The 2026 Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series titles will be decided this coming weekend, when the seventh – and final – race of the season takes place at Virginia Motorsports Park (VMP) in Dinwiddie, Virginia. The Pro Line Racing Brian Olson Memorial World Finals presented by ProCharger is set for September 17-20 and includes outlying activities that salute the history of the sport, in addition to crowning series champions on the dragstrip at VMP.
“We’re closing out the season in a big way at the Brian Olson Memorial World Finals,” said Tyler Crossnoe, PDRA series director. “From the big bonuses up for grabs in the Summit Racing PDRA ProStars all-star race on Thursday, through to the world championship battles that will come down to the wire late in the rounds on Sunday, it’s going to be an action-packed weekend at VMP. It’s an important race for the competitors who’ve been fighting for world championships all season,” Crossnoe stressed, “and it’s also one of our most fan-focused events ever, with free admission on Thursday for ProStars, the new Fast Pass that gets you into the rest of the weekend for just $30, and Night of Fire with nostalgia Funny Cars, a wheelstander and jet cars on Sunday. We’re really going all-out this weekend.”
The weekend’s activities include Thursday’s sixth annual Summit Racing Equipment PDRA ProStars presented by Laris Motorsports Insurance, an all-star specialty event that offers free entry fees to competitors, big prize money and, of course, bragging rights for the driver who races their way into the Quick 8-style shootouts.
Once Friday qualifying wraps up, local band LadySmyth is performing live at the Racer Party, as a season finale celebration. Saturday night is VMP’s Night of Fire, a highlight of these four days of action in the Virginia countryside. Once Sunday rolls around, competitors across PDRA’s professional, sportsman and Jr. Dragster classes will determine the 2026 world champions in each of their categories. Between this condensed season and the in-your-face competition, the 2026 championship battles are some of the closest in PDRA history.
“We brag, all the time, that the best drag racers in the world race in PDRA, and this season has backed that up,” Crossnoe emphasized. “From Pro Nitrous and Pro Boost to the Jr. Dragster ranks, the scenarios are incredible. In some cases, qualifying points will decide the champion. Depending on how qualifying goes, we might not crown a world champion until the final round in the closest categories. That makes things exciting for everyone involved.”
Championship contenders in Switzerland Dynamics Pro Nitrous presented by Jerry Bickel Race Cars include reigning world champion Marcus Butner, who leads the way after winning the previous two races in his Jay Cox-tuned, Musi-powered “Heartbreaker” 1969 Chevrolet Camaro. Three-time titleholder Tommy Franklin, with a single victory and a runner-up finish in his Jeff Pierce-tuned, Musi-powered “Jungle Rat 3.0” Camaro, sits second by just more than two rounds. Fredy Scriba, the 2024 world champ, is also mathematically eligible in third, driving his Musi-powered “Sorcerer” 1969 Camaro; he was a win and runner-up result after six events.
In WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive shows Johnny Camp as the points leader, looking for his first world championship. He set a new class E.T. record in the season opener in his ProCharged “Hells Bells” ’69 Camaro, tuned by Brandon Stroud. Camp won the most recent race on the tour to give himself a 10-point lead going into the World Finals, with his closest challenger, Jason Harris, looking to become the first driver in series history to win five world championships! Driving the Harts Charger-boosted “Party Time ’69 Camaro, also tuned by Stroud, Harris owns a pair of titles in both Pro Nitrous and Pro Boost. Reigning titleholder Ty Tutterow remains in the hunt with a runner-up finish and three consecutive No. 1 qualifier awards, driving Justin Smith’s screw-blown Quik Fuel ’68 Camaro.
There will be a first-time champion in Liberty Gears’ Pro Street class, presented by KTR Drag Racing, with six drivers in the running. 2023 Super Street world champion Blake Denton is the points leader, with a win and two-semifinal results in the nitrous-assisted “Bonnie” Lizzy Musi tribute ’69 Camaro, with just one round separating him from Richard Reagan, who also has a win and two semifinal results in his screw-blown ’91 Ford Mustang. Joel Wensley Jr., who won for the first time earlier this yer, is third in his ProCharged 2014 Camaro, while the latest first-time winner in this class, Ron Green is just outside the top three, along with Scott Kincaid just a few points back. Sixth-ranked Jerry Morgano has a mathematical shot at the title.
Two drivers have dominated PDRA Pro 632 presented by Mark Williams Enterprises this season. J.C. Beattie Jr. won the first two races of the season in his Reher-Morrison-powered ATI Performance Products 2018 Camaro, adding a third win at the sixth race on tour that gives him a strong points lead. With a first career win and a single final round finish in his Barry Allen-powered Hickory Enclosed Trailer Sales ’68 Chevelle, Jeff Pittman has a shot at the championship, but if Beattie out-qualifies him by two or more spots, that hunt is done. David Cook holds third, but isn’t championship-eligible.
In 1320 Fabrication Super Street presented by Brian’s Heating and Cooling, Austin Vincent, who finished second to Connor McGee in the 2025 championship chase, won the two most recent contests to give himself three wins in four straight final rounds, driving his Vincent Performance ’88 Mustang. McGee, in his Fulton-powered Brian’s Heating & Cooling ’90 Mustang, needs Vincent to fall early in order to keep his chances going for a second straight title. While he has two wins, two No. 1 qualifier awards, and while he set a new class E.T. record at the last race, McGee remains 347 points behind Vincent. Dan Whetstine, the 2024 class champ, is looking to solidify a third-place result in his ProCharged “Red Velvet” ’90 Mustang.
Defending MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by PAR Racing Engines champion Bryan LaFlam is points leader. He has two wins, while Zach Houser, Scott Duggins and Jamie Fowler are in the hunt. Less than a round separates the two title contenders, Steve Fur and Josh Duggins, in Greenbrier Excavating & Paving Elite Top Dragster presented by American Race Cars. Past MagnaFuel Top Sportsman world champ Joe Roubicek has a commanding lead in class, yet Dave Muller, 2020 champ Stacy Hall and Ronnie Proctor are mathematically eligible.
Joe Gary holds the points lead in ATI Performance Products Top Dragster presented by TBM Brakes coming into this finale, but a big performance could mean a title for 2023 Top Sportsman world champ Chad Traylor, or for Steve Boone and Taylor Holland. An incredible 11 different drivers are mathematically eligible for the Pro Jr. Dragster world championship, with Katelyn Page leading that group. Classic Graphic Top Jr. Dragster is also competitive, with five contenders chasing points leader Mason Dudley. Although not a championship class, Edelbrock Bracket Bash presented by Philadelphia Racing Products is part of this four-day World Finals.
Pre-race testing starts at 9AM Thursday, while Summit Racing PDRA ProStars drier intros begin at 4:30, followed by pre-race ceremonies and eliminations beginning at 6PM. Friday qualifying kicks off with Jr. Dragsters at 9AM, and includes two pro qualifying sessions. With Saturday featuring the Night of Fire, there’s a single qualifying session as well as the first round of eliminations. Eliminations conclude on Sunday, with winners crowned in the FuelTech Winners Circle.
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