The Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series made its fifth of seven stops at historic Bristol Dragway for the Thunder Valley Throwdown presented by Larry Jeffers Race Cars, August 6-8. With championship battles tightening across the professional, sportsman, and Jr. Dragster ranks, and the PDRA Sportsman Spectacular raising the stakes, this Drag Illustrated Event Hub covered the weekend with qualifying, eliminations, photos, and storylines.
660 Man Winners
Pro Nitrous: Marcus Butner
Pro Boost: Ned Dunphy
Pro Street: Richard Reagan
Pro 632: Ryan Altman
Super Street: Austin Vincent
Five 660 Man winners were crowned at Bristol Dragway. Marcus Butner holeshotted points leader Tommy Franklin to win Pro Nitrous. Ned Dunphy came from the No. 6 spot to win Pro Boost over Lyle Barnett, cutting a perfect .000 reaction time along the way. Tennessee’s own Richard Reagan won Pro Street over Tim Essick. Ryan Altman upset No. 1 qualifier J.C. Beattie Jr. in the Pro 632 final, and No. 1 qualifier Austin Vincent closed out Super Street over Troy Hill.
In the sportsman and Jr. Dragster ranks, winners were Nick Meloni (Elite Top Sportsman), Jody Stroud (Elite Top Dragster), Joe Roubicek (Top Sportsman 48), Matt Sackman (Top Dragster 48), CJ Jenkins (Pro Jr. Dragster), and Wyatt Piercey (Top Jr. Dragster). Brayden McCown won the Edelbrock Bracket Bash.
Jump to Section
Winners •
Event Recap •
Eliminations •
Friday Recap •
Qualifying •
Storylines •
Schedule •
By the Numbers •
Tickets & Watch •
Track Info
Event Recap
Dunphy, Butner, Reagan, Altman, and Vincent Claim Victories at PDRA Thunder Valley Throwdown
BRISTOL, Tenn. (August 8, 2026) – 2025 Hot Rod Drag Week champion Ned Dunphy came out of nowhere on Saturday night at Bristol Dragway in Bristol, Tennessee, capturing his very first PDRA 660 Man by defeating Lyle Barnett in the final round of WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive at the PDRA Thunder Valley Throwdown presented by Larry Jeffers Race Cars. After a three-and-a-half-hour rain delay pushed eliminations into the evening hours, the Roswell, Georgia native was .013 on the tree in his orange screw-blown ’24 Camaro, allowing his 3.632-second pass at 207.08 mph to hold off Barnett’s slightly quicker 3.627 at 208.42.
Marcus Butner (Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous presented by Jerry Bickel Race Cars), Richard Reagan (Liberty’s Gears Pro Street presented by KTR Drag Racing), Ryan Altman (Pro 632 presented by Mark Williams Enterprises), and Austin Vincent (1320 Fabrication Super Street presented by Brian’s Heating & Cooling) were the other pro class winners.
The Thunder Valley Throwdown also hosted the PDRA Sportsman Spectacular, featuring the biggest bracket category payouts so far this season. Winners included Nick Meloni in MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by PAR Racing Engines, Jody Stroud in Greenbrier Excavating & Paving Elite Top Dragster presented by American Race Cars, Joe Roubicek in MagnaFuel Top Sportsman 48, and Matt Sackman in ATI Performance Products Top Dragster 48 presented by TBM Brakes.
C.J. Jenkins (Pro Jr. Dragster) and Wyatt Piercey (Classic Graphix Top Jr. Dragster) were victorious in the Jr. Dragster classes, which were also part of the Sportsman Spectacular.
It was a North Carolina vs. Maryland final-round battle in Pro Jr. Dragster, with Jamesville, North Carolina’s Jenkins using a holeshot and 7.973 e.t. to defeat Baltimore, Maryland’s James Beattie III and his quicker 7.939. In Top Jr. Dragster, Piercey ran an 8.964 on an 8.90 dial-in in his Salisbury, North Carolina-based dragster to earn the victory over Lancaster, South Carolina’s Cooper Cauthen, who broke out by a mere two-thousandths of a second, posting a 12.218 on a 12.22 dial-in.
A pair of locally based bracket racers squared off in the final round of Edelbrock Bracket Bash presented by Philadelphia Racing Products. The race was decided at the starting line when Tennessee’s Dylan Howard went -.014 red, giving the win to Brayden McCown out of Virginia. McCown ran it out, going 6.039 on his 6.04 dial-in.
Pro Boost
Heading into Saturday’s eliminations, it looked like it would be a massive day for a points shakeup, with points leader and two-time PDRA Pro Boost world champion Jason Harris on a collision course with reigning Pro Boost champ and No. 1 qualifier Ty Tutterow. Instead, it was two drivers playing spoiler that stole the show on race day. Best known for piloting his record-setting Drag & Drive Dodge Viper, Ned Dunphy used an .013 reaction time in his orange screw-blown ’24 Camaro to pull off a holeshot win against former U.S. National champion Lyle Barnett. It was a case of the relative Pro Mod newcomer flipping the script against one of the most feared leavers in the sport, allowing Dunphy to pull off the victory with a slower 3.632-second pass at 207.08 mph. Barnett, driving the Tommy Youmans-owned, Lee White-tuned “Clean Title” ’18 Camaro, put down a slightly quicker 3.627 at 208.42.
“That final pass there, I couldn’t believe when I saw the win light come on, because I could hear Lyle screaming along next to me, and I’m thinking, ‘It’s so close,’” said Dunphy. “I’m betting Lyle’s mad at his light because he’s so, so good at the light all the time. We had a really good weekend on our light too, though. We were hovering around that double O mark the whole entire time with one trip zip, so just the stars aligned this weekend. I’m super happy with it.”
Dunphy qualified sixth with a 3.650, then looked like a bracket car throughout eliminations. In round one, he stepped up his performance with a 3.641 at 206.51 mph to defeat Raymond Matos, who went 3.676. He followed that up in round two with a perfect .000 reaction time and a 3.636 at 206.26 mph to earn a holeshot win over Paul Gargus and his quicker 3.625. In the semifinals, Dunphy battled against former Super Bowl champion and Pro Mod rookie Fletcher Cox in the screw-blown, KTR Racing “Fixed Income” ’69 Camaro. Dunphy duplicated his 3.636 from the previous round, while Cox threw away a quicker 3.620 by going -.021 red on the tree.
