Rapidly falling temperatures forced officials to halt eliminations at the PDRA Carolina Nationals, shifting the remainder of the event to the East Coast Nationals in April. The decision came after two rounds of professional eliminations were completed and sportsman competition was in progress at Darlington Dragway.
Series officials cited deteriorating track conditions as the primary concern, emphasizing safety over completion of the event. The race will resume April 16–18 at Darana Motorsports Park in Dunn, North Carolina, where remaining rounds are scheduled to be contested.
“This event is now secure due to extended downtime and cold temperatures,” said Tyler Crossnoe, PDRA series director. “We have lost the racing surface and do not feel it is a smart move to continue in the essence of safety.”
The same weather that ultimately halted the event also produced fast conditions earlier in the day, leading to record-level performances. Cooler air and a sunlit racing surface created a narrow window where elapsed times dipped into historic territory.
In WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive, Randy Weatherford backed up his record-setting performance from qualifying during the opening round. However, his red-light start ended his bid despite the strong run.
Momentum shifted in the second round when Johnny Camp reset the benchmark by one-thousandth of a second with a 3.542-second pass at 213.88 mph in his ProCharged “Hells Bells” ’69 Camaro tuned by Brandon Stroud. Camp advances to face Melanie Salemi in the semifinals, while reigning world champion Ty Tutterow meets Lyle Barnett on the opposite side of the ladder.
The Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous presented by Jerry Bickel Race Cars semifinals feature a lineup defined by championship pedigree. Three-time world champion Tommy Franklin will meet 2024 champion Fredy Scriba, while defending world champion Marcus Butner squares off against Mike Achenbach.
In Liberty’s Gears Pro Street presented by KTR Drag Racing, top qualifier Jerry Morgano carried his qualifying form into eliminations and will meet Blake Denton in the semifinals. Morgano advanced after defeating E.T. record holder Richard Reagan, while Fletcher Cox is set to face Joel Wensley Jr. in the other semifinal pairing.
The Pro 632 category will feature reigning world champion Jeff Melnick against No. 1 qualifier J.C. Beattie Jr. in one semifinal matchup. Melnick’s teammate, Jeff Pittman, secured a direct path to the final round after advancing through his side of the ladder.
1320 Fabrication Super Street presented by Brian’s Heating & Cooling produced a semifinal lineup anchored by top qualifiers and recent champions. Matt Schalow will meet Dan Whetstine, while reigning world champion Connor McGee lines up against Austin Vincent.
Sportsman competition reached varying stages before the postponement halted activity across multiple categories. Elite Top Sportsman completed two rounds, while Elite Top Dragster finished one, and both Top Sportsman and Top Dragster advanced through three rounds of eliminations.
Bracket Bash eliminations were not started, and officials confirmed entry fees will be refunded. Jr. Dragster competition saw one round completed in Pro Jr. Dragster, while Classic Graphix Top Jr. Dragster did not begin eliminations.
The remaining rounds will now be contested at Darana Motorsports Park, Aprfil 16-18, 2026, during the PDRA East Coast Nationals, where officials expect conditions more conducive to completing the event. Teams will return with partial ladders intact, setting up a continuation rather than a restart of eliminations.
