Competitors have been streaming onto the grounds of Bradenton Motorsports Park in anticipation of taking home the largest single payday offered in straight-line racing: $250,000 to win in Top Fuel and Funny Car; $125,000 for Pro Stock in the Scag Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout presented by Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage.
Organized by Drag Illustrated magazine, who also present the World Series of Pro Mod, and the Professional Racers Owners organization, the PRO shootout has lured the top racers in NHRA’s Mission Foods Drag Racing Series to the central coast of Florida in search of added money and, of course the fame of winning this big race before the current 2024 season starts next month in Gainesville, just a few hours up the road from Bradenton.
All entries are here by invitation only. That narrows the field to those that are in the top echelons of their racing classes and who are known winners in NHRA competition.
Among the top dragster racers practicing on Tuesday and Wednesday before the first official Thursday practice and provisional qualifying sessions were reigning Top Fuel champ Doug Kalitta and Kalitta Motorsports teammate Shawn Langdon, John Force Racing’s Brittany Force, Leah Pruett making her final run before stepping out of the dragster seat in order to attempt parenthood, racing for husband Tony Stewart Racing’s nitro team, Tony Schumacher of JCM Racing, Justin Ashley, racing for Scag Ashley Racing, AB Motorsports’ Antron Brown, Josh Hart’s eponymous team, four-time champ Steve and dad Billy Torrence for Torrence Racing, Clay Millican of Rick Ware Racing and Mike Salinas from Scrappers Racing.
In Funny Car, we watched J.R. Todd of Kalitta Motorsports, 16-time Funny Car champ John Force and his new Flopper teammate Austin Prock (standing in for Robert Hight), reigning Funny Car champion Matt Hagan of Tony Stewart Racing, newly named Scag Wilkerson Racing driver Daniel Wilkerson, taking over for his father with driving duties, Bob Tasca III, Alexis DeJoria of DC Motorsports, Paul Lee, Ron Capps, Blake Alexander for Head Racing, Cruz Pedregon, Chad Green and Dave Richards, the latter attempting his first year of full-time competition.
Pro Stock racers on the grounds Tuesday and Wednesday, all taking trips down the historic quarter-mile Bradenton track included reigning champ Erica Enders, Troy Coughlin Jr., Aaron Stanfield, Fernando Cuadra, Fernando Cuadra Jr., Jerry Don Tucker, Bo Butner for a single event and Jeg Coughlin Jr from Elite Motorsports. They’re joined by the KB Titan Racing squad of Greg Anderson, Dallas Glenn, Camrie Caruso, Matt Hartford, returning Dave Connolly in Matt Hartford’s 2nd Chevy, Deric Kramer and Eric Latino. Chris and Mason McGaha, as well as Mark Beaver are also racing in the special competition.
Spectacular weather is expected for this race weekend, one that runs from Thursday through Saturday – likely so the racing doesn’t interfere with Sunday’s Super Bowl – and activities include official practice starting at 10AM Thursday morning. There are also sportsman races on the schedule, with Stock Eliminator, Super Stock Eliminator and Top Sportsman adding to the entertainment factor. Pro Stock qualifying begins at 5:15PM, with Funny Car and Top Fuel’s first qualifying session following shortly after as the sun sets.
Friday’s two PRO qualifying sessions start at 11:15AM and 2:30PM with sportsman eliminations starting around 7:30 Friday evening. Saturday eliminations start at noon and should be complete before 7PM local time, when the trophy and check presentations are scheduled.
In addition to the racing activities, PRO has scheduled concerts and other fan activities, including autograph sessions, PRO driver Q&A sessions on the Scag Stage, plenty of food and vendor activities as well.
While central Florida has experienced uncommon cold and wet weather leading up to the event, this coastal area is expected to have weather Florida snow birds are accustomed to seeing: clear, blue skies, temps in he middle to high 70s and temperately windy conditions. All activities are being streamed on the FloRacing platform, available on Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast and Apple TV. The FloSports app can be downloaded on iOS or Android platforms.
Who was crying about what on the top end?