Courtesy Nate Van Wagnen Drag Illustrated

Images Geoff Sculley

Three-time Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous world champion qualified No. 1 Friday night at the PDRA Thunder Valley Throwdown presented by Larry Jeffers Race Cars at Bristol Dragway, marking the third time in five races he’s led the field into race day on the 2025 Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series tour. Franklin and the rest of the PDRA racers only had two qualifying sessions to get qualified, as rain showers prevented the third and final session from taking place. 

No. 1 qualifier awards also went to Preston Tanner in WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive, Blake Denton in Liberty’s Gears Pro Street presented by Menscer Motorsports, Elijah Morton in AED Competition Fuel Systems Extreme Pro Stock presented by Allen Competition Engines, Nicole Liberty in PDRA Pro 632 presented by PTC Torque Converters, and Connor McGee in PDRA Super Street presented by Brian’s Heating & Cooling. 

The PDRA’s sportsman divisions also completed two qualifying sessions. The No. 1 qualifiers in the sportsman ranks were Glenn Butcher in MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by PAR Racing Engines, Jody Stroud in Laris Motorsports Insurance Elite Top Dragster presented by Greenbrier Excavating & Paving, Ronnie Proctor in MagnaFuel Top Sportsman 32, and Russ Whitlock in Laris Motorsports Insurance Top Dragster 32 presented by Derrick Wolfe Trucking. 

Prince George, Virginia’s Chloe Geryes secured the No. 1 qualifier spot in Paragon Pro Jr. Dragster presented by Philadelphia Racing Products, using a 7.901-second run against the 7.90 index to lead a field of 40 young racers attempting to qualify for the 32-car field. Knox Schween, the most recent winner on tour in Classic Graphix Top Jr. Dragster presented by Philadelphia Racing Products, qualified No. 1 with a .001 reaction time. 

PRO NITROUS

Most of the Pro Nitrous class struggled to throw down serious numbers, but three-time world champion Tommy Franklin made the most of the conditions and recorded a 3.784 at 202.67 to qualify No. 1 for the third time this year. Franklin, who upgraded to a new Musi-powered “Jungle Rat 3.0” ’69 Camaro since winning Bristol last year, is coming off of a runner-up finish to daughter and points leader Amber Denton at the recent Northern Nationals. The father-daughter duo doubled up at Bristol last year, with Denton winning in Pro 632. Now they’re pursuing another all-Tommy Franklin Motorsports final round on Saturday. 

“It’s tricky out here. That racetrack’s been really hot, but we made a nice lap in Q1, so we’ll be ready to go for first round,” said Franklin, who thanked his team and partners like Pat Musi Racing Engines and Red Line Oil. “It’s probably going to be hot most of the day [Saturday], so I think it’ll be a lot like what we were out there in today. There’s a younger girl [Denton] in front of me in points that I’m trying to chase down, so I need a little bit of confidence for that right now. Our team’s good. I’m always confident in what we can do out there. I’m ready to go.”

Erie, Pennsylvania’s John Vergotz missed a career-first No. 1 spot by just five thousandths of a second, as he drove his Musi-powered Vergotz Racing ’69 Camaro to a 3.789 at 199.82 to end up second. Defending world champion Fredy Scriba qualified third with a 3.823 at 201.52 in his Musi-powered “Sorcerer” ’69 Camaro. 

PRO BOOST

After making a string of clean passes in Thursday testing, young gun Preston Tanner and tuner Jeff Pierce kept the screw-blown “Sweetheart” ’15 Corvette rolling in Friday qualifying. His 3.674 at 203.98 put him in the provisional No. 1 spot after the opening qualifying session, and while he didn’t improve in the second session, none of the other 18 drivers passed him. It’s Tanner’s first time qualifying No. 1 since the 2022 season. 

“We are really excited because we have been working the past couple of years to really get back up on this horse, and it feels nice to finally get one,” said Tanner, who thanked his family-based crew and supporters like Wyo Motorsports, G-Force Race Cars, M&M Transmissions, Manhattan Collision Center, AJ Wendt & Son Trucking, Tanner Transport, PD Products, and Talbert Manufacturing. “Going into race day No. 1 in this kind of field really doesn’t mean a whole bunch because every racer here is stout. What I plan to do – and what I started in Michigan – was I just gave each racer the same every single time and I just work on myself. I don’t worry about who’s in the other lane.”

Jason Harris, who is the defending event winner as well as the two-time and defending world champion, qualified No. 2 with a 3.679 at 205.98 in his ProCharged Southern Diamond Company “Party Time” ’69 Camaro. Randy Weatherford, who won the recent Northern Nationals in his Hart’s Charger-boosted WS Construction ’21 Camaro, qualified third with a 3.709 at 208.23. 

