Photos by Robert Richard
FINAL NOTEBOOK – HARVEY CONTINUES TO ROLL; SCRIBA PROVES NEW IS BETTER
1 – THE KID IS HOT AGAIN – Travis “The Carolina Kid” Harvey is making it difficult to remember the last time he wasn’t standing in the winner’s circle. Just weeks after cashing the $125,000 check at IHRA Pro Mod Mania with a perfect .000 reaction time, Harvey added another trophy to his collection by winning Pro Boost at the PDRA North vs. South Shootout.
Driving the screw-blown Redd Topp Trucking/Holland Enterprise ’19 Camaro owned by Vaughn Myles and Eric Holland, Harvey picked up his second career Pro Boost victory with a 3.595-second pass at 209.36 mph in the final round. Maryland favorite Derek Ward gave chase with a 3.625 at 207.75, but Harvey never surrendered the lead.
“This is my car owners’ home track, and we’ve been struggling every time we come here, so it feels good to finally get a win for them here,” Harvey said. “If it wasn’t for Vaughn and Eric, I couldn’t race, so to do it in front of their home crowd is awesome. I’m just blessed and I thank God and my crew, Danny [Perry, crew chief], his boys, my son [TJ], all the team. They got in and did everything they need to do. Everything fell our way. You have your days where you can’t do anything wrong, and that’s how it was today. I’m just on a streak and I just hope it keeps going.”
Harvey qualified a season-best third and never slowed in eliminations. He opened with a 3.610 at 208.84 to defeat Joel Wensley Sr., followed that with a 3.616 at 208.81 after leaving first against Mike Decker Jr., then survived one of the weekend’s marquee semifinal matchups against two-time Pro Boost world champion Jason Harris. Harvey’s 3.610 at 208.46 held off Harris’ quicker 3.603 thanks to a starting-line advantage.
2 – WARD’S JOURNEY TO THE FINAL – Ward’s runner-up finish was built on one upset after another. The 2024 World Series of Pro Mod winner qualified eighth in his screw-blown ’68 Firebird before knocking off a series of heavy hitters to earn a spot in the final.
Ward opened eliminations with a 3.644 at 208.55 to defeat Gabriel Andino before taking down reigning world champion, defending event winner and No. 1 qualifier Ty Tutterow in the second round. Although Tutterow laid down the second-quickest run of the event with a 3.589, Ward’s quicker reaction time allowed his 3.648 at 208.52 to get to the finish line first.
Ward continued his march with a 3.633 at 208.52 in the semifinals, advancing when Raymond Matos encountered trouble and slowed to a 5.731.
3 – THAT NEW CAR SMELL – If Fredy Scriba had any concerns about debuting a brand-new race car at his home event, he certainly didn’t show them. The defending Pro Nitrous world champion rolled out his Robert Hayes-built, Pat Musi-powered “Sorcerer” ’69 Camaro and immediately put it among the quickest cars at Maryland International Raceway.
The Millersville, Maryland, driver recorded two of the fastest runs of the weekend before sealing his second straight North vs. South Shootout victory. In the final round, Scriba capitalized when Buddy Perkinson left .011-second too soon, then powered to a 3.653 at 207.72 to close out the weekend.
“It’s pretty awesome to win at MIR. This is our home track,” Scriba said. “There’s no words to describe it. If you’re going to win one race all year, this is the one to win for me. This is definitely the one. I’m just really proud of our entire team. They did an awesome job. We got the car ready, never made any laps before we came to the track this weekend. Robert did an awesome job building the car. This car drives like a dream.”
Scriba qualified sixth and immediately showed the new combination had race-winning potential, defeating former world champion Rickie Smith with a 3.652 at 206.48 in the opening round. He followed with one of the best driving performances of eliminations, using a stellar .020 reaction time and a 3.661 at 206.54 to upset No. 1 qualifier Tim Paap on a holeshot despite Paap’s slightly quicker 3.659. Scriba then used a semifinal bye run to stage the car and prepare for the final round.
