Photos by Robert Richard, Tara Bowker
FRIDAY QUALIFYING – ORNERY RACING SURFACE EVENTUALLY SQUELCHED BY MOTHER NATURE
1 – THE STRUGGLE WAS REAL – The struggle was real in qualifying at Bristol Dragway as many teams fought to get down the hot and tricky surface. Most of the Pro Nitrous field had trouble laying down strong numbers, but three-time world champion Tommy Franklin found the right combination.
Franklin powered his Musi-equipped “Jungle Rat 3.0” ’69 Camaro to a 3.784-second run at 202.67 mph. The performance secured the No. 1 qualifying position for the third time this season. Qualifying was called off after two sessions when a torrential downpour that went well into the night forced the cancellation of qualifying.
Franklin upgraded to the new car after winning at Bristol a year ago. He enters the weekend coming off a runner-up finish to his daughter, points leader Amber Denton, at the recent Northern Nationals.
The Franklin family made headlines at Bristol last season when father and daughter both reached the winner’s circle. Denton claimed Pro 632 while Franklin won in Pro Nitrous, giving Tommy Franklin Motorsports a rare double victory.
Now, they are chasing the possibility of another all-family final round on Saturday. “It’s tricky out here,” Franklin said. “That racetrack’s been really hot, but we made a nice lap in Q1, so we’ll be ready to go for the first round.”
Franklin credited his group for adjusting to the conditions. “It’s probably going to be hot most of the day [Saturday], so I think it’ll be a lot like what we were out there in today,” he said. “There’s a younger girl [Denton] in front of me in points that I’m trying to chase down, so I need a little bit of confidence for that right now—our team’s good. I’m always confident in what we can do out there. I’m ready to go.”
Erie, Pennsylvania’s John Vergotz came close to securing his first career No. 1 qualifier. He recorded a 3.789 at 199.82 in his Musi-powered ’69 Camaro to take the No. 2 position, missing the top spot by just five-thousandths of a second.
Defending world champion Fredy Scriba rounded out the top three in qualifying. He drove his Musi-powered ’69 Camaro to a 3.823 at 201.52 mph.
2 – TANNER HOLDS STEADY – Preston Tanner and tuner Jeff Pierce carried momentum from Thursday testing into Friday qualifying at Bristol Dragway. The young driver’s screw-blown “Sweetheart” ’15 Corvette posted a 3.674-second run at 203.98 mph to secure the provisional No. 1 spot.
While Tanner didn’t improve in the second session, none of the other 18 drivers were able to surpass him. The effort marked his first No. 1 qualifier since the 2022 season.
“We are really excited because we have been working the past couple of years to really get back up on this horse, and it feels nice to finally get one,” Tanner said. He credited his family-based crew and sponsors including Wyo Motorsports, G-Force Race Cars, M&M Transmissions, Manhattan Collision Center, AJ Wendt & Son Trucking, Tanner Transport, PD Products and Talbert Manufacturing.
Tanner said the approach heading into eliminations will remain steady.
“Going into race day No. 1 in this kind of field really doesn’t mean a whole bunch because every racer here is stout,” he said. “What I plan to do – and what I started in Michigan – was I just gave each racer the same every single time and I just work on myself. I don’t worry about who’s in the other lane.”
Jason Harris, the defending event winner and reigning two-time world champion, qualified second. He drove his ProCharged Southern Diamond Company “Party Time” ’69 Camaro to a 3.679 at 205.98 mph.
Randy Weatherford, winner of the recent Northern Nationals, locked into the No. 3 spot. He recorded a 3.709 at 208.23 mph in his Hart’s Charger-boosted WS Construction ’21 Camaro.
Tanner’s run stood as the highlight of a challenging day of qualifying. Hot conditions and a tricky racing surface kept most of the Pro Boost field searching for traction.
Still, Tanner’s team left with confidence. “Our team’s worked really hard to get here, and it feels good to finally put it together,” he said. “Now it’s about going rounds.”
