DERRICK BROWN OPENS SEASON WITH $ 10,000 TOP SPORTSMAN VICTORY
KYLE KORETSKY BEGINS SOPHOMORE SEASON WHERE PRO STOCK CAREER BEGAN
�North Carolina Top Sportsman hitter Derrick Brown strung together five round wins in his ProCharger-boosted ’ 14 Camaro to pick up the $ 10,000 Top Sportsman check . He was running low 6-second passes all day until he got loose in the final round , still beating David Cuadra , who encountered traction issues off the starting line and couldn ’ t recover .
“ The track got a little loose and I probably drove it a little too far ,” said Brown , thanking crew chief William Brown and supporters like Modern Racing and FTI Converters . “ I saw him over there and I just wanted to get out far enough that he couldn ’ t come back and correct himself . I probably took it a little too far but I got it corrected and down the track safe . The car is in one piece , the motor is in one piece and I can go to the next race . [ This win ] means a lot to me .”
Brown raced past Don Preece , Angel Gonzales , Brandon Miller and Jeff Melnick en route to the final . – NATE VAN WAGNEN DI
�Orlando Speed World Dragway will always be a special place for Kyle Koretsky . It was at the inaugural World Doorslammer Nationals where Koretsky made the first Pro Stock runs in his promising career , getting his license early in the week and then making his official debut at the event .
Returning a year later , Koretsky couldn ’ t help but recall the moments where his racing career forever changed .
“ This is definitely a special race and place for me . This is where it all started , where I made my first run in Pro Stock , and my dream came true here in Orlando ,” Koretsky said . “ It ’ s definitely a great race and certainly a place I ’ ll never forget .”
He returned to Orlando at the 2021 event a far more confident driver , fresh off a rookie season where Koretsky advanced to a final round and showed plenty of talent .
Unfortunately , for the second straight year he matched up with class legend Greg Anderson in the opening round , but Koretsky is undeniably another young talent who continues to impress in the Pro Stock ranks .
He made the second-quickest run in the opening round , going 6.510 at 212.53 in his Lucas Oil Chevrolet Camaro , but Anderson just happened to make the best run of the round in Pro Stock with a 6.503 at 212.36 .
It was an unfortunate luck of the draw , but Koretsky can remain confident in what his team has put together for 2021 . He made a series of strong runs in qualifying and ended up in the fourth spot . A run against anyone else would have sent Koretsky to the next round , but Koretsky didn ’ t dwell on that . The weekend in Orlando remains a celebration of his Pro Stock journey and 2021 was a further example of the huge potential in the class .
“ Everything felt good out there . The team is working well together ,” Koretsky said . “ I ’ m a lot more confident in myself , I ’ m a lot more comfortable and things are just coming a lot more natural this year . I ’ ve felt better with each pass and if I ’ m able to do my job , I ’ ve got all the confidence in the world in this team .” – JOSH HACHAT DI
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