Scott Palmer will return to Pro Mod competition this winter in a major way, as the fan-favorite driver known throughout drag racing as “The People’s Champ” has been selected to drive the famed white-and-blue J&A Service ‘69 Camaro during the 2025-2026 Drag Illustrated Winter Series presented by J&A Service. The opportunity comes less than a year after Palmer endured a frightening top-end crash at the 2025 Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod, where a hung throttle sent his own Corvette violently off the racing surface. Palmer walked away without injury, but the car was destroyed.
While Palmer immediately went to work exploring options for his return to Pro Mod competition, the process accelerated when longtime friend and fellow racer Jim Whiteley reached out with a plan to ensure Palmer wouldn’t spend the winter on the sidelines. Whiteley, a veteran competitor and owner of J&A Service, offered Palmer the chance to join forces for the entire three-race championship and pilot one of the most recognizable Pro Mods in the sport.
The result is a two-car J&A Service effort – Whiteley in one lane, Palmer in the other – taking aim at the toughest Pro Mod series on the planet when the Winter Series begins in December at Bradenton Motorsports Park.
“This whole situation has been a real ‘pinch me’ moment for not only me, but my whole team,” said Palmer. “We love Pro Mod racing, and while we definitely didn’t have the outing we wanted last season, we had made a lot of progress with our program before I ended up in the strawberry field down there in Bradenton. There was no doubt in my mind we were going to find our way back – we’re not afraid to scratch and claw to make things happen – but when my buddy Jim called me up and this all started to come together, it was almost unbelievable.”
Palmer continued, “This is a huge opportunity for me to get behind the wheel of a competitive car and race alongside Jim and crew chief Brandon Snider. I feel like my expectations are totally different now. We’re not going to the Winter Series just to be a part of it or just to try and prove we belong – we’re going to try and win. It’s a whole new approach, and I’m fired up. To be part of the J&A camp…it’s a dream scenario for us.”
Whiteley echoed that enthusiasm and said the decision to bring Palmer into the fold was an easy one. “We believe in supporting the sport of drag racing, and there’s no doubt that Scott Palmer is great for our sport,” said Whiteley. “He’s a blast to be around, his whole team is, and he’s a hell of a driver – he can drive anything. I’ve watched him compete for years, and I think with him in a competitive car, we’ve got a real chance to make some noise this winter. I’m excited to have him in our camp and excited to go racing together.”
The Drag Illustrated Winter Series presented by J&A Service features three of the most prestigious and fiercely competitive Pro Mod events in the world: the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals, the U.S. Street Nationals, and the World Series of Pro Mod. With the addition of Palmer to the J&A Service lineup, the 2025-2026 championship has added yet another storyline as teams, fans and competitors prepare for another record-setting winter in Bradenton.Tickets and VIP packages for all three events are available now at https://bit.ly/3LvZ4DR
Photos courtesy of Damon Steinke
This story was originally published on November 20, 2025. 
The post Scott Palmer Set to Drive J&A Service Pro Mod Camaro at Drag Illustrated Winter Series first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