4 – BUDDY PERKINSON’S JOURNEY TO THE FINAL – Buddy Perkinson came within one round of earning his first Pro Nitrous victory, putting together a strong race-day performance after qualifying fourth in his Musi-powered ’69 Camaro.
Perkinson was nearly flawless on the starting line through the opening rounds, posting .00 reaction times while driving around Chris Rini with a 3.652 at 205.85 in the first round. He followed that with another quick leave and a 3.691 at 204.45 to edge reigning world champion Marcus Butner, whose 3.699 wasn’t enough to overcome Perkinson’s advantage at the tree.
The former Elite Top Sportsman world champion punched his ticket to the final when Dane Wood fouled by .014 second in the semifinals. Perkinson still made a clean lap, posting a 3.657 at 205.88 to secure lane choice before his red-light ended the weekend one round later.
5 – NO TIME LIKE THE FIRST TIME – Joel Wensley Jr. finally crossed one accomplishment off his racing bucket list.
The second-generation racer broke through for his first career Pro Street victory, defeating fellow young gun Scott Kincaid in the final round with the quickest pass of the weekend. Wensley drove his ProCharged ’14 Camaro to a 3.944 at 197.71, leading from the hit to the finish while Kincaid followed with a 3.996 at 193.93.
“This is pretty rewarding,” Wensley said. “We’ve been working at this for God knows how long now. We got our first win on the car a couple of weeks ago – not on this tire, though – and I told Josh, my crew chief and brother-in-law, I’m like, ‘Dude, we’re winning on this tire.’ It’s just been a long time coming. It’s awesome. It’s tough to explain. It really is. We’re jacked up. Patrick [Barnhill] is a bad man on the laptop. The car really came around. I’ve got to thank my future father-in-law [Jerry Morgano] for some chassis advice that really helped us turn a corner this weekend too. DiSomma builds the baddest motor around. We’ve got the right parts, we’ve got the right people, and it’s just working.”
Wensley qualified seventh but elevated his performance once eliminations began. He opened with a 3.976 at 197.42 to eliminate two-time world champion and Maryland favorite Tim Essick, then used a holeshot to knock off Jerry Morgano despite Morgano’s weekend-best 3.935. In the semifinals, Wensley was ready when points leader Blake Denton fouled by .002 second, backing it up with a solid 3.973 at 196.62.
Kincaid earned the No. 2 qualifying position in his screw-blown ’69 Camaro and reached the final after defeating Michael Ziccardi, making a second-round bye run, and winning a close semifinal against teammate Richard Reagan. Kincaid’s 3.986 at 193.60 was enough to beat Reagan’s slightly quicker 3.984 on a holeshot and set up the all-young-gun final.
Morgano also started from the top spot at the season opener before finishing runner-up, and he’d like to take the next step on Saturday.
“We just freshened the motor up at DiSomma’s between the last two races, so the 3.98 pass that we ran off the trailer was the first hit on the motor – I was really happy with that,” Morgano said. “We struggled the rest of testing and spun both times. The track was really tricky, and then obviously we got to run the last one at nighttime, so that helps everybody. We were lucky enough to put it together, went a 3.95. I didn’t think it would actually hold for No. 1, but I was glad that it did. We went a 4.01 in the last session, which was good, but I think we left a little on the table. Consistency will be the name of the game on race day.”
Scott Kincaid qualified second with a 3.966 at 195.19, while Mikey Sasina made his first start of the season count by taking the third spot with a 3.979 at 197.10.
6 – PITTMAN KEEPS THE MOMENTUM GOING – Jeff Pittman’s move from Top Sportsman to Pro 632 continues to pay dividends. The sophomore racer picked up his second consecutive No. 1 qualifier after Thursday’s 4.147-second pass at 171.95 mph in his ’68 Chevelle survived Friday’s final qualifying session.
Pittman believes the consistency comes from joining forces with a proven championship-caliber program, though he knows the margin at the top remains slim.
