Photos by Robert Richard, Steve Embling, Tara Bowker
FRIDAY NOTEBOOK – LEADERBOARD REMAINS UNCHANGED HEADED INTO SATURDAY ELIMINATIONS
1 – ONCE, TWICE, THREE TIMES A CHAMPION? – Melanie Salemi set the stage for her pursuit of a third straight PDRA East Coast Nationals by securing the No. 1 spot in Pro Boost during qualifying on Thursday night. Behind the wheel of Eddie Whelan’s screw-blown Al-Lee Installations “Purple Reign” ’68 Firebird, which is tuned by her husband Jon Salemi and brother-in-law Jim Salemi, Salemi posted a lightning-fast time of 3.615 seconds at 206.29 mph. Despite the efforts of 27 other drivers attempting to outpace her in Friday’s two sessions, Salemi’s time remained unchallenged. “It never, ever fails – you qualify No. 1, you have to work your butt off to win a race. You qualify No. 16, you have to work your butt off to win a race,” Salemi said. “It doesn’t really matter where you qualify, especially in a field of all these extraordinary cars. We have a lot of competition in PDRA, and that’s what drives us to come here.” Salemi emphasized the importance of adaptability as track and atmospheric conditions change during the event. “To be able to win a race, you kind of have to throw all your testing and qualifying aside and take each run as you’re given,” she added.
2 – LOADED PRO BOOST FIELD – This weekend’s East Coast Nationals features a competitive Pro Boost division with 28 entries vying for top honors. Two-time and reigning Pro Boost world champion Jason Harris, a local favorite, secured the No. 2 qualifying position with a time of 3.623 seconds at 206.80 mph in his ProCharged Southern Diamond Company “Party Time” ’69 Camaro. Harris is followed by Johnny Camp, who qualified third in the “Hells Bells” entry, also a ProCharged ’69 Camaro, with a time of 3.631 seconds at 205.44 mph. Both drivers, tuned by Brandon Stroud, are looking to make their mark as they navigate the challenges of a packed field.
3 – SMOOTH TRANSITION – Tim Paap has made a seamless transition from Top Sportsman to Pro Nitrous, showcasing his skills behind the wheel of his 2016 Corvette. The former Elite Top Sportsman standout entered the Pro Nitrous category with modest expectations, having converted his Elite entry over the offseason to compete in the heads-up, nitrous-only class. Paap, now teamed with Killin’ Time Racing and tuner Jeffrey Barker, quickly proved his prowess. After seizing the provisional No. 1 spot in Thursday’s qualifying session, he improved further on Friday, posting a remarkable time of 3.676 seconds at 204.45 mph. That time held through the third session, despite a fierce challenge from multiple competitors seeking to dethrone him. “We came here just trying to get into the field and just to win,” said Paap, who expressed gratitude to his team, including Barker, past Elite Top Sportsman world champion Donny “Hollywood” Urban, Jered and Jody Gall, Zack Paap, and Chad Crawford, as well as sponsors like KTR, Larry Hodge Racing Tire, Holley, and Switzer Dynamics. “I can’t believe we did it, to be quite honest. I wouldn’t put it past us with Barker behind the keyboard and the team that we’ve got. Anything is possible,” he added. Paap highlighted the hard work that preceded their impressive showing, stating, “What people didn’t see was a struggle before we got here. Everyone thought we came here as the season opener and got to where we’re at, but it did not work out that way.”
4 – FATHER AND DAUGHTER MAKE THEIR MARK AHEAD OF ELIMINATIONS – The father-daughter team of Tommy Franklin and Amber Denton made a strong showing in Pro Nitrous qualifying, securing the No. 2 and No. 3 spots, respectively. Franklin, behind the wheel of his brand-new, Musi-powered “Jungle Rat 3.0” ’69 Camaro, narrowly missed the top position, posting a time of 3.679 seconds at 204.54 mph in the final qualifying session. Denton, who is making her Pro Nitrous debut, also impressed with a solid performance. The two-time and reigning Pro 632 world champion improved her time in the final session, clocking in at 3.686 seconds at 205.34 mph in her Musi-powered “OG Jungle Rat” ’69 Camaro.
5 – MISSING IN ACTION – Multi-time Pro Nitrous champion Jim Halsey is sitting out this weekend in what appears to be somewhat of a protest towards new rules applied to the class. Halsey never publicly stated what rule has perturbed him other than what he describes as a move to slow the class. “My statement in response to all the calls, texts and messages from our fans and friends as to why I am not at the PDRA Galot event:I’m choosing not to run Pro Nitrous this year because the rules have continually, over the past 4 or 5 years, shifted in a direction that slows the class down, rather than allowing it to evolve and remain competitive with Pro Boost. “With the class not being competitive with Pro Boost, it becomes increasingly difficult for a Pro Nitrous car to compete with the Pro Boost cars at the Drag Illustrated Winter Series, Yellowbullet Nationals and the Mid West Drag Racing Series. Instead of promoting faster, more exciting racing, the focus seems to be on limiting performance, which has made it harder for teams to push the boundaries and compete at the highest level. This shift in rules goes against the spirit of progression and innovation that the class once thrived on, and as a result, it no longer aligns with my goals. “We will be out soon and FASTER THAN EVER!” Looking back to last season’s Pro Nitrous PDRA finale at Virginia Motorsports Park, the No. 1 qualifying position was .06 quicker than Friday’s best. However, Tim Paap’s 3.676 would have been only good enough for No. 13 in Pro Boost.
