Drag Illustrated Issue 185, November / December 2023 | Page 61

Special Section

BRAYDEN DAVIS

WHEN MULTI-TIME and reigning Drag 965 Pro Nitrous Motorcycle world champion Travis Davis hinted that his 17-year-old son , Brayden , might make his debut in the bike class this season , many who ’ ve followed Brayden ’ s early career knew he ’ d be an immediate contender . His success was truly immediate , as he raced to victory at the season opener at GALOT . To make his debut win more impressive , he also claimed the first win of the season in Coolshirt Systems Pro Jr . Dragster presented by PRP for a historic first-ever double-up in the pro and Jr . Dragster categories .
Davis repeated what seemed like a one-off performance at the third race of the six-race Pro Nitrous Motorcycle season in Maryland .
He picked up his second win on the family ’ s Timblin Chassis Hayabusa , then turned on the final win light in Pro Jr . Dragster for a second double-up . This time , he had to win an extra round to do so since the class expanded to a 32-car qualified field when car counts are high enough .
The past Top Jr . Dragster world champion dealt with second-round exits at the final three races of the season to finish third in the championship points standings . In Pro Jr . Dragster , however , he rolled into the World Finals with the world championship wrapped up . Along with his victories at the season opener and Maryland , Davis won at the spring Virginia race and at Darlington before taking runner-up honors at the World Finals . He won the title by more than 1,000 points despite not qualifying at Norwalk and skipping the Michigan race .

VICTORIA BEANER

THOUGH WE ’ LL HAVE to wait for the PDRA Championship Awards Banquet to know for sure , it ’ s safe to say Victoria Beaner is a leading candidate for the Jr . Dragster Rookie of the Year honors . The Florida-based driver and her family committed to running the full season in Classic Graphix Top Jr . Dragster presented by PRP with the VRB Motorsports ’ 20 Mike Bos dragster . She earned No . 1 qualifier awards at two of the first three races of the season , then went to the final round at the next three races , earning her first win ( and the proverbial Long-Haul award ) at the Michigan race .
Beaner was in a tense championship battle going into the World Finals , where she qualified No . 6 . That ended up being the difference maker in the championship fight , as Wyatt Stanley qualified No . 1 and won the title by just three points . Watch for Beaner to be a title contender yet again in 2024 .

KAMERON KOCH

RISING STAR DRIVERS might make the headlines , but the PDRA is also home to future tuners and standout crew members . One of those rising talents is Kameron Koch , who can be seen assisting numerous teams , but primarily Mike Achenbach and his Canvas Plus “ Deep Purple ” ’ 69 Camaro in Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous . Koch started going to his home track , Cecil County Dragway , with his father Kevin when he was 8 years old , always asking questions about the cars . A couple years later , he started helping Andy Jensen with his singleturbo , small-block-powered Pro Mod Camaro .
Now 16 , Koch works with Achenbach and the Mountain Man Racing team , which includes tuner Brandon Switzer . Koch has a variety of duties in the pits between rounds , then he brings Achenbach into the beams on the starting line . He also helps out recent first-time winner Jamie Fowler in MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by PAR Racing Engines . Koch ’ s goals include winning championships and eventually becoming a tuner himself .
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