It’s Bristol, baby!
The PDRA made its fifth stop of the 2026 season this past weekend at Bristol Dragway for the Thunder Valley Throwdown. The pits were filled with some of the best racers in the professional and sportsman categories, all looking to take home a big check and a PDRA 660 Man trophy at the end of the weekend.
In typical Bristol fashion, racers faced some of the toughest conditions of the season, but that didn’t stop them from putting on close, side-by-side racing for the fans in attendance and those watching from home.
With the 2026 PDRA season moving closer to its conclusion, racers chasing class championships know every round win matters. Those rounds become even more important as the season winds down, increasing the pressure on championship contenders to step up their game. Just as the first round of eliminations was nearing completion, Mother Nature tried to put a stop to the action. Fortunately, the rain showers didn’t last long, and the track staff had the Bristol Dragway racing surface ready for action shortly after the rain stopped.
Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous Presented By Jerry Bickel Race Cars
Looking to earn another championship, defending 2025 Pro Nitrous champion Marcus Butner entered Bristol sitting fifth in the points standings.
Butner started the weekend strong by taking the No. 1 qualifying position with a 3.659 at 206.51 mph. Current points leader Tommy Franklin secured the No. 2 spot with a 3.665 at 206.20 mph, while Rickie Smith rounded out the top three with a 3.711 at 204.26 mph.
As eliminations progressed, it became clear that the pair of Pat Musi-powered ’69 Camaros driven by Butner and Franklin were on a mission. Both racers worked their way through the 13-car field to find themselves facing each other in another final round, where they would determine who had the baddest hot rod of the weekend.
With the teams standing behind their cars watching, Butner and Franklin left the starting line. Butner grabbed the holeshot advantage and carried it all the way to the finish line to score the win over Franklin.
Butner’s 3.688 at 204.32 mph defeated Franklin’s quicker-but-losing 3.655 at 205.98 mph.
WS Construction Pro Boost Presented By P2 Contracting And Ty-Drive
For the second consecutive race, Ty Tutterow put his name at the top of the Pro Boost qualifying sheet, this time with a 3.613 at 207.08 mph. Fletcher Cox qualified No. 2 with a 3.616 at 207.02 mph, while PDRA Pro Boost newcomer Paul Gargus secured the No. 3 position with a 3.622 at 207.91 mph.
Tutterow advanced through the opening round with a victory over the winner of the previous race on tour, Travis Harvey, but fell to Lyle Barnett on a holeshot in round two. Barnett then defeated current points leader Jason Harris in the semifinal round to advance to the final.
After missing the previous race at Maryland International Raceway, Ned Dunphy arrived at the Thunder Valley Throwdown ready for war. Starting eliminations from the No. 6 qualifying position, Dunphy fought his way through the field by defeating Raymond Matos, Paul Gargus, and Fletcher Cox to set up a final-round matchup against Barnett.
Both cars had produced consistent elapsed times and killer reaction times throughout eliminations, although Barnett had posted slightly quicker ETs. When the tree dropped in the final, Dunphy left first with a .013 reaction time, while Barnett followed with a .029. When the cars crossed the finish line, Dunphy’s win light came on for his second holeshot round win of the day.
Dunphy ran a 3.632 at 207.08 mph to defeat Barnett’s quicker 3.627 at 208.42 mph by just .011 second.
Liberty’s Gears Pro Street Presented By KTR
The PDRA Pro Street category is one of the best classes to watch. It combines high horsepower with rules that give multiple power-adder combinations an opportunity to win, all while competitors put the power down through a 33×10.5-inch tire. A total of 17 cars attempted to qualify for the 16-car field at Bristol.
Driving Fletcher Cox’s “Training Day” ’69 Camaro, Andy Mac parked the car at the top of the qualifying sheet with a 3.951 at 189.55 mph. Richard Reagan qualified second with a 3.973 at 193.71 mph, while Mickey Sasina was third with a 3.986 at 195.99 mph.
Mac defeated Brian McGee in the opening round but exited in round two at the hands of Tim Essick and his “Brown Sugar” Mustang. Essick received a bye run in the semifinals after Scott Kincaid experienced trouble staging his car, moving Essick into the final round.
