TOMMY FRANKLIN, AMBER DENTON MAKE WSOPM FAMILY HISTORY
Three-time PDRA Pro Nitrous world champion Tommy Franklin and his daughter, Amber Denton, have been competing at the same events together for more than 10 years, but never in the same class until the World Series of Pro Mod. They became the first father-daughter duo to compete in the event, adding yet another family dynamic to the race that’ s included multiple father-son duos.
Denton, a two-time and reigning PDRA Pro 632 world champion, made her Pro Mod debut at the U. S. Street Nationals, while Franklin sat out the event to help Amber make a smooth transition. Franklin was back in action at the WSOPM with a brand-new, Musi-powered“ Jungle Rat 3.0”’ 69 Camaro. Both Jeff Pierce-tuned rides qualified for the quickest 32-car field in Pro Mod history – Amber in the No. 22 spot with a 3.624 and Tommy on the bump spot with a 3.637, which would’ ve put him No. 2 in the 2023 WSOPM field.
The Tommy Franklin Motorsports camp also fielded a Pro 10.5 Challenge entry, the nitrous-fed“ Bonnie”’ 69 Camaro formerly driven by the late Lizzy Musi and now wheeled by Amber’ s husband, Blake Denton. Between five Pro Mod qualifying sessions and four Pro 10.5 sessions, the group stayed busy.
“ We’ re pretty used to it running PDRA
[ where ] we’ ve got four cars going at all times,” Denton said in a pitside interview with FloRacing’ s Don O’ Neal.“ It’ s busy, it’ s crazy, but we’ ve got a great crew. It’ s why we do it. We love it. We love doing it together. Watching our other cars win and then getting in yourself, it’ s really awesome and motivating, honestly. Hopefully me and my dad can both stay away from each other in the chip draws and keep turning on win lights and we’ ll hopefully see each other in the final.”
Denton’ s wish came true in the first-round chip draw, as she drew No. 18 qualifier Billy Banaka and Franklin drew No. 7 qualifier Alex Laughlin. Denton left on Banaka and charged to a 3.646 at 207.98 to beat Banaka’ s 3.630 on a holeshot. Franklin made a nearly identical run to defeat Laughlin, who slowed from his qualifying pace.
“ That round win was big for us,” Denton told O’ Neal.“ My first Pro Mod round win and I’ m still pretty speechless. That was awesome. I’ m excited. We’ ve got Mike Bowman next round. Anyone out here is competitive and we’ re going to give it our all.”
Denton was slightly quicker than Bowman at the starting line, but her 3.667 at 207.56 wasn’ t enough to hold off the No. 3 qualifier and his 3.629 at 219.08. Franklin was nearly identical to his daughter again with his 3.668, though he did get past 2024 PDRA Pro Boost championship runner-up Kurt Steding in their second-round match. He was then the last nitrous car standing in the third round, where Bowman fired off a 3.619 to beat Franklin’ s 3.65.
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