“I’m just fortunate to be in this position,” Pittman said. “A lot of years went into this program that Alan and his team have been refining over the years. I brought my car to the table and it’s been a great fit. There’s some tough competition here. It’s not like we ran away with it today. There’s a handful of cars that could’ve taken the top spot. I just wish we could get some more participation over here. I really appreciate the PDRA sticking around and giving us a great place to race.”
Carson Hoyle qualified second with a 4.171 at 169.53, while rookie David Cook Jr. continued his steady improvement by qualifying third at 4.191 and 168.98.
7 – ANOTHER ONE FOR McGEE – Connor McGee is making a habit of turning Maryland International Raceway into his personal playground.
The reigning Super Street world champion successfully defended his North vs. South Shootout title, earning his second victory in three final-round appearances this season while extending his points lead over chief rival Austin Vincent. McGee saved his best pass for last, driving his Fulton-powered ’90 Mustang to a class-best 4.525 at 156.95 to defeat Vincent’s 4.655 at 158.86.
“Last year, we won this race and it was a big momentum boost in the points,” McGee said. “In every class, it seems to always be this halfway point in the season, things start to turn around, so I’m glad it didn’t turn around for us and it just kept going our way. I think now we have at least two rounds [on Vincent], so that feels really good to just have that consistency and that momentum going into the rest of the year.”
McGee entered eliminations as the No. 1 qualifier and immediately showed why, laying down a 4.565 at 152.90 on his first-round bye. He stayed remarkably consistent with a 4.567 at 157.36 to eliminate Matt Schalow before improving to a 4.533 at 156.50 in the semifinals after Frank Saffelle III slowed with mechanical issues.
Vincent qualified second in his ’88 Mustang and matched McGee round for round through eliminations. He opened with a 4.573 at 155.10 over Troy Hill, followed with a 4.647 at 154.40 to eliminate Kenny Fox, then coasted through a semifinal bye run to set up the championship showdown.
8 – KEELER IS THE TOP SPORTSMAN – Mike Keeler proved once again that championships are won with consistency as much as outright speed.
Although he didn’t have the quickest car in Elite Top Sportsman, Keeler pieced together a steady performance and timely reaction times to claim the coveted 660 Man trophy. Driving his nitrous-assisted 1963 Corvette, the Middletown, Virginia, racer ran a 4.099 on a 4.08 dial-in to defeat Brian Tiffe in a battle of old-school versus new-school Corvettes.
Tiffe, driving Gary Schween’s 2018 Corvette, qualified fourth and posted a 3.833 on his 3.81 dial-in in the runner-up effort, but Keeler’s consistency from the starting line to the finish stripe proved to be the difference.
Top Sportsman 32 featured another all-Camaro-versus-Mopar matchup in the final. Stafford, Virginia’s Stacy Johnson got the jump in his ’68 Camaro and ran a near-perfect 4.476 on his 4.47 dial-in to defeat Mike Daymude, whose ’08 Dodge Stratus broke out with a 4.239 on a 4.24 dial-in.
9 – FURR TAKES THE TOP DRAGSTER – Steve Furr continues to make every opportunity count.
The two-time Elite Top Dragster world champion picked up his second victory in the last three races, driving his ProCharged 2013 American dragster to another winner’s circle appearance. Furr sealed the win with a near-perfect final-round package, combining a .005 reaction time with a 3.797 on his 3.79 dial-in to defeat Linzie Coleman, who broke out with a 3.836 on a 3.84 dial-in.
Furr’s biggest victory of the day may have come one round earlier when he eliminated points leader Josh Duggins in the semifinals, adding even more intrigue to the championship chase heading into the second half of the season.
Top Dragster 32 featured another veteran racer adding to an already impressive résumé.
Former Top Sportsman world champion Chad Traylor showed his versatility by taking the Top Dragster 32 victory. The Providence Forge, Virginia, racer cut the better light and drove his 2026 Maddox dragster to a 4.235 on a 4.23 dial-in to defeat Brooke Hall Gary, who posted a 4.356 on a 4.35 dial-in in her 2022 American dragster.
