The numbers are clear and the possibilities are wide open as the Drag Illustrated Winter Series presented by J&A Service heads into its championship decider at this weekend’s Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod presented by Red Line Oil, Feb. 26-28, at Bradenton Motorsports Park.
With a maximum of 957 points available at WSOPM — including 900 points for the event win (1.5x points), 32 for No. 1 qualifying, and 25 for tech-in — the richest and most prestigious race of the series also carries enough weight to dramatically reshape the standings. In fact, mathematically, even a newcomer who didn’t score points at the first two races could still steal the championship under a highly unlikely “chaos scenario,” as Winter Series Race Director Gavin Carter described it, though it would require a perfect storm of early exits for the leaders.
In reality, the title fight is expected to come down to a handful of leading contenders — but the path each driver must take varies significantly depending on where they sit entering the finale.
The Front-Runners
Jason Harris, Steve Jackson (-19), Eric Gustafson (-106)
For the top three in points, the formula is simple: whoever goes the farthest in eliminations wins the championship.
Just 19 points separate Harris, the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals winner, and Jackson, the U.S. Street Nationals winner, with Gustafson still well within striking distance at 106 points back. Because the gap between them is less than a round, qualifying points will not swing the outcome — it will be decided strictly by round wins.
Within One Round
Sidnei Frigo (-132)
Frigo, the Snowbirds runner-up, sits less than a round behind Harris and enters the weekend with a clear but slightly more complicated path.
- If Frigo qualifies within 18 positions of Harris, he only needs to go farther than the top three to claim the title.
- If he qualifies outside that range, he effectively falls more than a round back and would need to go one round further than Harris — and still beat Jackson and Gustafson.
- Should Harris reach the finals while Frigo is outside that 18-spot window, Frigo would be eliminated from contention.
The Next Wave of Contenders
Randy Weatherford (-206), Derek Menholt (-235)
Both drivers remain firmly in the hunt but will need help.
- Each must advance at least one round farther than the top four in points to win the championship.
- If any of the top four reach the final round, Weatherford and Menholt are mathematically eliminated.
Long-Shot but Alive
John Doc (-317), Kye Kelley (-320), Kallee Mills (-330), Peter Norton (-340), Billy Banaka (-417)
This group faces a steeper climb:
- They must go two rounds further than the top four and one round further than Weatherford and Menholt.
- If the top four reach the semifinals, this group is eliminated.
- If Weatherford or Menholt reach the final, their hopes are also over.
Deep Outside Shots
Positions 12–21: Ken Quartuccio, Kevin Rivenbark, Jimmy Taylor, Justin Bond, Shawn Ellington, Steve King, Brylon Holder, Brandon Snider, Lyle Barnett, Spencer Hyde
For this tier to claim the title, they must:
- Go three rounds further than the top four,
- Two rounds further than Weatherford/Menholt, and
- One round further than the Doc/Kelley/Mills/Norton/Banaka group.
If the top four reach the quarterfinals, or Weatherford/Menholt the semis, or the next group the final, this tier is eliminated.
Extreme Long Shots
Positions 22–32: Melanie Salemi, Victor Alvarez, Kurt Steding, Tommy D’Aprile, Mike Decker III, Jim Halsey, Robin Roberts, Greg Blevins Jr., Mark Micke, Scott Taylor, Rian Hayward
Their path requires a near-perfect weekend:
- Four rounds further than the top four,
- Three rounds further than Weatherford/Menholt,
- Two rounds further than the Doc group, and
- One round further than the 12–21 group.
If the leaders advance to even moderate depths — such as the round of 16 — this group’s title hopes disappear quickly.
The Chaos Scenario
Because of the massive points available, drivers outside the top 32 technically remain alive, but only if the standings implode — requiring multiple early exits across nearly every contender group. While improbable, the math underscores just how impactful WSOPM is within the Winter Series structure.
