While the thunder of the final event on the 2023 PDRA tour kicked off on Friday, it was Mother Nature who rained on the parade, bringing to an end the first day of the Brian Olson Memorial World Finals presented by ProCharger at Virginia Motorsports Park. Before the rains fell, Jim Halsey (Pro Nitrous) and Todd Moyer (Pro Boost) managed to lay down the best runs of their respective categories. 

The PDRA’s other professional classes did not get to hit the track for a qualifying session. Liberty’s Gears Extreme Pro Stock, presented by AED Competition, M&M Transmission Pro 632, Drag 965 Pro Nitrous Motorcycle, Menscer Motorsports Pro Street, presented by Afco Racing, and Afco Racing Super Street, presented by Menscer Motorsports, will start qualifying on Saturday. 

Halsey edged out points leader Tommy Franklin for the provisional No. 1 spot. Halsey recorded a 3.645 at 205.69 in his Fulton-powered “Daddy Shark” ’68 Camaro, while Franklin posted a 3.657 at 206.04 to take the No. 2 spot. Travis “The Carolina Kid” Harvey sits third in his Sonny ’s-powered ‘17 Corvette with a 3.692 at 203.43. 

Moyer made a statement in the first Pro Boost qualifying session when he threw down a 3.614 at 225.60 in his Carl Stevens Jr.-tuned, twin-turbocharged ‘16 Camaro. The pass, which was faster than the class speed record, gave the Texas Pro Mod veteran the provisional No. 1 spot. Jason Harris, who recently clinched the 2023 Pro Boost world championship, drove his ProCharged “Party Time” ’69 Camaro to a 3.625 at 206.39 to sit second. Dustin Nesloney in the ProCharged GALOT Motorsports ‘22 Camaro ran a 3.626 at 207.78 to take the provisional No. 3 spot. 
 
The sportsman classes ran one of two scheduled Friday qualifying sessions. The provisional low qualifiers are Buddy Perkinson in MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by PAR Racing Engines, Robert Pickens in Laris Motorsports Insurance Elite Top Dragster, Al Davidowski in MagnaFuel Top Sportsman 48 presented by Corbin’s RV, and Alan O’Brien in Laris Motorsports Insurance Top Dragster 48. 
 
The Jr. Dragster classes also completed one of their two planned Friday sessions. In Coolshirt Systems Pro Jr. Dragster presented by PRP, past Top Jr. Dragster world champion Alyssa Rabon ran a 7.915 in her “Pink Bullet” ’10 Halfscale dragster to take the provisional No. 1 spot. Classic Graphix Top Jr. Dragster, presented by PRP championship contender Wyatt Stanley cut a .009-second reaction time to jump to the top spot on the qualifying order. 
 
Qualifying will continue Saturday at 9:30 a.m., starting with the second session for the Jr. Dragster classes and the sportsman classes, followed by the continuation of the pro classes that didn’t complete the first session.