PRO STREET

Blake Denton, who kicked off his sophomore season in Pro Street earlier this year by qualifying No. 1 at the first two races, added a third No. 1 qualifier award Friday night. He was one of just two drivers to cover the Bristol eighth mile in less than 4.10 seconds with his 4.036 at 191.73 in the nitrous-assisted, Musi-powered “Bonnie” ’69 Camaro that serves as a rolling tribute to the late Lizzy Musi. Denton will start race day with a marquee matchup against defending world champion Ethan Steding, who sits No. 2 behind Denton in the points standings. 

“Over the break we had to put 110 pounds in the car and we went to work with Jeff [Pierce, tuner] and brainstormed where to put the weight because that’s a lot of weight to disperse in the car and not get it upset,” said Denton, who thanked Tommy and Judy Franklin, Pat and Liz Musi, wife Amber Denton, and the Tommy Franklin Motorsports team. “The car seems really happy. I know a lot of people struggled this weekend with the track, but the car is speaking for itself, and I think what Jeff’s got going right now is great. I’ve got a good car underneath me and I’ve just gotta do my job. It looks like I have Ethan first round, so that’s the championship in the making, hopefully.”

Chris Tuten, who damaged his turbocharged ’87 Mustang in a crash at the Maryland race in June, returned on a high note by qualifying second with a 4.098 at 196.90. Newcomer Adrian Herrera qualified a career-best third on the strength of a 4.151 at 184.65 in his ProCharger-boosted E-Shoot Systems ’67 Chevelle. 

EXTREME PRO STOCK

Morton, far lane took the #1 spot in Extreme Pro Stock in his Mustang. Defending 2024 champ Chris Powers is #4 in the show going into R1

Mountain Motor Pro Stock stalwart Elijah Morton made a triumphant return to Extreme Pro Stock at Bristol, as he qualified No. 1 for the first time this season after sitting out the recent Northern Nationals. The Swansboro, North Carolina-based driver rolled to a 4.174 at 173.72 in his Allen-powered Morton Brothers Motorsports ’19 Mustang in the first session and held the top spot through the second session. Morton’s engine builder, Allen Competition Engines in Surgoinsville, Tenn., is the class presenting sponsor for the weekend. 

For the fourth consecutive race, 2023 world champion and points leader Alan Drinkwater qualified second, posting a 4.179 at 173.41 in his Kaase-powered Flatout Gaskets ’08 Mustang. Jeremy Huffman ran a 4.183 at 172.67 in his 3V Performance-powered ’10 Cobalt to qualify third. 

PRO 632

Liberty, near lane, has her Firebird in the #1 spot with Pittman, far lane in the #3 spot

Nicole Liberty earned her first career No. 1 qualifier award in Pro 632 when her 4.253 at 166.89 held up as the quickest pass of the day after two sessions. The Marine City, Michigan-based engineer made the pass in Friday’s opening qualifying session driving her Khoury-powered Liberty’s Gears ’99 Firebird. It was the second personal highlight in a row for Liberty, as she recorded a career-best E.T. in front of her home state crowd at the Northern Nationals in Martin, Michigan, earlier this month. 

Jeff Melnick, the 2023 world champion, qualified second with a 4.263 at 167.95 in Alan O’Brien’s Barry Allen-powered Greenbrier Excavating & Paving ’20 Camaro. He’s chasing his third consecutive event win on Saturday. Melnick’s rookie teammate, Hickory, North Carolina’s Jeff Pittman, qualified third in his Barry Allen-powered Hickory Enclosed Trailer Sales ’68 Chevelle with a 4.275 at 168.28. 

TOP SPORTSMAN

Glenn Butcher hasn’t let off the throttle since winning the Elite Top Sportsman world championship last season. He qualified No. 1 at the first three races of the year, qualified third at the most recent event, and picked back up as the No. 1 qualifier at Bristol. He recorded a 3.789 at 199.02 in his nitrous-fed Butcher & Son Demolition ’69 Camaro to hold off No. 2 qualifier Jamie Fowler, who ran a 3.822 at 195.31 in his nitrous-assisted Pee Dee Fleet ’69 Camaro. Randy Perkinson rounded out the top three in his ProCharged ’67 Mustang with a 3.867 at 188.99. 

Ronnie Proctor added another accomplishment to his long list of Top Sportsman accolades by qualifying No. 1 in Top Sportsman 32, running a 4.229 at 168.18 in his nitrous-fed ’09 Mustang.