10 – AFTER THE BREAK – The Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series now heads into its summer break before returning for one of the most anticipated races on the schedule.
The series resumes Aug. 6-8 with the Thunder Valley Throwdown at Bristol Dragway, where championship battles will intensify as teams enter the stretch run toward the 2026 season finale.
MOTHER NATURE GIVES A LITTLE, RACERS GIVE A LOT
1 – FAMILY TRADITION – One year ago, Ty Tutterow left the North vs. South Shootout with a victory that ignited a championship season. The son of two-time Pro Boost world champion Todd “King Tut” Tutterow won three of the next five races, reached five consecutive final rounds and capped the run with the world title.
Tutterow appears ready to make another run. Driving a new ’68 Camaro, he secured the provisional No. 1 spot Thursday with a 3.593-second pass at 209.20 mph, and Friday’s lone qualifying session wasn’t enough to knock him off the top of the sheet.
“It feels great to come out here and be back in the No. 1 spot going into race day,” Tutterow said. “We have had a fast, consistent race car since we dropped the gate and we just hope to continue that throughout race day.”
2 – HARRIS ON HIS HEELS – If Tutterow is going to repeat, he’ll have to get through one of the toughest fields Pro Boost has assembled this season. Multi-time Pro Boost and Pro Nitrous world champion Jason Harris qualified second with a 3.622 at 210.67 in his ’69 Camaro.
Travis “The Carolina Kid” Harvey continued one of the strongest starts of his season by qualifying third at 3.624 and 209.30. Harvey has quietly become one of the class’s most consistent performers, putting himself in position for another deep run on race day.
3 – PAAP’S PERFECT STORM – A week ago, Tim Paap wasn’t sure his team would even make the trip to Maryland. After severe storms and a tornado struck his hometown of Charleston, Ill., the second-year Pro Nitrous racer considered staying home before deciding to load up and head east.
That decision paid off when Paap’s Thursday-night run of 3.653 seconds at 205.41 mph in his ’16 Corvette held through Friday to earn his first No. 1 qualifier award. The accomplishment comes after failing to qualify at the season opener and improving to the No. 2 spot at the previous race, another sign the team has found its footing.
“To go from not qualifying at the first race to qualifying No. 1 here is huge,” said Paap, who qualified No. 2 at the second race on tour. “It’s a testament to Jeffrey Barker and our whole team. We weren’t sure if we were going to make it to this race. We got hit by a tornado at home, so it was just all kind of spur of the moment. I actually called it off last Friday, then Tuesday, I’m like, ‘Hey, let’s go. Let’s just get rid of the chaos and we’ll go to a different kind of chaos.’ We’re just looking to be in the winner’s circle at the end of the day tomorrow.”
4 – DENTON COMES CLOSE – Amber Denton came within a thousandth of a second of climbing to the top of the Pro Nitrous qualifying sheet. The two-time Pro 632 world champion settled for a season-best No. 2 after posting a 3.662 at 206.67 in her ’69 Camaro.
If that wasn’t close enough, reigning world champion Marcus Butner was another thousandth back. Butner’s 3.663 at 207.62 put him third, giving the class three contenders separated by just .010 heading into eliminations.
5 – THURSDAY HOLDS FOR MORGANO – Thursday night’s qualifying session proved to be the one that mattered most for Jerry Morgano. His 3.958-second pass at 201.94 mph in his ’02 Mustang stood through Friday’s lone qualifying session, earning his second No. 1 qualifier in the season’s first three races.
Morgano also started from the top spot at the season opener before finishing runner-up, and he’d like to take the next step on Saturday.
“We just freshened the motor up at DiSomma’s between the last two races, so the 3.98 pass that we ran off the trailer was the first hit on the motor – I was really happy with that,” Morgano said. “We struggled the rest of testing and spun both times. The track was really tricky, and then obviously we got to run the last one at nighttime, so that helps everybody. We were lucky enough to put it together, went a 3.95. I didn’t think it would actually hold for No. 1, but I was glad that it did. We went a 4.01 in the last session, which was good, but I think we left a little on the table. Consistency will be the name of the game on race day.”
