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FT. WORTH, Texas (April 16, 2025) – Drag Illustrated is shaking up drag racing with the debut of the Drag Illustrated Pound-for-Pound Pro Mod Rankings, a Top 20 showdown that crowns the fiercest drivers across NHRA, PDRA, DI Winter Series, MWDRS, and beyond. Powered by advanced artificial intelligence from xAI and blended with the grit of Pro Mod's sharpest insiders, this bigger, bolder list is built to spark debates, celebrate stars, and keep the sport roaring 365 days a year.
Unveiled today, the inaugural Top 20 packs a punch—Ken Quartuccio, Mike Stavrinos, Melanie Salemi, and Steve Jackson lead a stacked field, now joined by names like Erica Enders and Ty Tutterow. Fueled by xAI's Grok, the system crunches race data—wins, reaction times, and more—while a soon-to-be-named panel adds the human edge that makes Pro Mod tick. It's a formula that speaks to gearheads and new fans alike, showing who rules the eighth-mile, quarter-mile, and every track in between.
"Numbers cut through the noise," said Wes Buck, Drag Illustrated Founder and Editorial Director. "NHRA's best, PDRA's finest, our Winter Series killers—folks want to know who's No. 1. These Top 20 rankings make it dead simple for casual fans to get why Pro Mod's the wildest game in racing, like Alabama vs. Notre Dame. Our hardcore crowd? They'll be arguing this list over beers all year."
The rankings lean hard on data for fairness but sprinkle in subjectivity to keep it spicy. "We wanted this as straight-up as possible—wins, rounds, reaction times, crunched by xAI's cutting-edge tech to nail who's hot," Buck said. "But we threw in a panel's gut to make it real—Quartuccio's feared rep, Jackson's trash-talk fire. That mix is what makes Pro Mod sing."
Spanning a fierce Top 20, the P4P list doesn't care where you race—NHRA's quarter-mile, PDRA's eighth-mile, or the $150,000-to-win World Series of Pro Mod—it finds the drivers who define Pro Mod's relentless fight. Updated regularly and specifically after major events on the Pro Mod calendar, the rankings will drive daily chatter with "Big Movers" updates and "On the Bubble" battles, live on DragIllustrated.com, social media, and The Wes Buck Show.
"These drivers live to compete, and we're here to make sure that fight gets heard far beyond the track," Buck added. "No matter what the rankings say, I'm inviting the drivers everyone wants to see to the Drag Illustrated Winter Series—guys and gals who bring it every pass. This Top 20 is about keeping Pro Mod the hottest conversation in drag racing, every single day, not just when the big races roll around."
Drag Illustrated is casting a wide net, tracking top-tier races while keeping strict standards for events that matter. Media and industry heavyweights will soon join the voting panel, adding fire to the mix. While the rankings won't dictate pairings, they'll shape talks at tracks, shops, and online, maybe even setting the stage for the next Winter Series invitational.
Inaugural Drag Illustrated Pound-for-Pound Pro Mod Top 20
Ken Quartuccio – Fairfield, CT
A Pro Mod titan, Quartuccio's U.S. Street Nationals win and Snowbirds runner-up show he's a threat anywhere, with a 0.037 average RT. Legendary crew chief Steve Petty of Pro Line Racing Engines keeps his Scott Tidwell Motorsports hot rod dialed in. Fresh off the inaugural Drag Illustrated Winter Series championship, he's the driver to beat.
Mike Stavrinos – Fort Lauderdale, FL
NHRA's hottest hand, Stavrinos swept Gatornationals and Arizona with a clutch 0.041 average RT and a crew that never blinks. His fearless drive and rock-solid program make him a must-watch in any Pro Mod series, a name that commands respect.
Melanie Salemi – Buffalo, NY
PDRA Pro Boost queen, Salemi's dominating season-opener and killer 0.037 average RT on the starting line show why she's a fan-favorite fireball. Nobody's excited to see her name opposite theirs—she's a matchup that keeps rivals tossing and turning.
Steve King – Strasburg, VA
King's $150,000 WSOPM victory and PDRA East Coast Nationals semifinal run, backed by a 0.045 average RT, prove he's no fluke. He thrives when the stakes are highest, a clutch warrior who shines under Pro Mod's brightest lights.
Kye Kelley – Bogue Chitto, MS
Snowbird's steel-roof-and-quarters conqueror, Kye Kelley burst onto the Pro Mod scene with a 0.026 average RT, proving Street Outlaws are no joke. Amid No Prep Kings stars, he stood tall, a fan favorite and one of Pro Mod's biggest names today.
