(Photo by Jason “Nubs” Dunn)The Madman Earns 2nd ADRL Pro Extreme TitleST. LOUIS – Starting strong is good. Finishing strong is epic. – Robin Sharma
Frankie “The Madman” Taylor started the 2020 American Drag Racing League season strong with a Pro Extreme win on a hot June night in Texas. Saturday, on a chilly, overcast day at World Wide Technology Raceway, Taylor finished strong, wrapping up the class title. His second PX championship came along with the Battle For The Belts title strap and a check for $10,000. The four-car finale, originally scheduled for Friday, was moved to Saturday due to inclement weather.
(2020 ADRL Pro Extreme Champion & Battle For The Belts Title Winner Frankie “The Madman” Taylor. Photo by Jason “Nubs” Dunn).
Taylor advanced to the finals with a victory over Hank Stubbs thanks to a massive pass of 3.616 seconds at 209.56 mph. Jason Hamstra, the PX winner from three weeks ago at the Texas Motorplex near Dallas, made his way to the finals after beating Bubba Stanton, his 3.723-second lap at 207.05 mph topping Stanton’s run of 4.379 seconds at 121.94 mph.
The finals between the two Texas winners was expected to be one of the highlights of the season. Both cars were quick, both racers were hungry, and the track was prepped brilliantly. Taylor launched his 2005 Corvette down the eighth-mile at 3.608 seconds at 210.34 mph, topping his previous top qualifier pass. Hamstra, unfortunately, saw his season end with a race car that broke at the starting line.
The Top Jr. Dragster and Pro Jr. Dragster classes also saw their respective champions crowned courtesy of the Battle For The Belts format. Brody Tigue topped Cohen Hale for the TJD title and Sam Stewart beat Adam Jukupcak to earn the PJD championship.
(Above, 2020 ADRL Top Jr. Dragster Champion Brody Tigue. Below, 2020 ADRL Pro Jr. Dragster Champion Sam Stewart. Photos by Jason “Nubs” Dunn)
The Battle For The Belts provided closure for ADRL’s 2020 champions, but the 2021 season was only half-started in St. Louis. The qualifying for Dragstock XII and the points accumulated from that race count towards the 2021 title hunt. This weekend’s qualifying stands as official and when the ADRL returns to World Wide Technology Raceway March 26-27, 2021, the elimination rounds for Dragstock XII will be run. Taylor enters the season as the Dragstock XII Pro Extreme Top Qualifier.
The schedule for the 2021 ADRL Tour was announced Saturday prior to qualifying. The season kicks off March 26-27, 2021 with the ADRL Gateway Drags and finishes up Oct. 22-23, 2021 with Dragstock XIII in St. Louis. The Texas Motorplex is hosting Dragpalooza April 30-May 1, 2021, and the ADRL US Drags Sept. 10-11, 2021. The ADRL Summer Drags (June 4-5) and ADRL Fall Drags (Oct. 1-2) will be run at facilities to be announced.
2021 ADRL Tour Schedule:
March 26-27: ADRL Gateway Drags (WWT Raceway)
April 30-May 1: Dragpalooza (Texas Motorplex)
June 4-5: ADRL Summer Drags (TBD)
Sept. 10-11: ADRL US Drags (Texas Motorplex)
Oct. 1-2: ADRL Fall Drags (TBD)
Oct. 22-23: Dragstock XIII (WWT Raceway)
Expect more news regarding the ADRL’s 2021 season to be announced in the coming weeks.
Greg Kozera from Monroe, Connecticut USA (Comp Number: 180) 1999 - Category: COMPDRAG, Type: PN, Class: D/ED, Div: 1 "JK Motorsports / Grasmere Inc." Owned by Jerry Kozera from Fairfield, Connecticut USA '98 Dragster by Mike Spitzer | Powered by a Unknown cubic inch Chevrolet by JK Motorsports - Jenkins Competition with automatic transmission 1/4 […]
WR Buck from La Plata, Missouri USA (Comp Number: 5338) 1997 - Category: PM-OUTLAW, Type: ZN, Class: Quick 8, Div: 5 "David Jones" Owned by David Jones from La Plata, Missouri USA '96 Pontiac Firebird by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 615 cubic inch Pontiac with 4 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile […]
Aaron Leyda from Independence, Missouri USA 2001 - Category: NOSTBAD, Type: VN, Class: AA/D, Div: 5 "Dale Wilkens" Owned by Dale Wilkens from Kansas USA Dragster by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 468 cubic inch Chevrolet with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 7.220 at Unknown | 1/4 Mile MPH: 193.00 at Unknown […]
Ron Stokes from Columbus, Mississippi USA 2006 - Category: PM-OUTLAW, Type: ZN, Class: Pro Extreme, Div: 4 "Kyptonite" Owned by Ron Stokes from Columbus, Mississippi USA '53 Chevrolet Corvette by Kilby Chassis Design | Powered by a 526 cubic inch Oldsmobile with 3 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: Unknown at Unknown | 1/4 Mile […]
Troy Critchley from Wylie, Texas USA 2006 - Category: PM-OUTLAW, Type: ZN, Class: TOPMA, Div: 4 "AMS Racing Second Hammer" Owned by Millennium Motorsports from Addison, Texas USA '94 Chevrolet Corvette by Jerry Haas | Powered by a 526 cubic inch BAE Keith Black Hemi with 3 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: Unknown at […]
Scotty Cannon from Lyman, South Carolina USA (Comp Number: 3057) 1987 - Category: PM-OUTLAW, Type: ZN, Class: Quick 8, Div: 2 "Cannonball" Owned by Scotty Cannon from Lyman, South Carolina USA '40 Willys by Quain Stott | Powered by a 512 cubic inch Chevrolet by Gene Fulton with 4 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: […]
David McDowell from Georgia USA 1974 - Category: PS-MOUNTAIN, Type: UN, Class: Pro Stock, Div: 2 "Rat" Owned by Doug McDowell from Georgia USA '73 Chevrolet Vega by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 427 cubic inch Chevrolet with 4 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 9.140 at Aiken SC 1974 | 1/4 […]
Tommy Mauney from Shelby, North Carolina USA (Comp Number: 1002) 1990 - Category: PM-OUTLAW, Type: ZN, Class: Quick 8, Div: 2 "TM Race Cars" Owned by Tommy Mauney from Shelby, North Carolina USA '85 Chevrolet Camaro by Tommy Mauney | Powered by a 632 cubic inch Pontiac with 4 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: […]
Lou Tosci from California USA 1969 - Category: GASDRAG, Type: MN, Class: AA/D, Div: 7 "Lou Tosci" Owned by Lou Tosci from California USA '59 Dragster by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a Unknown cubic inch Pontiac with direct drive 1/4 Mile ET: Unknown at Unknown | 1/4 Mile MPH: Unknown at Unknown […]
Larry Reep from Austin, Texas USA (Comp Number: 437) 2000 - Category: ALKYALT, Type: GN, Class: AA/A, Div: 4 "Grim Reeper" Owned by Larry Reep from Austin, Texas USA '48 Fiat Topolino by Steve Plueger | Powered by a 525 cubic inch BAE Keith Black Hemi with 3 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: Unknown […]