Drag Illustrated’s Pound-for-Pound Pro Mod Rankings are back with a seismic shakeup, unveiling a blazing Top 20 update that spotlights drag racing’s fiercest competitors across NHRA, PDRA, DI Winter Series, MWDRS, and beyond. Fueled by xAI’s advanced AI and sharpened by the gritty instincts of Pro Mod’s top insiders, this list flips the script – JR Gray seizes the throne, new faces storm the ranks, and veterans face the heat.
Released today, the updated Top 20 is a powder keg: JR Gray rockets to No. 1 with back-to-back NHRA wins at Charlotte’s Four-Wide and the Thunder Valley Nationals, backed by six low ET performances, while Mike Stavrinos holds No. 2 with what has been an absolutely relentless NHRA campaign. Rising stars like PDRA Pro Nitrous’ Marcus Butner and Pro Boost’s Ty Tutterow crash the top 10, with Butner’s Mid-Atlantic triumph and Tutterow’s North-South Shootout victory turning heads. Ken Quartuccio, stung by recent red-lights, slips to No. 5, while rookie Amber Denton and defending Pro Nitrous world champion Fredy Scriba muscle into No. 20 and No. 19, respectively, fueled by their impressive efforts in PDRA competition.
“We’re blown away by the buzz around the P4P rankings,” said Wes Buck, Drag Illustrated Founder and Editorial Director. “This isn’t just about crowning the baddest in drag racing – it’s about igniting debate and excitement. The feedback from fans, drivers, team owners, and sponsors is electric, and we’re loving every second of it.”
This update marks version 2.0 of the rankings model, refined with new metrics to highlight setup mastery and performance under pressure since its debut on April 16, 2025. The payoff? J.R. Gray’s string of back-breaking runs and 0.040s reaction-time average crown him king, Stavrinos’ impressive run keeps him in the hunt, and Tutterow’s blistering 0.019s average on the starting line signals a breakout. The mock panel, guided by 300+ pages of research poured into xAI’s model, also weighed in, elevating Butner and Denton for their PDRA surges.
“We’ve tweaked the math and dug deeper into the data since launching on April 16,” Buck added. “Version 2.0 is evolving, and with 15 races now in play, the conversation’s hotter than ever.”
Spanning a packed 15-event slate – from the eighth-mile fury of the DI Winter Series to NHRA’s quarter-mile showdowns and PDRA’s gritty battles – the P4P Rankings unearth the drivers defining Pro Mod’s relentless spirit. Big movers like Gray, Tutterow, and Butner, alongside veterans like Quartuccio and Rickie Smith, keep the debate raging on DragIllustrated.com, social media, and The Wes Buck Show.
“Keeping this chatter alive is the most important thing,” Buck said. “This Top 20 ensures Pro Mod stays the hottest topic in drag racing, day in and day out. And, admittedly, it’s debatable – a strong case can be made for almost all of these guys and gals to be higher, lower, what have you. That’s what makes it fun and exciting.”
2025 Drag Illustrated Pound-for-Pound Pro Mod Top 20 Rankings
No. 1 – J.R. Gray – Longtime grudge racer and Pro Mod contender claims the top spot with NHRA wins in Charlotte and Bristol, six low ETs, a 0.040s RT average, and an altogether dominant run over 6 races. Al-Anabi Racing’s collective firepower makes him Pro Mod’s new king.
No. 2 – Mike Stavrinos – NHRA’s fresh-faced star holds No. 2 with final round appearances in Gainesville, Phoenix, and Bristol, six low ETs, and a 0.038s RT average, driving a revitalized Al-Anabi Racing’s relentless charge.
No. 3 – Melanie Salemi – The queen of the Professional Drag Racers Association is inarguably amongst the absolute best leavers in drag racing, and the performance of the Jon, Jim and Evan Salemi-tuned supercharged ’68 Pontiac Firebird makes her one of the scariest matchups in the sport today.
No. 4 – Kurt Steding – The pride of Carnegie, Pennsylvania is quietly climbing the ranks with an undeniably hot start to the PDRA season. His family-based operation, led by tuner Todd Tutterow, has their sights set on a championship in 2025, and 0.643 winning percentage is proof-positive they’re well on their way. He’s an animal on the starting line, too, as evident by his .027-second average.
