E3xtreme's Most Influential People in Drag Racing

Never one to shy away from stirring the pot, I think it’s the perfect time of the year to look at who some of the most influential people in drag racing are.

This list isn’t going to be in any particular order.

Victor Alvarez-Owner-Bradenton Motorsports Park

I’m not even sure that I need to explain this one to anyone that pays a lick of attention to door slammer drag racing at this point. Victor is a very young and hungry track owner that understands it is not 1996 anymore. His ability to take information, suggestions, etc. and implement changes is unparalleled in the sport right now. He just pulled off the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals with a 32-car Pro Mod field consisting of five different power adders and all separated by a tenth of a second. Plus he paid a cool $50 Large to the winner Melaine Salemi. Add to all of that his other events that include U.S. Street Nationals, FL2K, numerous grudge, divisional events, NMCA, NMRA, NPK, and more. He is showing other owners how it should be done and how it will be done for decades to come.

Tyler Crossnoe-Manager-Virginia Motorsports Park & PDRA Race Director

Talk about another young gun that has been putting in the world and setting the world on fire…Tyler seems to be able to do it all. From managing a race track, to running a race series, to being one of the premiere track prep specialist in the world. For a decade now this kid has been grinding it out day and night making a name for himself and proving day after day that he is the real deal. Not only PDRA, but events like OSCR, Shakedown, NPK, NHRA, and so many more races that happen at Virginia Motorsports Park. He, just like Victor is a young one that takes input and uses it to grow everything and everyone around him. He knows how to use the tools he has and what works. Tyler will still be putting on races after the put me in a wheelchair.

Donald Long-OG Radial Promoter

You can’t have a list of most influential people in drag racing without having one of the greatest promoters of the past decade, and one of the most controversial figures we have ever seen all wrapped into one. With Donald, people either seem to love him or love to hate on him. He knows how to trigger people, but also how to get their attention. Yes there was radial racing long before Donald Long came on the scene, but it didn’t grow like it did until Donald harnessed the power of the internet and created a revolution. Before Street Outlaws were packing tracks, promoters like Donald were shutting down interstates and creating a Woodstock type of atmosphere. Yet more than a decade later he is still at it, and figuring out new ways to keep the radial world excited and not parked in the damn weeds.

Erica Enders-Four Time NHRA World Champion

Some people will wonder why I would put Erica on a list like this…it’s really a simple answer, she is one of the best door car drivers in the history of our sport, and a huge role model to an entire generation of young girls and women. While I never like to “split” men and women in this sport, the fact is that Erica is loved by boys, girls, men, and women alike. Her influence at such a young age is unrivaled. She doesn’t always get the best rep, and neither do most of the best to ever do this, like WJ, Rickie, Glidden, Pedregon, and others. When you talk about NHRA Pro Stock over the last decade you talk about Erica. You talk about a woman that has thousands of young girls looking at her and her sister Courtney as mentors and role models in this sport. A heavy burden and one that both Erica and her sister cherish.

Ellen Eschenbacher-CoFounder E3xtreme & Mid-West Drag Racing Series Director

Show me someone that doesn’t know or hasn’t heard of Ellen. Yes, she is the Co-Founder of this outlet, and currently spends her days running the day-to-day at the Mid-West Drag Racing Series in Tulsa, Oklahoma. For years Ellen would spend her time speaking to thousands of people every weekend on her Facebook lives from the race track. She became the Queen of drag racing media. When Ellen speaks, everyone tends to listen because you know what she says is going to be fact that you can take to the bank. She is the only woman that I know of in the type of role that she has in a full race series as well. Ellen has worked with the top names in all of drag racing at every level, along with most of the best drag racing promoters over the past ten years plus. She has set the standard for years with her dedication and knowledge to and of the sport.

John Sears-Founder X275 & Ultra Street

If you want to talk about one of the most hated, respected, and loved men in all of drag racing, look no further than John Sears. The owner of RTRA, and the founder of X275 and Ultra Street. Donald might be the one putting on the biggest radial races in the country, but John is the one dealing with the rules for two of the staples of radial racing. When we are talking about sitting on the edge of your sit while waiting to see what he is going to do next, that’s exactly what people are doing when it comes to John Sears. I might bust his balls about rules and where the classes are going, but he is one man that I have the utmost respect for in doing what he is continuing to do.

