valley with the PDRA Sportsman Spectacular.”

Increased Payouts Across Every Sportsman Category

The PDRA Sportsman Spectacular will offer significant prize money increases thanks to support from a collection of industry-leading companies committed to supporting sportsman drag racing.

MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by PAR Racing Engines competitors will race for a $7,500 winner’s payout, courtesy of Butcher Demolition. Greenbrier Excavating & Paving Elite Top Dragster racers will also compete for a $7,500 top prize, presented by NexGen Race Cars.

Additional boosted payouts include:

• MagnaFuel Top Sportsman: $5,000 to win, presented by Fulton Competition Race Engines
• ATI Performance Products Top Dragster presented by TBM Brakes: $5,000 to win, sponsored by C&C Chemical Co., Inc.
• PDRA Pro Jr. Dragster: $2,000 to win, presented by Mike Bos Race Cars
• Classic Graphix Top Jr. Dragster: $2,000 to win, presented by Mike Bos Race Cars

The enhanced purse structure underscores PDRA’s continued commitment to grassroots racers while providing additional incentives for competitors traveling to Thunder Valley.

“A huge thank you to our yearlong partners for the sportsman categories, as well as the five great companies who signed on just for the Sportsman Spectacular,” Crossnoe said.

The Sportsman Spectacular will take place on Bristol Dragway’s newly upgraded concrete racing surface, which has been undergoing extensive improvements during the offseason. Known as one of drag racing’s most iconic venues, Bristol Dragway’s unique mountain setting and passionate fanbase have made the Thunder Valley Throwdown one of the most anticipated stops on the PDRA calendar. The addition of enhanced payouts and a fresh racing surface should only increase the excitement heading into the August event.

Full PDRA Professional Lineup Included

While the Sportsman Spectacular shines a spotlight on grassroots racers, fans attending the Thunder Valley Throwdown will also see the complete lineup of PDRA professional competition classes.

The event will feature:

• Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous presented by Jerry Bickel Race Cars
• WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive
• Liberty’s Gears Pro Street presented by KTR Drag Racing
• PDRA Pro 632 presented by Mark Williams Enterprises
• 1320 Fabrications Super Street presented by Brian’s Heating & Cooling LLC

The combination of premier professional racing and expanded sportsman competition creates what could become one of the most memorable weekends of the 2026 PDRA season.

Sportsman racers have long been the heart of drag racing, filling pits across the country while providing some of the most competitive racing in the sport. By launching the Sportsman Spectacular, the PDRA is making a clear statement about the importance of those competitors.