No. 5 – Ken Quartuccio – The unshakable titan slips to No. 5 after a couple stumbles early in the season, but his historic showing during the Drag Illustrated Winter Series, consistently fast Steve Petty-tuned hot rod, and 0.041s RT average keep him and the Scott Tidwell Motorsports team in the fight.
No. 6 – Steve King – The reigning WSOPM champion holds No. 6 with his career-defining victory in Bradenton and recent PDRA Pro Boost final round appearance. A legitimate big-stage veteran with a .038s RT average, the Pilot Racing wheelman is a force to be reckoned with.
No. 7 – Ty Tutterow – The “Lumberjack” surges to No. 7 with a North-South Shootout Pro Boost win, a blistering 0.019s RT average, and the grit of a legitimate touring pro. The son of Pro Mod icon Todd Tutterow is 9-4 headed toward July and there’s little chance he slows down.
No. 8 – Jason Harris – The PDRA superstar climbs to No. 8 on the back of multiple deep-round runs and a stunning 0.024s RT average. Racing alongside his father, Bob, Jason “Party Time” Harris is due to make big moves headed into the second-half of the traditional drag racing season.
No. 9 – Marcus Butner – The Pro Nitrous standout bursts in at No. 9 with a PDRA Mid-Atlantic Nationals win, two low ETs, and a 0.042s RT average. Crew chief and tuner Jay Cox has the nitrous oxide-injected Camaro in top form, as demonstrated by Butner’s No. 2 spot in the PDRA Pro Nitrous points standings.
No. 10 – Lyle Barnett – Despite his status as one of drag racing’s most versatile drivers, Lyle Barnett drops to No. 10. His 0.026s RT average remains top-of-class, and the Tommy Youmans Racing camp’s collective willingness and ability to crossover to various sanctions, series and events will see him remain in the mix for the foreseeable future.
No. 11 – Rickie Smith – “Tricky Rickie” holds No. 11 with Thunder Valley and Route 66 finals, a 0.053s RT average, and an undeniable veteran edge in his nitrous-powered J&A Service/Parkway Ford Mustang.
No. 12 – Mark Micke – Pro Mod’s king of speed stays No. 12 with three-out-of-three Winter Series top qualifier awards a .037s RT average, he and his twin-turbo’d ‘69 Camaro still represent the most feared duos in doorslammer racing.
No. 13 – Tommy Franklin – The Pro Nitrous veteran holds No. 13 with consistent front-running performance and a 0.026s RT average.
No. 14 – Johnny Camp – The PDRA Pro Boost star stays No. 14 behind an incredibly strong start to the PDRA season, a 0.023s RT, and steady performance.
No. 15 – Jeff Rudolf – The Shakedown Sensation enters the DI Pound-for-Pound rankings at No. 15 with his victory in Michigan and a 0.038s RT average over five races.
No. 16 – Kye Kelley – The 2024 Snowbird Outlaw Nationals champion holds No. 16 with his Snowbird win and a 0.027s RT across the DI Winter Series, his star power burning bright.
No. 17 – Scott Lang – The Big Dog himself drops to No. 17 with a Big Dog win, three low ETs passes, and a 0.026s RT average.
No. 18 – Mason Wright – The Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Series frontrunner enters the rankings at No. 18 with a Route 66 win, 1 low ET, and a 0.055s RT, his five-race surge notable.
No. 19 – Fredy Scriba – The defending PDRA Nitrous Champ joins at No. 19 with a North-South Shootout win, a race car that is consistent as the day is long and a 0.023s RT average.
No. 20 – Amber Denton – The PDRA Pro Nitrous rookie sensation and points leader enters the rankings at No. 20 on the heels of a final round appearance and a .047s RT average as we approach the midway point of the season.
Drag Illustrated remains at the forefront, meticulously tracking the most competitive Pro Mod racing events worldwide across 15 top-tier races, building an incredible data set that captures the sport’s essence. Leveraging cutting-edge technology, including xAI’s advanced AI, these rankings ignite passion at tracks, shops, and online, setting the stage for the next DI Winter Series showdown.
This story was originally published on June 20, 2025. 
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