Drag Illustrated Issue 147, August 2019 | Page 6

DI147 26 FEATURES 26 Pro Stock’s Resurgence “All the Track Will Hold” NHRA Pro Stock drivers Deric Kramer, Erica Enders, Jason Line and team owner Richard Freeman break down why the class has grown out of its rough patch, going from short fields to 16-plus cars at every race with more on the way. By Josh Hachat 30 Audrey Worm Owns It Audrey Worm appeared in the inau- gural Drag Illustrated 30 Under 30 issue in December 2015 with the bold goal of one day racing NHRA Top Fuel. Today, she has several Top Fuel races under her belt and is just steps away from owning her own team. By Kelly Wade 36 Gage Burch Wins Big At 19 years old, Gage Burch had already developed a reputation as one of the sport’s best bracket racers before he turned on the final win light at SFG Promotions’ $500,000 race in Martin, Michigan. By Brandon W. Mudd 30 90 No-Prep’s Royal Roundtable With a unique blend of real, live drag racing and reality TV drama, Discovery’s Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings has attracted the attention of millions of viewers and the hardcore drag racing community. Several stars of the show explain why it’s taken off in a big way. By Craig Cook 90 T RI BUT E CO LU MN 38 Ron Leek 56 On the Road Ron Leek was best known as the longtime owner and announcer at Byron Dragway, but his impact on the sport went far beyond calling races and giving racers a place to call home. By Brian Lohnes Flipping through old photos in- spired a trip down memory lane for Van Abernethy, who shares some of his fondest memories of Bristol Dragway in this month’s column. CO LU MN 60 Tuned Up The unique aspects of the NHRA’s Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car classes have made them an afterthought in some circles, but Will Hanna thinks it’s time to reconsider the sport’s quickest and fastest sportsman classes. ON THE COVER PDRA Pro Nitrous star Jay Cox as photographed by Rick Belden at GALOT Motorsports Park in Benson, North Carolina. 6 | Drag I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com Issue 147 BRYANT DEPARTMENTS