The Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series will return to Virginia Motorsports Park for the Travis Mills Foundation Mid-Atlantic Showdown presented by Red Line Shirt Club from May 1-3. The event will showcase competition in all seven heads-up categories, along with several sportsman and Jr. Dragster classes.
Tyler Crossnoe, PDRA series director and VMP vice president, said, “There’s nothing like coming ‘home’ to Virginia Motorsports Park. This is our home base, as well as the home track for a lot of our racers.”
In Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous, rookie Tim Paap qualified No. 1 and won the season opener but will not race this weekend due to a scheduling conflict. He has enlisted Pro Modified driver Stevie “Fast” Jackson to pilot his Corvette against competitors like three-time world champion Tommy Franklin.
Melanie Salemi leads the WS Construction Pro Boost points after a strong showing at the East Coast Nationals, where she qualified No. 1 and took the win. Johnny Camp, Steve King, and Ty Tutterow are also in contention after reaching the semifinals in the season opener.
The new Fab4 Shootout in Pro Nitrous and Pro Boost will debut during Friday’s qualifying, featuring the top four qualifiers in a head-to-head format for a chance at a $2,000 prize. “These runs will count towards qualifying and will be run under normal eliminations rules and format,” event organizers noted.
Blake Denton enters his home race as the points leader in Liberty’s Gears Pro Street, having secured his first win at the season opener in a tribute Camaro. South Carolina’s Chris Tuten is seeking his first victory in the class after finishing as the runner-up to Denton.
Chris Powers leads the AED Competition Fuel Systems Extreme Pro Stock points after winning at the East Coast Nationals in his Camaro. Reigning world champion Alan Drinkwater trails him after finishing as the runner-up.
Walter Lannigan tops the PDRA Pro 632 standings after winning the opener with his GTO, and Lexi Tanner earned her first No. 1 qualifier award during the event.
Connor McGee leads in PDRA Super Street after winning the East Coast Nationals, where he faced Virginia Beach’s Matt Schalow in the final.
The Mid-Atlantic Showdown will also mark the season opener for Drag 965 Pro Extreme Motorcycle. Points leaders in the sportsman categories include Jeremy Creasman, Steve Furr, Ken Langlois, and Chad Traylor.
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