When choosing who to include in the Drag Illustrated 30 Under 30 list each year, one of the things our team looks closely at is not only what an individual has already accomplished, but what we expect them to accomplish in the future. In that regard, this past weekend was a microcosm of what we witness each year – a plethora of past honorees continuing to make waves in the sport. Here’s a look at what some of our 30 Under 30 alumni accomplished at tracks across the country over the weekend.
DJ McCain
2019 30 Under 30 honoree DJ McCain was living like a king over the weekend, taking home the win in X275 at Battle for the Thrones at Rockingham Dragway. Piloting the nitrous-assisted “Vecna” Corvette, McCain qualified second with a 4.100 at 173.21 mph, behind only Eric LaFerriere’s 4.070.
McCain maneuvered his way through eliminations, eventually meeting Stephen Barnett and his blue fox body Mustang in the final round. McCain ran 4.16 at 171.23 mph, easily taking the win over Barnett, who slowed to a 4.98 at 103.93. The victory earned McCain a $10,000 payday and his very own throne as a trophy.
“This was a big win, as it was our first throne,” said McCain. “My brother (Ryan McCain) usually makes all the decisions on tune-ups and what to do on-track. Without him there, Jalen [Burbage] and I had to gauge the track. I consulted with Ryan on the tune-ups he gave me pre-race and any changes that may need to be made. There’s a lot that goes into it throughout the weekend, from changes in conditions and trying to be strategic about tuning around them. We saw density altitude swing from below zero to above a thousand. There’s lot of great competitors in X275, and I’m so proud of my family and team.”
Brandon McGee
Brandon McGee started off 2025 right where he left off last year, when the 2024 DI 30 Under 30 winner claimed his 2002 nitrous-powered Camaro was the baddest All-Steel, All-Glass (ASAG) car in the country.
McGee rolled into Xtreme Raceway Park in Ferris, Texas, for Jacob Harper’s March Mania 5 – one of the biggest No-Time events of the year – as one of the favorites to win the $50,000 ASAG class, and his performance did not disappoint.
McGee made his way through a tough field of racers, including heavy hitters like the Preston Brothers and their “Frankenstein” Corvette. The final round would be a family affair, as McGee faced off against his brother-in-law, Tyler Stubbe. In a close side-by-side race, McGee took home a huge pile of cash and cemented his claim of having the baddest ASAG car in the country.
“We started 2025 off with winning one of the biggest races of the season,” McGee said. “We raced smart and were able to navigate through a tough field. We met my brother-in-law in the final round – our cars come out of the same garage, so it was awesome being able to meet in the finals and pull off a team win. Our tuners, Jamie and James Hancock, had the car on point every round, which made my job easy. My mom and dad are my biggest supporters and allow me to live out my dreams behind the wheel. Thanks to all of my friends, and especially my girlfriend, for supporting me and helping me with everything!”
Mac Brosnan
2023 30 Under 30 alumnus Mac Brosnan had been heating up social media prior to The Reunion at Bradenton Motorsports Park. His online back-and-forth with BMP co-owner Victor Alvarez stirred up a lot of excitement leading up to the event, and the trash talk only intensified throughout qualifying and eliminations.
Piloting his 2009 Nissan GTR named “Kimbo Slice,” Brosnan rolled through eliminations in the Extreme 28’s class, where it seemed a final-round showdown with Alvarez and his 2JZ-powered Toyota Supra was a foregone conclusion.
When the dust settled, Brosnan took home an easy win, making a nice clean pass while Alvarez suffered mechanical failures. Although Brosnan admitted that he hated to win that way and wanted to see a side-by-side race between the friendly rivals, it didn’t stop him from making a bold final statement in settling the online war of words.
“Before we left Texas, I said I was going to break my foot off in that Supra’s ass – and that’s exactly what we did,” said Brosnan. “As a matter of fact, I broke my foot, my boot, and the whole damn gas pedal off in it too!”
Victor Alvarez
Despite coming out on the short end in the finals of Extreme 28’s, it was still a successful weekend at Bradenton Motorsports Park for 2019 30 Under 30 honoree Victor Alvarez. For the third straight year, Alvarez took home the win at The Reunion with his XFWD entry, “Goldie.”
In the final round, Alvarez used an 8.007 E.T. at 192.22 mph in the quarter-mile to defeat Andrew Fernandez and his 8.172 at 189.36. His continued success with “Goldie” is especially important for Alvarez, who took over the car after the passing of the previous driver, Rob Mapps.
“To win three times in a row with this car has been really cool,” Alvarez said. “I am extremely confident, but truthfully, winning the last two had me coming into this event feeling like a three-peat was impossible. This car is the reason I first got into XFWD, and as soon as I bought the car, I wanted to win this event in Rob’s memory – now we have done it three times! Thanks to everyone that helped get us here, and all of our sponsors – Brian Crower, Fuel Injector Clinic, Induction Performance, Precision Turbo & Engine, Turbosmart, JBR Engines, and Abe at Rated R Tuning for coming on board tuning the car this year.”
Ryan McCain
While his brother DJ was busy winning the X275 class at Battle for the Thrones, fellow 2019 DI 30 Under 30 winner Ryan McCain was at Xtreme Raceway Park for March Mania 5. Not only were the two brothers at separate events – a rare occurrence – but Ryan, a veteran nitrous tuner, was entering a whole new world: screw blowers.
McCain and his team were debuting the brand-new “Louis Vuitton” screw-blown ’69 Camaro owned by Michael Hawes and driven by Marques Hatton in the Bear Sh*t Only 28/275 N/T class. In an impressive showing, they made it all the way to the semifinals before mechanical gremlins ended their night against Russell Stone. Despite the loss, McCain showed his immense tuning skill while learning on the fly, and the team proved they will be a top contender all year.
“To come into Bear Sh*t Only with a brand new, full EFI screw-blown hemi and make it to the semifinals was just breathtaking for me and the team,” said McCain. “I would like to thank Michael Hawes for having faith in me, Stevie Fast for showing me 20 years of knowledge in two days, Jeffrey Barker for showing me in-between round maintenance, Robert Hayes for working with me on engine placement and everything else involved with screw-blown racing on 275’s, and last but not least, everyone that picked up the phone when I needed them!”
Matt Latino
2024 30 Under 30 inductee Matt Latino is diving headfirst into the shark-infested waters of NHRA Pro Stock this year, and in just his second event, qualified at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, California.
Latino’s 6.537-second pass at 210.41 mph qualified him in the No. 11 spot, putting him in the unlikely scenario of racing his father, veteran Eric Latino, in the first round. While he admitted his dad had a bit of a performance advantage, Matt had displayed superior reaction times.
That story played out in eliminations as well, as Matt used an advantage on the tree (.018 to .058) to earn the holeshot win, with his 6.535-second pass defeating Eric’s quicker 6.508 – a margin of victory of just .0137. Although Matt would lose to Deric Kramer in round two, he’s quickly proving he will definitely be a young driver to watch in 2025.
“Qualifying among the best in NHRA Pro Stock at just my second event was an incredible honor,” Latino said. “Facing my father in the first round and securing a holeshot win made the experience even more special. The emotions of lining up against the man who taught me everything about racing are indescribable. While it was tough knowing one of us would be eliminated early, I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. I’m deeply grateful to my sponsors – Right Trailers, Air IQ, Bear Grill, Ace Race Parts, and Simpson Race Products – for making this opportunity possible. Their support has turned my lifelong dream into reality.”
This story was originally published on April 1, 2025. 
