Paul Mouhayet is famous in Australian drag racing for his wild, record-setting exploits behind the wheel, but his most recent trip to Bradenton Motorsports Park saw him in a slightly different role—team manager for fellow Aussie John Ricca. Rather than focusing on that position alone, though, Mouhayet can’t stop talking about the electrifying spectacle he encountered at the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod (WSOPM). From the unprecedented car count to a lightning-fast show schedule, Mouhayet says it’s simply the kind of event drag racing needs on a global scale.
“It was madness in the best way possible,” Mouhayet said after the race. “Eighty-plus Pro Mods, all killer cars, and an organization that keeps everything running like a clock. I don’t care if you come from quarter-mile or half a world away—once you see this, you know something special is happening.”
Mouhayet describes the atmosphere at Bradenton as “massive and nonstop,” where fans flock to watch every round, and where racers have to be ready at a moment’s notice. The Australian veteran has seen plenty of well-run shows in his time, but he believes WSOPM’s mix of open rules, eighth-mile format, and star-studded entry list is a blueprint that resonates beyond American shores. He’s convinced that putting so many high-end teams—turbo, blower, nitrous—all on the same playing field is a huge part of the event’s global appeal.
“There’s nothing like it back home in Australia, or anywhere else, really,” he explained. “The variety of power adders and the tight qualifying fields just blow your mind. You’ve got screw blowers, ProChargers, turbos—somehow they’re all within a couple hundredths of each other. It’s just phenomenal to be a part of.”
Mouhayet also credits the race staff and organizers for creating an environment that both fans and racers appreciate. He highlighted the rapid-fire nature of the show, which sees minimal downtime and consistent on-track action.
“It’s run-and-gun,” he said. “I’ve been to events where you sit for hours, waiting for oil-downs or issues to get sorted. Not here. They say we’ll go hot at seven, then cars are rolling at seven. If there’s a clean-up, it’s sorted quickly. That’s a testament to having top-notch pros on the track, in the pits, and in race control.”
According to Mouhayet, the enthusiasm doesn’t stop at the gates. During his stay in Florida, he’d get recognized at restaurants or gas stations by fans buzzing about the event. He says that kind of local engagement—where “the entire town knows there’s a Pro Mod race happening”—reflects the cultural impact the Winter Series has on the region. And those ripples extend back to his home country, where supporters closely followed livestreams and social media updates. Upon returning to Sydney, Mouhayet was swarmed by friends and acquaintances wanting to rehash Ricca’s passes and the overall spectacle they’d watched online.
“People told me they were setting alarms for three in the morning just to catch eliminations,” Mouhayet laughed. “It shows you how hungry Australia—and really, the whole world—is for something like this. The WSOPM has this atmosphere that you can feel halfway around the globe.”
While Mouhayet played the role of strategist and advisor to Ricca’s team this time, he’s not ruling out a driving appearance of his own in a future WSOPM. One way or another, he’s adamant about getting more Australian teams involved, convinced the high-stakes show in Bradenton is exactly the spark drag racing needs to unify the international doorslammer scene.
“I tell everybody back home: You’ve gotta go,” Mouhayet said. “It’s a bucket-list race, and the way it’s run sets a standard I’d love to see more places adopt. The car counts, the performance, the fan energy—they all prove this is the real deal. If you can swing it, get on a plane and go be a part of the baddest drag race in the world. You won’t regret it.”
With talk of potential WSOPM “qualifier” events popping up overseas, Mouhayet believes the global stage is set for a truly international Pro Mod showdown. Encouraged by what he witnessed at Bradenton—on the track and in the stands—he’s already brainstorming with John Ricca and fellow Aussie heavy-hitters on bringing that same type of event to their home turf. The dream, he says, is to unify drag racing’s most passionate fans under one banner, no matter the continent.
For Mouhayet, the World Series of Pro Mod isn’t just a race—it’s a blueprint. He’s confident that the high-stakes, fast-paced style of the WSOPM will resonate as much in Melbourne or Sydney as it does in Florida. The new challenge is translating the buzz he felt at Bradenton into a sustainable format back in Australia, and then linking those events to the Florida-based finale.
“If there’s one takeaway,” Mouhayet says, “it’s that fans around the world are starving for this kind of show. We’ve got the drivers, we’ve got the tracks—now it’s about harnessing that energy and making it global.”
This story was originally published on March 26, 2025. 
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