FRANKLIN DEFENDS NORTHERN NATIONALS PRO MOD TITLE

PDRA Series Shares US 131 Spotlight with Top Fuel Dragsters, Jets, Funny Cars~

The Pro Mod and Extreme Pro Stock stars of the PDRA tour descend on US 131 Motorsports Park this week where they will share center stage with both contemporary and nostalgic Top Fuel dragsters, Outlaw Funny Cars and jets in the 23^rd Northern Nationals presented by Gun Lake Casino.

Three-time and reigning PDRA Pro Nitrous champion Tommy Franklin of Fredericksburg, VA, will bid for his second straight Northern Nationals title in a field that includes four-time former champion Jim Halsey of Havre de Grace, MD, Marcus Butner of Tobaccoville, NC, and Chris Rini of Hickory, NC, among others.

In Pro Boost, point leader Kurt Steding of Carnegie, PA, will try to extend his advantage over Melanie Salemi of Buffalo, NY, 2014 and 2022 series champ Todd Tutterow of Yadkinville, NC, and reigning champ Jason Harris of Pittsboro, NC, who unexpectedly enters the Michigan event he won a year ago in sixth place.

Qualifying for the fifth of eight races in the PDRA series begins at 2 p.m. A “last change” qualifier is scheduled Saturday morning followed by eliminations at 3 p.m.

In addition to the aforementioned, PDRA event winners also will be crowned in Pro Street, a category in which Brighton’s Dan Norris and Dearborn’s Joel Wensley Jr. are contenders, Super Street, Pro 632, in which Dearborn’s Doug Nicholl is chasing former series champ Amber Franklin, two Top Sportsman categories, two Top Dragster classes and Jr. Dragster.

Apart from the PDRA competition, a host of nostalgic, front-engine Top Fuel dragsters will attempt to qualify for eight starting positions in a Saturday showdown in which former Bakersfield, CA, March Meet winner Jimmy Young of Salem, WI, will be heavily favored to repeat.

In the featured pro event, three-time former Top Fuel World Champion Larry Dixon will try to win the Northern Nationals for a third straight year. His challengers at US 131 will include Krista Baldwin, granddaughter of Hall of Fame driver Chris Karamesines, NHRA touring pro Shawn Reed and versatile veteran Scott Palmer.

The pro show also will include the Outlaw Funny Cars of John Lawson and Joe Haas, the “Buzzy’s Bomber” 1966 Chevy II Funny Car in which Vandalia’s Mark McElwee, like Dixon, will be bidding for a third straight win, the world record holding “War Wagon” fuel altered and the Larsen Motorsports jet dragsters.

Advance general admission tickets, available on-line at www.us131msp.com, are $15 Friday and $32 Saturday. Children 6-12 are $7 daily with children under six free with a ticketed adult. At gate prices are $20 on Friday and $40 on Saturday for adults, children ages 6-12 are $10, under six are free. Special motorhome/camping parking is available for $100, but parking otherwise is free.

Opening rounds of front-engine dragster qualifying are at 6 and 8 p.m. Friday with a final session Saturday morning. The jets will apply an exclamation point to the Friday show at 9 p.m.

Saturday’s pro shows featuring the jets and all the nitro-burners, Funny Cars, dragsters and altered, are slated at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

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MARTIN, Mich. – PDRA point standings entering this week’s 23^rd Northern Nationals at US 131 Motorsports Park. Hometowns are Michigan unless otherwise indicated:

RED LINE OIL PDRA SERIES

POINT STANDINGS (after four of eight events)

PRO NITROUS – 1. Tommy Franklin, Fredericksburg, VA, 1969 Chevy, 1658; 2. Jim Halsey, Havre de Grace, MD, 1968 Chevy Camaro, 1614; 3. Fredy Scriba, Millersville, MD, 1969 Chevy Camaro, 1448; 4. Marcus Butner, Tobaccoville, NC, 1969 Chevy Camaro, 1051; 5. Tie, Chris Rini, Hickory, NC, 1969 Chevy Camaro, and Billy Albert, Wytheville, VA, 1969 Chevy Camaro, 840 each.

PRO BOOST – 1. Kurt Steding, Carnegie, PA, 1969 Chevy Camaro, 1449; 2. Melanie Salemi, Buffalo, NY, 1968 Pontiac Firebird, 1349; 3. Todd Tutterow, Yadkinville, NC, 1969 Chevy Camaro, 1239; 4. Derek Ward, Friendship, MD, 1968 Pontiac Firebird, 1106; 5. Spencer Hyde, Stratford, Ontario, 1969 Chevy Camaro, 1014.

PRO STREET – 1. Ethan Steding, Carnegie, PA, 2024 Chevy Camaro, 1551; 2. Dan Norris, Brighton, 2022 Ford Mustang, 350; 3. Tim Essick, Port Tobacco, MD, 2018 Ford Mustang, 1247; 4. Ron Green, Chesterfield, VA, 2000 Pontiac Firebird, 1050; 5. Joel Wensley Jr., Dearborn, 2014 Chevy Camaro, 1038.

EXTREME PRO STOCK – 1. Johnny Pluchino, Smithtown, NY, 2013 Ford Mustang, 1555; 2. Chris Powers, Carlisle, PA, 2021 Chevy Camaro, 1247; 3. Elijah Morton, Swansboro, NC, 2019 Ford Mustang, 1140; 4. Daryl Stewart, Jupiter, FL, 2012 Chevy Camaro, 902; 5. Jeremy Huffman, Catawba, NC, 2010 Chevy Cobalt, 880.

SUPER STREET – 1. Dan Whetstine, LaPlata, MD, 1990 Ford Mustang, 1559; 2. Derek Mota, Peabody, MA. 1993 Ford Mustang, 1408; 3. Blake Denton, Fredericksburg, VA, 1976 Chevy Camaro, 1352; 4. Matt Schalow, Virginia Beach, VA, 2000 Chevy Camaro, 1333; 5. Tie, David Knight, Kannapolis, NC, 1972 Chevy Nova, and Gage Llamas, Waukegan, IL, 2002 Pontiac Trans Am, 1048 each.

PRO 632 – 1. Amber Franklin, Fredericksburg, VA, 1969 Chevy Camaro, 1763, 2. Walter Lannigan, Savannah, GA, 2010 Pontiac GTO, 1459; 3. Doug Nicholl, Dearborn, 1968 Chevy Camaro, 1342; 4. Andy House, Dunn, NC, 1969 Chevy Camaro, 1237; 5. Jayme Thompson, Pittsboro, NC, 1969 Chevy Camaro, 951.

PRO EXTREME MOTORCYCLE – 1. Chris Garner-Jones, Harvest, AL, 1119; 2. Brunson Grothus, Davenport, IA, 917; 3. Eric McKinney, Hamersville, OH, 808; 4. Brayden Davis, Douglas, GA, 781; 5. Ashley Owens, Decatur, AL, 615.