Every year since Attitude’s CompetitionPlus.com began publication in 1999, this Internet magazine has offered race fans the chance to choose the best driver/individual suited for awards based off their performances on and off the track. The following are the results of our reader ballots offered during the Christmas holidays.

Attitude’s CompetitionPlus.com, with the assistance of a key group of Pro Modified historians and enthusiasts, has compiled a list of Top 20 all-time drivers based on their contribution to the class, historic achievements, statistics and fan appeal.

Starting on Friday, January 11, 2010, we will reveal the list, announcing two drivers per week, until the No. 1 driver is unveiled on Saturday, Mar. 13, during the ADRL Dragpalooza in Houston, Texas.

Attitude’s CompetitionPlus.com narrowed the list from hundreds of drivers down to 20. However, today we will reveal five Honorable Mentions to the all-time list.

Bob Tasca Sr., an automotive enthusiast, Ford dealer and drag racing innovator, passed away on Friday, January 8, 2010, his family announced today.  Tasca Sr. was 83 years old.

An automotive businessman for more than 60 years, Tasca achieved fame as a record-setting automotive dealer and as an internationally-known designer of high-performance race cars.  Tasca Sr. is credited with helping create the Ford Thunderbolt drag racing car, and bringing the Cobra Jet 428 engine to NHRA in the 1960s.

“Bob Tasca Sr. had three important aspects to his life – his family, his friends, and Ford Motor Company,” said his grandson, Bob Tasca III.  “Those were the touch points in his life and for that we’re thankful.  We are grateful and privileged to have had so many years with him, and it’s hard to say goodbye.

The most difficult reality to swallow is the harsh reality of the end.

“It's life,” said a very pragmatic Spencer Massey, the day after Don “Snake” Prudhomme announced his retirement from drag racing after over 50 years in the sport as both a driver and a car owner.

“We all knew it could happen. But, as a team we all stuck together and we all knew it was a gamble.”

Less than six months ago, in the midst of the biggest drag race of the year, the U.S. Nationals, Prudhomme let the world know he was losing US Tobacco as a sponsor and the prospects for going forward did not look good. Prudhomme outlined at that time how he either needed to find a new sponsor, a business partner or an auctioneer.

If they were drag racing, the quarter-final match between Pat Musi and Gary Densham would have been a photo finish. Fifteen minutes before voting ended the storytelling combatants were deadlocked in a 50 – 50 percent tie. That was the first time a race has been that close in the history of the competition. The largest lead between the two at

The lead changed hands another two times in those final fifteen minutes and within the last five minutes, Musi edged ahead by five votes to win 50.4 to 49.6.

Louis Force didn’t have as hard of a battle with Gordie Bonin, but he didn’t have it easy either.

Ask even the most casual of motor sports fans who the biggest name in drag racing is and you are almost always sure to hear one name – Don “The Snake” Prudhomme. A true legend of the sport, Prudhomme, 68, concluded his 47th year in drag racing in 2009, his 15th season as an owner after logging 32 seasons behind the wheel as one of the sport’s elite drivers.

Snake’s remarkable driving career began in 1962 with his first Top Fuel victory at “Smokers March Meet” in Bakersfield, Calif., before ending with 49 NHRA career victories – the sixth most in NHRA history – following his farewell “Final Strike Tour” in 1994.  For his career, Prudhomme reached the finals 68 times, posting a remarkable 35 wins in 45 Funny Car finals (.777 win percentage) and 14 wins in 23 Top Fuel finals rounds (.609 win percentage). Overall, he won 389 of 589 rounds of competition for a .660 winning percentage.

Matthew Brammer, who most recently held the position as series administrator for the Get Screened America NHRA Pro Mod Challenge, will join the Attitude’s CompetitionPlus.com staff as Editor, Social Media.

Brammer’s objective will be to increase the electronic magazine’s awareness within the growing social network communities, namely Facebook, Twitter and grow our weekly e-mail newsletter.

Brammer represents the second major hiring for Attitude’s CompetitionPlus.com this week, and its bid to further increase its presence in the world of drag race reporting. Brammer is a Baylor University graduate and owns Active Marketing, a Phoenix, Ariz.-based marketing firm that specializes in drag racing. He will continue to operate his Active Marketing firm which services a handful of leading drag racing teams.

The American Drag Racing League’s (ADRL’s) Pro Jr. Dragster (PJD) series is about to enter its third full season and on Jan. 15, at 9 a.m. (Central), the O’Fallon, Missouri-based series will begin accepting pre-registered entries for every race on its 2010 schedule. No changes are planned for PJD rules; however, the car rules will be included in the ADRL’s online rule book to be posted Jan. 15, on the official ADRL Web site (www.ADRL.us).

 “The Pro Jr. Dragster class really came into its own last year with some truly great performances and record participation,” ADRL President and CEO Kenny Nowling said. “In fact, we had waiting lists for entries at several events, so I encourage all Pro Jr. Dragster teams interested in competing with the ADRL this year to waste no time in signing up for what I know will be another great season.”

Within its continuing efforts in support of Canada’s drag racing scene, and in conjunction with primary sponsor Lucas Oil Canada, DragRaceCanada is pleased to announce its annual "Canadian Drag Racer of the Year" awards program.  It marks the 6th consecutive year that drag racing fans can vote to help recognize top achievements in Canadian drag racing during the past season campaign.

The 2009 DragRaceCanada "Drag Racer of the Year" awards program will honor four winners; one Professional driver, one Sportsman driver, one Crew chief/Tuner as well as the Most Improved/Up-And-Coming drag racer.   

Covering all sanctioned drag racing but limited to Canadian drag racers only, the on-line ballot begins on Jan. 8th, 2010 at 00:01 and will close at 23:59 on Feb. 7th, 2010. After the polls close and the audit is completed four winners will be announced.  All will receive on-line recognition as well as a handsome commemorative memento.

To every situation there's a season and it's been a busy winter for Bankston Boyz Racing.

Michael Bankston has announced the team has purchased a 2009 David Janes -built '68 Camaro, formerly owned by Shannon Jenkins. The team is prepping now to run the ADRL Pro Nitrous division with help from Speedtech, Reher-Morrison, and Al-Anabi for the 2010 season.

The car will be piloted by 2009 Pro-Nitrous winner and veteran driver, Stan Allen with a Reher-Morrison 5.3 bore under the hood. In addition to Allen's mount, the team will field a ZO6 Jerry Haas Corvette piloted by John DeFlorian which will run a 5.2 bore space Reher-Morrison engine. Only the Allen car will carry the Al-Anabi colors.