Photos by Luke Nieuwhof
The inaugural Drag Illustrated Winter Series will culminate this weekend as it crowns its first champion at the World Series of Pro Mod from February 27 to March 1 at Bradenton Motorsports Park. Over 80 Pro Mod drivers from North America and beyond will compete for a $150,000 grand prize while vying for a $25,000 championship bonus.
The event will feature the second annual Pro 10.5 Challenge and the third annual Mountain Motor Pro Stock Invitational, both offering $25,000 to the winners. Additionally, sportsman competitors will participate in the second annual Intercontinental Top Sportsman and Top Dragster Championships, each with $50,000 winner-take-all prizes. Local bracket racers will compete in the $5,000-to-win Super Pro Shootout, and a newly added Jr. Dragster Shootout will showcase up-and-coming talent.
This year’s World Series of Pro Mod features the largest field to date, with 83 registered drivers. The entry list includes past champions Mike Bowman, Spencer Hyde, and Derek Ward, along with Kye Kelley and Ken Quartuccio, the latter being the Winter Series points leader.
“I think we’re going to produce the quickest Pro Mod field in history, and we’re going to have the biggest Pro Mod drag race in history,” said Wes Buck, founder and editorial director of Drag Illustrated. “We’re ticking a lot of boxes with this one. We’re calling it a ‘movie’ for a reason.”
Quartuccio enters the event with a two-round lead over Kelley, driving Dustin Nesloney’s screw-blown ’69 Camaro. After securing a victory at the U.S. Street Nationals, Quartuccio feels positive but remains focused on the competition.
“Going into the World Series with points and half, any one of them can win,” Quartuccio said. “I feel good about it, but they’re all badasses. I’m going to race this thing hard, and hopefully these guys know that if they want to beat me, they’re going to have to race hard too.”
The Pro 10.5 Challenge, now in its second year at WSOPM, will host over 20 competitors racing for the $25,000 prize under PDRA Pro Street rules. Notable entries include past champions Tim Essick, Bill Riddle, and Ethan Steding.
The Mountain Motor Pro Stock Invitational will include past champions John Montecalvo and Matt Giangrande, as well as PDRA Extreme Pro Stock champions Chris Powers and Johnny Pluchino, the latter also being the reigning NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock world champion.
Sportsman racers from 17 states and Canada will compete in the Intercontinental Top Sportsman and Top Dragster Championships, providing historic $50,000 prizes. The Top Sportsman field includes standouts such as Dan Ferguson and Ronnie Proctor, while the Top Dragster class features talented drivers like Anthony Bertozzi and Steve Furr.
Texas promoters Tom “Jimmy Dale” Gunner and Michael Poland will bring their small-tire racing class, Lil’ Gangstas, to WSOPM for the first time, with a sizable payout of $10,000 plus buy-ins.
The schedule includes two days of testing followed by qualifying on Thursday and Friday. Eliminations will begin Saturday morning, with winner’s circle celebrations closing the event at 6:45 p.m.
