When Steve King rolls into Bradenton Motorsports Park for the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod presented by Red Line Oil, he’ll be looking to do something nobody has ever accomplished: become a two-time winner of the event.
As the defending WSOPM champion, King knows he’ll have a target on his back during the final race of the 2025/2026 Drag Illustrated Winter Series presented by J&A Service. It just comes with the territory when you win the biggest, richest Pro Mod race in the history of the known universe.
“We’re the reigning champs, which is unbelievable in one aspect, but the amount of publicity that brings you as a driver and for Pilot Racing…” King said. “We’ve won a lot of races, but to win that race really puts you on the map. We go out there and beat 80 of the best cars in the world, win the biggest race in the world, it puts you on a pedestal I can’t even describe.”
Last year, King came out of nowhere from the No. 30 qualifying position, making his way to the finals where he faced two-time NHRA Pro Mod world champion, “Stevie Fast” Jackson. Although Jackson got the starting line advantage – .029 to .052 – King’s 3.629 elapsed time was just enough to drive around Jackson’s 3.652, a margin of victory of just .001.
The car’s performance – not just in the finals, but throughout eliminations – was a testament to King’s crew, led by tuner Jon Salemi, Jeff Miller, Chad Wright, and Tyler “Bubba” King. He noted that Salemi especially turned it up in the final round, allowing King to narrowly slip by Jackson and avoid a hole shot loss.
“I’m confident in Jon Salemi,” said King. “He’s won it two years in a row. He carried me. I drove okay, but did I drive great? No. The cars have gotten so tight, we’re talking anything less than .030 on the tree is just not cutting it. You have to be the superior driver. This year, I think you gotta be .020 or better, probably .010 like bracket racers. You’ve gotta go home, practice, and be on it.”
With $150,000 on the line, that pressure to perform only continues to increase. Throughout the Winter Series, fans have consistently seen red lights from drivers they least expect it from, and others that are way late on the tree. Despite already having a WSOPM championship under his belt, King’s not sure that pressure goes away – it’s simply something he revels in.
“I’ve been driving these things for many, many years,” King said. “I take pride in that when it needs to happen, I need to make it happen as a driver. You just step up to the plate. It was no different in the final (last year) – you roll up there, the lights are on, the music’s blaring, a thousand people on the starting line, your heart’s beating…you have to clear your mind when you pull up there. If you’re thinking about work or anything else, you’re already behind. Once the car starts up and the sea parts, you just calm down. It’s another day at the office and you get the job done.”
Another key component to the King’s success is team owner Gene Pilot. The two men have been partnered together for the last few years, and have, in essence, become “big game hunters,” winning multiple big-money Pro Mod events. In addition to the $150k purse at the 2025 WSOPM, King also won $20k at the 2025 Yellowbullet Nationals, and $50k at Cecil County Dragway’s Pro Mod Invitational in 2024.
“When Gene Pilot got involved with us, he basically told us straightforward, ‘I don’t race for second place,’” said King. “That’s his mentality in business, life, everything. He’s not happy if he doesn’t win. It’s a business to him, and we’re going to run it accordingly. Gene put together a great squad, and I’ve been living the dream with him involved. Every day I wake up it’s a dream that I dreamed about sitting in English class looking at a Hot Rod Magazine inside my English book. It takes a lot of work, but you gotta chase it – and Gene’s allowed me to do that.”
Although King hasn’t been able to replicate his WSOPM success so far during this year’s Winter Series – he lost to Brazilian veteran Sidnei Frigo in the second round of the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals presented by Motion Raceworks, and fell to 2023 WSOPM champion Spencer Hyde in the opening round of the U.S. Street Nationals presented by M&M Transmission – he’s quick to point out that given the current level of competition, just making it into the field and giving himself a chance is already an impressive accomplishment.
“Let’s be honest – just qualifying is a feat in and of itself,” King said. “I don’t care who you are. You’re one broken part or missed run away from being behind and never catching back up in order to get in. And there’s so many cars…you’re fighting 80 of the baddest drivers and tuners. Everyone is so close, if you’re .035 on the tree or the tuner misses just one little thing, you’re done. That’s what you’re fighting – you can make a great run and still be going to the house.”
Despite the grind of competing at the highest level throughout what most people would consider the “offseason,” King is still relishing every moment from last year’s victory – whether it’s at the track or hosting his new podcast with co-host, and 2025 Snowbird winner, Jason Harris – and looking forward to having the opportunity to go back-to-back.
“The World Series of Pro Mod is the U.S. Nationals for what we do,” said King. “I think it’s the perfect storm: warm weather, wintertime, and Pro Mods. Just from winning that one race, I can’t even go to my local place to eat without people talking about it. My local people knew we raced, but after that race – with all the access – now when we go to these races, they put it up on the big screen.”
This story was originally published on February 18, 2026. 
The post Steve King Ready to Defend His Crown at World Series of Pro Mod first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
