The inaugural Drag Illustrated Winter Series presented by J&A Service will reach its dramatic finale this weekend when the series crowns its first-ever champion at the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod, Feb. 27-March 1, at Bradenton Motorsports Park. More than 80 Pro Mod drivers from across North America and beyond will compete for the $150,000-to-win event title, while a select few racers are in contention for the $25,000 championship bonus after the first two races of the series.
The World Series of Pro Mod lineup will also include the second annual Pro 10.5 Challenge and the third annual Mountain Motor Pro Stock Invitational, both paying $25,000 to the winners. Sportsman competitors will face off in the second annual Intercontinental Top Sportsman and Top Dragster Championships, which both offer $50,000 winner-take-all prizes. Lil Gangstas will add a small-tire element to the weekend with a $10,000 prize on top of buy-ins. Local bracket racers will join the action in the $5,000-to-win Super Pro Shootout, and a newly added Thursday night Jr. Dragster Shootout will include the rising stars in the sport.
After three years in Denver, Colorado, and two years at Bradenton, the World Series of Pro Mod will see its largest field yet this weekend. Eighty-three drivers have registered to compete for the $150,000 paycheck that comes with a final-round win. The entry list includes past WSOPM champions Mike Bowman (2017), Spencer Hyde (2023), and Derek Ward (2024), as well as Kye Kelley, who won the Winter Series-opening Snowbird Outlaw Nationals, and Ken Quartuccio, who won the most recent event, the U.S. Street Nationals. Quartuccio is also the Winter Series points leader after taking runner-up honors to Kelley at the Snowbirds. WSOPM eliminations rounds will be worth points-and-a-half, creating the conditions for a dramatic conclusion.
“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, Drag Illustrated. “We’re ticking a lot of boxes with this one. We’re calling it a ‘movie’ for a reason. It’s going to be an event unlike anything we’ve done before, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Quartuccio enters the event with just over a two-round lead over Kelley. Driving Dustin Nesloney’s screw-blown ’69 Camaro out of the Scott Tidwell Racing camp, Quartuccio qualified in the top five at the Snowbirds, which featured the quickest 32-car field in Pro Mod history, as well as the U.S. Street Nationals. Final-round appearances at both races, capped off with a win at the last one, put Quartuccio in a comfortable lead going into the finale, but he’s not letting up anytime soon.
“Going into the World Series with points and half, any one of them can win,” said Quartuccio, who just won Lights Out 16 in Radial vs. the World last weekend. “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 is back for its second year at the WSOPM. Following PDRA Pro Street rules, the Pro 10.5 Challenge will see more than 20 Outlaw 10.5 competitors racing for the $25,000 prize. The entry list includes past PDRA Pro Street champions Tim Essick (2021-2022), Bill Riddle (2023), and Ethan Steding (2024), as well as newcomers like Lyle Barnett and Tim Dutton.
Veterans and young guns alike will race for $25,000 in the third annual Mountain Motor Pro Stock Invitational. Past MMPSI champions John Montecalvo (2023) and Matt Giangrande (2024) are expected to take part in the race, along with PDRA Extreme Pro Stock world champions Chris Powers (2021, 2024) and Johnny Pluchino (2020, 2022). Pluchino is also the reigning NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock world champion.
Sportsman racers from 17 different U.S. states and Canada registered to compete in the second annual Intercontinental Top Sportsman and Top Dragster Championships, with both classes offering historic $50,000-to-win winner’s purses. The Top Sportsman list includes standouts like Dan Ferguson, Ronnie Proctor, Vonnie Mills, Bruce Thrift, John Benoit, and Aaron Glaser. Top Dragster is also loaded with talented drivers like Anthony Bertozzi, Troy Williams, reigning event champion Steve Furr, and J.B. Strassweg, who won Top Dragster at the 2019 WSOPM in Denver.
Texas-based promoters Tom “Jimmy Dale” Gunner and Michael Poland are bringing their brand of small-tire racing, Lil’ Gangstas, to WSOPM for the first time. The class quickly sold out of entries, leading to a sizable payout of $10,000 plus buy-ins.
Jr. Dragster racers from Florida and beyond will take part in a special Jr. Dragster Shootout on Thursday, and bracket racers from the area will compete on the big stage for $5,000 in the Super Pro Shootout.
WSOPM participants will have the ability to test from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday. Qualifying begins Thursday with two sessions starting with Pro Mod at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The Strange Engineering Racer Appreciation Party is also set for Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the VIP Pavilion. Qualifying continues Friday with Pro Mod sessions at 10 a.m., 2:45 p.m., and 6:45 p.m. Saturday eliminations will begin at 9 a.m. starting with Super Pro followed by Pro Mod at 9:45 a.m. Winner’s circle celebrations will wrap up the event at 6:45 p.m.
General admission tickets are available for $39.99 per day on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Full event passes are available for $109.99. Children ages 12 and under get in free.
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