On Friday night at the inaugural PDRA Thunder Valley Throwdown, Pro Modified legends Jim Halsey and Todd “King Tut” Tutterow made their mark in Bristol Dragway’s storied history. The event, the sixth of eight in the 2024 Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series tour, saw both drivers securing No. 1 qualifying positions in their respective classes.
Jim Halsey, a four-time Pro Nitrous world champion, impressed with a 3.692-second run, establishing himself as the top qualifier in Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous. This performance marks his fifth No. 1 qualifier of the season. Halsey’s run in his Fulton-powered “Daddy Shark” ’68 Camaro, which began with a provisional 3.713, was finalized with his standout 3.692 at 204.26 mph. Reflecting on his performance, Halsey praised his team and the transformation of the Bristol facility, highlighting the challenging conditions that contributed to his success.
Maryland’s Fredy Scriba qualified second with a 3.715 at 203.40 mph in his Musi-powered “Sorcerer” ’69 Camaro, while Tommy Franklin, the three-time reigning world champion, secured third with a 3.722 at 203.80 mph in his Musi-powered “Jungle Rat” ’69 Camaro.
Todd “King Tut” Tutterow, another Pro Modified veteran, continued his streak as he claimed the No. 1 spot in WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting & Ty-Drive. His standout 3.63-second pass at 207.69 mph earned him this position for the third time this season. Tutterow’s strategy and tuning, including his work with teammate Kurt Steding, proved effective in challenging atmospheric conditions. Tutterow will face Melanie Salemi in the first round, with Steding positioned as the No. 2 qualifier.
In other classes, Tommy Lee achieved a career milestone by securing his first PDRA Extreme Pro Stock No. 1 qualifier award with a 4.135 at 174.73 mph. Jeremy Huffman and Chris Powers followed in second and third positions, respectively.
Jeff Melnick, the reigning Pro 632 world champion, also made history with his second career No. 1 qualifier award, setting a 4.203 at 169.23 mph in the final session.
Brunson Grothus continued his dominance in Pro Extreme Motorcycle, clinching his second consecutive No. 1 qualifier spot with a 4.036 at 184.83 mph. Chris Gamer-Jones and Ashley Owens, both from Alabama, rounded out the top three.
Bill Riddle, the Pro Street No. 1 qualifier, faced a minor setback with a retaining wall incident but maintained his top spot with a 4.004 at 188.04 mph. Dan Norris and Jerry Morgano followed in second and third, respectively.
In the Super Street category, Connor McGee achieved his first career No. 1 qualifier award with a 4.637 at 159.48 mph in his nitrous-fed ’90 Mustang.
Glenn Butcher dominated the Elite Top Sportsman class with a 3.819 at 195.73 mph, while K.C. Ingram secured his second consecutive No. 1 qualifier in Elite Top Dragster with a 3.69 at 205.13 mph.
The Top Dragster 48 category saw Dan Ferguson qualify No. 1 with a 3.99 at 189.39 mph, while Mike Kopko led the non-elite field with a 3.878 at 186.54 mph.
In the sportsman categories, the No. 1 qualifiers include Glenn Butcher in MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman, K.C. Ingram in Laris Motorsports Insurance Elite Top Dragster, Dan Ferguson in MagnaFuel Top Sportsman, and Mike Kopko in Laris Motorsports Insurance Top Dragster.
The Junior Dragster classes saw Zach Shirkey leading in Pro Jr. Dragster with a 7.902, while Madison Pickens set the provisional top spot in Top Jr. Dragster with a reaction time of .002.
The Thunder Valley Throwdown has certainly set a high bar for the rest of the season, with these historic performances adding to the rich legacy of Bristol Dragway.
