Drag Illustrated Issue 156, May 2020 | Page 16

LETTER from the EDITOR Nate Van Wagnen Editor-in-Chief As I write this, it’s been exactly two months since the inaugural Drag Illustrated World Doorslammer Nationals presented by CTech Manufacturing at Orlando Speed World Dragway in early March. As the members of the Drag Illustrated staff packed up our mobile workstation in the staging lanes – thanks, Loren and Alan at Flying A Motorsports – we couldn’t help but feel like we just experienced the biggest victory of the year. Little did we know the race would be the last major drag race for the next few months. The World Doorslammer Nationals was a significant victory because when Drag Illustrated puts on an event, be it a race like the World Series of Pro Mod or the World Doorslammer Nationals, or a party like DI After Hours Powered by Dodge, we go all in. We don’t just put the DI name on an event. Our whole team dives in, selling sponsorships, hanging banners, organizing guest lists, hiring caterers, ensuring racers and sponsors are happy, and, of course, making sure the world knows about said event. DI Founder and Editorial Director Wes Buck, Elite Motorsports’ Richard Freeman and Ozzy Moya and his Orlando Speed World team had less than three months to develop this race from a concept to an actual living, breathing event with the biggest names in Pro Stock and Pro Mod pouring through the gates. It took teams of people from Drag Illustrated, Elite Motorsports, Orlando Speed World and Kingsridge Media to plan, organize, promote and carry out the event. We also had help from the marketing departments of some incredible event sponsors, like CTech Manufacturing and JEGS. We were fortunate to have some dedicated, talented writers, photographers, videographers, PR reps and content creators working to help us spread the word about this race and its happenings through their own various outlets. Several photographers generously offered to send in some of their favorite photos from the event for us to include in this permanent remembrance of the inaugural Drag Illustrated World Doorslammer Nationals. You’ll see their names in the photo credits throughout this issue, but I’m also taking this opportunity to thank them individually for their contributions: Chris Simmons, Roger Richards, Courtney Enders, Steve Brenwald, Wayne Stewart, Darrell Martin, Ben Heindl, Luke Nieuwhof, Kaylee Curran, Collin Thomas and Dwayne Culpepper. Along with the army of people working behindthe-scenes, the race obviously wouldn’t have been possible without the 18 Pro Stock teams and 33 Pro Mod teams that headlined the event, along with the dozens of drivers and crews that crowded the staging lanes to race in Pro 632, Top Sportsman, Super Pro and Pro ET. The features and photos that cover the following pages are our way of showing appreciation for the racers who showed up and showed out at this inaugural event. This is now the second issue that we’ve sent to print amidst the challenges of our new pandemicstricken world. While it would be easier – and cheaper – to release this issue in a digital-only format, we all felt like we owed it to everyone involved in the World Doorslammer Nationals to commit this special souvenir issue to print. It means a little more. Plus, there’s never been a better time to plop down in the La-Z-Boy recliner and take in a magazine in all its printed glory. DI Feel free to email me at [email protected] and follow me at facebook.com/nitronate1320 and nitronate1320 on Instagram and Twitter. Wes Buck CEO / Founder & Editorial Director 660.988.2313 [email protected] Mike Carpenter COO / Design & Production Director 704.737.2299 [email protected] Scott Dorman Publisher 615.478.5275 [email protected] Nate Van Wagnen Editor-in-Chief 440.986.1480 [email protected] Nancy Koeppen CFO 573.552.5551 [email protected] Will Mandell Senior Sales Executive 615.426.0465 [email protected] JT Hudson Sales Executive 660.341.0063 [email protected] Josh Hachat Editor-at-Large 740.627.1423 [email protected] Van Abernethy Senior Staff Writer & Field Subscription Sales 828.302.0356 [email protected] Caroline Fox Customer Service / Office Manager 660.988.2313 [email protected] CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Ian Tocher, Ainsley Jacobs, Kelly Wade, Bobby Bennett, Brandon W. Mudd, Tommy D’Aprile, Allyson Johnson, Pete Epple PHOTO DEPARTMENT: John Fore III, Van Abernethy, Rick Belden, Tara Bowker, Shawn Crose, Jason Dunn, Paul Grant, Chris Graves, Ron Lewis, Will McDougle, Joe McHugh, Gary Nastase, Mark J. Rebilas, Roger Richards, Cole Rokosky, Chris Sears, Jason Sharp, James Sisk, Ian Tocher ADVERTISING SALES: 615.478.5275 SUBSCRIPTIONS & CUSTOMER SERVICE: 660.988.2313 [email protected] DRAG ILLUSTRATED MEDIA, LLC 902 Kings Road, Kirksville, MO 63501 P: 660.988.2313 F: 660.665.1636 www.dragillustrated.com Copyright © 2020 by Drag Illustrated Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Drag Illustrated is a registered trademark of Drag Illustrated Media, LLC. Printed and mailed by Royle Printing in Sun Prairie, WI. All statements, including product claims, are those of the person or organization making the statement or claim. The publisher does not adopt any such statement or claims as its own, and any such statement or claim does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. PHOTOS: TARA BOWKER, KAYLEE CURRAN 16 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated.com Issue 156