3 – DENTON NAILS IT IN PRO STREET – Blake Denton added another top qualifying effort Friday night to continue his strong sophomore season in Pro Street. The Virginia driver’s nitrous-assisted, Musi-powered “Bonnie” ’69 Camaro posted a 4.036 at 191.73 mph to secure the No. 1 spot at Bristol Dragway.
Denton was one of just two drivers to dip below 4.10 seconds on the tricky surface. The run marked his third No. 1 qualifier award of the season after opening the year with back-to-back No. 1 qualifiers.
The Camaro serves as a rolling tribute to the late Lizzy Musi. Denton will begin eliminations with a high-stakes matchup against defending world champion Ethan Steding, who sits second behind him in the points standings.
“Over the break we had to put 110 pounds in the car and we went to work with Jeff [Pierce, tuner] and brainstormed where to put the weight because that’s a lot of weight to disperse in the car and not get it upset,” Denton said. “The car seems really happy.”
Behind Denton, Chris Tuten returned to competition on a high note. After crashing his turbocharged ’87 Mustang at Maryland in June, he bounced back to qualify second with a 4.098 at 196.90 mph.
Newcomer Adrian Herrera achieved a career-best performance to secure the No. 3 spot. He posted a 4.151 at 184.65 in his ProCharger-boosted E-Shoot Systems ’67 Chevelle.
4 – FIRST ROUND RACE WITH CHAMPIONSHIP IMPLICATIONS – The championship picture in Pro Street could take a major turn Saturday when points leader Blake Denton meets defending world champion Ethan Steding in the first round of eliminations at Bristol Dragway.
Denton secured the No. 1 qualifying position with a 4.036 at 191.73 in his Musi-powered “Bonnie” ’69 Camaro. Steding, who trails Denton in the standings, ended up on the opposite end of the qualifying order, setting up an early elimination clash between the division’s top two contenders.
“It looks like I have Ethan first round, so that’s the championship in the making, hopefully,” Denton said. “I’ve got a good car underneath me and I’ve just gotta do my job.”
The matchup highlights a contrast in approaches this season. Denton has relied on consistent top-end performance, qualifying No. 1 at three of the first four events, while Steding has leaned on race-day experience as the defending series champion.
For Denton, eliminating Steding early would create separation in the points race. A loss, however, could allow Steding to close the gap and shift the momentum back toward the reigning champion.
Both drivers are familiar with high-pressure situations. Denton is in just his second full season in Pro Street but has shown composure in big rounds, while Steding has carried the weight of defending a title.
The Bristol surface, which challenged much of the field during qualifying, adds another layer of unpredictability. “I know a lot of people struggled this weekend with the track, but the car is speaking for itself,” Denton said. “What Jeff’s got going right now is great.”
5 – MUSI BEING MUSI: CLASSIC PRO STOCK EDITION – Pat Musi is widely recognized as a dominant nitrous engine builder and an eight-time NMCA Pro Street champion with multiple Pro Modified victories. What many fans may not realize is that Musi was also an accomplished Pro Stock racer in both IHRA and NHRA competition.
Musi never claimed an NHRA national event win, but his resume includes a runner-up finish and a No. 1 qualifying effort at the 1981 NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. That season proved to be his best, as he finished fourth in the NHRA Pro Stock championship standings.
“I had some good memories racing in NHRA Pro Stock,” Musi said.
Musi opened the 1981 NHRA season with a runner-up finish to Bob Glidden at the Winternationals. The performance helped set the tone for a season in which he became a consistent challenger to the established NHRA stars.
Musi said that in the early 1980s, IHRA competitors often faced skepticism when they crossed over to NHRA events. The IHRA roster featured Warren Johnson, Ronnie Sox, Don Nicholson, and Rickie Smith, but Musi said NHRA racers were slow to respect them.
“All I used to hear was, ‘if he comes over here to NHRA, we’ll teach him a lesson,’” Musi recalled. “I turned it around on them, first race — runner-up to [Bob] Glidden. They played it off as us being lucky.”