Mark Menscer-Founder Menscer Motorsports

Full disclosure if you didn’t already know, Mark is one of my best friends. He is also the man that has spent the past ten years revolutionizing the way we look at shocks and struts, along with making them work on 5000 horsepower radial tire cars. People thought it was funny to see a car do the exact opposite of what we are used to seeing. He took his experience with dirt track suspension and rolled it over into drag racing, and in doing so has at one time or another set and held every record in radial racing. Let’s not forget though, his equipment has won in Pro Mod, NPK, NMRA, NMCA, and just about all over the world as well. There are plenty that try to imitate what they do, and they all fail terribly at it. His shock technology has set the bar in bar racing, and I don’t see that stopping anytime soon.

Shannon Davis-Founder Davis Technologies

If you want to talk about another person that has managed to take the fun out of drag racing, we can blame Shannon (I’m kidding….kinda). Shannon’s traction control has taken away a lot of the giant wheel stands and tire spin that we saw back in early years of big radial racing. You might see Shannon cruising the pits on that Segway most events, but I promise you, he is thinking of ways to improve his technology and take that next step forward in the industry. Plenty of EFI units try to add traction control in, yet racers still stick with Shannon’s stuff because it has changed drag racing and it works.

Anderson Dick-Founder Fuel Tech

Hot on the scene what seems like only five years ago or so is the EFI company Fuel Tech. Anderson Dick, the man behind Fuel Tech brought the technology to the states and it was an immediate game changer. Out are the days of Big Stuff and others, now you have Fuel Tech, Haltech, Holley, and MoTec all fighting for the top spot. It has become glaringly obvious that Fuel Tech has taken the lead position within most of EFI drag racing though. Setting records for the company has become a habit for them, whether it is in Pro Mod, radial, or damn near anything else that runs EFI. Their support for the system is second to none, and they know how to market and brand their systems better than anyone else in the industry. With Fuel Tech family like Luis and Nathalia de Leon really being the faces at the races, it’s easy to see why Anderson and Fuel Tech have become so successful. Always wanting to be on the edge, and that is exactly why Anderson has been out there in brand new cars like his Corvette setting even more records and breaking through barriers.

Eric Dillard-Proline Racing

Owner? Driver? Business Man? I’m not sure that there is a title that defines what Eric Dillard is, and I’m not sure that there needs to be. Proline has long been at the forefront of high horsepower engine building. Whether that is for the radial world, the pro mod world, or damn near anything else that wants to go fast, Proline has been there. Not only has Eric been the face of Proline since the beginning, but he is also a very accomplished driver in his own right. If it has four wheels and goes in a straight line, Eric can wheel it. Proline was once known as the leading turbo engine builder in the world, and has since upped the game with the Procharger set ups. Setting a new radial record this year, winning the NHRA Pro Mod Championship, Winning the NPK Championship, all Proline. With Dillard at the helm, there is no chance of them “slowing down” anytime soon.

Carl Stevens-Xtreme Racing Engines

You cannot talk about racing engines and the influences at that level without talking about Carl Stevens. He has proven time and time again that Xtreme Racing Engines is also a top player in the battle for supremacy within the Pro Mod ranks. I’m not sure that I have ever seen anyone do with a turbo setup what Carl has accomplished. Xtreme Racing Engines has also moved over to the Procharger set up with great success, including Todd Moyer. Carl, like Eric Dillard, can get behind the wheel of a Pro Mod and absolutely tear it up at the track, though you usually see him working on someone else’s car, making it go A to B in a very short time frame. The battle between XRE and Proline is one that we will continue to see for years to come. Carl has been an innovator and continues to show his prowess on the keyboard too.

Ryan Martin-No Prep Kings & Street Outlaws

Undoubtably the most recognizable face in no prep racing is Ryan Martin. He has become the Yankees of No Prep Kings as well, you know, that guy that you love to hate because he’s always winning. While I am not a huge fan of that style of racing, there is a no doubt that Ryan is a star and as such carries a huge amount of influence and sway within the no prep community and the drag racing world in general. It’s one thing to get it done time after time with a tried and true car, but it’s another thing all together to build a new car and show dominance time after time. Ryan influence in the aftermarket parts world is hard to match as well. People will buy the parts that Ryan runs because they know that’s what they need to win at that level.

That’s a wrap for now, but stay tuned because I know I will be coming out with another list of influential people in our industry shortly.

~Damon