SCRUGGS, COX AND STRICKLAND PACE FIRST-DAY PDRA SOUTHERN EXTRAMA NATS QUALIFYING
Jason Scruggs overcame his early-season struggles to earn the provisional number-one qualifier position in Pro Extreme at the Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) Southern Extreme Nationals.
“For me it feels good [to qualify number one] because we’ve been struggling with a bunch of new parts on the car. It’s a relief to get down the track tonight and not be behind the eight-ball going into tomorrow. Plus, Bubba Stanton has been running his mouth, so I don’t have to listen to him talk smack all night,” Scruggs joked, referencing the 2014 Pro Extreme champion who is back in competition after missing most of the 2016 season.
After an offseason of uncertainty, Jay Cox emerged as provisional No. 1 qualifier in Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous presented by MoTeC,
“It’s been a rough road this winter, not knowing which direction we were gonna go, as much as I love drag racing,” Cox said. “I prayed about it a lot and thought about it a lot, and it all worked out. It’s going to be a good deal.
“This is a good feeling. This thing sat on the ProJacks for four months. Then we came down here and it’s running as fast as it’s ever run. I have a lot of good people in my corner – good crew, good family, and a good guy backing me, Luke Clements and Clements Mechanical. They’re new to drag racing, and what better way to introduce them than with a performance like this.”
Also leading in the professional classes after two of three qualifying sessions at South Georgia Motorsports Park are John Strickland in Andy McCoy Race Cars Pro Boost, Cary Goforth in Extreme Pro Stock, and Eric McKinney in Drag 965 Pro Extreme Motorcycle.
In the PDRA’s sportsman classes, the current low qualifiers are Randy Perkinson in Magnafuel Top Sportsman and Jody Stroud in Lucas Oil Top Dragster. Mia Schultz tops the Campers Inn RV Pro Junior Dragster field, and Mallory Logan leads MegaCorp Top Junior Dragster.