Tim Paap – Charleston, IL
PDRA Pro Nitrous contender Paap went 4-0 to start the season with a 0.021 average RT, signaling a breakout star. Fighting an uphill battle with nitrous, he shines bright—nitrous cars are Pro Mod's heart, and his loyalty earns hardcore respect.
Shawn Ellington – Union City, OK
Street Outlaws' "Murder Nova" ran through MWDRS's season-opener like a hot knife through butter, with a 0.026 average RT. His new car's challenge didn't faze him—he's a problem for Pro Mod regulars and a threat for 2025 and beyond.
Jason Harris – Pittsboro, NC
Multi-time PDRA champ "Party Time" Harris is a driver nobody wants to face, killer on the starting line with a 0.024 average RT. His ProCharger Camaro's one of the baddest doorslammers out there, with the clutch gene to own this list.
Lyle Barnett – Robbins, NC
Barnett's U.S. Street Nationals final showed his Tommy Youmans-owned late-model is hard to handle, with a 0.033 average RT. Killer on the tree, with power-swap rumors swirling, he's impossible to ignore as one of Pro Mod's best today.
Rickie Smith – King, NC
NHRA's crafty vet, "Tricky" Rickie's back-to-back Gatornationals and Arizona finals, with a 0.072 average RT, show he's still got it. His mental warfare in a fresh-faced field makes him a feared legend, worthy of Pro Mod's Mount Rushmore.
Mark Micke – Jefferson City, MO
Mark Micke's got the baddest Pro Mod in the known universe, a multi-series record-holder with a 0.038 average RT. His world-beating hot rod and iconic crew make him a dangerous force, even without a Winter Series win yet.
Johnny Camp – Canonsburg, PA
Camp kicked off with a big World Series of Pro Mod showing and a PDRA opener final, rocking a 0.023 average RT. His "Hell's Bells" Camaro is the fastest ProCharger car on the planet, a rising star fans can't stop watching.
Tommy Franklin – Fredericksburg, VA
PDRA Nitrous legend Tommy Franklin's one of Pro Mod's most respected racers, with a 0.025 average RT across Winter Series and PDRA battles. His U.S. Street and WSOPM heat, nearly winning at Galot, makes him a hardcore favorite.
Kurt Steding – Carnegie, PA
Steding's Snowbirds, U.S. Street, and PDRA semifinals scream quiet consistency, with a 0.035 average RT. His race-winning hot rod's never out of the mix—2025 could be his year to steal Pro Mod's crown.
Rian Hayward – Marysville, WA
Hayward burst onto the Pro Mod scene during the Winter Series, shining across U.S. Street, WSOPM, and MWDRS with a 0.067 average RT. His new-car hustle proves he's among the world's best, a name fans are buzzing about.
Mike Bowman – Oak Hills, CA
Pro Mod legend Bowman, the first-ever WSOPM winner, holds strong with a 0.045 average RT. His turbo swap from superchargers shows he's still one of the toughest, succeeding wherever he roams in Pro Mod's elite.
Steve Jackson – Thomson, GA
A Pro Mod legend, Jackson's World Series of Pro Mod final and top-10 qualifying across all three Winter Series races, with a 0.041 average RT, mark him as a feared big-game hunter. His trash-talking swagger and mental warfare make him a fan favorite nobody wants to face.
Erica Enders – Wynnewood, OK
NHRA's superstar Enders brings her winning pedigree to Pro Mod, with a 0.035 average RT across Winter Series battles. Her Snowbirds and U.S. Street runs show she's no stranger to the fight, a fan magnet ready to climb higher.
Ty Tutterow – Yadkinville, NC
Tutterow's a Pro Mod workhorse, grinding through PDRA and Winter Series with a 0.029 average RT. His Snowbirds and U.S. Street semis prove he's got the heart to hang with the big dogs, a name fans respect.
Travis Harvey – Burlington, NC
Harvey's a multi-series scrapper, hitting semis at Snowbirds, U.S. Street, and PDRA with a 0.038 average RT. His underdog hustle and never-quit grit make him a driver crowds rally behind, building Pro Mod's future.
Be sure to follow the movement of the P4P Pro Mod Rankings at www.DragIllustrated.com, and catch the debate on The Wes Buck Show this week—because Pro Mod never sleeps.
