Rookie Drivers Ready for Empire Dragway Quick 32 Sportsman Series

Ryan Harris and Ashton Halas to compete in the Championship Point Award Series

CAYUGA, ONTARIO (May 16, 2025) – Rookie contenders Ryan Harris and Ashton Halas are set to compete in the Quick 32 Sportsman Series Champion Point Award Series at Empire Dragway in 2025.

“The Quick 32 Sportsman Series could not be more pleased to introduce our series to these two young men,” explained Bruce Mehlenbacher. “They have spent considerable time in Junior Dragsters mentored by their experienced fathers, Kyle Harris and Tim Halas, who have passed on their knowledge and passion for the sport.”

Ryan Harris, a 17-year-old Burford, Ontario high school student, plans to compete in all four Quick 32 Sportsman Series events at Empire Dragway this season.

He began racing at age eight in the RCSS Series, with multiple wins at Toronto Motorsports Park. In 2018, he transitioned to the PDRA Pro Junior Dragster category and quickly became the number one qualifier in 2019. Ryan earned his Top Dragster license in 2024 at 16 in the family’s championship-winning dragster, with his best posting of 3.74 seconds at 194 mph.

“My family’s unwavering support has fueled my passion for racing,” said Ryan. “I am grateful for the sponsors who have helped me succeed.”

He is the only Canadian driver competing in all eight PDRA Pro Junior Dragster events. Some key accomplishments in the 2024 season included the 2024 North vs. South Shootout Champion with a perfect 7.900-second run, a 2024 Coolshirt Systems ProStars Champion with a 7.909-second run, a 2024 PDRA Northern Nationals Champion with a .016-second reaction time in the finals, and a third overall placing in the 2024 Pro Junior Dragster Standings.

“This would not be possible without the support of my family, who make up the KHR Team,” Ryan said. Father Kyle is the 2024 PDRA Elite Top Dragster World Champion and mentor to Ryan.

“Dad ensures our cars are race-ready and shares his invaluable expertise,” said the young racer. “I also enjoy learning and working on his race car alongside him.” “Mom (Jennie Harris) is the heart of our team, keeping us organized and energized with her incredible support and meals during race weekends. My sister Cristina Johnston was my first mentor in racing. She competed in Junior Dragsters before me and inspired my journey with her guidance and example.”

Ryan’s sponsors and supporters include DFS Projects, Double O Permit & Project Services Inc., Harquip Ltd., Atchison Machine Service, Hartman Machine Works, Fast Eddie Racewear, Boogieman and Company, Tri-County Sandblasting Inc., Redline Motorsports Media and DragRaceCanada.ca.

Known as “The Long and Skinny,” the race car is a KHR-prepared 2019 Horton Race Cars 280-inch Top Dragster powered by a 526 cubic inch Atchison Machine-prepared AJPE 481x engine platform. The supercharger is a 14/71 high helix reworked and prepared by Hammer Superchargers. This power is fed through a Bruno / Lenco transmission with a Strange Engineering full-floating, live axle rear end final drive setup.

Ashton Halas is a 16-year-old high school student from Williamsville, New York, planning to compete in all four Quick 32 Sportsman Series events at Empire Dragway. Ashton started drag racing at eight in his Jr Dragster at his local track, Lancaster Motorplex in Lancaster, New York. One of Ashton’s first significant accomplishments in drag racing was winning his local track championship in 2020 as an 11-year-old running an 8.90-second pass. This led to Ashton competing at Keystone Dragway, where he was runner-up in the Race of Champions and the Team’s main event runner-up.

Ashton competed at the IHRA World finals in Memphis, Tennessee, this same year. Shortly after, he started competing in the PDRA series in the Top JR Dragster and Pro Jr Dragster classes. More major accomplishments for Ashton include a sixth in points for PDRA’s Top Jr. Dragster class in 2021, placing second in points for Lancaster Motorplex in 2024, and winning the $5,000 shootout gamblers race at the WDRA World Finals at Montgomery International Dragway in 2024.

In October 2021, Ashton qualified as number one and was runner-up in the Galot Motorsports Park PDRA Top Jr Dragster race. He also qualified number one for the Galot Motorsports Park PDRA Pro Jr Dragster race in April of 2024.

Ashton’s interest in drag racing first came from his father, who would take him to his local track on Friday nights to watch the big cars run. From there, Ashton’s passion took off. Ashton loves working on race cars. One of his passions is fabrication and helping other racers with their cars. While Ashton has done most of the fabrication on his full-size Dragster, he has many people that he would like to thank for their help and support, including Rob Weller of Weller Machine, Greg Labuszewski of Chassis and Body Paint, Dan DeLaney (Dan the Sign Man), Graphic Work, Race Star Wheels, Hoosier Tire, WNY One Stop Automotive, FTI Performance, PTC Convertors, J.C. Beattie Jr. of ATI Performance Products, Andrew Spurback of Spurback Motorsports, and Laris Motorsports Insurance.

“This would not be possible without all the help and support from my family, friends, and sponsors”, Ashton has said. His dragster is a 2001 Precision Chassis front halfed in 2024 by RaceTech and powered by a nitrous assisted 434-cubic inch small block Ford engine.

In addition to racing, Ashton, an honour roll student, plays school ice hockey and baseball.

The Quick 32 Sportsman Series, the Pro Bike & Sled Series (PBSS), the 5.50 Super Series, along with the Box and No-Box divisions will compete on the Empire Dragway eighth-mile track surface and compete for their respective Championship Point Award Series on June 20 – 21, July 18 – 19, August 15 – 16 and September 12 – 13, 2025.

Visit the Pro Modified Racing Association at facebook.com/promodifiedracing, the Quick 32 Sportsman Series at facebook.com/quick32, the Pro Bike & Sled Series (PBSS) at facebook.com/probikeandsledseries and the Empire Dragway at EmpireDragway.com for more information and event updates.