It’s always the one you don’t expect to win that takes home the spoils in the Drag Illustrated [DI] World Series of Pro Modified.
The same thing happened again on Saturday Night as Steve King knocked off two-time NHRA Pro Modified champion Stevie “Fast” Jackson in the final round of the $150,000 winner-take-all race at Bradenton Motorsports Park. The event concluded the three-race DI Winter Series, where Ken Quartuccio claimed the inaugural series championship earlier in the day.
Two-time PDRA Extreme Pro Stock champion Johnny Pluchino (Mountain Motor Pro Stock) and reigning PDRA Pro Street champion Ethan Steding scored event titles. Brazilian Roderjan Busato won the Chicago-Style Pro Mod Second-Chance Shootout.
King’s 3.629 seconds elapsed time at 204.82 mph run was enough to beat Jackson’s 3.653-second pass at 203.55.
“It’s tough when you come down here with 83 of the baddest cars on the planet,” said King. “We know we’re bringing a good car, but you gotta have a little luck along the way. We’ve done really well in the Winter Series but just had no luck. But today was our day.”
Mountain Motor Pro Stock champion Pluchino used a healthy dose of horsepower and consistency to stop Derrick Reese in the final round. He was first at both ends of the track, leaving on Reese by .003 seconds, and charged to a 4.081 at 177.60 in his Kaase-powered Ross Environmental Services ’13 Mustang to finish ahead of Reese and his 4.125 at 176.03.
“I’ve only been doing this for 5-6 years now in the Mountain Motor game, but it’s been a hell of a ride, and this has been one really fun race,” Pluchino said. “I want to thank everybody for putting it on and all the Mountain Motor guys for coming out – 21 cars. We’re a really confident group, so going into this deal, we felt good. We felt really good as things were progressing. I love my team, and I would ride with them any day. I put me and them against the world.”
PDRA Pro Street champion Steding won the Pro 10.5 Challenge crown after defeating Chris Tuten in the $25,000 final round. Steding overcame a quicker reaction time from Tuten and won by a 3.934, 193.90 to a 4.104, 192.06 margin.
“First off, I’m pleased to be invited to this drag race and to be racing with the biggest people on this stage,” Steding said. “Without my crew, I would not be here. I came out of Jr Dragsters two years ago, and Pro Street was the class we were going into, and I surrounded myself with the baddest of the baddest dudes – Ty Tutterow, Todd Tutterow, and my dad, Kurt Steding, as well. They all taught me very well on how to handle the car, what’s good for the car and what’s not, and I think whenever you surround yourself with good people, you will do great things.”
Ronnie Proctor (Top Sportsman) and Hailey Hawkins (Top Dragster) took home sportsman wins, while Tom Gunner, better known as “Jimmy Dale,” won the Lil’ Gangstas class. David Braskett took home the win in the $5,000 Super Pro Shootout.