Scott Kincaid qualified second with a 3.966 at 195.19, while Mikey Sasina made his first start of the season count by taking the third spot with a 3.979 at 197.10.
6 – PITTMAN KEEPS THE MOMENTUM GOING – Jeff Pittman’s move from Top Sportsman to Pro 632 continues to pay dividends. The sophomore racer picked up his second consecutive No. 1 qualifier after Thursday’s 4.147-second pass at 171.95 mph in his ’68 Chevelle survived Friday’s final qualifying session.
Pittman believes the consistency comes from joining forces with a proven championship-caliber program, though he knows the margin at the top remains slim.
“I’m just fortunate to be in this position,” Pittman said. “A lot of years went into this program that Alan and his team have been refining over the years. I brought my car to the table and it’s been a great fit. There’s some tough competition here. It’s not like we ran away with it today. There’s a handful of cars that could’ve taken the top spot. I just wish we could get some more participation over here. I really appreciate the PDRA sticking around and giving us a great place to race.”
Carson Hoyle qualified second with a 4.171 at 169.53, while rookie David Cook Jr. continued his steady improvement by qualifying third at 4.191 and 168.98.
7 – McGEE’S CONSISTENCY CONTINUES – Connor McGee isn’t giving anyone much room to breathe in Super Street. The defending world champion earned his second straight No. 1 qualifier and has yet to qualify lower than second through the opening three races.
McGee reached the final round at both completed events this season, winning the opener, and credits a disciplined routine for keeping the team at the front of the field.
“It’s nice to show up and do well consistently,” McGee said. “It makes me feel better in the car. It’s tough when you don’t know what the car’s going to do and you’re worried about every other thing. I have a good team where I can just sit back and focus on driving and the other small things that I do, and they handle the rest of it. That’s the big help. That’s why we do so good is we just have a good routine, a good crew, and we just test a lot. We race here eight times a year, but we’re probably at the racetrack probably 20 or 30 times a year because we’re changing things, trying new things, seeing what works, seeing what doesn’t work. It’s just part of our success and it’s paying off.”
Austin Vincent stayed within striking distance by qualifying second with a 4.559 at 154.65, while Charles Potter rounded out the top three with a 4.632 at 152.38 in his ’84 Mustang.
8 – LAFLAM SETS THE TOP SPORTSMAN PACE – Bryan LaFlam stood alone in Elite Top Sportsman as the only driver to crack the 3.70-second zone. His 3.776 at 194.49 in a ’67 Mustang earned the No. 1 qualifying position heading into eliminations.
Jamie Fowler, who claimed the top qualifying spot at the season’s first two races, settled for second with a 3.809 at 198.64. Veteran Bruce Thrift completed the top three with a 3.833 at 193.77 in his ’06 GTO.
In Top Sportsman 32, Middletown, Virginia’s Corey Evans locked down the No. 1 spot after driving his ’69 Firebird to a 4.159 at 173.21.
9 – KIMBLE LEADS ELITE TOP DRAGSTER, TRAYLOR HEADS TD32 – Gray Kimble paced a tightly packed Elite Top Dragster field with a 3.745 at 197.33 in his ’18 Miller dragster. Less than three hundredths separated the top three qualifiers.
Josh Duggins qualified second with a 3.760 at 199.32, while Brian Anderson rounded out the top three after posting a 3.774 at 192.47.
Former Top Sportsman world champion Chad Traylor narrowly missed the 16-car Elite field, but his 4.221 at 165.97 was good enough to earn the No. 1 qualifying position in Top Dragster 32.
10 – ON TAP – Saturday’s schedule opens with the final Jr. Dragster qualifying session at 9 a.m., followed by one time trial for Bracket Bash competitors.
Professional eliminations are scheduled to begin at 10:45 a.m. as racers chase victories in the North vs. South Shootout.
