The K95 Night of Fire featuring the Summit Racing Equipment PDRA ProStars is now completed with first time winners, a first-time concert while performing a large scale drag race and more. We now will recap and look back on the one-day thrill show that absolutely rocked the house at Virginia Motorsports Park in more ways than one.
Jon Langston, Adam Doleac and PJ North all set the tone for the event with their musical talents on the K95 stage throughout the afternoon and into the evening. PJ North kicked off the concerts with a number of his new singles and a couple of old favorites. The PDRA Driver’s Introductions were next up on stage with the near 100 drivers who earned their way into the PDRA’s version of an all-star game. These drivers drew chips for their matchups, and these were announced in front of a huge crowd gathered around, cheering on their favorites. Adam Doleac took to the stage after round number one of the Summit ProStars and the first of two thrill shows. Doleac drew a huge crowd to the K95 stage as the sun began to set and the intensity began to grow on and off the track. As fireworks lit the Virginia night sky, Jon Langston took to the K95 stage for the headlining act of the night and put on a one-of-a-kind show that drew all of the teams out of their pits and up to the stage to watch one of Nashville’s finest throw down for over an hour to close out the evening.
The action on track was absolutely stunning with side-by-side racing out of the PDRA ProStars, surprising upsets and first-time victories. The Larsen Motorsports jet dragsters lit the night with their 5-second runs through the quarter-mile at over 260 miles per hour, while Rick Ream excited the crowd with his Hot Rod Fire Truck wheelstander that put on a show for the fans like never before seen with fireworks, pyrotechnics and more has he drove through the entire racing surface on only the rear tires! Robin Stambaugh and Krista Massarella showed out with their Nostalgia Funny Cars in their match races with two excellent races with two of the quickest females in racing!
Dane Wood’s last appearance at Virginia Motorsports Park for the PDRA Summer Shootout saw the Chesapeake, Virginia driver make it to his first final round in Pro Nitrous but fall in defeat to Chris Rini. Wood came back just two weeks later and clicked off his first win in Pro Nitrous, doing so at the Summit PDRA ProStars race and taking home $15,000 to Win. Driving his Billy Albert Racing Engines powered Ford Mustang, Wood ran a consistent 3.791 at 199 miles per hour to take down the Ironman, Ed Burnley as he lifted after a midtrack wheel stand, nearly crossing the center line. “The eight cars that were here are the baddest of the bad, you come in expecting to run the best. This means a lot to our family and team, it’s a big deal to win on this stage.”
A Pro Modified veteran faced off with one of the young guns in the Pro Boost category for yet another $15,000 to Win final round as Randy Weatherford and Preston Tanner set off to do battle in the final round. Both drivers were identical .027 reaction times off the starting line, Tanner had the advantage to the 60-foot timers and then knocked the burst panel loose to allow the ProCharger power of Randy Weatherford to drive by for a huge victory for a veteran in the class. Weatherford rolled to a 3.675 elapsed time at a slowing 199mph after losing power himself going through the finish line stripe. Weatherford spoke with FloRacing’s Courtney Enders after an emotional win, dedicating the win to his late mother and sister, “This ProStars win is at the top of my career, guys. This is the top league in drag racing, if you want to be the best, you have to come here and run with the best!”
JR Carr said it all in his winner’s circle interview with Drag Illustrated’s Nate Van Wagnen, “I wanted this so bad.” In a rematch of the inaugural ProStars final round, Carr got his revenge on the 2020 world champion Johnny Pluchino with his F5 Motorsports Chevrolet. Carr posted low elapsed time of the event with a 4.061 in the final round to take down the Ford of Pluchino. Carr was the most consistent Extreme Pro Stock entry in the three-round, winner-take-all shootout style event taking down championship points leader Tony Gillig, newcomer Derrick Reese of APEX Motorsports and the aforementioned world champion of Pluchino in the final round. Carr also stated, “The bands were awesome, this was just a phenomenal event and it’s very appreciated by all of the racers, also, a special thanks to Summit Racing Equipment for making the ProStars happen for the PDRA.”
Lexi Tanner (Pro 632), Chris Nyerges (Elite Top Sportsman), Steve Furr (Elite Top Dragster), Joe Roubicek (Top Sportsman), Stacy Hall (Top Dragster), Nyck Shirkey (Pro Jr. Dragster) and Hannah Sheppard (Top Jr. Dragster) also claimed Summit PDRA ProStars victories. Rick Steinke in the “Honk If Parts Fall Off” Chevelle took the win in the SICK The Magazine: Small Tire Drag -N-Drive Shootout while Blake Denton laid claim to the Super64 Shootout victory over Tisha Wilson in an all-dragster final round.
From the staff at Virginia Motorsports Park and PDRA Racing, we want to say thank you for coming out to the K95 Night of Fire, featuring the Summit Racing Equipment PDRA ProStars and hope you had a great time! Next up on the Virginia Motorsports Park schedule is the VP Racing Fuels ET Bracket Series while the PDRA takes to Maple Grove Raceway near Reading, Pennsylvania on August 11-13. The PDRA returns to Virginia Motorsports Park on October 13-16 for the Brian Olsen Memorial PDRA World Finals, do not miss the last Pro Mod race of the year as champions will be crowned!
Photo Credit: Drag Illustrated | PDRA Racing | Jason Reiss Photography | RacingOutlawz | Mellie Photos
