Last Updated on April 16, 2026 6:22 pm
Thursday Update – Continuation at Darana-Benson
Race 1 of the 2026 PDRA Tour is in the books after Eliminations were run to completion on Thursday afternoon during the tour’s next event at Darana Motorsports Park in Benson, NC. “Mountain Man” Mike Achenbach started off the Pro Nitrous season strong with the first win of the season over Fredy Scriba in a great 3.706 to 3.741 final round. Pro Boost saw another close final as Johnny Camp took a 3.613 to 3.624 (014 to 025 RT) decision over defending Series Champion Ty Tutterow. Fletcher Cox scored a huge win in Pro Street as a send off to this category as he heads to Pro Boost competition in his new race car that was recently completed. Cox recorded a 3.967 ET to put his Nitrous-assisted Camaro in the Winners Circle over the Turbocharged Mustang of Jerry Morgano. JC Beattie (Pro 632) and Connor McGee (Super Street) rounded out the Professional category winners from this event. Defending Elite Top Sportsman World Champion Bryan LaFlam kept his momentum rolling into 2026 as he took the final round win when his opponent Jeff Melnick turned it .003 Red. Steve Furr came up just one round short of the Elite Top Dragster World Championship last season, but it appears that is motivation for his return to the top of the points sheet as he took the Race 1 victory of 2026 throwing down 017 total in the final (013 + Dead-On 4), while his opponent Josh Duggins was 001 Red. Other Sportsman class winners from this event were Donald Bean (Top Sportsman), Joe Gary (Top Dragster), Ashton Halas (Pro Junior Dragster) and Carter Hayes (Top Junior Dragster).
PDRA Carolina Nationals
March 26-28, 2026
Darlington Dragway – Hartsville, SC
(Continued at PDRA Darana-Benson April 16, 2026)
Pro Nitrous
Winner – Mike Achenbach
RU – Fredy Scriba
Semis – Marcus Butner
Semis – Tommy Franklin
Final Round: Achenbach .028, 3.706/NS def. Scriba .030, 3.741/202
#1 Qualifier – Tommy Franklin 3.634
Pro Boost
Winner – Johnny Camp
RU – Ty Tutterow
Semis – Lyle Barnett
Semis – Melanie Salemi
Final Round: Camp .014, 3.613/208 def. Tutterow .025, 3.624/208
#1 Qualifier – Randy Weatherford 3.543
Pro Street
Winner – Fletcher Cox
RU – Jerry Morgano
Semis – Joel Wensley Jr.
Semis – Blake Denton
Final Round: Cox .026, 3.967/188 def. Morgano .047, 3.955/NS
#1 Qualifier – Jerry Morgano 3.949
Pro 632
Winner – JC Beattie
RU – Jeff Pittman
Semis – Jeff Melnick
Final Round: Beattie .043, 4.117/172 def. Pittman .036, 4.136/171
#1 Qualifier – JC Beattie 4.127
Super Street
Winner – Connor McGee
RU – Dan Whetstine
Semis – Matt Schalow
Semis – Austin Vincent
Final Round: McGee .048, 4.516/158 def. Whetstine -.018, 4.680/158
#1 Qualifier – Matt Schalow 4.608
Elite Top Sportsman
Winner – Bryan LaFlam
RU – Jeff Melnick
Semis – Vernon Grizzle
Semis – Randy Perkinson
Final Round: LaFlam .033, 3.843 (3.80) def. Melnick -.003, 4.166 (4.16)
#1 Qualifier – Jamie Folwer 3.740
Elite Top Dragster
Winner – Steve Furr
RU – Josh Duggins
Semis – Gray Kimble
Semis – Chaz Silance
Final Round: Furr .013, 3.904 (3.90) def. Duggins -.001, 3.989 (3.78)
#1 Qualifier – Steve Furr 3.731
Top Sportsman
Winner – Donald Bean
RU – Joe Roubicek
Semis – Dave Mueller
Semis – Aaron Glaser
Final Round: Bean .018, 4.351 (4.35) def. Roubicek -.010, 4.225 (4.23)
Top Dragster
Winner – Joe Gary
RU – JB Donati
Semis – Steven Boone
Final Round: Gary .012, 4.385 (4.38) def. Donati .054, 4.223 (4.24)
Pro Junior Dragster
Winner – Ashton Halas
RU – Connor Hayes
Semis – Kylie Varner
Semis – James Beattie III
Final Round: Halas .026, 7.901 (7.90) def. Hayes .046, 7.916 (7.90)
Top Junior Dragster
Winner – Carter Hayes
RU – Noah Taylor
Semis – Connor Boyd
Semis – Cooper Cauthen
Final Round: Hayes .067, 12.288 (12.27) def. Taylor .097, 9.081 (9.05)
Saturday Update
The 2026 PDRA Tour kicked off this weekend at Darlington Dragway in Darlington, SC. Unfortunately, Murphy’s Law struck during Saturday’s eliminations to where several incidents and oil down delays put the racing action behind schedule & eventually forced racing to be called for the day. All classes are down to either the Semis or Quarterfinals, and will be completed at the next stop on the PDRA Tour at Darana Motorsports Park in Benson, NC. Thankfully there will only be a few weeks wait before we get to see some of the incredible matchups on deck to complete this event.
