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Story Courtesy Drag Illustrated Nate Van Wagnen Images Mike Gregg and Geoff Sculley

For the first time since Ty Tutterow’s rookie season in 2017, the second-generation Pro Modified racer secured a Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series victory Saturday evening at the BigStuff Total Power Management North vs. South Shootout at Maryland International Raceway. Behind the wheel of the same screw-blown Quik Fuel ’69 Camaro his father, Todd “King Tut” Tutterow,” drove to two wins in 2024, Tutterow recorded a 3.667-second pass at 206.54 MPH in the final round of WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive to defeat No. 1 qualifier Steve King and his 3.68-second effort.

Reigning Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous world champion and Maryland native Fredy Scriba also raced to victory, joining Tutterow and the other professional class winners: Blake Denton in Liberty’s Gears Pro Street presented by Menscer Motorsports, Alan Drinkwater in AED Competition Fuel Systems Extreme Pro Stock presented by C.R. Powers HVAC, Jeff Melnick in PDRA Pro 632 presented by PTC Torque Converters, and Connor McGee in PDRA Super Street presented by Brian’s Heating & Cooling. 

Past world champions dominated the sportsman categories, with victories going to Stacy Hall in MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by PAR Racing Engines, Kyle Harris in Laris Motorsports Insurance Elite Top Dragster presented by Greenbrier Excavating & Paving, Steve Furr in MagnaFuel Top Sportsman 48, and Nick Meloni in Laris Motorsports Insurance Top Dragster 48 presented by Derrick Wolfe Trucking. 

In the Jr. Dragster classes, Alyssa Rabon and Wyatt Piercey were victorious in Paragon Pro Jr. Dragster presented by Philadelphia Racing Products and Classic Graphix Top Jr. Dragster presented by Philadelphia Racing Products, respectively. In the Pro Jr. Dragster final round, Rabon and opponent Carter Jackson had identical .045 reaction times before Jackson broke out by just six thousandths with a 7.894, while Rabon’s win light illuminated with her 7.903. Piercey, son of past Top Dragster world champion Tisha Wilson, was quicker off the line than final-round opponent Hanna Mattingly and ran a 12.055 on a 12.07 dial-in to get the win. Mattingly broke out with an 8.949 on an 8.97 dial-in.

PRO BOOST

When second-generation Pro Boost racer Ty Tutterow returned to driving duties this season, he was determined to continue the success his father, Todd “King Tut” Tutterow,” had in Justin Smith’s screw-blown Quik Fuel ’69 Camaro last season. The elder Tutterow won twice in the first three races of the 2024 season, and in the third race of the 2025 season, Ty added a win of his own at Maryland. The site of his first career final round in 2017, Maryland played host to Tutterow’s second career win when he knocked down 2025 World Series of Pro Mod champion and No. 1 qualifier Steve King in the final round. Tutterow led wire to wire, winning with a 3.667 at 206.54 to King’s 3.68 at 205.35. 

“It’s been a while,” said Tutterow, who thanked Smith, parents Todd and Denise, wife Katlyn, Chris Bell at Kinetic Shocks, Mark Beatty at Red Line Oil, Wyo Motorsports, Brad, KB, and Ty-Drive. “It’s a good race car. It’s a comfortable race car. To know and watch what the car’s doing going down the track by watching on the outside and sitting in the seat just gives you a little bit more of an advantage and a feel for the car. The track was changing all day long. It would get sun on it. The prep would change just a little bit, then you come out here for the finals and get some shade on it again and that’s the time to step back on it.”

Tutterow’s starting line prowess helped him earn a first-round win over Maryland’s own Ed “The Iron Man” Burnley, as Tutterow ran a 3.703 at 207.50 to hold off Burnley’s 3.695. He earned his keep on the starting line yet again in the second round, where he cut a .002 light and set low E.T. of the round with a 3.685 at 206.95, defeating two-time and reigning world champion Jason Harris in the process as Harris coasted to a 7.134. Tutterow was slightly quicker than Johnny Camp off the line in the semis and lit up the scoreboard first with a 3.693 at 205.98 to Camp’s 3.705 at 205.47. 

King in Gene Pilot’s screw-blown Pilot Racing “Savage” ’19 Corvette recorded a 3.653 at 206.67 in the first round, getting the round win over a red-lighting Raymond Matos. He left a few thousandths after fellow Virginian Randy Weatherford in the second round, but King’s 3.698 at 207.69 was more than enough to defeat Weatherford’s 5.232. King’s win light popped up as soon as the tree dropped in the semifinals, as rookie John Doc went red by .191 seconds, throwing away a 3.719. King moved on to his first final round with a 3.701 at 205.22. 

