Alan Drinkwater’s return to the PDRA Drag Racing Series in 2025 ended with a familiar result, as the Florida-based driver captured his second Extreme Pro Stock world championship by season’s end. The title, clinched before the final round of competition, reinforced Drinkwater’s position as one of the most consistent performers in the category’s history.
Drinkwater closed the seven-race campaign with four victories in five final-round appearances, driving his Kaase-powered Flatout Gaskets 2008 Mustang. The championship made him just the fourth driver in PDRA history to earn multiple Extreme Pro Stock titles.
The accomplishment followed a deliberate absence from the series, as Drinkwater and his team sat out the 2024 PDRA season after winning the championship in 2023. Their return in 2025 required a reset, both competitively and mentally, against a class that continued to deepen in talent.
That adjustment period showed early in the year at the season-opening East Coast Nationals at GALOT Motorsports Park. Drinkwater advanced to the final round before finishing runner-up to reigning champion Chris Powers, signaling immediate contention but also underscoring the challenge of returning after a year away.
Momentum followed shortly after, beginning at the North vs. South Shootout at Maryland International Raceway. Drinkwater defeated Mountain Motor Pro Stock veteran Elijah Morton in the final round to earn his first victory of the season and reestablish himself as a championship threat.
“I would say the most memorable part of the season was probably when we turned the first [final-round] win light on this year,” Drinkwater says. “We made it to the first final. I goofed it up at the next race, then we won Maryland. When we turned on that last win light, it was just like, ‘OK, we’re back. We can do it.’”
The win at Maryland proved to be a turning point rather than an outlier. Drinkwater followed with a victory at the Northern Nationals at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, continuing to build a points cushion as the season entered its latter half.
Consistency became the defining theme of his championship run. A semifinal finish at the Thunder Valley Throwdown at Bristol Dragway kept Drinkwater near the top of the standings while avoiding the setbacks that often derail title hopes in Extreme Pro Stock.
The closing stretch left little doubt. Drinkwater won DragWars at GALOT Motorsports Park and then added another victory at the Brian Olson Memorial World Finals at Virginia Motorsports Park. By the time eliminations began at the finale, the championship was already secured based on qualifying results.
“We came here in ’23, first time out running Extreme Pro Stock, and we clinched the championship in probably one of the most competitive fields in PDRA history,” Drinkwater said. “We didn’t race any PDRA last year, and to come back and repeat it again just makes us feel real good.”
Behind the results was a tight-knit group that remained intact during the team’s year away. Drinkwater credited his cousin Preston Drinkwater, veteran racer Tony Gillig, and racing partner Kenny Floyd for maintaining continuity through the layoff and return.
“I just want to thank God and give Him all the glory,” Drinkwater said. “I thank my wife for all the support – he’s at home keeping things together – and my mom and dad and everybody that supports us to get here. I give it all to my crew – Kenny, David, Mike, Scott, Preston, Rosco. Tony Gillig with Flatout Gaskets. Jay with AED has been a critical part with us and helps us get every ounce of Kaase horsepower we can out of it. We think we’ve got something for everybody and we’re just going to try to keep capitalizing and making good runs. We’re looking forward to what’s next.”
The championship fight extended beyond a single driver, with several competitors posting milestone seasons. Jeremy Huffman emerged as Drinkwater’s closest challenger after transitioning from Pro 632 to Extreme Pro Stock, following a path similar to Drinkwater’s earlier career progression.
Huffman, driving a 3V Performance-powered 2010 Cobalt, earned his first career Extreme Pro Stock victory at the Mid-Atlantic Showdown at Virginia Motorsports Park. He also claimed his third career No. 1 qualifier award at the Northern Nationals, finishing second in the final standings.
Jordan Ensslin completed the top three in points with a breakthrough year of his own. The driver of the Allen-powered “Seabiscuit” 2009 Mustang earned his first career class victory at Bristol and collected his first and second No. 1 qualifier awards at the final two races of the season.
Ensslin reached the final round at both closing events, finishing runner-up to Drinkwater each time. He later defeated Drinkwater in the final round of the PDRA ProStars all-star event held during the World Finals, providing a glimpse of the competitive battles expected to continue in future seasons.
For Drinkwater, the 2025 title represented validation as much as victory, confirming that a year away had not dulled the program’s edge. The season ended not with uncertainty, but with confidence rooted in performance and perspective.
“We’re looking forward to what’s next,” Drinkwater said.
