Drag Illustrated Issue 182, May / June 2023 | Page 63

Special Section
THIS EDITION OF THE PDRA TOP 3 LIST REPRESENTS PERFORMANCES FROM THE MID-ATLANTIC SHOWDOWN PRESENTED BY CLASSIC GRAPHIX , APRIL 20-23 , AT VIR- GINIA MOTORSPORTS PARK . DUE TO WEATHER , QUALIFY- ING STARTED EARLY ON THURSDAY EVENING , WHILE
ELIMINATIONS WERE COMPLETED SUNDAY AFTERNOON RATHER THAN SATURDAY NIGHT .
PHOTOGRAPHS BY TARA BOWKER
PRO NITROUS
PRO BOOST
EXTREME PRO STOCK
PRO OUTLAW 632
PRO NITROUS MOTORCYCLE
JIM HALSEY JAY COX RICKIE SMITH
TRAVIS HARVEY JASON HARRISI JOHNNY CAMP
CHRIS POWERS ELIJAH MORTON JOHNNY PLUCHINO
AMBER FRANKLIN JEFF MELNICK DOUG NICHOLL
CHRIS GARNER-JONES MESHAL AL-SABER BRAYDEN DAVIS
Jim Halsey continues to prove that he ’ s dead-set on winning a fifth consecutive Pro Nitrous world championship , as he raced to victory yet again . Halsey and tuner Brandon Switzer were in sync all weekend , qualifying No . 1 and running well into the 3.60s on race day , including a 3.646 against “ Tricky ” Rickie Smith in the final . Along the way , he also took down Jay Cox , who had another strong weekend , posting a semifinal finish . Smith , who qualified third in his Musi-powered Parkway Ford ’ 22 Mustang , ran a pair of 3.68s to start eliminations before dipping into the mid- 3.60s for the semis and finals , where he went red by . 012 .
After a solid first Pro Boost outing at GALOT , Travis Harvey dominated the Mid- Atlantic Showdown . He qualified No . 1 and continued to have one of the quickest cars in eliminations , but he needed holeshots to claim his first win in the class . His 3.616 beat Ken Quartuccio ’ s 3.591 in the semis , then a perfect . 000 light and a 3.592 gave him the win over Jason Harris and his 3.586 in the final . Harris in his ProCharged “ Party Time ” ’ 69 Camaro qualified third and also used a holeshot to reach the final . Johnny Camp ’ s 3.583 was low E . T . of the event , but it wasn ’ t quick enough to beat Harris ’ 3.611 in the semis .
Extreme Pro Stock ’ s power players bounced back from an unpredictable start at GALOT , with perennial standouts Chris Powers and Elijah Morton squaring off in the final round . Both drivers laid down 4.050s in the semis , with Morton getting lane choice for the final by speed in his Allen-powered Morton Brothers Motorsports ’ 19 Mustang . Morton went red in the final , throwing away a 4.053 , while Powers lifted to a 9.643 . One round prior , Powers cut a . 001 light to leave on reigning world champion Johnny Pluchino , who qualified No . 1 in his Kaasepowered $ hameless Racing ’ 13 Mustang . His 4.045 in E1 was low E . T . of eliminations .
In a rematch of the Pro 632 final from the season opener , Amber Franklin turned on the win light in the final round to tie her 2023 score with Jeff Melnick . After qualifying No . 1 , she cut a . 005 light and ran a 4.155 to win on a holeshot over Melnick ’ s 4.141 . The two drivers have established themselves as early championship favorites , but they ’ ll face tough opposition from drivers like Doug Nicholl , who bought Wes Distefano ’ s championshipwinning , Musi-powered ’ 68 Camaro . Nicholl qualified No . 2 and ran in the teens in eliminations , but he was in the other lane when Melnick threw down low E . T . of the event in the semis .
Pro Nitrous Motorcycle saw some shuffling on the Top 3 list , as past world champion Chris Garner-Jones avenged an early exit at GALOT by qualifying No . 1 and winning aboard his T . T . Jones Racing Hayabusa . He never wavered from the 3.90-second zone , running low E . T . of the event with a 3.952 on an E1 single , a 3.996 in the semis , and a 3.982 in the final . He was due to face No . 2 qualifier Meshal Al-Saber , whose bike shut off as he was bumping in to stage . Brayden Davis was second-quickest of eliminations , but he was a little too quick on the starting line against Garner- Jones in the semis .
PRO STREET
BILL RIDDLE | TIM ESSICK | BILL LUTZ
Like Pro 632 , the Pro Street final was a rematch of the final at the season opener . This time , Bill Riddle came out on top over Tim Essick . Essick qualified No . 1 and looked strong in every round , but he threw away his quickest pass of the weekend , a 3.954 , with a rare red light in the final . Riddle in his No . 2-qualified Camaro was ready for a race with his 3.939 , which was low E . T . of the event . Bill Lutz in his “ Big Boost ” ‘ 68 Camaro made solid passes , but like Riddle at GALOT , he struggled to keep the front wheels down and had to lift in the semis .
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