Looking for his first PDRA Pro Street championship, Reagan worked his way through the tough field by consistently performing well on the starting line while producing quicker elapsed times with each successive round.
That set up what promised to be a dogfight between Essick and Reagan in the final. Essick had posted slightly quicker elapsed times in the previous rounds, but Reagan had been better on the starting line. The pair of Mustangs left the Christmas tree side-by-side, with Reagan holding a slight advantage. Reagan then recorded his quickest elapsed time of eliminations, running a 3.951 at 193.24 mph to defeat Essick’s 3.986 at 191.00 mph.
The victory was Reagan’s first PDRA win of the season and moved him to within one point of championship leader Blake Denton.
Pro 632 Presented By Mark Williams
JC Beattie Jr. continued his strong run in the eight-car Pro 632 field at the Thunder Valley Throwdown. Beattie earned the No. 1 qualifying position with a 4.177 at 171.69 mph, followed by Jeff Pittman with a 4.190 at 169.13 mph and Ryan Altman with a 4.192 at 169.53 mph.
During eliminations, Beattie posted back-to-back 4.180-second runs to defeat Cameron Gibson and David Cook Jr., putting himself into another final round. Beattie also recorded the class’s low elapsed time and top speed of the weekend. No. 3 qualifier Altman drove his way into the final with victories over Jason Ventura and the previous winner on tour, Jeff Pittman.
In the final, Altman and Beattie left the starting line door-to-door, but it was Altman’s Greenbrier Camaro that reached the finish line first. Altman recorded a 4.185 at 168.49 mph to defeat Beattie’s 4.191 at 172.25 mph.
1320 Fabrication Super Street Presented By Brian’s Heating And Cooling
The PDRA’s small-tire Super Street category always puts on a show. Limited to a maximum 28×10.5-inch tire, these cars produce impressive elapsed times and plenty of side-by-side racing.
Leading the 12-car field into eliminations was Austin Vincent. Vincent recorded a 4.628 at 157.98 mph, putting him at the top of the qualifying sheet based on speed after No. 2 qualifier Connor McGee posted an identical 4.628, but at 150.78 mph. Troy Hill qualified third with a 4.633 at 157.12 mph.
Vincent carried that momentum throughout the weekend, recording low elapsed time in every round of competition on his way to another final-round appearance.
After suffering a first-round loss at the previous stop at Maryland International Raceway, Hill made a complete turnaround at the Thunder Valley Throwdown and raced his way into the final against Vincent. With their teams watching from behind the cars, the two nitrous-injected Mustangs left the starting line. Vincent left first and never looked back, recording the class’s best elapsed time of the weekend and turning on the win light.
Vincent ran a 4.583 at 156.77 mph to defeat Hill’s slowing 6.484 at 73.95 mph. The victory moved Vincent into the Super Street championship points lead with only two races remaining in the 2026 PDRA season.
MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman Presented By PAR Racing Engines
No. 1 Qualifier: Bruce Thrift — 3.815 at 195.05 mph
Winner: Nick Maloni over Zach Houser
MagnaFuel Top Sportsman
No. 1 Qualifier: Randy Perkinson — 4.202 at 171.45 mph
Winner: Joe Roubicek over JC Garcia
Greenbrier Excavating And Paving Elite Top Dragster
No. 1 Qualifier: Tony Careccia — 3.669 at 203.98 mph
Winner: Jody Stroud over Josh Duggins
ATI Performance Top Dragster Presented By TBM Brakes
No. 1 Qualifier: Chaz Silance — 3.875 at 188.65 mph
Winner: Matt Sackman over Joe Gary
Paragon Pro Jr. Dragster — 7.90 Index
No. 1 Qualifier: Pheyton Rawlins — 7.900
Winner: CJ Jenkins
Classic Graphix Top Jr. Dragster
No. 1 Qualifier: Brady Glaser — .003 reaction time
Winner: Wyatt Piercey
Edelbrock Bracket Bash Presented By PRP
Winner: Brayden McCown
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