Fresh off a dominant performance at Shakedown XXII at M-Town at US 131 Motorsports Park, Jeff “The Sheriff” Rudolf joined The Wes Buck Show to reflect on the weekend, break down the key moments of his Pro Mod victory, and share plans to compete at the NHRA U.S. Nationals.
“I told you a couple years ago, Wes — there’s a new sheriff in town,” Rudolf joked, channeling his signature swagger after securing the $20,000 win at one of the biggest independent races of the year.
Rudolf rolled through a stacked field of 25 Pro Modified entries in the combined Mid-West Drag Racing Series and Radial Outlaws event, which was broadcast live on FloRacing. He was quick to credit his team’s consistency, the track crew’s prep efforts, and standout tuner Brandon Stroud.
“We made every single lap,” said Rudolf. “We shook the tire one time in Q3, and that was only because we tried to swing for the fence. We were already sitting fifth. Brandon’s like, ‘Listen, if it makes it five feet, we’re in good shape.’ It didn’t make it five feet.”
Despite the aggressive tune-up early on, Rudolf’s car came alive when it counted. In addition to taking the win, he recorded low ET of the event with a 3.596, top speed at 208.24 MPH, and best reaction time at .023.
“Round two, I think I had a .03 light,” he said. “I told Brandon to pull five out of the box. He pulled ten and didn’t tell me. That last round, we ran a .024 light. He goes, ‘That was actually a .014.’ We’ll still take it.”
The win marked a career highlight for Rudolf, but he made it clear he’s not done yet. He revealed that his team is building a new Precision Built Race Cars Camaro — “Ghetto Sleigh 2” — with intentions to debut it at the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, just miles from his home.
“We’re building one, and the plan is to run it at the U.S. Nationals,” said Rudolf. “If it’s not done, we’ll be in someone else’s car. Either way, we’ll be there.”
As one of the more colorful characters in Pro Mod, Rudolf embraces the entertainment side of the sport. From his nickname “The Sheriff” to his viral front-end man, Shooter mimicking an aircraft carrier launch, he knows fans connect with personality as much as performance.
“You’ve always preached it’s the person, not the car,” said Rudolf to Buck, who won the second chance Pro Mod shootout at WSOPM in 2024. “I think it’s both. You gotta have a little of both.”
Looking ahead, Rudolf plans to continue with MWDRS while also maybe hitting PDRA events and possibly the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod this winter. For now, his sights are firmly set on Indy — a bucket list race that’s been years in the making.
“It’s two miles from my house,” he said. “That’s a no-brainer.”
This story was originally published on June 5, 2025.
The post Pro Mod’s Jeff Rudolf Recaps Shakedown Win, Announces NHRA U.S. Nationals Bid first appeared on Drag Illustrated.