The most significant barriers in Mountain Motor Pro Stock were broken in quarter-mile racing and IHRA competition. In 1980, Rickie Smith was the first driver in a large displacement Pro Stocker to run in the seven-second zone. Eleven years later, Harold Denton ran in the six-second zone while Smith returned to pick up the first at over 200 miles per hour. 

The PDRA now has a milestone it can call its own, thanks to rookie Extreme Pro Stock racer Randi Lyn Butner.

Butner recorded a 3.997-second, 176.37 MPH pass in the second qualifying session at the PDRA Pro Line Racing Brian Olson Memorial World Finals down the Virginia Motorsports Park eighth mile with husband Bo Butner in the opposite lane marked the first official 3-second pass in Extreme Pro Stock. Butner is also the provisional No. 1 qualifier at the last of eight races on the 2024 Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series tour. 
 
Tommy Franklin (Pro Nitrous) and Johnny Camp (Pro Boost) lead after two sessions. 

Butner, known for her prowess in NHRA Lucas Oil Series drag racing, arrived at Virginia Motorsports Park ahead of the 2024 season to practice doing burnouts in her new Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Elite Motorsports ’20 Camaro Mountain Motor Pro Stock entry. Several months later, she made history at VMP while making drag racing history. The culmination of a season ’s-long effort by her crew chief and engine builder Frank Gugliotta, a former Mountain Motor Pro Stock racer, led to the milestone pass. 
 
“It really means a lot to do that for Frank,” said Butner, who backed up the record with her 4.012 in the first qualifying session. “This Mountain Motor racing was never my idea. I was perfectly happy in Stock Eliminator. This was all a big collaboration between Bo [Butner, husband], Richard [Freeman, Elite Motorsports team owner], Frank, and our sponsor. They totally thought I could do it and wanted to see what I was made of. I just kind of lucked into this position that so many racers would die to have. 
 
“I really did not do my best job shifting,” Butner added. “I think it was just meant to be. It was meant to be Frank’s. It was a long time and a lot of things coming together, and God willed it to Frank, and it’s a whole lot of bookends coming together for him, so I’m really excited for him.”

 
Butner received a custom shifter-based trophy, championship ring, and $3,500 check from Liberty’s Gears for breaking the 3-second barrier. 

Three-time and reigning Pro Nitrous world champion Franklin entered the event third in the points standings, less than one round behind points leader Fredy Scriba. Franklin ran a 3.616 at 208.62 in the final qualifying session to take the provisional No. 1 spot. The pass came around 24 hours after Franklin ran a 3.599-second pass in Thursday’s pre-race testing. 
 
“We thought we could get close to the 3.59,” said Franklin, who credited his team, tuner Jeff Pierce, and partners like Pat Musi Racing Engines and Red Line Oil. “Hitting the 3.59 barrier was just cool for us. It was just personal. We got out here, and we got to do it at PDRA. That’s really cool. We thought the conditions were there, and honestly, the racetrack was just really tight, and we just underpowered it a little bit for the racetrack, so it left a little bit out there, but it was a good run. Pro Nitrous is a heck of a class, heck of a group of competitors. We’re just going to keep fighting one round at a time. It’s going to be a tough field. This thing is nowhere close to being done.”
 
Scriba, who took over the points lead when he earned his first career points-earning Pro Nitrous win at the last race on tour, ran a 3.631 at 208.97 to finish the day in second. Marcus Butner is third with a 3.644 at 206.32. Thirteen of the 16 qualifiers ran in the 3.60-second range. 

Pro Boost racer Camp took the top spot with a 3.563-second, 209.65 MPH to lead what has already been established as the quickest Pro Boost field in history with one qualifying session remaining. Eight drivers sit outside the 16-car field, including championship contender Kurt Steding, two-time world champion Todd Tutterow, and E.T. national record holder Derek Ward. 
 
“It’s really special, but there’s one more round [of qualifying],” said Camp, who thanked his team and sponsors like NGK Spark Plugs, Pro Line Racing, Chris Tatman Electric, and Hoosier Racing Tires. “You never know. This thing could turn upside down, but we’re happy that we made a good pass. The track’s good and the motor is staying together. All the credit goes to Brandon and the crew. That’s what does it. I’m just along for the ride. It’s the toughest field ever. It could shuffle around again tomorrow. We’re hoping to hang on. We’re gonna go out there and try to maybe go faster and try to hold on to the spot.”

Jason Harris, the defending series champion and point leader, missed the No. 1 spot by six-thousandths of a second with his 3.569 at 210.44 in his, while James Beadling, who was the provisional No. 1 qualifier after the first session with a 3.583, is now qualified third in his screw-blown ’20 Camaro with a 3.582 at 205.29. Joel Wensley anchors the field with a 3.630 at 210.87. 

 
Brian Weddle (Pro Street), Lexi Tanner (Pro 632), Brunson Grothus (Pro Extreme Motorcycle), and Derek Mota (Super Street) lead provisionally in the remainder of the professional divisions. 
 
The sportsman classes also completed two of three qualifying sessions, with provisional No. 1 spots going to Tim Molnar (Top Sportsman), Kyle Harris (Laris Motorsports Insurance Elite Top Dragster), Scott Wasko (Top Sportsman), and Dave Petrofske (Laris Motorsports Insurance Top Dragster).   
 
The PDRA’s Jr. Dragster classes wrapped up their second of three qualifying sessions at the end of the night. Carson Hoyle posted a 7.901 E.T. to lead the way in Coolshirt Systems Pro Jr. Dragster presented by Philadelphia Racing Products, which saw 51 drivers attempt to qualify for the 32-car field. Prince George, Virginia’s own Jason Geryes used a .003 reaction time to jump to the No. 1 spot in Classic Graphix Top Jr. Dragster presented by Philadelphia Racing Products. 

The PDRA Pro Line Racing Brian Olson Memorial World Finals presented by ProCharger will continue Saturday, starting with Jr. Dragster and sportsman final qualifying at 8:30 a.m. The pro classes will run one final qualifying session at 12:15 p.m., with the first round of sportsman and Jr. Dragster eliminations to follow. The pros will run one round of eliminations starting at 6 p.m.