DAN NORRIS MAKES A SPLASH IN PRO 10.5
Former Top Dragster racer Dan Norris didn ’ t have any grand illusions about his Pro 10.5 debut going into the Pro 10.5 Challenge . Norris made the trip down from his home base in Michigan just hoping to cross over his license so he could compete in PDRA Pro Street this season and maybe qualify in the 16-car field . Norris surpassed those goals by qualifying No . 16 and racing to a runner-up finish in the $ 25,000-to-win race .
“ We just kept picking the car up steadily with small tuning changes ,” Norris said . “ It ’ s a new motor to us , so trying to learn that and sneak up on it took baby steps . That was our goal , though , just to come out and get a license . It ended up going a lot better than that , so we couldn ’ t be more thankful .”
In the largest field of Outlaw 10.5-style cars in years , Norris qualified on the bump spot with a 4.118 at 183.34 in his rootsblown ’ 22 Mustang prepared by Pande ’ s Performance . He drew No . 6 qualifier and Outlaw 10.5 veteran John Carinci in the first round . Norris made the third-quickest run of the challenging round , a 4.079 , to take out Carinci . He slowed a bit to a
4.099 in the second round , but it was enough to beat Jesse Lambert ’ s 4.21 .
With just three other competitors left , Norris had to laugh when he and fellow Michigander Bill Riddle showed matching “ 1 ” chips in the semifinal chip draw . Norris spent the last couple seasons working with Riddle on his 2023 PDRA Pro Street world championship-winning ’ 89 Camaro . The two made their best passes of the day , with Norris taking the win with a 4.023 to Riddle ’ s 4.049 for a . 014 margin of victory .
“ I was amped up ,” Norris said of the matchup . “ He ’ s one of my best buddies , so we had a good
time out there . It was handshakes and smiles . We ’ re good friends at the end of the day , so may the best man win . I was thankful the car was running as well as it has . A lot of luck went our way there . Got a lot of respect for Bill . He does a lot on his own with a little resources , and that ’ s definitely the world we come from as well .”
Norris was just as amped up for the final round , where he faced “ Quick ” Nick Schroeder . He cut the best reaction time of Pro 10.5 eliminations , a . 010 , but he had to give up the lead when his car got out of shape , slowing to a 4.192 at 181.54 . Meanwhile , Schroeder laid down the quickest pass of eliminations , a 3.977 at 191.40 , for the win .
“ I definitely didn ’ t want to take him lightly ,” said Norris , who thanked parents Dan Sr . and Julie , wife Karen , daughter Claire , and son Ryan , as well as supporters like Dave Trout of PSI Valve Springs and Andy Chopp . “ He ’ s a great competitor . We had it tuned up . If I didn ’ t have to get out of that pass , with the holeshot I had , it may have been a different outcome , but it was a good race . The car was just going left and hunting to the center . I just had to lift out of it . I was really happy for Nick with his mom going through her health concerns . Just to see his emotions on the top end … it was a special moment for him and it was cool to be a part of that deal .” — NATE VAN WAGNEN DI
PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAVID HILNER , DARREL JACKSON JR .
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