“We’re out here having fun. The crew and I, we laugh all the time,” Dunphy said. “We’ve been eating steaks and chicken. We eat better here at the track than we do at home. So just making our way through, we don’t do the trash talk, we don’t do the drama, but now we’ve made some noise, so my guess is, we’re gonna get a little bit more attention and have to be a little more outspoken.”
Barnett was making his first PDRA appearance since the season-opener at Darlington Dragway and looked like he’d never left. He qualified in the No. 8 position and immediately had an .004 reaction time and 3.669 in round one to defeat Randy Weatherford, who turned on the red light. From there, Barnett singlehandedly threw a wrench in the points championship. In the quarterfinals, he went .001 on the tree and ran 3.619 at 208.91 mph to stay ahead of reigning PDRA Pro Boost world champion and No. 1 qualifier Ty Tutterow, who went a slightly quicker 3.615 at 207.11. Barnett then took out points leader Jason Harris in his Harts Charger-equipped “Party Time” ’69 Camaro in the semifinals, with Barnett’s 3.613 at 209.01 outrunning the two-time Pro Boost world champion’s 3.627 at 209.20.
Pro Nitrous
Reigning PDRA Pro Nitrous world champion Marcus Butner hasn’t had the 2026 season he’d envisioned, entering the Thunder Valley Throwdown fifth in points. He made a massive push to defend his title in Bristol, however, pacing the field nearly the entire weekend en route to his first event win of the year. Just like Ned Dunphy did before him, Butner used a holeshot in the final round to take the win over points leader and reigning event champion Tommy Franklin. Butner went 3.688 at 204.32 mph in his Pat Musi-powered, Jay Cox-tuned “Heartbreaker” ’69 Camaro, which was just enough to hold off Franklin’s 3.655 at 205.98 in his Musi-powered “Jungle Rat 3.0” ’69 Camaro.
The win not only shot Butner up the points standings, but earning the victory on the starting line was especially meaningful after the team had to thrash after fire erupted from the hood scoop in his semifinal-round win against Tim Paap and his ’16 Corvette.
“In the semifinals, we got up on the wheelie bars really hard. It ended up in high gear and it wasn’t supposed to be, and it just struck the motor down, hurt it a little bit,” said Butner. “We ended up swinging the motor back in it that we had in it all weekend. My team’s worked so hard; they work hard all the time. We do a lot of testing, and they’re always willing to put in extra stuff and double check things. They’ll stay up late at night working on it. They got my back 100%, so it’s very rewarding to be able to give it back to them.”
Butner qualified No. 1 with a 3.659 e.t., earning him a bye run in the first round where he ran 3.696 at 204.76 mph. In the quarterfinals, he ran 3.695 at 204.91 to defeat Amber Denton in the “OG Jungle Rat,” as Denton went -.060 red. Butner’s explosion slowed him down to 3.833 in the semifinals, but it was still enough to stay ahead of Paap, who suffered his own issues in a 4.702-second pass. Now Butner enters the final two races of the season in prime position to defend his points title.
“It’s just God’s blessings, I think,” Butner said. “We was pretty far out (in points). We’ve had a bunch of bad luck. We’ve had a fast car pretty much all year other than Maryland. We put in the work to come here to try and accomplish this. We’ll see what happens.”
Franklin defeated Jimmy Cowan in the opening round, earning himself a bye in the quarterfinals. He then outran Chesapeake, Virginia’s Dane Wood in the semifinals, running 3.646 to Wood’s 3.708 to set up his final round matchup with Butner.
Pro Street
Richard Reagan entered the Thunder Valley Throwdown sitting fourth in points and threw himself right into championship contention with his win in Bristol. Reagan saved his best run of the weekend for the final in his screw-blown ’91 Mustang, using a 3.951 at 193.24 mph to outrun class veteran Tim Essick’s 3.986 at 191.00 in his “Brown Sugar” ’18 Mustang.
“I just kept picking away at it, trying to make it leave harder and make it run as hard through the middle as we could, and just try to do a little more each round. I think it’s a great class. The competition has just gotten, it’s just anybody’s race, you know? You just gotta do your job. I don’t know, maybe we can win the next two. Just have to do the best we can,” Reagan said.
Reagan qualified No. 2 with a 3.973 at 193.71 mph, and was scheduled to race Tommy Youmans in round one. Unfortunately, Youmans suffered engine failure in qualifying and couldn’t make the call, giving Reagan a bye run where he ran 4.030 at 191.48. In round two, he ran 3.965 at 193.10 to defeat Jerry Morgano’s twin-turbo ’02 Mustang, who slowed to a 4.491. Reagan then took out No. 3 qualifier Mikey Sasina in the semifinals, using a 3.964 at 192.77 to better Sasina’s 3.992 at 196.50.
Essick qualified eighth with a 4.030 at 190.27 mph, then defeated the most recent event winner on the tour, Joel Wensley Jr., in round one. Subsequent victories over Andy Mac in the Fletcher Cox-owned “Training Day” ’69 Camaro and Scott Kincaid in his silver screw-blown ’69 Camaro placed Essick in the final round.
Pro 632
Until just over a week ago, Ryan Altman had never even sat in the Patrick Barnhill-tuned, Greenbrier Excavating & Paving Camaro that he wheeled to victory Saturday night in Pro 632. The young grudge and radial racer made the most of his opportunity, knocking out J.C. Beattie Jr., a two-time event winner this season, in the final round in a side-by-side race. Altman’s 4.185 at 168.49 mph was just enough to outlast Beattie Jr.’s 4.191 at 172.25.
Altman qualified third with a 4.192 at 169.53 mph, then defeated Pompano Beach, Florida’s Jason Ventura in the opening round. That set up a semifinal pairing against points leader and teammate Jeff Pittman in his Greenbrier ’68 Chevelle. In nearly identical runs, Altman’s 4.190 at 169.30 held off Pittman’s 4.199 at 168.70.
“My first time sitting in the car was last week on Wednesday,” Altman admitted. “In Q1, Q2, we didn’t run the best. We wound up going back to what we knew, because they’ve been running the car for a while, and won a couple championships in the past. I got put in with some good people in a good car, so that set me up nice. All weekend I tried to do my job. The brake pedal is a little far for me, so I can’t hold the car in the lights. I double bulbed my teammate, Jeff Pittman, and then Beattie I accidentally did the same thing. I couldn’t hold the car enough in the lights. I told him I’d get that fixed for the next race. Hopefully in the next race, we don’t run into Jeff and we can help him win the championship. That’s the goal.”
