Dirt
Expectations Exceeded
Media members, sponsors
sound off on historic World
Doorslammer Nationals
By Josh Hachat
Before qualifying even started
at the Drag Illustrated World
Doorslammer Nationals presented by
CTech Manufacturing, Richard Freeman
stood at the head of the staging lines, taking
in the pits full of Pro Stock and Pro Mod cars at
Orlando Speed World Dragway.
It was a striking sight, the group of 50-plus
world-class doorslammers, a sign of everything
that came together in less than three months. It
was a clear sign of a job well done, one that was
true on a number of fronts.
Sponsors showed up in force, racers showed
up in force and the result was a weekend where
universal praise was as abundant as the elite class
of racers in Orlando.
“If you looked down through (the pits), it’s the
cream of the crop. It’s the best Pro Stock cars, the
best Pro Mod cars, and the participation is probably
better than we thought it would be, especially
being the first year,” Freeman says. “People were
excited about something new and a lot of work
has been done, from everyone at Elite Motorsports
and Drag Illustrated and Kingsridge
Media. Everybody kind of came together in a
short time.”
From sponsors to media to team owners to
participants, the reviews of the inaugural race
were glowing. Saturday featured a massive crowd,
taking in record performances, tremendous payouts
and incredible fields.
It led to a show that was unmatched from start
to finish – with a nod to the tremendous racing
conditions dealt to everyone in Orlando.
The standouts in Pro Stock and Pro Mod did
the rest, leaving a trail of fond memories and
everlasting stories that won’t soon be forgotten.
“In my lifetime I have seen a lot of memorable
events,” says veteran photographer Roger Richards.
“I have seen the number of people who claim
to have been at those events far outnumber the
actual attendees. The World Doorslammer Nationals
was one of those events. In five years, I
will be one of the 400,000 people who claimed
to have been there.
“The atmosphere was electric from start to finish
because we knew it was something new and
exciting and the topper was the Pro Stock finals….
decided by just a couple of thousands of a second
for all that money and everlasting accolade for
winning the first championship. Honestly, I don’t
see how next year can top this year but I am going
to be there and be counted among another
400,000 attendees.”
PHOTOGRAPHS BY DARRELL MARTIN AND KAYLEE CURRAN
34 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated.com Issue 156