With a huge crowd of crew members and fellow racers watching from the starting line , “ Tricky ” Rickie Smith makes a 330-foot launch in Scott Palmer ’ s Palmer & Longley Motorsports Top Fuel dragster during Friday night testing for Virginia Motorsports Park ’ s Night of Fire . The Pro Stock and Pro Modified icon was offered the opportunity to make a pass in Palmer ’ s car after helping set up his screw-blown Corvette for the World Series of Pro Mod . Smith did a smooth burnout , backed up in a timely manner , and made a pass that Palmer described as perhaps the best first Top Fuel pass he ’ s ever seen .

Photograph by Tara Bowker Virginia Motorsports Park | Dinwiddie , Virginia | Friday , July 21st , 2023

September / October 2023 DragIllustrated . com | Drag Illustrated | 17