Pro Boost world champion Jason Harris rounded off his third Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) championship season with a commanding victory at the Pro Line Racing Brian Olson Memorial World Finals, presented by ProCharger, held at Virginia Motorsports Park. It was the climax of the PDRA’s 10th season. Harris, who has previously secured two titles in Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous, triumphed in the WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive final, defeating Virginia’s Randy Weatherford.

 

Pro racing classes also witnessed victories by Jay Cox in Pro Nitrous, John Montecalvo in Liberty’s Gears Extreme Pro Stock presented by AED Competition, Daryl Stewart in M&M Transmission Pro 632, Paul Gast in Drag 965 Pro Nitrous Motorcycle, Scott Kincaid in Menscer Motorsports Pro Street presented by Afco Racing, and Derek Mota in Afco Racing Super Street presented by Menscer Motorsports.

Among the sportsman categories, Tim Molnar won in MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by PAR Racing Engines, Steve Furr triumphed in Laris Motorsports Insurance Elite Top Dragster, Mark Payne secured victory in MagnaFuel Top Sportsman 48 presented by Corbin’s RV, and Ken Batchelor emerged victorious in Laris Motorsports Insurance Top Dragster 48. In the Edelbrock Bracket Bash presented by COMP Cams, local racers Lee Dixon and Bootie Harris competed in the final, with Dixon securing the win.

The Junior Dragster categories saw Brooks McMath clinch the Coolshirt Systems Pro Jr. Dragster presented by PRP title, and Carter Jackson emerging victorious in Classic Graphix Top Jr. Dragster presented by PRP.

 

 

In addition to Jason Harris, the PDRA crowned the following 2023 world champions: Tommy Franklin in Pro Nitrous, Alan Drinkwater in Extreme Pro Stock, Jeff Melnick in Pro 632, Chris Garner-Jones in Pro Nitrous Motorcycle, Bill Riddle in Pro Street, Blake Denton in Super Street, Donny Urban in Elite Top Sportsman, Steve Furr in Elite Top Dragster, Chad Traylor in Top Sportsman, TG Paschal in Top Dragster, Brayden Davis in Pro Jr. Dragster, and Wyatt Stanley in Top Jr. Dragster.

PRO NITROUS

In the Pro Nitrous category, veteran drivers Tommy Franklin and Jay Cox met in the final round. Although Franklin secured his third world championship with victories in the last two meetings, this final edition saw Cox emerge victorious. His win was well-timed, as Cox announced his retirement from driving to spend more time with his family. Cox, driving his Musi-powered Butner Construction ’69 Camaro, posted a 3.643 at 206.54, while Franklin experienced traction issues and finished with a 3.785 at 163.04.

PRO BOOST

In the Pro Boost class, world champion Jason Harris continued his winning streak, claiming his third win of the season. In a thrilling final against Randy Weatherford, Harris secured victory with a 3.581 at 108.36. Weatherford displayed an impressive performance but narrowly missed the win with a 3.60 at 209.46. Harris celebrated his championship with a win, highlighting the remarkable performance of his ProCharged ’69 Camaro.

EXTREME PRO STOCK

Extreme Pro Stock featured a final showdown between John Montecalvo and Johnny Pluchino, both veterans in the category. Montecalvo secured the win with a 4.055 at 178.40 in his ’21 Mustang, while Pluchino red-lit by 0.006 seconds and lifted to a 5.737 at 83.78. Montecalvo’s season started strong with a victory at the inaugural Mountain Motor Pro Stock Invitational and concluded with a win at the World Finals.

PRO 632 Daryl Stewart, a four-time Pro 632 winner, made a triumphant return to the class for the final three races of the season. Stewart, who plans to return to Extreme Pro Stock, secured victory in Pro 632. He faced Chris Holdorf in the final, where Holdorf red-lit by 0.150 seconds and broke shortly after launching. Stewart experienced traction issues but coasted to a win with an 11.995 at 34.83 in his nitrous-fed Chassis Engineering ’12 Camaro.

PRO NITROUS MOTORCYCLE

Paul Gast, a sporadic participant in Pro Nitrous Motorcycle events, delivered an exceptional performance in his second PDRA race of the year. Gast claimed victory aboard his Fast By Gast Hayabusa in a tightly contested final. He recorded a 4.002, edging out Kuwait’s Meshal Al-Saber, who posted a 4.007 with an identical .034 reaction time. Gast’s sporadic appearances were marked by consistent and skilled riding.

PRO 632

In the Pro 632 category, Daryl Stewart made a triumphant return after starting the season in Extreme Pro Stock. He secured a win in the final round against Chris Holdorf, where Holdorf red-lit by 0.150 seconds and encountered issues shortly after launching. Despite traction challenges, Stewart coasted to victory with a time of 11.995 at 34.83 in his nitrous-fed Chassis Engineering ’12 Camaro. Stewart’s performance marked a significant achievement as he looks forward to his return to the Extreme Pro Stock category.

PRO STREET

Young talent Scott Kincaid, in his father’s screw-blown ’69 Camaro, extended his undefeated streak with a fourth consecutive win. In the final, his opponent Chris Cadotto red-lit by 0.017 seconds and lifted to a 6.571 at 70.29. Kincaid delivered a weekend-best performance, clocking 3.915 at 197.51. Kincaid’s remarkable season earned him recognition as a rising star in the Pro Street category. Cadotto, undefeated before the final, displayed remarkable driving skills in his ’97 Dodge Ram known as “The Brick.”

SUPER STREET

Derek Mota, who closely competed with Blake Denton for the PDRA Super Street world championship, concluded the season with a high note. Mota, the No. 1 qualifier, made the quickest pass in the history of the class, with a 4.576 at 166.11 in the final round against Matt Schalow. Schalow put up a strong performance but came up short with a 4.683 at 153.75. Mota’s consistent performance throughout the event showcased his skills and determination.

TOP SPORTSMAN

The Elite Top Sportsman category witnessed a thrilling final between Tim Molnar and Tim Paap, both driving nitrous-assisted entries. Molnar secured the victory with a 3.777 on a 3.77 dial-in, narrowly surpassing Paap’s performance of 3.935 on a 3.83 dial-in. The closely contested final highlighted the exceptional racing skills in the Elite Top Sportsman category.

TOP DRAGSTER

In the final round of the Top Dragster 48 category, Ken Batchelor exhibited exceptional skill, securing victory with a remarkable .003 reaction time and a 4.297 on a 4.28 dial-in. His performance in his ’18 Mullis dragster outpaced TJ Harper’s effort, as Harper posted a 4.302 on a 4.30 dial-in with a .040 reaction time in his ’18 Race Tech dragster.

The PDRA celebrated its world champions during the annual PDRA Championship Awards Banquet, a fitting conclusion to the 2023 racing season.