At the PRI Show in early December, the Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) announced that the highly popular Top Sportsman category will undergo a slight makeover for 2017. The class, which has brought as many as 88 entries to qualify for 16 spots, will now offer the chance for 32 or 48 cars to qualify for every event. All TS entries will qualify together, as normal. Once qualifying has been completed, the top 16 qualifiers will be drafted into a semi-pro class. This ‘Elite 16’ category, besides coming with greater prestige, will also pay more to win. The remainder of the field will run as a 16 car qualified field unless there are 42 or more total TS entries. If 42 or more total TS cars make a qualifying pass, Top Sportsman will run as a 32 car field in addition to the Elite 16. The top 16 qualifiers will be referred to as MagnaFuel Elite 16, while the bottom 16 or 32 will retain the class’ name of MagnaFuel Top Sportsman.  

Last season's NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series was another to remember for Super Stock racer Jimmy DeFrank, and he is more eager than ever to jump into a whole new year of doing what he loves. The pilot of the DeFrank & Sons Racing Chevrolet Cobalt accumulated a large amount of points towards the big trophy last year, and in the end, he and his team scored their fifth Super Stock world championship and 13th overall division title. In total, the Chatsworth, California-based racer heads into the 2017 season with 19 national event titles on his scorecard and 45 division wins.

DJ Cox will drive full-time for the Bartone Brothers Top Alcohol Funny Car team during the 2017 season in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. Cox is the defending NHRA Lucas Oil Series East Region champion.

“I’m thankful to Tony and Steve for the opportunity,” Cox said. “Tony has put together an exceptional team with all the best equipment and necessary resources. The goal is to win the national championship, so expectations are high. I'm looking forward to the challenge.”

The Bartone Brothers Racing team plans to race in 12 National events and six East Region events this season. Cox drove part-time for the Bartone Brothers Racing team in four events during the 2016 season and found instant chemistry with the group, winning in their first national event together on September 18 at Charlotte’s zMax Dragway.

The old saying suggests two out of three ain't bad.

PDRA Top Sportsman standout Dan Ferguson believes the famous quote is the gospel truth.