Shawn Reed claimed his first professional Top Fuel win at the 2nd annual SCAG Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout on Saturday. Ron Capps defeated Austin Prock in the Funny Car final, while Troy Coughlin Jr. won Pro Stock against No. 1 qualifier Cory Reed.
A near-capacity crowd at Bradenton Motorsports Park enjoyed a day of elimination rounds followed by a free concert from Andy Ross. The event was part of the three-day preseason testing/race.
In the Top Fuel final, Reed faced Josh Hart, a multi-time national event winner. Reed posted a winning time of 3.699 seconds at 330.39 mph, narrowly edging Hart, who finished in 3.724 seconds at 321.27 mph.
“This is flat out incredible right now,” said Reed. “I have to thank Red Line Oil, Matco Tools, All American Automotive. I’m probably as happy as I’ve been in a long, long time.”
Reed expressed gratitude toward his crew for their support after a challenging previous season. “We won a race, and they can’t take that back from us. This is a pretty big race, too; it’s the eight best guys in the NHRA,” he said.
In the Funny Car final, three-time champion Capps aimed to stop Prock, the defending event winner. Capps secured the victory with a 3.870-second run at 330.47 mph, while Prock recorded a time of 4.003 seconds at 316.60 mph.
“This event is special. It’s the second year we’ve done anything like this, but you have an all-star cast,” Capps said. He praised the event, thanking SCAG for their support.
The Pro Stock final featured Coughlin Jr. facing Cory Reed. Coughlin Jr. secured victory when Reed jumped the starting system, resulting in a red-light disqualification.
“You know winning this race is so surreal,” said Coughlin Jr. “Thank you to the PRO group and all the sponsors involved, especially SCAG.” He added that this win is a strong start to the season.