Pro Nitrous Semi-Finals
1. Franklin LC vs. 13. Scriba
2. Achenbach vs. 3. Butner LC
Pro Boost Semi-Finals
9. Salemi vs. 4. Camp LC
7. Tutterow vs. 3. Barnett LC
Pro Street Semi-Finals
1. Morgano vs. 4. Denton LC
2. Wensley vs. 6. Cox LC
Pro 632 Semi-Finals
1. Beattie LC vs. 4. Melnicik
2. Pittman vs. Bye
Super Street Semi-Finals
1. Schalow vs. 4. Whetstine LC
2. McGee vs. 3. Vincent LC
Friday Update
Qualifying is complete for Race #1 of the 2026 PDRA Tour at Darlington Dragway in Darlington, SC. After 2 daytime Qualifying sessions, Q3 under the lights produced some incredible performances. Tommy Franklin had the Candles Lit en route to the top spot in Pro Nitrous with a 3.634 ET. Randy Weatherford kept up his recent momentum earning the #1 Qualifier in Pro Boost with a 3.543 in his WS Construction Camaro. Jerry Morgano used Turbo power to earn the top spot in Pro Street with a 3.949 in his Mustang. Other top qualifiers include JC Beattie (Pro 632), Matt Schalow (Super Street), Jamie Folwer (Elite Top Sportsman) and Steve Furr (Elite Top Dragster). To view Saturday’s Eliminations Livestream, head on over to www.FloRacing.com.
PDRA Top Qualifiers
Pro Nitrous – Tommy Franklin 3.634
Pro Boost – Randy Weatherford 3.543
Pro Street – Jerry Morgano 3.949
Pro 632 – JC Beattie 4.127
Super Street – Matt Schalow 4.608
Elite Top Sportsman – Jamie Fowler 3.740
Elite Top Dragster – Steve Furr 3.731
Pro Nitrous Q3 Final Top Qualifiers
1. Tommy Franklin 3.634
2. Mike Achenbach 3.651
3. Marcus Butner 3.661
4. Amber Denton 3.664
5. Rickie Smith 3.669
Bump – John Vergotz 3.769
Q3 Best Run – Franklin 3.634
Pro Boost Q3 Final Top Qualifiers
1. Randy Weatherford 3.543
2. Jason Harris 3.556
3. Lyle Barnett 3.561
4. Johnny Camp 3.570
5. Raymond Matos 3.576
Q3 Best Run – Weatherford 3.543
Pro Street Q3 Final Top Qualifiers
1. Jerry Morgano 3.949
2. Joel Wensley Jr. 3.968
3. Ron Green 3.972
4. Blake Denton 3.975
5. Bill Riddle 4.005
Q3 Best Run – Morgano 3.949
Pro 632 & Super Street Q3 Final Top Qualifiers
632
1. JC Beattie 4.127
2. Jeff Pittman 4.159
3. Doug Nicholl 4.161
Q3 Best Run – Beattie 4.127
SS
1. Matt Schalow 4.608
2. Connor McGee 4.621
3. Austin Vincent 4.646
Q3 Best Run – Schalow 4.608
