Tommy Franklin has seen a number of successes in his storied career, including world championships, but a victory at the COMP Cams Shakedown Nationals XIX, presented by: FuelTech this past weekend may be a turning point in the past world champion’s tough 2021 campaign. Franklin laid claim to the $25,000 Pro Line Racing/M&M Transmission Pro Modified, presented by: Hoosier Tire victory on Sunday afternoon, defeating fellow PDRA Pro Nitrous standout Jim Halsey in the final round.
The other professional class winners were Tim Essick (PDRA Pro Street), Ken Quartuccio (Pro 275), DJ McCain (Motion Raceworks Limited Drag Radial), Frank Mewshaw (Diamond Pistons X275), Dylan Wile (UPR Products Ultra Street), JC Beattie, Jr. (MPC Real Street, presented by: Callies) and Jason Riley (Limited 235). Rodney Pryor (Top Sportsman), Barry McKesson (Super Pro) and Nathan Tanner (P2 Contracting Jr. Dragsters) all claimed sportsman victories on Sunday afternoon as well.
The 2021 edition of the Shakedown Nationals saw challenging weather conditions, hotter than normal temperatures, parts breakage and failures and a number of wild rides across the event that draw in hundreds of talented racers across the country, including numerous racers from California. After dodging rains all across the area on Thursday evening, we fought rain showers all day long on Friday until a final crushing blow from mother nature in the afternoon hours. Losing an entire day of a jam-packed event is very difficult along with the fact of trying to give racers and guests a great show to watch and enjoy. The balancing act for all can be difficult, especially when weather conditions come into play and throw a major wrench into the original plan for the event. We want to thank all of the racers and teams for adapting to the changes to the run schedule, losing a qualifier and adapting to hotter than normal conditions for this event.
We want to send out a big congratulations to all of our winners, runner-ups and money earners as the nineteenth edition of the Shakedown completed on Sunday afternoon with a lot of tired, but excited faces taking winners circle pictures and enjoying the custom trophies and big checks as they loaded their trailers and off to their next destinations. We’re already looking forward to the 20th anniversary of Shakedown in 2022.
All event qualifying and eliminations data, along with winner’s circle photos will be found in our results page by clicking HERE later this afternoon, Monday, September 20th.
Photo Credit: Jason Reiss Photography