PRO NITROUS

The North vs. South Shootout was a weekend of redemption for Pro Nitrous finalists Fredy Scriba and Billy Albert. It was a homecoming for Scriba, who earned his first world championship last season but lost in the first round at the first two races of this season. Albert, on the other hand, lost on a bye run in the Maryland semifinals last season when his car wouldn’t start. This time around, Scriba denied Albert his first Pro Nitrous victory in a side-by-side final round. Scriba left first in his Musi-powered “Sorcerer” ’69 Camaro and held the lead through the finish line with a 3.712 at 206.29. Albert wasn’t far behind with a 3.727 at 206.42.

“This one’s really special,” said Scriba, who thanked his family-based team, as well as chassis builder Robert Hayes and engine builder Pat Musi. “My grandmother passed away a few weeks ago. This one means a lot to me and my family. My wife and kids are here. All of our family is here for this one, so this one’s really awesome. We struggled a lot this year and it feels good to make some good, clean laps and go A to B. That’s all that really mattered.”

Scriba’s road to victory started with an all-Robert-Hayes-built matchup against Brian Shrader, who nearly stopped Scriba with a .008 reaction time and a 3.755, but Scriba snuck by with a 3.711 at 206.57. It was Scriba’s turn to go .00 in the second round, where he cut a .007 light and ran a consistent 3.72 at 207.82 to defeat three-time world champion Tommy Franklin and his 4.095. Scriba had a bye run to the final round in the semis, but he used it to record a 3.738 at 206.07 to get lane choice over Albert.

Driving an Albert-powered ’20 Camaro previously fielded by his tuner, “Tricky” Rickie Smith, Albert qualified No. 5 and made it through a first-round match with Tony Wilson, posting a 3.719 at 206.20 over Wilson’s 3.748. Dane Wood cut a .009 light to get out ahead of Albert in the second round, but Albert made it up with a 3.733 at 206.10 to Wood’s 3.889. That sent Albert back to the semifinals, where a simple mechanical issue prevented him from taking advantage of a bye run to the final round at last year’s North vs. South Shootout. He got redemption, using a .019 light and a 3.741 at 206.32 to get the holeshot win over past Elite Top Sportsman world champion Buddy Perkinson and his 3.733 at 204.01.

PRO STREET

Ever-changing weather conditions at Maryland threw curveballs at the racers in Pro Street, and Blake Denton and Dan Norris were the two drivers who adapted the best on race day. Consistency carried both drivers to the third final round of their careers – Denton’s third consecutive final and Norris’s first of the season. The two left the starting line together and locked door handles as they went down the track, though Denton pulled ahead at the end in his nitrous-fed “Bonnie” ’69 Camaro. He won with a 4.019 at 201.49 over Norris’s 4.055 at 185.72. It was Denton’s second win in three finals to start his first full season in the class driving a car previously campaigned by the late Lizzy Musi. 

“This was special because it’s Father’s Day weekend, and for my dad and for the team’s dads and for Pat and Liz [Musi], I knew this would be special for them. To get it done with Lizzy’s car, it just makes [Pat] feel better,” said Denton, who thanked God, in-laws and team owners Tommy and Judy Franklin, wife Amber, the Tommy Franklin Motorsports team, and the Musi family. “It feels good to get another win, especially when you’re chasing a championship. As long as you can get ahead in the season, it just helps you in the long run, and that’s what we’re shooting for this year.”

Denton kicked off eliminations with an all-Virginia matchup with rookie Shelby Kendrick, who posted a weekend-best 4.268, but it wasn’t enough to get past Denton and his 4.013 at 190.16. He was quicker than two-time world champion and hometown hero Tim Essick on both ends of the track in the second round, winning with a 4.065 at 187.29 to Essick’s 4.11. In a semifinal race with fellow young gun Scott Kincaid, Denton sailed to a 4.074 at 192.14 while Kincaid lost traction and slowed to a 5.43. 

Norris, who reached his first career final round at last year’s North vs. South Shootout, qualified No. 8 in his roots-blown ’22 Mustang. He picked up a first-round win over World Finals winner Richard Reagan, winning with a 4.046 at 186.87 to Reagan’s 4.087. All eyes were on Norris in the second round when he knocked out retired Super Bowl champion Fletcher Cox, who qualified No. 1 in just his second Pro Street race. Cox left the line first but ran into problems, while Norris made the second-quickest lap of the round, a 4.073 at 183.44. Reigning world champion Ethan Steding grabbed a starting line advantage over Norris in their semifinal match, but he had to lift to a 7.391 and Norris laid down a 4.06 at 186.07. 

