This installment of Drag Illustrated’s Movers & Shakers encapsulates those special moments, like winning races, receiving a special award and celebrating new partnerships.
[Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in DI #192, the Photo Annual Issue, in January / February of 2025.]
“Fans pay the bills. We’ve got to make sure we’re putting on a show. Saturday night qualifying [at the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals] was probably the best racing I’ve ever experienced. The stands were packed, and the energy was electric.”
– Ken Quartuccio
Photographs by Luke Nieuwhof, Chris Sears, Tara Bowker, David Beitler, NHRA, and Mark Menscer.
THE BROTHERS LAGANA: Lifelong nitro burners Bobby Lagana Jr. and Dom Lagana discuss the game plan for Tripp Tatum’s Top Fuel dragster in the pits at the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. Tatum, who was making his third appearance of the season, is one of the numerous part-time drivers who benefit from the Lagana brothers’ knowledge and guidance.
BRIGHT FUTURE: Matt Latino, son of Canadian Pro Mod veteran turned NHRA Pro Stock racer, accepts his DI 30 Under 30 jacket from DI COO and Design & Production Director Mike Carpenter. Just days earlier, Latino officially announced his plans to join his father in NHRA Pro Stock after earning his license.
WORTH THE TRIP: English sportsman racer Jordan Payne grasps his custom 30 Under 30 jacket on stage at the 30 Under 30 press conference in Indianapolis. Payne made the trip “over the pond” to accept the honor after his efforts in the FIA European scene earned him a spot on the list.
ELECTRIC ATMOSPHERE: Lincoln Electric’s Lon Damon joins DI Founder and Editorial Director Wes Buck and DI VP of Sales Brett Underwood on stage at the DI 30 Under 30 press conference. Damon drew a poker chip to determine which honoree would receive a Lincoln Electric prize package, which included a TIG welder, welding gear, and a welding class. Auto Imagery’s Alex Owens was the winner.
DI 30 UNDER 30 CLASS OF 2024: Nearly all of the honorees who made up the 2024 Drag Illustrated 30 Under 30 List take to the stage for a group photo following the 30 Under 30 press conference at the PRI Show.
PAUSE FOR A PRAYER: Drivers and crew members aren’t the only ones who get a staging lanes prayer with God Speed Ministry’s Tammie Smith, as she takes a moment to pray with photographer Jimmy Cantrell before a round of PDRA qualifying.
A FACTORY X FIRST: Former NHRA Pro Stock standout Greg Stanfield hoists the trophy that comes with winning the inaugural Holley EFI NHRA Factory X world championship at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. As a five-time Super Stock world champion, Stanfield is no stranger to the championship stage. This season, he’ll return to Pro Stock to chase a championship there alongside son Aaron, a 2024 title contender.
LET’S GOOO!: Two-time and reigning PDRA Pro Boost world champion doesn’t hide his reaction when he finds out he’ll take on fellow North Carolinian Jay Cox in the opening round of the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals. Cox, who recently switched to a twin-turbo combo to run Pro Mod and Pro Boost, faced off against Harris for a decade in PDRA Pro Nitrous.
RARE AIR: Outgoing NHRA Top Fuel world champion Doug Kalitta adds another accolade to his résumé as he becomes just the second driver to join the Phillips Connect 300 at the 1/8 Club. He went 300.80 MPH to the eighth-mile mark during qualifying at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals.
TRIUMPHANT RETURN: Flanked by daughter Courtney and son-in-law Graham Rahal, 16-time NHRA Funny Car world champion John Force returns to the starting line for the first time since his horrific on-track accident in Virginia over the summer. Force’s trackside return in Las Vegas came with a John Force Racing double-up, with Brittany Force picking up her first Top Fuel win since the 2022 Vegas fall race and Austin Prock earning his eighth Funny Car win of the season.
QUARTER-MILE CONQUEROR: Johnny Pluchino, a two-time world champion in the PDRA’s eighth-mile Extreme Pro Stock division, celebrates after clinching the first-ever Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock world championship in Las Vegas.
MAKING A MARK: Mark Beatty, Red Line Oil’s Brand Director, takes the mic from PDRA Series Director Tyler Crossnoe to address the crowd during PDRA’s annual press conference at the PRI Show. Beatty reflected on the brand’s first season as the PDRA series title sponsor and looked ahead at the continuation of the multi-year partnership in 2025.
ONE COOL GRANDPA: Pro Mod and Radial vs. the World star Ken Quartuccio spends some time with his grandson, Avery, before making a pass at the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals, where he raced to a runner-up finish in Outlaw Pro Mod.
MEDIA SQUAD: Members of the PDRA traveling media group pose for a “class photo” at the season-ending Brian Olson Memorial World Finals at Virginia Motorsports Park. The individuals here travel to nearly all eight races on the PDRA tour.
This story was originally published on May 7, 2025. 
The post Movers & Shakers: DI #192 The Photo Annual Issue first appeared on Drag Illustrated.