At Pomona, Musi advanced by beating championship contender Lee Shepherd, who fouled in their second-round matchup. He backed up the win two weeks later in Gainesville by outrunning Shepherd straight-up in eliminations.
Musi, being Musi, even directed a remark at Shepherd’s team owner, David Reher. “Hey, I am ready for that lesson,” Musi told him.
While relationships with rivals improved as the season continued, Musi said Glidden always showed him respect. “There was nothing aftermarket then,” Musi said. “Everything was over the counter, nothing but GM or junkyard blocks. We took a block and shortened the deck. I had a 9-inch deck height block. It was just fast… badass fast.”
Musi began the 1981 campaign in a three-link Camaro built by Don Ness, but realized the car was behind the leaders. After the fourth race, he switched to a four-link chassis also built by Ness, which proved competitive.
The upgrade paid off at Indianapolis, where Musi qualified No. 1 at the U.S. Nationals. “The new four-link Ness car was the ticket,” Musi said.
He also reflected on the financial challenges of Pro Stock racing. “I learned long before I started racing in NHRA Pro Stock that we all put our pants on the same way,” Musi said. “Unfortunately, this sport is built more on money than your knowledge. When the money came in, as well as the 500-inch engines, it put it all a bit out of reach. I call Pro Stock the millionaire’s club today. They can have it.”
Before his NHRA success, Musi had built a strong reputation in IHRA competition. From 1976 to 1980, he reached six Pro Stock finals and won three times, including back-to-back runner-up finishes in 1977 and 1978.
Musi also qualified for the semifinals at the first IHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock race in Darlington in 1977. “I’d definitely like to make a run in one,” he said of the Mountain Motor cars.
6 – TRADING PLACES – Fletcher Cox spent 12 seasons disrupting offenses as a defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles. Now, the retired NFL veteran is chasing wins in drag racing.
Cox, a six-time Pro Bowl selection, four-time All-Pro, and Super Bowl champion, retired in March 2024. The former Mississippi State standout announced his decision on Instagram, opening the door for him to pursue his longtime passion.
“I was always wanting to drive the car,” Cox said. “But obviously, my profession was more important than driving a race car.”
During his NFL career, Cox supported drag racing as a team owner, often standing behind his doorslammer entries with a headset on. When his playing days ended, he decided it was time to climb into the seat.
Cox made his debut at the PDRA Mid-Atlantic Showdown in Dinwiddie, Va., qualifying No. 4 and advancing to the semifinals. Weeks later, he claimed his first No. 1 qualifier at Maryland International Raceway, less than 50 miles from the stadium where he recorded 15.5 sacks against the Washington Commanders.
He added another No. 1 qualifying effort in Martin, Mich. “It just took some time,” Cox said. “We obviously ran some no time stuff with the same car ‘Training Day,’ but took some time and took the car down to RK Racecraft on a Sunday, and Ryan was gracious enough to come.”
Cox credited his team for his transition. “The biggest part was taking up on it the right way,” he said. “And I say that is really just putting together a badass team like we have right now with Phil and Andy and Joe, all of my friends that come help, Tommy, Kirk, Macbeth, obviously Casey, my girlfriend.”
Knowledge, Cox said, has been his foundation. “The good saying going is knowledge is power, and when you have knowledge it’s power, and you just have to listen to those guys and soak everything that they’re saying in,” he said. “I’m humble enough to do that, and I don’t know it all, because we all know anything in life can humble you.”
Cox said he is enjoying the sport without intimidation. “The best thing about the 2025 season with this team is we’re having so much fun,” he said. “There’s no bad vibes and everybody likes each other, everybody gets along, and there’s not really much that shakes me up.”
Former NFL quarterback Dan Pastorini remains the fastest ex-football player on the strip, but Cox said he isn’t ready to chase him yet. “Actually, a conversation we had the other day that I need to get my quarter-mile license, and I’ll get it in this car, but we’ll be fine,” he said.
