LETTER from the EDITOR
As the drag racing
world starts to emerge from its winter hibernation , I feel like I ’ m more excited for this new season than I have been for the start of any of the past few seasons . Maybe it ’ s because I haven ’ t been to a dragstrip in over four months . Or maybe it ’ s because my first race of the season is Drag Illustrated ’ s very own second annual CTech Manufacturing World Doorslammer Nationals presented by JEGS , March 5-7 at Orlando Speed World Dragway .
But it ’ s probably because this season will be the fresh start that drag racing so badly needs right now . Sure , it would be ideal if we could start the season under pre-COVID conditions , but the industry is in a much better position now compared
COVERSTORY
THE DOMINATING DESIRES OF THE DRIVER WITH THE WORLD ’ S QUICKEST NITROUS DOORSLAMMER .
STORY Wes Buck
PHOTOS Bubba Smoothe John Fore III Chris Simmons Ian Tocher to where it was when racing returned late last spring and early summer .
Sanctioning bodies , tracks and racers are better prepared to deal with the restrictions that still affect most of the U . S . and other parts of the world . Teams and tracks that had to take a step back and sit out last season are feverishly working to get back to action this year . Fans who couldn ’ t make it out
Nate Van Wagnen Editor-in-Chief to their favorite races in 2020 are sure to find ways to support their local tracks and promoters .
With all the developments brewing behind the scenes and in headlines over the offseason , we had a slew of topics to cover in this 2021 Season Preview Issue .
Leading things off is the cover feature on PDRA Pro Nitrous defending world champion Jim Halsey and his tuner , Brandon Switzer , who ’ s played a huge role in pushing nitrous-fed doorslammer racing to new heights over the last decade as an innovative manufacturer and tuner .
Halsey also appeared on the cover of DI # 22 all the way back in March 2008 . The cover text read “ Jim Halsey : The Dominating Desires of the Driver with the World ’ s Quickest Nitrous Doorslammer .” Later that season , Halsey would record the first-ever 5-second quarter-mile pass for a nitrous doorslammer .
One devastating shop fire and over 10 years later , Halsey is yet again the driver of the world ’ s quickest nitrous doorslammer after breaking the 3.50-second eighth-mile barrier ( at 210 mph – also a first !) at the Snowbird Nationals in Bradenton last December . Dominance is still what he desires , and with Switzer calling the shots on his Gene Fultonpowered ’ 68 Camaro , it ’ s not an unrealistic goal .
Staying on the topic of Pro Mod racing , we have a great piece by Josh Hachat about the new NHRA Pro Mod rule that requires drivers to manually shift their 5.60-second , 250- mph doorslammers while racing down the quarter-mile strip . Josh reached out to a handful of drivers and tuners , from veterans Rickie Smith and Doug Winters to relative newcomers Stevie “ Fast ” Jackson and Alex Laughlin , to get their thoughts on the rule change and how it might affect the class during the 2021 season . It will be interesting to see which of their predictions comes true when the stars of the class make their 2021 debut at the World Doorslammer Nationals .
What are you most looking forward to this year ? Is it a certain class or series ? A new event ? Simply getting back to the track for the first time in a while ? Let me know by reaching out through the contact info below . DI
Feel free to email me at nate @ dragillustrated . com and follow me at facebook . com / nitronate1320 and nitronate1320 on Instagram and Twitter .
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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS : Bobby Bennett , Craig Cook , Tommy D ’ Aprile , Pete Epple , Ainsley Jacobs , Allyson Johnson , Bret Kepner , Brandon W . Mudd , Ian Tocher , Kelly Wade
PHOTO DEPARTMENT : John Fore III , Van Abernethy , Rick Belden , Tara Bowker , Shawn Crose , Jason Dunn , Paul Grant , Chris Graves , Ron Lewis , Joe McHugh , Gary Nastase , Mark J . Rebilas , Roger Richards , Cole Rokosky , Chris Sears , James Sisk , Ian Tocher
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Copyright © 2021 by Drag Illustrated Media , LLC . All rights reserved . Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited . Drag Illustrated is a registered trademark of Drag Illustrated Media , LLC . Printed and mailed by Royle Printing in Sun Prairie , WI .
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10 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 165