EXTREME PRO STOCK

Alan Drinkwater, the 2023 Extreme Pro Stock world champion, returned to the winner’s circle for the first time since his championship season when he defeated defending event Elijah Morton in the final round. With an increased $10,000 prize on the line thanks to a Power Purse boost from C.R. Powers HVAC, Drinkwater left first and raced to a 4.157 at 173.99 in his Kaase-powered Flatout Gaskets ’08 Mustang to finish ahead of Morton and his 4.182 at 174.91. With the win, Drinkwater took over the points lead. 

“We’ve been needing to win for a while,” said Drinkwater, who thanked God, team partner Kenny Floyd, his crew, and partners like Flatout Gaskets, Dynamic, and Feather-Lite Batteries. “We’ve been battling the heat out here all weekend and we’ve been fighting issues. It just feels good. I know C.R. Powers sponsored the race, so I appreciate the $10,000 and the PDRA for putting it on. It definitely makes the weekend of sweating and the 14-hour haul back to Florida worth it. I think we went to No. 1 in points, so we’re going to try to run with the momentum and see if we can wrap this deal up like we did back in ’23.”

Drinkwater qualified No. 2 and met up with 2018 world champion Steven Boone in the opening round. Boone cut a .003 light but had to lift off the throttle, while Drinkwater ran a 4.222 at 175.55. In the semifinals, he faced Jeremy Huffman, who went into the weekend as the points leader and the most recent winner on tour. Drinkwater got a slight starting line advantage and rolled to a 4.156 at 174.73 to win over Huffman, who slowed to a 9.664. 

Morton in his Allen-powered Morton Brothers Motorsports ’19 Mustang qualified No. 6 before scoring an upset win over two-time and reigning world champion Chris Powers, who qualified No. 1. Powers left first but shook the tires, while Morton powered to a 4.135 at 176.56. It was a two-for-one win, as it gave Morton a bye run to the final round. He used that to record a 4.16 at 175.37, missing lane choice by just four thousandths. 

PRO 632

Pro 632 competition at Maryland came down to the two drivers who posted runner-up finishes in the first two races of the season, Jeff Melnick and Lexi Tanner. Melnick, the 2023 world champion, reached the final round at the most recent race in Virginia and followed that up with a second consecutive No. 1 qualifier award on his way to the final. Tanner kicked off the season with her first career No. 1 qualifier award and a runner-up finish. She was a touch too eager to chase her first win of the season, though, as she went red by .230 seconds in the final and coasted to an 8.934 at 61.81. Melnick in Alan O’Brien’s Greenbrier Excavating & Paving ’20 Camaro went on to win with a 4.224 at 168.91, earning the $8,000 Power Purse prize courtesy of ProComm ELS and moving him into the points lead. 

“These guys gave me a great car and it really works well in the heat. All season long, last year, this car seemed to perform really well in the heat. Today it was like 700 degrees, so it worked great all weekend – flawlessly,” said Melnick, who thanked the Greenbrier Excavating & Paving team, including team owner Alan O’Brien, engine builder Barry Allen, and tuner Patrick Barnhill. “I really want to thank ProComm ELS and the guys for sponsoring this weekend for the Power Purse. The extra money really helps us out. I really appreciate everybody involved.”

Melnick’s race day started with a 4.182 at 170.60 to move past Jason Ventura and his 4.296. He stayed in the 4.10s in the second round when he fired off a 4.195 at 170.26 to move past rookie Carson Hoyle, who ran a 4.283. Melnick then posted a 4.271 at 169.40 on a semifinal bye run. 

Tanner qualified No. 2 in her Musi-powered “Thunder” ’16 Camaro, and while first-round opponent Gary Hood couldn’t make the call, Tanner still charged to a 4.194 at 169.47. Lined up against Nicole Liberty in the second round, Tanner cut a .013 light and made the second-quickest pass of the round, a 4.216 at 168.66, to beat Liberty’s 4.241. She took down points leader Walter Lannigan in the semifinals, using a 4.223 at 168.94 to get around his 4.265. 