Cox, at six-four and 270 pounds, said his size made a doorslammer the right choice. “So obviously very, very blessed to know that I own this car and was able to fit, and it’s all working out, so we’re having a lot of fun doing it,” he said.
His background as a lineman helps. “My reaction time when I first started was not that bad, but I’ve been getting better, and I’m really, really hard on myself about it,” Cox said. “But I decided to stay patient and just keep chipping away.”
Cox said his goal is progress. “You just keep chipping away,” he said. “And it all comes together.”
7 – WIN, LOSE OR TY – For Ty Tutterow, drag racing is more than a career — it is a family tradition. The son of multi-time champion Todd Tutterow has emerged as a Pro Boost contender in the PDRA while carrying lessons passed down through three generations.
“It’s really just a dream come true,” Ty said. “Watching him run from my entire childhood to now being in the seat and him watching me run some, it’s just something I’ve always wanted to do my whole life.”
Ty said he knew early that racing would be his path. “I was probably at least, probably six or seven years old,” he said.
He recalled long days watching his father balance a grading operation with nights spent in the race shop. “Growing up, seeing that, knowing that I might be going into pushing dirt to, fortunately enough, turning this into a career and just working on race cars ever since I graduated high school,” Ty said.
His father has been both mentor and trainer. “He’s good,” Ty said. “He’s easy to talk to most days, but just like everybody who always, when somebody gets their mind on something, it’s just got to have a little bit of time to think about stuff too.”
Ty is currently leading the PDRA Pro Boost standings. “It is, and I’ve run for points, this is my second championship I’ve gotten to chase, well actually the third championship I’ve gotten to chase in Pro Modified,” he said.
He previously finished second to Jose Gonzalez while driving for Earl Wells and later won an NMCA title with Tyler Jenkins’ ’57 Buick. Now, he is competing in the car his father drove last year for Justin Smith, chasing another Pro Boost crown.
Todd said racing alongside his son has been rewarding. “It’s special,” he said. “Something you always want to dream of, and he’s come up through the ranks.”
Todd praised his son’s growth and work ethic. “He’s seen what I’ve done, good and bad, and knows the difference,” Todd said. “I can’t say no more about his work ethic.”
The veteran tuner admitted he can be quiet when focused, a trait he said came from his own father. “You got to stop and remember,” Todd said. “You got to talk to people correctly, and try to do the right thing, but still, heated moments, you’re still family.”
Todd credited his wife with instilling discipline. “His mama gave him that right off the bat, because she didn’t listen to much back talk or nothing,” Todd said. “He’s been very respectful his whole life.”
For the Tutterows, drag racing remains a family bond. “It’s good that you can work with your family,” Todd said. “And I got to work with my dad too toward the end of his career, and he had a love for drag racing, and I got a love for drag racing.”
Todd said the passion is likely to continue. “Ty’s got a love for drag racing, looked like his little boy’s got one because he’s been wearing out the Hot Wheels in here,” he said.
He called competing with his son the fulfillment of a dream. “A dream come true, exactly,” Todd said.
8 – ELIJAH RAINS DOWN ON XPS – Mountain Motor Pro Stock veteran Elijah Morton returned to action at Bristol Dragway and made an immediate impact. The North Carolina driver qualified No. 1 in Extreme Pro Stock for the first time this season after sitting out the recent Northern Nationals.
Morton, from Swansboro, guided his Allen-powered Morton Brothers Motorsports ’19 Mustang to a 4.174-second pass at 173.72 mph in the opening session. The run held through the second session, securing the top position heading into eliminations.
The weekend carried additional significance for Morton’s program. His engine builder, Allen Competition Engines of Surgoinsville, Tenn., is serving as the presenting sponsor for the class at Bristol.
Morton’s effort edged out 2023 world champion Alan Drinkwater, who continues to hold the series points lead. Drinkwater posted a 4.179 at 173.41 in his Kaase-powered Flatout Gaskets ’08 Mustang to claim the No. 2 spot.
