PDRA officials announced today the introduction of Power Purse, a new program bringing new and existing marketing partners to another level of involvement with the series and its competitors. This new program will directly double the winner’s purse of a marketing partner’s choosing for one particular race, hence the name, Power Purse.
“Coming off a highly competitive 2024 season, rolling into the PDRA off-season with a huge increase to the overall series championship fund by over $100,000, we still felt like we needed to do more,” said Tyler Crossnoe, series director. “Our teams work hard year in and year out to chase event wins that can lead to a championship, but there’s something about winning an event on the calendar that is different than the others. We’ve seen it with the DI Winter Series over the last few months – chasing a large money payout is intriguing and can drive the best in the world to push even harder than before.”
The goal of PDRA Power Purse is to not only provide specialty events for each class throughout the year but to highlight every class at least once throughout the season.
“Every class within the PDRA roster has stars from Pro Nitrous and Pro Boost to Jr. Dragsters – there is a showcase of talent throughout the entire series,” said Tommy Franklin, owner and three-time Pro Nitrous world champion. “We have built the PDRA to be consistent and be sustainable to continue to grow year after year. I struggle to take away once we have made a step, so we all agreed that this Power Purse program can create a big-money feel at a series event once or twice a year, if the partnerships come together.”
Power Purse also gives a unique opportunity for new and existing marketing partners to introduce or increase their involvement with the series and directly put their investment into the racers hands who use their products, services, or just a class that they love.
“For years, we’ve always had people who had a certain spend that they wanted to stay inside or wanted to take a select class to another level for only one event,” stated Will Smith, marketing director. “With the introduction of Power Purse, the PDRA now opens the door to partners looking to spend $1,000 all the way to $10,000 and they know their money goes directly to a particular event’s winner, making it not only a memorable moment for the person or company involved but also to the one leaving the track victorious.”
Pro Nitrous and Pro Boost bring the ever-popular Pro Modified roster of stars to the forefront of the PDRA where they normally chase a $10,000-to-win, $25,000 total purse for the 16-car qualified fields in each category at the eight Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series national events. Already yielding over $50,000 at each event for Pro Modified racers, Power Purse could drive this to over $70,000 if both categories gained a partner.
“The goal for each race is to at least highlight one Professional category and one Sportsman category,” Crossnoe said. “Everyone deserves their moment in the spotlight, and to be able to highlight every category throughout the season and pay larger winner’s purses than ever in the PDRA is going to make 2025 a special season.”
Pat Musi Racing Engines jumped at the opportunity to put Pro Nitrous in the spotlight right out of the gate at the season-opening PDRA East Coast Nationals at GALOT Motorsports Park in Benson, NC. On April 2-5, Pro Nitrous will hit the ground running with a huge $20,000-to-win pay day to not only start the season but start someone’s championship hopes with a big leap forward. The colorful yet die-hard Musi made no bones about it, Pro Nitrous runs deep in his veins and he knows everyone will bring their A-game, including his customers.
“We’ve supported this class since the very beginning whether through the series, racing ourselves, or through our customers,” Musi said. “I love to put nitrous against nitrous on a level playing field and that’s what we get to do at the PDRA. It will be exciting to watch everyone battle to qualify and then compete with $20,000 on the line to kick-start the 2025 season. You know our all of Musi Racing Engines will be ready to go after it and we hope one of our customers takes it home.”
Butcher Demolition and the reigning Elite Top Sportsman world champion Glenn Butcher immediately jumped at this opportunity to take his beloved category of Elite Top Sportsman to a never-before-seen height at his home track of Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio. The third race on tour, across Memorial Day weekend, will see the 16 quickest Top Sportsman cars on property after qualifying battle it out for $10,000 to win, the largest Top Sportsman payout at a PDRA points-earning event in the history of the series.
“I love Norwalk, I love the PDRA, and I love our Elite Top Sportsman class and family,” Butcher said. “I liked the Power Purse idea of doubling the purse when it was discussed at PRI, but there’s something about that $10,000 number that drew me in. Let’s do this!”
Talbert Manufacturing also immediately showed their liking to the Power Purse program and decided to back the Pro 632 category at their home race in Martin, Michigan, for the PDRA Northern Nationals in early August, making the class winner take home $8,000.
“I know this race is a long tow for the majority of the PDRA, including the drivers in Pro 632,” said Talbert Manufacturing’s Andy Tanner. “Watching Jason Ventura drive from Florida this past year made me really open my eyes to the dedication and the love this group has for the PDRA series and for the class as a whole. I’m excited for this opportunity to highlight a great class at a great event in Martin, Michigan.”
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