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PDRA Bringing Serious Horsepower to Kentucky for Doorslammer Derby

Tara Bowker

A week before Kentucky’s most famous horse race takes place, the Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) is bringing a different level of horsepower to the Bluegrass State for the second annual Vortech Superchargers Doorslammer Derby presented by Stroud Safety. Set for April 28-30 at Beech Bend Raceway Park, the Doorslammer Derby is the second of eight races on the 2022 PDRA world championship tour.

“The Doorslammer Derby was an awesome addition to our schedule last year, and we’re thrilled to return to Beech Bend again this weekend,” said Tyler Crossnoe, race director, PDRA. “It’s as far west as we’ll race this year, so we’re expecting a lot of racers that we don’t typically see. We encourage all of the local fans and racers alike to come out and experience a PDRA race, whether it’s their first time or they liked what they saw when we were here last year.”

The Doorslammer Derby will feature the PDRA’s two quickest and fastest classes, WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive and Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous. In Pro Boost, Todd “King Tut” Tutterow is both the defending event winner and the most recent winner on tour. Jay Cox, the defending event winner in Pro Nitrous, also reached the final round at the PDRA East Coast Nationals earlier this month.

“Todd and Jay are two PDRA veterans who are proving that they have what it takes to race at the front in arguably the most competitive Pro Boost and Pro Nitrous fields we’ve seen,” Crossnoe said. “Between fan favorites and new teams joining the series this season, those two classes are just on another level.”

Two other growing pro classes competing at the Doorslammer Derby are Liberty’s Gears Extreme Pro Stock presented by AED Competition and $hameless Racing Pro 632. Extreme Pro Stock is PDRA’s eighth-mile brand of Mountain Motor Pro Stock, with big naturally aspirated engines powering clutch-equipped doorslammers. Pro 632 has grown from a Florida-based outlaw class to one of PDRA’s top pro classes, featuring both nitrous-fed and naturally aspirated door cars.

“This is shaping up to be a huge year for both Extreme Pro Stock and Pro 632,” Crossnoe said. “We had a full 16-car field in Extreme Pro Stock at the season opener, and we’re expecting even more cars at the next couple races. New names and young drivers are mixing it up in Pro 632, rounding out an exciting show for the fans.”

The PDRA’s ever-popular sportsman contingent will race at the Doorslammer Derby in MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by U.S. Rail, Lucas Oil Elite Top Dragster presented by Laris Motorsports Insurance, MagnaFuel Top Sportsman presented Vortech Superchargers, Lucas Oil Top Dragster presented by Laris Motorsports Insurance, and Edelbrock Bracket Bash presented by COMP Cams.

The sport’s future stars will compete in Coolshirt Systems Pro Jr. Dragster presented by PRP and Classic Graphix Top Jr. Dragster presented by PRP.

Spectator tickets are available for $15 on Thursday, $20 on Friday, and $20 on Saturday, while a weekend pass is available for $50. Kids 12 and under get in free. Tickets can be purchased at PDRA660.com or at the gate.

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Pre-race testing will kick off the Doorslammer Derby weekend with Thursday testing from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sportsman qualifying will begin Friday starting with Top Jr. Dragster at 10 a.m., with pro qualifying starting at 2 p.m. Friday Night Fire, featuring two more pro qualifying sessions, will begin at 5:30 p.m. Saturday action starts up at 9:45 a.m. with final qualifying for the sportsman classes, followed by first round of eliminations. Pro eliminations will begin at 3 p.m.

This story was originally published on April 25, 2022. Drag Illustrated

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