Jeremy Huffman rounded out the top three qualifiers with a 4.183 at 172.67. He drove his 3V Performance-powered ’10 Cobalt to the mark, ensuring a tight front half of the ladder.
9 – FIRST TIME FOR LIBERTY – Nicole Liberty earned her first career No. 1 qualifier award in Pro 632 on Friday at Bristol Dragway. The Michigan driver’s 4.253-second pass at 166.89 mph stood as the quickest effort of the day after two sessions.
Liberty made the lap in the opening round of qualifying in her Khoury-powered Liberty’s Gears ’99 Firebird. The Marine City-based engineer carried momentum into Bristol after setting a career-best elapsed time earlier this month at the Northern Nationals in Martin, Mich.
The milestone marked the second straight event in which Liberty has added a personal highlight to her growing Pro 632 résumé. “It’s been a lot of hard work to get here, and to see it pay off like this is special,” she said earlier in the season.
Behind Liberty, defending world champion Jeff Melnick slotted into the No. 2 position. He ran a 4.263 at 167.95 in Alan O’Brien’s Barry Allen-powered Greenbrier Excavating & Paving ’20 Camaro.
Melnick will chase his third consecutive event win when eliminations begin on Saturday. The Pennsylvania driver has leaned on consistency to maintain his status as one of the favorites in the category.
Melnick’s rookie teammate, Jeff Pittman of Hickory, N.C., qualified third with a 4.275 at 168.28. He drove his Barry Allen-powered Hickory Enclosed Trailer Sales ’68 Chevelle to his best performance of the season.
10 – THE BEST OF THE REST – Defending event winner Connor McGee kept his Super Street momentum alive Friday at Bristol Dragway. The young standout posted a 4.716-second run at 155.70 mph in his Fulton-powered Brian’s Heating & Cooling ’90 Mustang to secure his second consecutive No. 1 qualifier.
The performance followed a dominant showing at the most recent stop on tour. McGee is chasing his second straight victory overall and back-to-back wins at Bristol.
McGee’s effort edged fellow young gun Austin Vincent by three thousandths of a second. Vincent, who claimed his first career win earlier this season at Virginia, qualified second with a 4.719 at 157.01 in his nitrous-fed Vincent Performance ’88 Mustang.
“I feel confident with the car we have right now,” McGee said. “The field is tough, and we know eliminations at Bristol will be a challenge, but our goal is the same — go rounds and stay consistent.”
Glenn Butcher returned to form in Elite Top Sportsman with another No. 1 qualifier. The defending world champion, who had qualified No. 1 at the first three races before slipping to third at the last event, posted a 3.789 at 199.02 in his Butcher & Son Demolition ’69 Camaro.
Jamie Fowler took the second spot with a 3.822 at 195.31 in his Pee Dee Fleet ’69 Camaro. Randy Perkinson was third after running a 3.867 at 188.99 in his ProCharged ’67 Mustang.
In Top Sportsman 32, veteran Ronnie Proctor added another accolade by qualifying No. 1. He ran a 4.229 at 168.18 in his nitrous-fed ’09 Mustang.
Jody Stroud extended his qualifying streak in Top Dragster to five straight events. The driver of the supercharged “Zombie” ’07 Spitzer dragster laid down a 3.687 at 201.70 to lead the 16-car Elite field.
KC Ingram followed closely with a 3.719 at 201.22 in his supercharged ’20 Miller dragster, good enough for the No. 2 spot for the second consecutive race. Ashley Johnson of Cynthiana, Ky., qualified third with a 3.734 at 195.00 in her supercharged ’13 Spitzer dragster.
Russ Whitlock fell just short of the Elite Top Dragster cut with a 3.892 at 186.33. The run instead put him on top of the Top Dragster 32 field.
All classes will move into eliminations Saturday, beginning with Jr. Dragster rounds at 8:30 a.m. Pre-race ceremonies and pro class eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m.