6 – POWERS HAS THE POWER – Two-time and reigning Extreme Pro Stock world champion Chris Powers secured the No. 1 qualifying position at the East Coast Nationals, showcasing his dominance throughout the weekend. Powers, driving his Chuck Samuel-tuned Sonny’s Racing Engines/ATI Performance ’21 Camaro, initially recorded a time of 4.101 seconds on Thursday and improved to a 4.100 in Friday’s second session. He capped off his qualifying with a final run of 4.099 seconds at 176.26 mph, solidifying his top spot. “This is the result of a lot of hard work,” said Powers, who has claimed victory at the East Coast Nationals three times, including his first win in the class. He expressed gratitude to his sponsors, including Sonny’s Racing Engines, ATI Performance, and C.R. Powers Heating & Air Conditioning. “We’ve wrenched on that car all winter trying to find a little more power out of it. The track’s been pretty good and we’ve just figured it out,” he added. Powers is focused on defending his championship title, stating, “We want to go back-to-back for a championship, so we’re here to throw down. We’re going to do everything we can to win this race.” Qualifying second was North Carolina’s Jeremy Huffman, who clocked a time of 4.100 seconds at 175.37 mph in his 3V Performance-powered ’10 Cobalt. Returning past world champion Alan Drinkwater rounded out the top three, posting a time of 4.103 seconds at 175.75 mph in his Kaase-powered ’08 Mustang. The stage is set for an exciting race as these top competitors prepare to battle for the win.
7 – DENTON MAKES PRO STREET HISTORY – In a thrilling turn of events for the Pro Street class, Blake Denton claimed the No. 1 qualifying spot during the final session, marking a historic moment as the first nitrous car to ever achieve this in the PDRA Pro Street division. Denton drove the nitrous-fed “Bonnie” ’69 Camaro, previously piloted by the late Lizzy Musi in Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings , and posted an impressive time of 3.976 seconds at 201.61 mph, surpassing Tim Dutton based on speed. “It’s where the car deserves to be,” said Denton. “This weekend, we’ve struggled. Going into Q3 tonight, it was more stressful than any final round I’ve been in. I knew the car could do it, and to do it for Pat and Liz [Musi] with them being here is just great.” In addition to the No. 1 qualifier bonus check, Denton received a custom baseball bat trophy from Victus Sports and Kasper Performance Edge. “I tell the guys all the time, I really want a bat,” Denton said. “That’s something I’ve been looking forward to getting.” Dutton, making his PDRA debut in both Pro Street and Pro Boost, qualified No. 2 with a matching time of 3.976 seconds but recorded a slower speed of 190.14 mph in his ProCharged “Azul” ’19 Corvette. Reigning world champion Ethan Steding secured the No. 3 spot in his roots-blown P2 Contracting “College Fund” ’24 Camaro with a time of 4.01 seconds at 190.65 mph.
8 – MORE PERSONAL HISTORY – Lexi Tanner made history Friday by securing her first No. 1 qualifier award in Pro 632, a significant milestone in her drag racing career. The past Top Jr. Dragster world champion drove her Musi-powered “Thunder” ’16 Camaro to a solid performance, clocking in at 4.201 seconds at 168.58 mph during Thursday’s first qualifying session. By the end of the third session on Friday evening, Tanner’s time remained the quickest in the class, marking a new achievement for the accomplished racer. Walter Lannigan, a perennial contender in the division, claimed the No. 2 spot with a time of 4.204 seconds at 167.63 mph in Chris Holdorf’s Nelson-powered ’10 GTO. Multi-time Pro Nitrous winner Chris Rini, competing in a double-duty effort this weekend, qualified third with a time of 4.209 seconds at 167.49 mph in a new Musi-powered ATI Performance ’69 Camaro, which his stepson Carson Hoyle will drive later in the season.
