Drag Illustrated Issue 153, February 2020 | Page 70

LOOKING INTO
DRAG RACING’S
CRYSTAL BALL
Drivers and race promoters share their thoughts on what to expect from drag racing this season
By Nate Van Wagnen
tyler crossnoe
clay millican
deric kramer
E
ntering the third decade of the 21st century, drag racing is as thriving and diverse as it’s ever been. There is
something for literally any fan or racer. Bracket racers competing for a guaranteed $1 million prize? Yep, that’s go-
ing to happen – twice. Small-tire Radial vs. the World cars of every variety setting new records seemingly every oth-
er day? We’ve got those too. Factory-built hot rods dipping well into the 7-second zone? Check. The examples can
go on and on. ¶ With all of these varieties of drag racing and corners of the sport to take into consideration, it can
be a challenge to get an idea of what to expect from the 2020 season. Dozens of sanctioning bodies, series and organiza-
tions have jam-packed schedules, while individual promoters have added dozens more standalone races. It’s a lot to take in.
That’s why we’ve assembled a panel of unique personalities to break down the season to come. What’s new? What’s exciting?
What’s worthy of concern? These are a few of the topics our panelists cover in this wide-ranging roundtable discussion.
As a Top Fuel driver with over 20 years of
experience in NHRA and IHRA competition,
Clay Millican has experienced the highs and
lows of single-team nitro racing. He’s highly
involved with the sponsorship acquisition and
maintenance involved with fielding his Parts
Plus team owned by Doug Stringer under the
Straightline Strategy Group umbrella. With fam-
ily and friends racing in various corners of the
sport, he keeps an eye on all levels of drag racing,
from the nitro ranks to big-money bracket racing.
Be it serving hot dogs in the concession stand
and taking photos to working on nitro cars and
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promoting races, Chris Graves has seen and
done just about everything in drag racing. At 36,
Graves is the owner and promoter of the Funny
Car Chaos series, an outlaw Funny Car club with
races throughout the Southeast and Midwest.
Graves and his wife, Tera, recently acquired the
Outlaw Fuel Altered Association as well.
Deric Kramer represents the 21st century
NHRA Pro Stock racer. Pro Stock racing is not
his profession, but he does it at a professional
level. The 34-year-old iPhone app engineer has
been a rising star over the last few years, racking
up three event wins in his family-owned Amer-
ican Ethanol Camaro. His father, Dave, fields a
Factory Stock Showdown entry and his sister,
Daria, races in Stock Eliminator.
Few people in drag racing wear more hats than
Tyler Crossnoe. He came up as a track prep spe-
cialist, but that role has expanded in ways Cross-
noe never imagined. He’s the vice president of
racing operations at Virginia Motorsports Park,
the series director of the PDRA and the promoter
of his own race, the Outlaw Street Car Reunion at
Beech Bend Raceway, as well as the Shakedown
Nationals, a long-running event that moved to
Virginia in 2019.
Issue 153
DRAGSTER,
chris graves