“ Of everything I ’ ve ever done in my life , Pro Mod is the hardest thing I ’ ve ever done . It ’ s so humbling . It doesn ’ t matter if you have a lot of money or a lot of skill . You just need everything to be perfect .” - KEN QUARTUCCIO

SUPPORT SYSTEM : Emily Rini , the wife of PDRA Pro Nitrous star Chris Rini , stands by the side of his ATI Performance Camaro in the staging lanes before a pass . While she doesn ’ t make it to every race , Chris regularly credits Emily for her behind-the-scenes efforts to keep the team on track .

MISS MALINDA : Malinda Murray , girlfriend ( now fiancée ) of Mountain Motor Pro Stock veteran Tony Gillig , fans the door of Gillig ’ s Dayco-backed Pontiac GXP before sending him down the track for a pass in PDRA Extreme Pro Stock competition .

LIVING THE DREAM : PDRA Pro 632 stars Lexi Tanner ( left ) and Amber Franklin are clearly in their element as they celebrate their spots in the second annual Summit Racing PDRA ProStars race . The two past PDRA Jr . Dragster world champions and longtime best friends once dreamed of racing together in a pro class .

YOUNG GUN : Titus Wolfe , second from left , celebrates with family and fans after winning Bristol Dragway ’ s seasonending DER points race in 2022 . The young racer began his career shortly before his 10th birthday , scoring five wins in eight final rounds at various tracks during his impressive rookie season .

RISING STAR : NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle newcomer Jianna Evaristo is in the zone as she prepares to make a pass on her Scrappers Racing entry . While 2022 wasn ’ t her year , a partnership with the Matt Smith Racing team suggests she ’ s in for a big year in 2023 .

PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRIS SEARS , TARA BOWKER , KYLE CHRIST , AND NHRA

58 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 181