Under the lights at the historic SRCA Drag Strip, California-based doorslammer standout Ed Thorton put the Summit Racing Equipment Mid-West Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Services Pro Mod division on notice with a smooth-as-silk 3.733-second eighth-mile blast at a stunning 214.66 mph to take the provisional No. 1 spot at the first-annual MWDRS Great Bend Nationals.
Fellow West Coast racer Chris Marshall (Top Alcohol Funny Car) also secured the provisional No. 1 qualifier in Kansas.
“Honestly, that’s pretty close to the run we were looking for,” said Thornton, who drives the Derrol Hubbard-owned twin-turbocharged D Bar D Racing 1970 Chevy Camaro Pro Mod. “We put a 3.72 tune up in it, so we maybe left a little out there, but it was good enough to put us on top, and that’s what matters.”
With a final qualifying session slated for late-morning on Saturday prior to the start of final eliminations, Thornton feels he and his D Bar D Racing teammates are likely to stay atop the impressive field of Pro Modified doorslammers on the property at SRCA Drag strip despite the top eight qualifiers being separated by just forty-six-thousandths-of-a-second.
“With the conditions tomorrow, I think we’re safe,” said Thornton. “You can never rule anything out in drag racing, but with temperatures in the mid to high 90s – we’re looking forward to starting from the No. 1 spot on the ladder tomorrow afternoon. A lot of impressive runs from a lot of great teams tonight. We’re going to have a serious drag race on our hands tomorrow.”
While certainly excited as to the quality of competition within the Summit Racing Equipment Mid-West Drag Racing Series Pro Mod eliminator, Thornton couldn’t help but express his gratitude for a newfound home for the D Bar D Racing Pro Mod team.
“We’re hooked,” he said. “Last year, of course, there wasn’t much going on out West, so we went to the Tulsa race last year – our first time – and we just loved it. They treat us like royalty, they stay on schedule – it’s ran so well. We’ve never sat in the staging lanes for more than 20-minutes. It’s a great place to race; this Mid-West series is better than anything I’ve ever been a part of in my life. We’re going to every race, and I’d say that’ll be the case from here on out.”
Qualifying continues at 11:00 a.m. CT on Saturday at the MWDRS Great Bend Nationals at SRCA Drag Strip.
This story was originally published on August 21, 2021. 
