Although multi-time PDRA Pro Nitrous World Champion Tommy Franklin and daughter Amber have shared the championship stage in the past, sharing the winner circle has been well overdue.  

Two-time PDRA Champion Tommy Franklin finally found the winner circle in 2022, scoring his first win of the season in Pro Nitrous over Memorial Day Weekend, the DeCerbo Construction American Doorslammer Challenge presented by Callies held at Summit Motorsports Park. Franklin, aboard his '69 Camaro dubbed "Jungle Rat," swept the weekend, qualifying number one, tied for low e.t. of eliminations, and defeated rival and reigning Pro Nitrous World Champion Jim Halsey in the final round under the lights to score the victory.

But the real highlight of the night happened just a few minutes later when Franklin's daughter Amber scored her second consecutive win of the season in Pro 632. Marking the first time in Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) history, a father-daughter duo was able to double up and win at the same event.

"We've chased doing the double up for years," Franklin said. "We've had multiple situations where we've been close. Whether I've lost the final round or she lost the final, I'm usually the one screwing it up. It's something we've chased for a while, for ten years, so when you start thinking about it, it's like, wow, it's been a long time we've been chasing it and have not been able to accomplish it. It's an accomplishment for anybody to turn on a "W" and get a win, so to expect us to do it together adds a layer of pressure."

With Pro Nitrous being the first final round contested on Saturday night, the eldest Franklin would have the honors of being the first of the two Franklins to try and keep the dream of a father-daughter double alive. Although that might seem like a lot of pressure, the final round was just business as usual for Franklin, who's also a track owner and part-owner of PDRA.

"We've tried and failed so many times it was just another race," Franklin said. "We wanted to get the win bad anyway. Halsey's been a real strong competitor, and to go out there and race against him and beat him means a lot. Knowing we wanted to go out and make that happen, you think about it and just go out there and do your job."

Franklin's opponent in the final round, reigning PDRA Pro Nitrous World Champion Jim Halsey aboard his '68 Camaro dubbed "Daddy Shark," would get the advantage on the starting. Still, Franklin would have the performance on the racetrack, driving around Halsey to capture his first win of the season but now putting all the pressure on his daughter Amber to complete the feat they have been trying to capture for so long.

Just like her father, Amber, who won a Jr. Dragster championship in 2017, the same year Tommy won his second PDRA Pro Nitrous World Championship, would enter final eliminations in Norwalk, now competing in Pro 632 as the number one qualifier.

Coming off her first career win at the previous race in Bowling Green, Kentucky, the Vortech Doorslammer Derby presented by Stroud, the younger Franklin, would once again not be denied. Slicing her way through eliminations behind the wheel of her '69 Camaro named "OG Jungle Rat," Amber would march into the final round with history on the line. With all the pressure on the young Franklin in the final round, Amber would rise to the occasion. Leaving on opponent Walter Lannigan Jr. on the starting line and outperforming him on the racetrack to secure her second consecutive win in a row and the first father-daughter double up in PDRA history.

"She stepped up and got a win," Franklin said. "As a parent, it's just cool to watch her. She's a really good driver, has really good poise in the car, and she's doing a great job."

Amber made her jump to the big show in Pro 632 last season at the penultimate race of the 2021 PDRA campaign, the Proline Drag Wars presented by Modern Racing, held at Galot Motorsports Park. In her debut, the young Franklin immediately shined, advancing to the final round in her first race out.

So far, through the first five races of Amber's young career dating back to last year, she's advanced to four finals scoring two national event wins, those wins coming at the last two races on tour. As a result of her hot start to the season, Amber currently holds the points lead in Pro 632, and even though it's still early, she has her eyes set on a championship.

"I'm sure inside she had her sights set on a championship," Franklin said. "But she's also realistic and understands that there are many other good teams out there, so it's not going to happen in three races. We've got to keep the focus, keep the hammer down, and try to turn on as many "W's" as possible."

But Tommy, who also sits in the points lead in Pro Nitrous, admits that even though he enjoys the thrills of winning, celebrating a win for his daughter is just a little more special.

"We celebrated the starting line when Amber won," Franklin said. "Those are the things you don't get to see as a driver. There's more fun on the starting line when you turn on win lights than when you're by yourself in the car."

But just when you thought the challenge of doubling with his daughter was over for Tommy Franklin, he quickly realized he had to do it all over again as his other daughter Ashley who's also coming up through the ranks, hopes to double up with him one day as well.

"The monkey is off our back, and maybe the doubles will just come all the time now," Franklin said. "But I have another daughter that wants to do the same thing, so at this point, our goal is for her and I to win together, or all three of us, whatever it takes to win. We set our goals higher and reached a little higher than we were originally. The pressure never stops."