(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.
Bill Raichart from Illinois USA (Comp Number: 3) 1977 - Category: SPORTSMAN, Type: HN, Class: Sportsman, Div: 3 "Chi-Town Shaker" Owned by Bill Raichart from Illinois USA '74 Chevrolet Vega by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a Unknown cubic inch Chevrolet with 4 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: Unknown at Unknown | […]
Fred Hurst from Dayton, Ohio USA (Comp Number: 1066) 1971 - Category: SPORTSMAN, Type: HN, Class: A/G, Div: 3 "Fred Hurst" Owned by Fred Hurst from Dayton, Ohio USA '70 Plymouth Cuda by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 426 cubic inch Chrysler Hemi with 4 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: Unknown […]
Fred Hurst from Dayton, Ohio USA (Comp Number: 3500) 1967 - Category: GASSER, Type: SN, Class: A/G, Div: 3 "Fred Hurst" Owned by Fred Hurst from Dayton, Ohio USA '40 Willys by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 426 cubic inch Chrysler Hemi with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 9.870 at Bristol TN […]
John Benoit from Montpelier, Vermont USA (Comp Number: 1357) 2026 - Category: SPORTSMAN, Type: HN, Class: Top Sportsman, Div: 1 "Benoit Electric Inc." Owned by John Benoit from Montpelier, Vermont USA 2015 Chevrolet Corvette by Jerry Bickel | Powered by a 768 cubic inch Chevrolet by Charlie Buck with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 6.512 […]
Darian Boesch from Kenner, Louisiana USA (Comp Number: 4911) 2026 - Category: SPORTSMAN, Type: HN, Class: Top Sportsman, Div: 4 "MKD Racing" Owned by Mario Boesch from Kenner, Louisiana USA 2018 Chevrolet Camaro SS by Jerry Haas | Powered by a 540 cubic inch Chevrolet with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 6.213 at NHRA D3 […]
Robbie Steward from Strasburg, Virginia USA (Comp Number: 1768) 2026 - Category: SPORTSMAN, Type: HN, Class: Top Sportsman, Div: 2 "Rs Eq An Fleet" Owned by Robbie Steward from Strasburg, Virginia USA 1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 632 cubic inch Chevrolet by Charlie Buck with automatic transmission 1/4 […]
Herb McCandless from Burlington, North Carolina USA (Comp Number: 211) 1973 - Category: PS-MOUNTAIN, Type: UN, Class: Pro Stock, Div: 1 "Brooklyn Heavy" Owned by Rufus Boyd from Brooklyn, New York USA '73 Dodge Dart by Don Hardy | Powered by a 426 cubic inch Chrysler Hemi by Sox & Martin with 4 speed manual […]
Jerry Kumre from Rohnert Park, California USA (Comp Number: 713) 2026 - Category: NOSTBAD, Type: VN, Class: Heritage Pro Comp, Div: 7 "Pleasure & Pain" Owned by Dennis Murphy from Simi Valley, California USA 2023 Dragster by Bruce Dyda | Powered by a 525 cubic inch BAE Hemi with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 6.423 […]
Eric Krume from Castle Rock, Washington USA (Comp Number: 6750) 2026 - Category: NOSTAFD, Type: VN, Class: Heritage Pro Comp, Div: 6 "Summit Attachments & Machinery" Owned by Eric Krume from Castle Rock, Washington USA Dragster by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a Unknown cubic inch Chevrolet with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: […]
Wayne Ramay from Simi Valley, California USA (Comp Number: 7828) 2026 - Category: NOSTBAD, Type: VN, Class: Heritage Pro Comp, Div: 7 "Batmobile" Owned by Wayne Ramay from Simi Valley, California USA 2017 Dragster by Neil & Parks | Powered by a 470 cubic inch Alan Johnson Chevrolet Hemi with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: […]