The sportsman racers of the Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series made major statements at the PDRA Northern Nationals, delivering killer competition across all four Top Dragster and Top Sportsman categories.
In Elite Top Dragster, it was all about keeping it clean on the tree. When No. 2 qualifier KC Ingram turned it red by .025 in the final, the door opened for Al Peavler to score a statement win. Peavler, who qualified 15th in his ProCharged ’25 American dragster, kept things safe at the hit and backed into the FuelTech winner’s circle – taking a big win and even bigger momentum into the back half of the season.
Top Dragster 32 featured an all-North Carolina matchup between Chaz Silance and Clayton Roberts. Former world champ Silance got it done the hard way, leaving first and dialing 4.48. He posted a 4.481 to edge out Roberts, who broke out with a 4.215 on a 4.25 dial. The win adds to Silance’s strong résumé and continues his push toward another potential title run.
In Elite Top Sportsman, it was an $8,000-to-win showdown thanks to the Power Purse presented by Butcher & Son Demolition, and the final round did not disappoint. Bryan LaFlam, wheeling his supercharged BigStuff TPM ’67 Mustang, laid down a 3.791 on his 3.78 dial to cash in – and collect the bonus offered by none other than reigning world champ Glenn Butcher. LaFlam’s opponent, Jeff Simons, came all the way from Massachusetts in his ProCharged ’69 Camaro but went red by .023 in the final, negating a strong 3.892 on a 3.88 dial.
Top Sportsman 32 saw another marquee final as Gary Kintz and Jeff Talvacchio – the No. 3 and No. 4 qualifiers – squared off. Kintz, in his ’07 GTO, had the advantage off the line and ran a near-perfect 4.186 on a 4.18 dial to get around Talvacchio’s 4.198 on a 4.19. The margin was razor-thin, but Kintz’s early edge sealed the deal.
The Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series continues later this month at the Thunder Valley Throwdown presented by Larry Jeffers Race Cars, August 21-23 at the legendary Bristol Dragway in Tennessee.
This story was originally published on August 3, 2025. 
