Drag Illustrated Issue 129, January / February 2018 | Page 71

was missing at the time. The Franklins quickly
took a hands-on approach to their ownership
stake, all while Tommy fielded a competitive Pro
Nitrous entry. He finished second to Jason Harris
in 2014, the PDRA’s debut season, then notched
another second-place championship finish in
2015, eventually losing the title to doorslammer
racing legend Rickie Smith.
Two runner-up finishes clearly weighed on
Franklin, as he came out swinging in 2016 and
never let up. His Jerry Bickel Race Cars-built ’69
Camaro won three races, including the PDRA
World Finals, where he secured his first Pro Ni-
trous world championship over Jay Cox. Franklin
and his purple-and-green “Jungle Rat” remained
consistently quick on the 2017 tour, appearing
in six of the seven contested final rounds. He
finished the season as a two-time champion with
one event win and the PDRA Pro Nitrous elapsed-
time world record. To make the season’s accom-
plishments even sweeter, Franklin was able to
share the championship stage with his 15-year-old
daughter, Amber, who won the PDRA Pro Junior
Dragster world championship on the strength of
an event win and three runner-up finishes. The
Franklins’ youngest daughter, Ashley, was named
the 2017 Rookie of the Year after finishing fifth in
her Top Junior Dragster rookie season.
When Franklin was crowned the 2017 Pro
Nitrous world champion at the World Finals
at Virginia Motorsports Park, he was just four
days into his career as a track owner. He never
intended to purchase a racetrack, but such an
opportunity had yet to present itself. Tommy dove
right in to the challenge – with Judy by his side, of
course – but he didn’t make any drastic changes.
He left most of the previous staff in place at the
quarter-mile facility just south of Richmond.
Franklin says 2018 will be a year of improvements
to the property, including a new track surface,
while he works with the veteran staff to learn the
racetrack business.
Photographs By Rick Belden, Tara Bowker, David Whealon & Gary Rowe
DragIllustrated.com
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