When you already have the largest professional drag racing team in the civilized professional drag racing world, what’s one more team going to hurt?

On Thursday, the Elite Performance juggernaut expanded to include Jerry Tucker, a drag racer proficient in many drag racing arenas.

Tucker, a lifelong resident of Lindsay, Okla., has raced everything from Sprint cars to midgets and has been a constant in the world of competitive drag racing. Now he can add Pro Stock to his extensive resume.

Tucker will pilot the eighth Pro Stock machine to join the Elite Motorsports fleet as they continue to strive for excellence in the competitive and complex category.

Tucker is a childhood friend of Richard Freeman, the owner of Elite Motorsports.

“Pro Stock is my favorite category, hands down,” said Tucker. “I’ve always wanted to drive one and Elite Motorsports is the best team in the class, so I’m pumped to be joining them. The shift setup - taking off with a clutch on a pro tree - will be challenging but I’m up for it and excited to get started.”
 

Tucker will work on earning his Pro Stock license in January so he’s ready to start the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season with the rest of his fellow Pro Stock competitors in March when the series kicks off in Gainesville, Fla.

“The really cool thing with Jerry is that we grew up together,” said Freeman. “We’ve been family friends our whole lives and he’s drag raced in several different classes. It’s going to be cool to see him have this opportunity to work with our team and learn from them. We are glad to have him.”

Tucker joins a stable which includes five-time world champion Erica Enders, Aaron Stanfield, Troy Coughlin Jr., and 2017 Pro Stock world champion Bo Butner, as well as The Cuadra Boys - Fernando Cuadra Sr. and his sons, Fernando Cuadra Jr. and Cristian Cuadra.