Super Street
Despite recent rule changes to their combinations, the battle between Super Street young guns Austin Vincent and Connor McGee continued in Bristol, with Vincent earning his second win of the year Saturday night and snatching away the points lead. In the final round, Vincent unleashed a 4.583-second pass to defeat Amelia, Virginia’s Troy Hill, who was forced to shut his ’00 Mustang off early to a 6.484 at 73.95.
“It’s definitely a big move for us,” said Vincent. “They [McGee] did that big wheelie and lost second round, and we were able to capitalize on it. Now we’re 98 points ahead, a little less than a round. This should definitely make for an interesting rest of the season, that’s for sure. All the other combos are right there with us. It’s just gonna take the same dedication we’ve had the whole season. Of course, none of this comes easy for anyone. Everyone works hard out here and we just got to try to work a little bit harder to stay out front.”
Vincent qualified No. 1 with a 4.628 at 157.98 mph in his Vincent Performance ’88 Mustang. In the first round, Vincent’s opponent, Eric Osteen, was not able to make the call, giving Vincent a bye run. In round two, Vincent used a 4.618 at 151.29 mph to defeat Super Street newcomer, Alabama’s Jackson Henderson in his ’87 Buick Grand National, who made his best pass of the weekend at 4.722. The win gave Vincent a competition bye into the final.
McGee, the reigning Super Street world champion in his Fulton-powered Brian’s Heating & Cooling ’90 Mustang, fell in round two after riding a massive wheelie and having to pedal. The mistake allowed Virginia’s Scott Marshall to take the win in his red ’88 Mustang with a 4.654 at 156.05 mph to McGee’s 4.915 at 147.44.
Top Sportsman
Brentwood, New Hampshire’s Nick Meloni came out of the No. 11 qualifying spot on Saturday to take home the PDRA 660 Man and $7,500 payday as part of the PDRA Sportsman Spectacular. Piloting his black, centrifugally supercharged ’69 Camaro, Meloni ran a 4.042 on his 4.03 dial-in to defeat No. 6 qualifier Zach Houser, who got sideways right at the hit in his ’00 Firebird.
In Top Sportsman 48, Niceville, Florida’s Joe Roubicek in his ’68 Camaro ran a 4.286 on a 4.27 dial-in to defeat J.C. Garcia, who broke out with a 4.647 on a 4.65 dial-in in his Orlando, Florida-based ’08 Pontiac GTO.
Top Dragster
No. 3 qualifier Jody Stroud took out two-time Elite Top Dragster world champion Steve Furr in the semifinals, setting up a final round matchup in his screw-blown “Zombie” Horton dragster against Inman, South Carolina’s Josh Duggins. The race was over at the starting line, as Duggins went -.003 red, throwing away a 3.799 on a 3.78 dial, and giving the event win and $7,500 to Stroud, who ran 3.870 on his 3.71 dial-in.
Two-time NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Top Dragster winner Matt Sackman continued his winning ways in Bristol, earning the Top Dragster 48 win in his ’10 Spitzer dragster. The Knoxville, Tennessee native used a starting line advantage and a 3.898 on a 3.88 dial-in to defeat South Carolina’s Joe Gary, who ran a dead-on 4.420 on his 4.42 dial.
Next Up
The next race on the Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series tour is Drag Wars presented by Big Stuff Total Power Management, August 27-29, the series’ second stop of the season at Galot Motorsports Park in Benson, North Carolina.
Eliminations
Complete elimination results from Saturday, Round 1 through the final, for each pro class. The winner of each pairing is listed first, with the driver defeated to the right of the red divider.
Pro Nitrous
Round 1
| Winner | RT | ET | MPH | Defeated | RT | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amber Denton | .008 | 3.703 | 205.22 | Buddy Perkinson | .034 | 3.704 | 203.80 |
| Dane Wood | .028 | 3.739 | 200.00 | Fredy Scriba | .026 | 5.384 | 90.67 |
| Tim Paap | .028 | 3.705 | 202.48 | Edward Wilson | .028 | 3.784 | 196.99 |
| Billy Albert | .037 | 4.167 | 167.80 | Brian Teachman | .052 | 6.191 | 76.10 |
| Dale Brinsfield | .062 | 3.767 | 200.89 | Rickie Smith | .040 | 3.984 | 188.46 |
| Tommy Franklin | .072 | 4.071 | 146.59 | Jimmy Cowan | .452 | 7.340 | 108.06 |
| Marcus Butner | .059 | 3.696 | 204.76 | Single (solo run) | – | – | – |
Round 2
| Winner | RT | ET | MPH | Defeated | RT | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tommy Franklin | .091 | 4.483 | 116.65 | Single (solo run) | – | – | – |
| Dane Wood | .020 | 3.716 | 204.73 | Dale Brinsfield | .031 | 4.129 | 140.85 |
| Tim Paap | .066 | 3.667 | 203.89 | Billy Albert | .037 | 3.700 | 201.64 |
| Marcus Butner | .043 | 3.695 | 204.91 | Amber Denton | -.060 | 6.022 | 81.10 |
Round 3 (Semifinals)
| Winner | RT | ET | MPH | Defeated | RT | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tommy Franklin | .048 | 3.646 | 206.99 | Dane Wood | .097 | 3.708 | 204.54 |
| Marcus Butner | .020 | 3.635 | 163.61 | Tim Paap | .096 | 4.702 | 108.56 |
Final
| Winner | RT | ET | MPH | Defeated | RT | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marcus Butner | .025 | 3.688 | 204.32 | Tommy Franklin | .061 | 3.655 | 205.98 |
Pro Boost
Round 1
| Winner | RT | ET | MPH | Defeated | RT | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lyle Barnett | .004 | 3.669 | 207.53 | Randy Weatherford | -.033 | 3.665 | 207.66 |
| Johnny Camp | .027 | 3.655 | 206.23 | Ethan Steding | .035 | 3.676 | 204.01 |
| Ned Dunphy | .034 | 3.641 | 206.51 | Raymond Matos | .044 | 3.676 | 207.50 |
| Jason Harris | .019 | 3.639 | 209.01 | Melanie Salemi | .029 | 3.685 | 185.87 |
| John Doc | .091 | 3.643 | 206.70 | Joel Wensley | -.104 | 3.680 | 205.66 |
| Paul Gargus | .043 | 3.640 | 208.26 | Carson Perry | .018 | 3.668 | 206.04 |
| Fletcher Cox | .027 | 3.648 | 206.76 | Kurt Steding | .004 | 3.691 | 203.40 |
| Ty Tutterow | .026 | 3.628 | 207.05 | Travis Harvey | .015 | 3.661 | 206.04 |
Round 2 (Quarterfinals)
| Winner | RT | ET | MPH | Defeated | RT | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fletcher Cox | .016 | 3.626 | 206.95 | Johnny Camp | .032 | 3.645 | 206.04 |
| Ned Dunphy | .000 | 3.636 | 206.26 | Paul Gargus | .015 | 3.625 | 207.53 |
| Jason Harris | .007 | 3.626 | 209.07 | John Doc | .003 | 3.657 | 206.89 |
| Lyle Barnett | .001 | 3.619 | 208.91 | Ty Tutterow | .026 | 3.615 | 207.11 |
Round 3 (Semifinals)
| Winner | RT | ET | MPH | Defeated | RT | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ned Dunphy | .035 | 3.636 | 206.64 | Fletcher Cox | -.021 | 3.620 | 207.72 |
| Lyle Barnett | .031 | 3.613 | 209.01 | Jason Harris | .026 | 3.627 | 209.20 |
Final
| Winner | RT | ET | MPH | Defeated | RT | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ned Dunphy | .013 | 3.632 | 207.08 | Lyle Barnett | .029 | 3.627 | 208.42 |
Pro Street
Round 1
| Winner | RT | ET | MPH | Defeated | RT | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Essick | .054 | 4.023 | 190.89 | Joel Wensley Jr. | .056 | 4.023 | 193.54 |
| Jerry Morgano | .045 | 3.994 | 198.09 | Ron Green | .049 | 4.004 | 194.16 |
| Chad Henderson | .039 | 4.067 | 195.51 | Warren Vandish | .074 | 7.574 | 82.10 |
| Blake Denton | .083 | 4.016 | 183.59 | J.R. Webb | .019 | 4.089 | 181.67 |
| Scott Kincaid | .065 | 4.020 | 193.35 | Tim Lyons | .006 | 4.104 | 187.91 |
| Mikey Sasina | .057 | 3.989 | 196.64 | Chris Mattingly | .029 | 6.152 | 77.07 |
| Richard Reagan | .054 | 4.030 | 191.48 | Tommy Youmans | foul | broke | – |
| Andy Mac | .068 | 4.037 | 187.70 | Brian McGee | .083 | 5.483 | 94.07 |
Round 2 (Quarterfinals)
| Winner | RT | ET | MPH | Defeated | RT | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Essick | .048 | 3.937 | 191.32 | Andy Mac | .043 | 3.975 | 189.01 |
| Scott Kincaid | .028 | 4.015 | 192.25 | Blake Denton | .060 | 3.984 | 184.45 |
| Richard Reagan | .033 | 3.965 | 193.10 | Jerry Morgano | .027 | 4.491 | 129.07 |
| Mikey Sasina | .043 | 3.973 | 195.79 | Chad Henderson | .003 | 4.042 | 194.66 |
Round 3 (Semifinals)
| Winner | RT | ET | MPH | Defeated | RT | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Reagan | .038 | 3.964 | 192.77 | Mikey Sasina | .070 | 3.992 | 196.50 |
| Tim Essick | .090 | 3.949 | 191.27 | Scott Kincaid | foul | broke | – |
Final
| Winner | RT | ET | MPH | Defeated | RT | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Reagan | .033 | 3.951 | 193.24 | Tim Essick | .038 | 3.986 | 191.00 |
Pro 632
Round 1
| Winner | RT | ET | MPH | Defeated | RT | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Cook Jr. | .028 | 4.232 | 166.44 | Carson Hoyle | .026 | 4.250 | 165.05 |
| Ryan Altman | .029 | 4.214 | 169.04 | Jason Ventura | .044 | 4.234 | 167.51 |
| Jeff Pittman | .056 | 4.202 | 169.17 | Ed McLemore | .040 | 4.257 | 169.10 |
| J.C. Beattie Jr. | .150 | 4.180 | 172.94 | Cameron Gibson | -.375 | 21.466 | 27.40 |
Round 2 (Semifinals)
| Winner | RT | ET | MPH | Defeated | RT | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Altman | .034 | 4.190 | 169.30 | Jeff Pittman | .054 | 4.199 | 168.70 |
| J.C. Beattie Jr. | .051 | 4.180 | 173.16 | David Cook Jr. | -.008 | 4.233 | 166.23 |
Final
| Winner | RT | ET | MPH | Defeated | RT | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Altman | .052 | 4.185 | 168.49 | J.C. Beattie Jr. | .056 | 4.191 | 172.25 |
Super Street
Round 1
| Winner | RT | ET | MPH | Defeated | RT | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson Henderson | .048 | 4.763 | 150.88 | Charles Potter | .069 | 4.815 | 146.94 |
| Scott Marshall | .064 | 4.729 | 139.86 | Dan Whetstine | .116 | 4.688 | 156.06 |
| Kenny Fox | .072 | 4.986 | 136.06 | Mike Freeman | .061 | 5.004 | 152.55 |
| Troy Hill | .077 | 4.667 | 156.72 | Jessie Coulter | .048 | 7.039 | 88.04 |
| Connor McGee | .099 | 4.944 | 147.78 | Phil Hines | .083 | 5.331 | 121.32 |
| Austin Vincent | .038 | 4.648 | 152.16 | Eric Osteen | foul | broke | – |
Round 2
| Winner | RT | ET | MPH | Defeated | RT | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Troy Hill | .082 | 4.792 | 147.34 | Kenny Fox | .047 | 4.984 | 148.67 |
| Scott Marshall | .147 | 4.654 | 156.05 | Connor McGee | .067 | 4.915 | 147.44 |
| Austin Vincent | .027 | 4.618 | 151.29 | Jackson Henderson | .031 | 4.722 | 154.21 |
Round 3 (Semifinals)
| Winner | RT | ET | MPH | Defeated | RT | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Troy Hill | .053 | 6.681 | 69.59 | Scott Marshall | foul | broke | – |
| Austin Vincent | .040 | 4.705 | 133.01 | Single (solo run) | – | – | – |
Final
| Winner | RT | ET | MPH | Defeated | RT | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Vincent | .051 | 4.583 | 156.77 | Troy Hill | .061 | 6.484 | 73.95 |
Friday Recap
Butner, Tutterow, Mac, Beattie Jr., and Vincent Qualify No. 1 at PDRA Thunder Valley Throwdown
BRISTOL, Tenn. (August 7, 2026) – After hot and humid weather created tricky track conditions for pro teams throughout the day on Friday at the PDRA Thunder Valley Throwdown presented by Larry Jeffers Race Cars, the final session under the lights was a welcome relief. With lightning flashing in the background, Marcus Butner and Tommy Franklin went No. 1 and No. 2 respectively in a side-by-side final pass of the session. Butner’s 3.659 at 206.51 mph earned him the No. 1 qualifier award in Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous presented by Jerry Bickel Race Cars. It’s Butner’s second No. 1 qualifier award of the season at the fifth of seven races on the 2026 Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series schedule.
After three qualifying sessions in WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive, 2025 PDRA Pro Boost world champion and defending event winner Ty Tutterow took the No. 1 spot with a 3.613 at 207.08 mph.
The PDRA’s other three pro classes also completed three qualifying sessions, with No. 1 qualifier awards going to Andy Mac in Liberty’s Gears Pro Street presented by KTR Drag Racing, J.C. Beattie Jr. in Pro 632 presented by Mark Williams Enterprises, and Austin Vincent in 1320 Fabrication Super Street presented by Brian’s Heating & Cooling.
Following three qualifying sessions, No. 1 qualifier awards in the sportsman categories went to Bruce Thrift in MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by PAR Racing Engines, Tony Careccia in Greenbrier Excavating & Paving Elite Top Dragster presented by American Race Cars, Randy Perkinson in MagnaFuel Top Sportsman, and Chaz Silance in ATI Performance Products Top Dragster presented by TBM Brakes.
The PDRA rising stars in the Jr. Dragster ranks completed two qualifying sessions. Pheyton Rawlins (Pro Jr. Dragster) and Mason Dudley (Classic Graphix Top Jr. Dragster) are the provisional No. 1 qualifiers going into Saturday’s final session. Rawlins, a Denver, North Carolina native, posted a perfect 7.900-second elapsed time to lead Pro Jr. Dragster, which qualifies against a 7.90 index. In Top Jr. Dragster, where the qualifying order is based on reaction time, Dudley was nearly perfect, posting a .006 in the Owings, Maryland-based ’26 Halfscale entry.
Pro Nitrous
Defending PDRA Pro Nitrous world champion Marcus Butner hasn’t had the first half of the season that he would prefer, but in Bristol, the Pat Musi-powered, Jay Cox-tuned, Butner Construction ’69 Camaro appears to be turning the corner. Butner ran low e.t. in all three sessions, culminating with a 3.659 at 206.51 mph in the final run of the night for the class, earning him the No. 1 qualifier award.
Despite struggling earlier in the year, Butner entered the event sitting fifth in points, and has put himself in a position to catapult up the standings with a strong showing in eliminations.
“It’s on rails right now, there’s no doubt,” said Butner. “We got a hell of a team here, and we’ve worked hard to get this car back in this shape. We really struggled earlier in the year. We had one No. 1 qualifier, but we couldn’t ever get it done. It’s like we was chasing little gremlins. So we tested a good bit, worked on fine tuning everything, trying to get it back in championship form. It’s really shown up this weekend, thank the Lord. We’re confident. I think it’d go down a dirt road right now and go pretty fast. All this takes a lot of luck. Maybe we’ll get a little lucky, maybe we won’t. We’re gonna do our best either way.”
Three-time PDRA Pro Nitrous world champion and current points leader Tommy Franklin ended the day No. 2 on the qualifying sheet thanks to a 3.665 at 206.20 mph in his Musi-powered “Jungle Rat 3.0” ’69 Camaro. “Legend of Thunder Valley” Rickie Smith qualified third with a 3.711 at 204.26 in his J&A Service/Parkway Ford ’22 Mustang.
Pro Boost
Defending PDRA Pro Boost world champion Ty Tutterow, son of two-time Pro Boost world champion Todd “King Tut” Tutterow, won last year’s Thunder Valley Throwdown at Galot Motorsports Park after rain postponed the event in Bristol. Piloting Justin Smith’s Larry Jeffers-built Quik Fuel ’68 Camaro, Tutterow took the No. 1 spot on Friday night with a 3.613 elapsed time at 207.08 mph.
“We were chasing it all day today. We were running really good off the trailer on the first run, the car was kind of driving to the left, and had to abort that run,” Tutterow said. “That was probably going to be a good .62 or .63 run. Car kind of slowed up a little bit there through the middle, kind of running in the middle of the pack. We thought we’d run a little better than we did. Finally chased it down there in Q3 and it was good.”
The run helped Tutterow, currently sitting third in points, edge closer to points leader Jason Harris and put him in prime position to jump to the top of the standings if things fall his way in eliminations. Harris qualified fifth, meaning the two could potentially meet in the semifinals with huge points implications.
“I always love running for it in the middle of a race because that gives you a chance to hold your own destiny,” said Tutterow. “You take and carry your team through to cover that ground when you’re only a round or two behind. You can implement it, and like I said, hold your own destiny. This is probably one of my favorite facilities. This is one of our hometown tracks; we’re only two hours from here. I’d love to be able to get our picture taken here in the winner’s circle.”
Former Super Bowl champion and Pro Boost rookie Fletcher Cox took the No. 2 spot in his screw-blown, KTR Racing “Fixed Income” ’69 Camaro with a 3.616 at 207.02 mph. Fellow first-year Pro Mod driver Paul Gargus continued his impressive season, qualifying third with a 3.622 at 207.91 in the Harts Charger-powered ’69 Camaro out of the Scott Tidwell Racing camp.
Pro Street
Grudge racing and N/T veteran Andy Mac took over driving duties in Fletcher Cox’s nitrous-powered “Training Day” ’69 Camaro earlier this season when Cox made the move to Pro Mod, and immediately qualified No. 1 and went to the final round at Galot. On Friday night, Mac added a second No. 1 qualifier to his resume, running 3.951 seconds at 189.55 mph, showing that he has taken a liking to his current driving situation.
“I’m pretty comfortable. We had some mishaps in Maryland, had some suspension issues. We went and tested, got that straightened out, and I think we got our hot rod back,” Mac said. “I don’t know what we was planning on running. All Phil (tuner Phil Shuler) told me is he had a bomb in it, and to hold on, and I trusted him. He did his job, and I did mine.”
Richard Reagan dove into the 3-second range in the final session as well, posting a 3.973 at 193.71 mph in his screw-blown ’91 Mustang. Golden, Colorado’s Mikey Sasina held the No. 1 spot until the final session, eventually taking the No. 3 position in his Harts Charger-boosted ’03 Mustang, running a 3.986 at 195.99.
Pro 632
Former NHRA sportsman racer J.C. Beattie Jr. started out the 2026 PDRA season on fire, taking home wins in the first two events of the year in Pro 632 presented by Mark Williams Enterprises. After a slight hiccup in Maryland, Beattie Jr. got right back on track in Bristol, taking his nitrous-fed ATI Performance Products ’18 Camaro to the top of the qualifying sheet with a 4.177 elapsed time at 171.69 mph.
Points leader Jeff Pittman was hot on Beattie Jr.’s heels, posting a 4.190 at 169.13 mph in his Hickory Enclosed Trailer Sales ’68 Chevelle to take the No. 2 spot. Sarantion, South Carolina’s Ryan Altman drove his ’68 Camaro to the No. 3 position, running a 4.192 at 169.53.
Super Street
As it’s been all season, qualifying in 1320 Fabrication Super Street presented by Brian’s Heating & Cooling was a battle between young guns Austin Vincent and Connor McGee, and the margins couldn’t have been tighter.
While McGee had the upper hand in the previous two races, Vincent took the No. 1 spot at Thunder Valley on speed, as both drivers ran identical 4.628-second passes in the second session. Vincent’s 157.98 mph in his Vincent Performance ’88 Mustang was more than enough to place him in the top spot.
McGee, the defending Super Street world champion, finished in the No. 2 spot with a speed of 150.78 mph in his Fulton-powered Brian’s Heating & Cooling ’90 Mustang. His streak of qualifying no worse than second in the class this season remains intact.
Amelia, Virginia’s Troy Hill took advantage of Friday night’s cooler air, nabbing the third spot in his ’00 Mustang, running an impressive 4.633 at 157.12.
Top Sportsman
Bruce Thrift led the way in Elite Top Sportsman, piloting his nitrous-assisted, PAR-powered ’06 Pontiac GTO to a 3.815-second pass at 195.05 mph. Jamie Fowler, No. 1 qualifier at the first two races of the season in his nitrous-fed, Fulton-powered Pee Dee Fleet ’69 Camaro, ended up second based on mph with a 3.831 at 197.25. Points leader Bryan LaFlam qualified third, posting an identical 3.831 at 191.21 in his supercharged BigStuff TPM ’67 Mustang.
The Top Sportsman 48 category completed first round of eliminations Friday evening, with eliminations concluding on Saturday.
Top Dragster
A trio of blown entries lead the way in Elite Top Dragster heading into eliminations. Asheville, North Carolina’s Tony Careccia debuted his brand-new screw-blown ’26 NexGen dragster and immediately jumped to the top of the pack, running a 3.669 at 203.98 mph. Hailing from Farmington, Missouri, KC Ingram ran a 3.682 at 203.19 mph in his ’20 Miller dragster to qualify second. Jody Stroud in his Chesterfield, South Carolina-based ’18 Horton entry rounded out the top three with a 3.725 at 205.16.
The Top Dragster 48 category also completed first round of eliminations Friday evening, with eliminations concluding on Saturday.
Saturday’s schedule begins with Jr. Dragster final qualifying at 8:45 a.m., followed by one time trial for Edelbrock Bracket Bash presented by Philadelphia Racing Products. Pro eliminations are scheduled to kick off at 11 a.m.
Qualifying
Final qualifying order for the pro classes heading into Saturday eliminations.
Pro Nitrous
| Pos | No. | Driver | Hometown | Vehicle | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 619 | Marcus Butner | Tobaccoville, NC | ’69 Camaro | 3.659 | 206.51 |
| 2 | 2 | Tommy Franklin | Fredericksburg, VA | ’69 Camaro | 3.665 | 206.20 |
| 3 | 43 | Rickie Smith | King, NC | ’22 Mustang | 3.711 | 204.26 |
| 4 | 1818 | Billy Albert | Wytheville, VA | ’20 Camaro | 3.716 | 204.51 |
| 5 | X332 | Tim Paap | Charleston, IL | ’16 Corvette | 3.726 | 202.52 |
| 6 | 1916 | Fredy Scriba | Millersville, MD | ’69 Camaro | 3.741 | 204.32 |
| 7 | 3 | Amber Denton | Fredericksburg, VA | ’69 Camaro | 3.742 | 203.86 |
| 8 | 256 | Buddy Perkinson | Hopewell, VA | ’69 Camaro | 3.746 | 203.03 |
| 9 | 6 | Dane Wood | Chesapeake, VA | ’12 Mustang | 3.760 | 203.92 |
| 10 | 141 | Edward Wilson | Benson, NC | ’41 Willys | 3.770 | 195.17 |
| 11 | 1431 | Brian Teachman | Elizabeth City, NC | ’68 Camaro | 4.885 | 106.50 |
| 12 | 77 | Dale Brinsfield | Oak Ridge, NC | ’12 Camaro | 5.054 | 99.51 |
| 13 | 3970 | Jimmy Cowan | Dandridge, TN | ’70 Camaro | 7.053 | 68.99 |
Pro Boost
| Pos | No. | Driver | Hometown | Vehicle | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 715 | Ty Tutterow | Yadkinville, NC | ’68 Camaro | 3.613 | 207.08 |
| 2 | 9191 | Fletcher Cox | Yazoo City, MS | ’69 Camaro | 3.616 | 207.02 |
| 3 | 434 | Paul Gargus | Remlap, AL | ’69 Camaro | 3.622 | 207.91 |
| 4 | 02 | John Doc | Benson, NC | ’69 Camaro | 3.626 | 207.08 |
| 5 | 933 | Jason Harris | Pittsboro, NC | ’69 Camaro | 3.633 | 209.17 |
| 6 | 2283 | Ned Dunphy | Roswell, GA | ’24 Camaro | 3.650 | 206.64 |
| 7 | 199 | Johnny Camp | Canonsburg, PA | ’69 Camaro | 3.657 | 206.64 |
| 8 | 205 | Lyle Barnett | Robbins, NC | ’18 Camaro | 3.659 | 207.72 |
| 9 | 1903 | Randy Weatherford | Danville, VA | ’69 Camaro | 3.660 | 207.40 |
| 10 | 611 | Ethan Steding | Carnegie, PA | ’69 Camaro | 3.663 | 205.54 |
| 11 | 277 | Raymond Matos | Bayamon, P.R. | ’25 Camaro | 3.665 | 208.07 |
| 12 | 1310 | Melanie Salemi | Buffalo, NY | ’68 Firebird | 3.667 | 205.51 |
| 13 | 3826 | Joel Wensley | Brooklyn, MI | ’18 Camaro | 3.682 | 206.89 |
| 14 | 1132 | Carson Perry | Sims, NC | ’22 Corvette | 3.689 | 204.91 |
| 15 | 6542 | Kurt Steding | Carnegie, PA | ’26 Corvette | 3.701 | 203.55 |
| 16 | 2970 | Travis Harvey | Burlington, NC | ’19 Camaro | 3.713 | 203.61 |
| 17 | 14 | Don Tolley | Bedford, VA | ’14 Camaro | 3.755 | 200.62 |
| 18 | 1080 | Chris Cline | Mooresville, NC | ’58 Fury | 3.767 | 198.38 |
| 19 | 1002 | Bubba Greene | Taylors, SC | ’24 Camaro | 3.797 | 200.68 |
Pro Street
| Pos | No. | Driver | Hometown | Vehicle | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6262 | Andy Mac | Waynesboro, GA | ’69 Camaro | 3.951 | 189.55 |
| 2 | 715R | Richard Reagan | Rutledge, TN | ’91 Mustang | 3.973 | 193.71 |
| 3 | 16 | Mikey Sasina | Golden, CO | ’03 Mustang | 3.986 | 195.99 |
| 4 | 925 | Scott Kincaid | Thorn Hill, TN | ’69 Camaro | 3.993 | 192.93 |
| 5 | 120 | Blake Denton | Fredericksburg, VA | ’69 Camaro | 3.994 | 191.40 |
| 6 | 2023 | Chris Tuten | Pelion, SC | ’87 Mustang | 4.017 | 195.65 |
| 7 | 8720 | Ron Green | Chesterfield, VA | ’00 Firebird | 4.027 | 190.27 |
| 8 | 2018 | Tim Essick | Port Tobacco, MD | ’18 Mustang | 4.030 | 190.27 |
| 9 | 317 | Joel Wensley Jr. | Dearborn, MI | ’14 Camaro | 4.031 | 194.32 |
| 10 | 1021 | Jerry Morgano | Apollo Beach, FL | ’02 Mustang | 4.050 | 195.90 |
| 11 | 7777 | Chad Henderson | Madison, AL | ’87 Camaro | 4.052 | 194.74 |
| 12 | 515 | J.R. Webb | Scott Depot, WV | ’70 Camaro | 4.092 | 176.60 |
| 13 | 1966 | Tim Lyons | Ringgold, GA | ’66 Chevy II | 4.095 | 187.52 |
| 14 | 3578 | Chris Mattingly | Elizabethtown, KY | ’69 Camaro | 4.107 | 191.46 |
| 15 | P220 | Tommy Youmans | McIntyre, GA | ’70 GTO | 4.168 | 182.11 |
| 16 | 2022 | Brian McGee | Pelion, SC | ’67 Mustang | 4.185 | 179.80 |
| 17 | 007 | Warren Vandish | Fulton, NY | ’71 Nova | 5.890 | 98.03 |
Pro 632
| Pos | No. | Driver | Hometown | Vehicle | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1242 | J.C. Beattie Jr. | Baltimore, MD | ’18 Camaro | 4.177 | 173.52 |
| 2 | 2968 | Jeff Pittman | Conover, NC | ’68 Chevelle | 4.190 | 169.13 |
| 3 | B170 | Ryan Altman | Sarantion, SC | ’68 Camaro | 4.192 | 169.53 |
| 4 | 802 | Carson Hoyle | Hickory, NC | ’69 Camaro | 4.214 | 166.93 |
| 5 | 1919 | David Cook Jr. | New Bern, NC | ’10 GTO | 4.232 | 166.44 |
| 6 | 2130 | Jason Ventura | Pompano Beach, FL | ’70 Camaro | 4.261 | 166.95 |
| 7 | 323 | Ed McLemore | Bluff City, TN | ’09 Mustang | 4.267 | 169.04 |
| 8 | 13 | Cameron Gibson | Chaptico, MD | ’05 Cavalier | 4.268 | 166.25 |
Super Street
| Pos | No. | Driver | Hometown | Vehicle | ET | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 077 | Austin Vincent | Central City, KY | ’88 Mustang | 4.628 | 157.98 |
| 2 | 1 | Connor McGee | Pelion, SC | ’90 Mustang | 4.628 | 154.74 |
| 3 | 8722 | Troy Hill | Amelia, VA | ’00 Mustang | 4.633 | 157.12 |
| 4 | 0625 | Mike Freeman | Ft. Myers, FL | ’88 Mustang | 4.668 | 156.46 |
| 5 | 393 | Dan Whetstine | Laplata, MD | ’90 Mustang | 4.724 | 154.42 |
| 6 | 1984 | Charles Potter | Leesville, SC | ’84 Mustang | 4.750 | 147.49 |
| 7 | 87 | Jackson Henderson | Madison, AL | ’87 Grand National | 4.756 | 154.21 |
| 8 | 812 | Scott Marshall | Elkton, VA | ’88 Mustang | 4.762 | 155.26 |
| 9 | 369 | Kenny Fox | Mechanicsville, MD | ’89 Mustang | 4.876 | 152.88 |
| 10 | 4271 | Jessie Coulter | Bowling Green, KY | ’91 Camaro | 4.976 | 149.43 |
| 11 | 3 | Phil Hines | Lebanon, OH | ’01 Mustang | 5.004 | 148.85 |
| 12 | 77 | Eric Osteen | Sumter, SC | ’95 Mustang | 5.751 | 91.17 |
Storylines
“The Thunder Valley Throwdown has quickly become one of the most anticipated stops on the PDRA tour. Bristol is such an iconic track that holds a lot of memories for our racers with its rich history in Pro Modified, Top Sportsman, Top Dragster, and Junior Drag Racing. It’s also one of the most fan-friendly tracks, and its unique location in the hills of Tennessee make it a destination event.”
Tyler Crossnoe, Series Director, PDRA
Franklin defends a thin Pro Nitrous lead
Three-time world champion Tommy Franklin carries the Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous presented by Jerry Bickel Race Cars lead into Bristol, but the margin is thin. Franklin, the defending event champion, holds the top spot in his Musi-powered “Jungle Rat 3.0” 1969 Camaro. Fredy Scriba, the 2024 world champion, sits less than a round back in second after debuting his new Musi-powered “Sorcerer” 1969 Camaro at Maryland and winning for the second straight year. Past Elite Top Sportsman world champion Buddy Perkinson is third, just over a round out of the lead, in his Musi-powered LAT Racing Oil 1969 Camaro.
Harris takes over the Pro Boost lead
WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive has a new points leader in Jason Harris, who moved to the top with a Maryland semifinal in his Harts Charger-boosted “Party Time” 1969 Camaro as he chases a third class title and fifth series championship. Johnny Camp missed Maryland but dropped only one spot to second in the ProCharged “Hells Bells” 1969 Camaro. Reigning world champion and defending event winner Ty Tutterow moved to third after a No. 1 qualifier at Maryland in Justin Smith’s screw-blown Quik Fuel 1969 Camaro, with Maryland winner Travis Harvey just outside the top three in fourth.
Denton and Wensley Jr. pace Pro Street
Two of the youngest drivers in Liberty’s Gears Pro Street presented by KTR Drag Racing lead the way into Bristol. Past Super Street world champion Blake Denton holds the points lead after a Maryland semifinal in the nitrous-fed “Bonnie” Lizzy Musi tribute 1969 Camaro. Joel Wensley Jr. moved to second after earning his first career win at Maryland in his ProCharged 2014 Camaro. Jerry Morgano hangs onto a top-three spot in his turbocharged “Copperhead” 2002 Mustang after a second No. 1 qualifier of the season, while Tennessee’s own Ron Reagan and Scott Kincaid sit fourth and fifth, only qualifying points out of third.
Pittman brings a new lead to Pro 632
Pro 632 presented by Mark Williams Enterprises has a new leader for the first time in three races. Jeff Pittman earned his first career class win at Maryland to take the lead by three points in his Barry Allen-powered Hickory Enclosed Trailer Sales 1968 Chevelle. J.C. Beattie Jr., who won the season’s first two races, slipped to second after a first-round exit at Maryland in his Reher-Morrison-powered ATI Performance Products 2018 Camaro. Rookie David Cook Jr. is third in his Nelson-powered Copy&PrintWarehouse.com 2010 GTO.
McGee chases a Thunder Valley three-peat in Super Street
Defending world champion Connor McGee heads to Bristol chasing a third consecutive Thunder Valley Throwdown title. McGee has two wins in three final rounds and two No. 1 qualifier awards this season in his Fulton-powered Brian’s Heating & Cooling 1990 Mustang. Austin Vincent sits just over two rounds back in his nitrous-fed Vincent Performance 1988 Mustang, and 2024 world champion Dan Whetstine is third in the ProCharged “Red Velvet” 1991 Mustang.
Sportsman Spectacular raises the stakes
Bristol hosts the PDRA Sportsman Spectacular, with boosted payouts from Butcher & Son Demolition, NexGen Race Cars, Fulton Racing Engines, C&C Chemical Co. Inc., and Mike Bos Race Cars raising the stakes for the sportsman and Jr. Dragster ranks. The points leaders entering Bristol are Bryan LaFlam in MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by PAR Racing Engines, Steve Furr in Greenbrier Excavating & Paving Elite Top Dragster presented by American Race Cars, Joe Roubicek in MagnaFuel Top Sportsman, and Steven Boone in ATI Performance Products Top Dragster presented by TBM Brakes. Katelyn Page (Pro Jr. Dragster) and Carter Hayes (Classic Graphix Top Jr. Dragster) lead the Jr. Dragster classes.
Carson Perry makes his Pro Boost debut
Past PDRA Super Street event winner Carson Perry makes his Pro Boost debut at Bristol, adding a third heads-up PDRA class to a resume that already includes Pro 632 and Super Street. The 23-year-old will drive a Redd Topp Motorsports C7 Corvette with a Harts Charger-boosted engine and a Lenco transmission, owned by Vaughn Myles and Eric Holland and tuned by his father, Danny, and brother, Daniel Perry. Perry joins recent Pro Boost winner Travis Harvey as a teammate. “I’m not trying to exaggerate, but I’ve been dreaming about this since I was a little kid, since I can remember,” Perry said.
More Bristol debuts
The Bristol entry brings more fresh faces to the pro ranks. Radial racer Chad Henderson makes his Pro Street debut, and his son, Jackson Henderson, debuts in Super Street. Tony Careccia rolls out a brand-new NexGen Race Cars-built, supercharged Top Dragster.
Pat Musi autograph session and “Back in Black” display
Engine builder Pat Musi, a PDRA fixture since 2014, will host an autograph session at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Musi Racing booth, where his team will display “Back in Black,” a new 1969 Camaro restomod from the Musi Muscle line powered by an Edelbrock Musi 555 crate engine. Musi’s engines have powered PDRA world champions across multiple classes, and his late daughter Lizzy Musi was a multi-time PDRA winner. “I’m always at the PDRA races supporting our customers throughout the season, but this is a cool opportunity to meet the fans,” Musi said.
Schedule
All times are local and subject to change on site. The Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series competes to the eighth-mile.
| Day | Date | On Track |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday | Aug. 6 | Testing begins 9 a.m. Top Sportsman and Top Dragster Q1 begins around 5 p.m. |
| Friday | Aug. 7 | Pro qualifying at 11:45 a.m., 5:30 p.m., and 9 p.m. |
| Saturday | Aug. 8 | Pre-race ceremonies and pro eliminations begin at 10:50 a.m., continuing into the evening until champions are crowned in the FuelTech Winner’s Circle. |
By the Numbers
| 5 of 7 | Fifth of seven races on the 2026 Red Line Oil PDRA schedule |
| 5 | Professional classes in action: Pro Boost, Pro Nitrous, Pro Street, Pro 632, and Super Street |
| 660 | Distance in feet of PDRA’s eighth-mile competition, the source of the “660 Man” trophy |
| 3 | Consecutive Thunder Valley Throwdown titles Connor McGee is chasing in Super Street |
| 1 | Less than one round separates Pro Nitrous points leader Tommy Franklin from Fredy Scriba |
Tickets & Watch
Tickets are $20 on Thursday, $25 on Friday, and $30 on Saturday. Discounted Junior and Kids tickets are available, and kids 5 and under get in free. Tickets are available at PDRA660.com or at the gate. Fans worldwide can watch the live stream on FloRacing.com. Event radio is on 100.9 FM at the track.
Track Info
| Facility | Bristol Dragway |
| Location | Bristol, Tennessee |
| Ownership | Speedway Motorsports LLC |
Coverage of the 2026 PDRA Thunder Valley Throwdown presented by Larry Jeffers Race Cars will update through the weekend. Photos by Tara Bowker.
This story was originally published on August 6, 2026. 