9 – FIRST TIME FOR VINCENT – Austin Vincent secured his first No. 1 qualifier award in Super Street, finishing with a standout performance during the first qualifying session on Thursday evening that proved unbeatable on Friday. Driving his nitrous-fed Vincent Performance ’88 Mustang, Vincent was the only competitor to break into the 4.50s, posting an impressive time of 4.583 seconds at 152.30 mph. Following Vincent in the qualifying ranks was Connor McGee, who has already claimed two victories in 2024. McGee managed to clock a time of 4.611 seconds at 149.73 mph in his Fulton-powered Brian’s Heating & Cooling ’90 Mustang, securing the No. 2 position. Matt Schalow, in pursuit of his first victory of the season, earned the No. 3 slot with a time of 4.653 seconds at 157.26 mph in his Knieriem-powered ’00 Camaro.
10 – THE SPORTSMAN REPORT – In Elite Top Sportsman, reigning world champion Glenn Butcher successfully maintained the No. 1 position he established in Thursday’s first qualifying session. Stepping up his performance, Butcher clocked a time of 3.742 seconds at 198.90 mph in his nitrous-fed, Albert-powered Butcher & Son Demolition ’69 Camaro, outpacing competitors Bryan LaFlam and Randy Perkinson. LaFlam secured the No. 2 spot with a run of 3.773 seconds at 194.18 mph in his supercharged Big Stuff Total Power Management ’67 Mustang. Perkinson, the defending event winner, qualified third with a time of 3.824 seconds at 189.63 mph in the ProCharged ’67 Mustang he debuted with a win last year. In Top Sportsman 48, Vonnie Mills narrowly missed qualifying for the 16-car Elite field but grabbed the No. 1 position with a time of 4.052 seconds at 179.02 mph in her nitrous-fed “Show-N-Tell” ’13 Camaro. In Top Dragster, Jody Stroud from Chesterfield, South Carolina, set a benchmark in Thursday’s qualifying session that proved unchallenged. Stroud’s time of 3.691 seconds at 199.14 mph in his supercharged “Zombie” ’07 Spitzer dragster remained at the top throughout Friday’s sessions. Josh Duggins and Russ Whitlock were the closest challengers, with Duggins qualifying second with a 3.73 at 200.29 mph in his ProCharged Maddox dragster. Whitlock rounded out the top three with a 3.769 at 192.28 mph in his ProCharged ’08 Race Tech dragster. Danielle Gonzalez claimed the No. 1 spot in Top Dragster 48 with a time of 3.889 at 191.24 mph in her ProCharged ’23 American dragster, just missing the cut for the 16-car Elite field. The PDRA East Coast Nationals at GALOT Motorsports Park will conclude Saturday, starting with Jr. Dragster final qualifying at 9 a.m., followed by Sportsman eliminations and professional class eliminations at noon.
THURSDAY PHOTO GALLERY
THURSDAY – PAAP, SALEMI, POWERS, LEAD PDRA EAST COAST NATIONALS QUALIFYING
You only have one time to make a good first impression and on the opening day of the 2025 Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series a pair of rookies took this to the next level. Rookies Tim Paap (Pro Nitrous) and Tim Dutton (Pro Street) took the provisional No. 1 positions in their respective divisions at the PDRA East Coast Nationals hosted by Galot Motorsports Park. Seasoned veterans Melanie Salemi (Pro Boost) and Chris Powers (Pro Stock) are at the top of the leaderboard with the rookies. Paap, who most recently competed in Top Sportsman, recorded a 3.696-second pass to set the pace with two sessions to go on Friday. Three-time world champion Tommy Franklin was second with a 3.702 at 205.16. Engine builder Billy Albert was third with a 3.707 at 204.70. Of 21 entries, Dutton shined the brightest in the Pro Street division, a 3.979 at 187.13 to take the provisional No. 1 position. He was the only driver in the crowded field to dip into the 3-second range.
Salemi, a two-time Pro Boost winner at the East Coast Nationals, set the pace with a 3.637 at 205.47 and was tops amongst the 27 entries. Kurt Steding qualified No. 2 with a 3.652 at 205.69, while Travis “The Carolina Kid” Harvey laid down a 3.654 at 205.72 and was third. Powers, the defending series Pro Stock champion, went to the top with a 4.101 at 176.35 in his Sonny’s Racing Engines ’21 Camaro. Dwayne Rice, who won the East Coast Nationals in 2023, started off on the right foot with a 4.127 at 174.48 while past world champion Steven Boone qualified third in his Allen-powered Boone Motorsports ’07 Cobalt with a 4.142 at 175.25. Other leaders in the heads-up categories included Lexi Tanner (Pro 632), and Austin Vincent (Super Street). In the sportsman classes, Glenn Butcher (MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by PAR Racing Engines), Jody Stroud (Laris Motorsports Insurance Elite Top Dragster presented by Greenbrier Excavating & Paving), Steve Furr (MagnaFuel Top Sportsman), and John Platt Jr. (Laris Motorsports Insurance Top Dragster presented by Derrick Wolfe Trucking) claimed the provisional top positions. Qualifying for the Jr. Dragster classes, including PDRA Pro Jr. Dragster and Classic Graphix Top Jr. Dragster, will commence Friday morning.