Butner, Tutterow, Mac, Beattie Jr., and Vincent Secure No. 1 Qualifier Spots at PDRA Thunder Valley Throwdown

Hot, humid conditions punish the surface on Friday, but PDRA Thunder Valley Throwdown qualifying finishes under the lights, setting the grid for Saturday’s eliminations at the Larry Jeffers-backed event.

Marcus Butner delivers a 3.659 at 206.51 mph to head Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous qualifying. Tommy Franklin posts 3.665 for second. It is Butner’s second 2026 pole at round five of seven.

Butner’s ’69 Camaro, powered by Pat Musi and tuned by Jay Cox, shows renewed consistency after early struggles. He arrives fifth in points and strengthens elimination prospects.

Franklin’s ‘Jungle Rat 3.0’ confirms front-running pace. Rickie Smith, the Legend of Thunder Valley, qualifies third, maintaining pressure in a class defined by razor-thin margins.

Ty Tutterow produces 3.613 at 207.08 mph to take WS Construction Pro Boost No. 1. He narrows the title gap to leader Jason Harris, who qualifies fifth.

Rookie Fletcher Cox sits second with 3.616, underlining rapid progress. Paul Gargus takes third as boost combinations converge on similar performance windows.

Andy Mac fronts Liberty’s Gears Pro Street with a 3.951 at nearly 190 mph in his nitrous Camaro. He assumed driving duties this year and immediately stabilized the package.

Mac credits the crew after solving suspension issues. Richard Reagan and Mikey Sasina complete the top spots, confirming a mixed field of philosophies within the ruleset.

In Pro 632, J.C. Beattie Jr. sets the pace with 4.177 at 171.69 mph, edging points leader Jeff Pittman and Ryan Altman in a tight efficiency battle.

Austin Vincent leads 1320 Fabrication Super Street on speed with 4.628 at 157.98 mph. He continues a close duel with defending champion Connor McGee for category supremacy.

Sportsman order crystallizes after three rounds. Bruce Thrift tops MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman with 3.815, ahead of Jamie Fowler and points leader Bryan LaFlam.

Tony Careccia impresses in Greenbrier Excavating & Paving Elite Top Dragster, debuting a screw-blown ’26 NexGen entry at 3.669. KC Ingram and Jody Stroud follow closely.

Randy Perkinson secures MagnaFuel Top Sportsman No. 1, while Chaz Silance leads ATI Performance Products Top Dragster qualifiers, underscoring depth across the Sportsman ladder.

Jr. Dragster divisions run two sessions. Pheyton Rawlins and Mason Dudley hold provisional No. 1s in Pro Jr. Dragster and Classic Graphix Top Jr. Dragster, respectively.

Saturday’s program features final Jr. Dragster qualifying and one Edelbrock Bracket Bash time trial before pro eliminations begin at 11 a.m., tightening strategic windows for lane choice.

Form guides now favor recent improvers, but execution remains paramount. Expect aggressive early calls as teams chase clean 60-foots and defensible lanes.

For continuing coverage and reaction from Thunder Valley, follow the latest 2026 PDRA Throwdown updates as eliminations reshape the championship picture.

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Miles Carter

Miles Carter covers grassroots and regional drag-strip action, from bracket racing to street-legal shootouts. His event previews and performance-upgrade guides keep local racers up to speed on timing-slip trends, tire tech, and weekend race highlights.