Drag Illustrated Issue 202, September / October 2026 | Page 56

Special Section

NOW IN ITS NINTH SEASON, THE PDRA TOP 3 LIST IS A QUICK LOOK AT SOME OF THE TOP PERFORMERS IN THE RED LINE OIL PDRA DRAG RACING SERIES’ PROFESSIONAL CLASSES. EACH EDITION FOCUSES ON ONE OF THE SEVEN RACES ON THE 2026 SCHEDULE. THIS EDITION, REFLECTING PERFORMANCES FROM THE THUNDER VALLEY THROWDOWN PRESENTED BY LARRY JEFFERS RACE CARS, AUGUST 6-8, AT BRISTOL DRAGWAY, DOES NOT REFLECT THE CURRENT POINTS STANDINGS, THOUGH MOST OF THE DRIVERS WHO APPEAR ON THIS LIST CAN ALSO BE FOUND NEAR THE TOP OF THE POINTS STANDINGS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE CLASSES. DRIVERS EARN THEIR WAY ONTO THE LIST THROUGH WINS, TOP QUALIFYING EFFORTS, AND OTHERWISE STANDOUT PERFORMANCES. PHOTOGRAPHS BY TARA BOWKER

Three-time Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous presented by Jerry Bickel Race Cars world champion Tommy Franklin saw the biggest threat to his points lead when reigning world champ Marcus Butner got his first win of the season. Butner qualified No. 1 in his Jay Cox-tuned“ Heartbreaker”’ 69 Camaro and used a holeshot and a 3.688 to beat Franklin’ s 3.655 in the final. Franklin in his Jeff Pierce-tuned“ Jungle Rat 3.0”’ 69 Camaro qualified No. 2 and set low E. T. of the event with his 3.646 in the semis. His opponent there was Dane Wood, who appeared in his second consecutive semifinal with his Ryan McCain-tuned Bay Concrete’ 12 Mustang. All three drivers utilize Musi power.

Two-time WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive world champion Jason Harris holds down the top spot with a solid semifinal finish in his Harts Chargerboosted“ Party Time”’ 69 Camaro, but it was a pair of part-time competitors that met in the final round to earn their way onto the Top 3 List. Ned Dunphy, the 2025 HOT ROD Drag Week champion, earned his first career Pro Boost victory driving his screw-blown’ 24 Camaro. He ran a 3.632 in the final to beat the notoriously quick-leaving Lyle Barnett on a holeshot. Barnett in Tommy Youmans’ Harts Chargerboosted“ Clean Title”‘ 18 Camaro used a holeshot to take out low qualifier Ty Tutterow in E2.

Liberty’ s Gears Pro Street presented by KTR Drag Racing class E. T. record holder Richard Reagan made a big move in his bid for a world championship with his hometrack win over two-time world champion Tim Essick in the final round. Though Essick’ s Pro- Charged“ Brown Sugar”’ 18 Mustang was quicker all day, including low E. T. of the event, a 3.937 in the second round, Reagan stepped up to a 3.951 in his screw-blown’ 91 Mustang to defeat Essick’ s 3.986. Reagan also qualified No. 2. Reagan’ s teammate, fellow Tennessean Scott Kincaid, holds down his spot on the Top 3 list with a semifinal finish in his screwblown’ 69 Camaro.

Get in and win! That was the motto for Ryan Altman, who wheeled Alan O’ Brien’ s Barry Allen-powered Greenbrier Excavating & Paving Camaro to his first career win in PDRA Pro 632 presented by Mark Williams Enterprises. Altman stepped up to a 4.185 in the final to upset No. 1 qualifier J. C. Beattie Jr., who reclaimed the points lead with his runner-up finish. Beattie posted a 4.191 in his Reher-Morrison-powered ATI Performance Products’ 18 Camaro after setting low E. T. of the first two rounds. Altman’ s teammate, Jeff Pittman, qualified second in his Barry Allen-powered Hickory Enclosed Trailer Sales’ 68 Chevelle and came up just short to Altman in the semis.

In the latest battle of the season-long war between 1320 Fabrication Super Street presented by Brian’ s Heating & Cooling young guns Austin Vincent and Connor McGee, Vincent was ultimately victorious in his Vincent Performance’ 88 Mustang. He qualified No. 1 on the basis of speed then set low E. T. of all four rounds, ending with a 4.583 to narrowly beat newcomer Troy Hill in the final. McGee qualified second in his Fulton-powered’ 90 Mustang but had to lift out of a massive wheelstand in the second round. Hill reached his first career final after qualifying third in his nitrous-fed“ Fear Factor”’ 00 Mustang.

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