SUPER STREET

When Super Street finalists Connor McGee and Matt Schalow were separated by just three thousandths in the semifinals, a side-by-side final round was all but guaranteed. The two young guns delivered. McGee, who won the season opener and qualified No. 1 on Friday night, got a slight advantage on the starting line before rolling to low E.T. of the event, a 4.615 at 155.38. In the other lane, Schalow made his best run of the weekend, a 4.673 at 156.77, in his return after a crash in eliminations at the last race. 

“This win means a lot, especially since we lost in the semis here last year, so I wanted to do better this year,” said McGee, who thanked his family and partners like Brian’s Heating & Cooling, Driven Racing Oil, Abby’s Performance Engines, and Fulton Racing Engines. “We came into the weekend really close in second for the points standings, so getting that done and securing first at least for now just puts us in a mindset to keep climbing and keep testing and keep doing good.”

McGee’s first-round opponent was World Finals winner Brad McBride, who was driving a new-to-him Mustang while his trademark Volkswagen is in for repairs. McGee got past McBride’s slight starting line advantage with a 4.685 at 152.54 to get the win over McBride, who slowed to a 5.165. On a second-round bye run, McGee ran a 4.737 at 151.09 to get lane choice by just two thousandths in his semifinal match with Carson Perry. McGee kept rolling with a 4.725 at 152.80 over Perry and his 4.872 in the semis. 

Schalow debuted his new nitrous-fed, Knieriem-powered ’69 Camaro in the No. 2 spot and used a 4.703 at 155.83 to knock out Maryland’s own JC Beattie Jr. and his 4.926 at 147.15 in the first round. The Virginia Beach-based driver then left on defending world champion Dan Whetstine and powered to a 4.77 at 155.83, while Whetstine coasted to a 5.962. Schalow stepped up to a 4.722 at 155.78 on a semifinal bye run, giving him lane choice for the final round. 

TOP SPORTSMAN

Stacy Hall, the 2020 Top Sportsman world champion, typically competes in the Top Sportsman 48 field, but when he got into the 16-car Elite field on the bump spot, he made the most of it. He wheeled his Fulton-powered ’63 Corvette to the final round, where he met fellow past world champion Dewayne “The Hog Farmer” Silance and his Fulton-powered ’68 Camaro. Hall’s quicker .016 reaction time helped him pull off the win with a 4.198 on a 4.17 dial-in. Silance ran closer to his 3.97 dial-in with a 3.978. 

Both Top Sportsman 48 finalists were world champions as well – two-time Elite Top Dragster world champion Steve Furr paired up with 2021 Top Sportsman world champion Nick Meloni, who’s also the reigning Top Dragster world champion. Meloni, who also reached the Top Dragster final round, lost on the starting line when he went red by .010 seconds. That allowed Furr to roll to his first career Top Sportsman win with a 4.266 on a 4.27 dial-in in his ProCharged ’68 Camaro. Furr earned a boosted $6,000 Power Purse payday courtesy of CMR Crane and Rigging. 

TOP DRAGSTER

Reigning Elite Top Dragster world champion Kyle Harris boosted his championship defense by racing to victory over No. 1 qualifier Jody Stroud in the final round. In a true North vs. South battle – Harris from Burford, Ontario, Canada, and Stroud from Chesterfield, South Carolina – Harris moved first in his supercharged DFS Projects dragster and posted a 3.82 on a 3.80 dial-in, while Stroud went too quick with a 3.676 on a 3.69 dial-in in his “Zombie” ’07 Spitzer dragster. Harris took over the points lead, as he sat second behind Alan O’Brien going into the weekend. 

 

After going red in the Top Sportsman 48 final round, Nick Meloni hustled back to the starting line to strap into his Nesbitt-powered TT Motorsports ’16 Dan Page dragster for the Top Dragster 48 final round. Lined up against Dave Petrofske, Meloni found the redemption he was looking for. He cut a .008 light and laid down a 4.301 on a 4.30 dial-in for a winning .009 package. Meanwhile, Petrofske broke out in his No. 2 qualified ’21 Precision dragster with a 4.254 on a 4.26 dial-in. Meloni, the reigning world champion, was already the points leader entering Maryland. He pocketed a $6,000 Power Purse winner’s prize presented by CMR Crane and Rigging. 

EDELBROCK BRACK BASH

Bernard Weaver collected the event win in Edelbrock Bracket Bash presented by COMP Cams.

The Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series will take a midseason break before returning to action at the Talbert Manufacturing Northern Nationals presented by Callies, July 31-Aug. 2, at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan.