A year ago, Blake Denton earned his first career win in Pro Street at the Summit Racing Equipment PDRA East Coast Nationals presented by FuelTech. Now in his second full season in the class, Denton is eager to pursue a Pro Street world championship to go along with his 2023 season title in Super Street.
He put his first win of the season on the scoreboard Saturday night at Darana Motorsports Park – Benson, NC, delivering a meaningful birthday victory for engine builder Pat Musi behind the wheel of the same Musi-powered “Bonnie” ’69 Camaro that Musi’s late daughter, Lizzy, drove in No Prep Kings competition. Denton tied low E.T. of eliminations with his 3.943 at 201.76 in his final-round win over rookie Andy Mac, who finished with a 4.056 at 185.77. It was a double-up for the Tommy Franklin Motorsports team, as Franklin, Denton’s father-in-law, won in Pro Nitrous.
“This one’s for Pat,” said Denton, who thanked Tommy and Judy Franklin, Pat and Liz Musi, wife Amber Denton, crew members “Big Brown” and “AT,” his parents, Pat Musi Racing Engines, Weld Racing, Lincoln Electric, Stroud Safety, Red Line Oil, and Menscer Motorsports. “I can’t thank our guys enough. They bust their tails out here. It’s been a hot weekend and they haven’t given up on us. They had to swap a motor last round for the finals [on Franklin’s Pro Nitrous entry]. They’ve been killing it this weekend and I just can’t thank them enough for it.”
Denton showed promise in the opening round, where he ran a 4.045 at 191.81 to get past newcomer Graham Hayes. He recorded a 4.059 at 190.94 in the second round to defeat fellow young gun Joel Wensley Jr. and his 4.099. The 2023 Super Street world champion then showed his driving chops in the semifinals as he left on class E.T. record holder Richard Reagan and powered to a 3.984 at 192.52 to beat Reagan’s 3.943 at 195.79 on a holeshot.
The East Coast Nationals was a major points weekend for Denton, who is now the points leader going into the Mid-Atlantic Showdown presented by Classic Graphix, May 21-23, at Virginia Motorsports Park. He went out in the semifinals of the season-opening Carolina Nationals, which started at Darlington Dragway in March and wrapped up Thursday evening at Darana, while Fletcher Cox went on to win that race. But Cox stepped out of his nitrous-fed, Musi-powered “Training Day” ’69 Camaro after the win to focus on his new Pro Boost ride and handed the wheel over to Andy Mac. Since the points go with the driver, not the car, in PDRA, Denton is now one full race ahead of Mac and one of the strongest cars in the class right now.
“I was still in the Darlington race and had an unfortunate mishap in the semifinal round and I got pushed off [the starting line], so that kind of set me back,” Denton said. “To get a clean slate for the weekend and come out with the win…it’s good for me because it gives me the confidence going into the rest of the season that I’ve got a little bit of edge up on everyone else.”
This story was originally published on April 20, 2026. 
