T. Franklin, King, Cox, Powers, Melnick & McGee Secure Top Qualifying Spots at PDRA North vs. South

The BigStuff Total Power Management North vs. South Shootout at Maryland International Raceway featured standout qualifying runs. Tommy Franklin, a three-time world champion, clinched the No. 1 spot in Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous for the second straight event on the Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series tour.

Franklin made his fastest pass in the final qualifying session, covering the eighth mile in 3.675 seconds at 206.73 mph in his Jungle Rat 3.0 ’69 Camaro. Entering Saturday’s elimination rounds, Franklin holds the status of defending event champion and aims to secure another win.

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The event highlighted notable achievements throughout the pro classes. Steve King led WS Construction Pro Boost qualifying after piloting his screw-blown ’19 Corvette to a 3.662 at 206.54 mph.

Fletcher Cox, a former football standout, turned heads in Liberty’s Gears Pro Street by taking the No. 1 qualifying position with a 4.027 at 192.03 mph. Chris Powers continued his dominance in Extreme Pro Stock, posting a 4.122 at 175.34 mph in his ’21 Camaro to edge out his closest competitors by just three thousandths of a second.

In Pro 632, Jeff Melnick bounced back from last season’s struggles to land on top with a 4.168 at 170.64 mph. Connor McGee grabbed his first No. 1 spot of the season in Super Street by laying down a 4.656 at 154.26 mph.

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Junior Dragster qualifiers also had impressive performances. Donald O’Meara III set a class record with a 7.900-second pass for Paragon Pro Jr. Dragster, leading a large 61-car qualifying field.

In Classic Graphix Top Jr. Dragster, Tori Underwood’s sharp .006-second reaction time secured her the top qualifying position out of 16 drivers. Pro Jr. Dragster finished one round of eliminations on Friday night, while Top Jr. Dragster eliminations are set to begin Saturday morning.

Franklin faced challenges during pre-race testing but credited his tuners and team for rebounding and delivering three strong qualifying runs. Rookie Tim Paap, who posted a 3.677 at 203.03 mph in his ’16 Corvette, sits second in Pro Nitrous.

Amber Denton, a two-time Pro 632 world champion and current rookie, qualified third and is set to race points leader Marcus Butner in an early elimination match.

In the close Pro Boost field, King claimed his second consecutive No. 1 at the event, just ahead of Johnny Camp and Jason Harris. Camp ran a 3.663 and Harris followed with a 3.666, both in ProCharged Camaros tuned for speed.

Pro Street saw Cox’s second race in the class end with a top qualifying spot, while points leader Blake Denton qualified second with a 4.082, followed by Bill Riddle’s 4.11.

Extreme Pro Stock qualifying was a tight battle. Powers’ 4.122 just edged out Alan Drinkwater, who ran a 4.125 in his Mustang, and points leader Jeremy Huffman, who posted a 4.13 at 176.70.

Melnick’s 4.168 in Pro 632 led the way, followed by Lexi Tanner’s 4.197 and teammate Jeff Pittman with a 4.207.

Super Street qualifying included McGee’s 4.656, with Matt Schalow landing second following a car swap after a recent crash, and rookie Carson Perry third.

In sportsman classes, Glenn Butcher scored his third straight No. 1 in Elite Top Sportsman with a 3.777 at 199.37 mph. Bryan LaFlam and Brian Tiffe were right behind, while Corey Evans led Top Sportsman 48.

In Top Dragster, Jody Stroud’s 3.68 kept him on top, with Tisha Wilson leading Top Dragster 48 after missing the Elite field by just six thousandths of a second.

Saturday’s schedule opens with Jr. Dragster eliminations at 8:30 a.m. and includes pro class eliminations following pre-race activities at 11 a.m. The event promises more close racing as top qualifiers look to convert their starting positions into event wins.

Fans can follow every round live online in a similar manner to F1 flexi wing updates from the Spanish GP, ensuring they don’t miss any moment of the intense competition.

Additionally, the performance of rookie drivers like Tim Paap showcases the growing talent in the series, reminiscent of Lewis Hamilton’s rise at Monaco with McLaren.

As anticipation builds for the upcoming eliminations, the focus turns to top qualifiers like Fletcher Cox, echoing the competitive spirit seen in Carlos Sainz’s fears before the Monaco GP.

John Martinez

John Martinez delivers real-time NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series news, from live race updates to pit-lane strategy analysis. A graduate of the University of Northwestern Ohio’s Motorsports Technology program, he breaks down rule changes, driver tactics, and championship points with crystal-clear reporting.