BENSON, N.C. — Longtime nitrous door-slammer racer Brian Shrader broke through to claim his first Professional Drag Racers Association Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous victory Saturday night at the season-opening Summit Racing Equipment East Coast Nationals presented by FuelTech at GALOT Motorsports Park.
Pro Nitrous was guaranteed a first-time winner, as Shrader defeated Fredy Scriba in the final round at the first of eight championship points races on the Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series schedule.
“It’s a great confidence builder,” said Shrader, a multi-time champion and winner in Piedmont Dragway’s Big Dog Shootout Series. “The car is working fantastic. We’re running with some of the best racers in the world – probably hall of famers, really. That’s huge for us. That’s what we’ve been working for and that’s what we’ve been striving for and it looks like our program is evolving to that level.”
Shrader was joined in the winner’s circle by professional class winners Todd Tutterow in WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive, Johnny Pluchino in Liberty’s Gears Extreme Pro Stock presented by AED Competition, Andy House in PDRA Pro 632, Eric McKinney in Drag 965 Pro Extreme Motorcycle, Scott Kincaid in Menscer Motorsports Pro Street presented by Afco Racing and Blake Denton in Afco Racing Super Street presented by Menscer Motorsports.
Sportsman class victories went to Randy Perkinson in MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by PAR Racing Engines, Michael White in Laris Motorsports Insurance Elite Top Dragster presented by Greenbrier Excavating & Paving, Ron Whitlock in MagnaFuel Top Sportsman presented by Corbin’s RV, and Danielle Gonzalez in Laris Motorsports Insurance Top Dragster presented by Younce RV. Amanda Manual picked up the win in Edelbrock Bracket Bash presented by COMP Cams, using a 6.108 on a 6.10 dial-in in her ’99 S10 to defeat Will Holloman in his ’21 American dragster.
In the PDRA’s Jr. Dragster classes, Alyssa Tilghman and Victoria Beaner scored wins in Coolshirt Systems Pro Jr. Dragster presented by Philadelphia Racing Products and Classic Graphix Top Jr. Dragster presented by Philadelphia Racing Products, respectively. Tilghman and final-round opponent Ashley Franklin left the starting line together, then Tilghman ran a 7.907 to Franklin’s too-quick 7.893, both against a 7.90 index.
Beaner, last year’s championship runner-up, used a superior reaction time and an 8.941 on an 8.90 dial-in to get the final-round win over No. 1 qualifier Jason Geryes and his 9.101 on a 9.04 dial-in.