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PDRA Top
Dragster Competition was Cooked by ‘17 World Champ
PITTSBORO, N.C. (December 3, 2017): In 1998, a young man
from the mountains of North Carolina mopped the floor with
IHRA Top Dragster competition, claiming his first ever
world championship. Now, just under two decades later,
Matt Cooke has done it again.
Pulled in by the two day race format, Cooke gave the
Professional Drag Racers Association a try in the fall of
2015. It turned out well for him, his wife Kelly and car
owner Andy Burnet. Cooke won Dragstock and made plans to
chase the tour in 2017. The year started out with a blip,
but things quickly took a turn for the better. Out of the
seven events contested this season, Cooke was in five
finals.
“The first race of the season I had a wardrobe
malfunction,” Cooke explained. “I was thrown out second
round pulling into the burnout box. They spotted me
without one of my gloves. I couldn’t find it. It was dark
and we were the last ones in the staging lanes, so there
was no one around to help. It was a long ride home from
South Georgia, needless to say. I was so embarrassed. I
wanted to redeem myself. That turned into five finals out
of the seven completed races this year.”
His first final was at Darlington and offered a point of
redemption. “The GALOT event got postponed to be finished
at Darlington because of the curfew,” Cooke continued. “I
pulled up under the tower and then it wouldn’t start for
the semis of the postponed GALOT race. My 16 volt battery
gave me no warning. So I sent Kelly to Advance for a 12
volt Optima and we came back and won the Darlington race,
which was the next day.”
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That began Cooke’s streak. He went to the next three finals, before once
again finding himself in the finals at Virginia Motorsports Park. “I had
only won one out of four finals, so when I got to that last final I really
wanted to end on a positive note. So winning at Virginia was really cool.”
Because of his incredible success, Cooke wrapped up the 2017 Lucas Oil Top
Dragster World Championship well before that Virginia final. It’s safe to
say, this was Cooke’s best season of racing.
“I’ve never left the house and bought seven tech cards and been in five
finals in my life. I’m lucky enough to drive Andy’s stuff. Andy supplies
Kelly and I with the best of the best, tells me to pull the motor out and
freshen it regularly. Every single component on that car has a spare in
the trailer. When somebody sends you to the races like that it makes you
race better. I don’t even know what I ever did to deserve it. I was almost
relieved that I did something for him. He goes over and beyond. He’s a
great car owner.
“I got Eddie Careccia back this year and he committed to me for all eight
races. He and I don’t have to walk on any eggshells around each other.
We’ve got two decades of good times and bad times and I race way better
when he’s with me. Whatever it takes, he’s capable.”
In addition to his car owner, Cooke also thanks Fulton Competition, Marco
Abruzzi and Abruzzi Transmission, Horton Race Cars, Hartman Machine, APD,
Schaeffer's Oil by Greg, Charlie and Eddie’s Specialty Auto, and Ohlins.
Most of all, Cooke thanks his wife, Kelly, who has been his biggest
supporter throughout his career.
“It’s been a blast,” Cooke said of his first season with the PDRA. “The
races are relatively close to the house. The payout is good. I like the
four round race and I like to race fast. I want to race other people
getting after it. It seems like fast bracket racing is where I'm able to
turn more win lights on for whatever reason.
“Everybody wants to be a part of something that’s winning in life.
Whatever your bag is in life, you want to succeed at it. Eddie, Andy,
Kelly and I were tough to beat this year. Stars just aligned. I realize
those years are few and far between. I’m just happy it happened.”
With so much success in his first season with PDRA, plus the benefits the
series offers, it’s no surprise Cooke says if he continues sanctioned
racing, it’ll be with the PDRA.
If I’m going to commit to a schedule with somebody, I can’t imagine
committing to a better organization. I like the two day race format. It
seems like they’re making good decisions for go-fast Top Dragster racing.
And that’s who I want to support. I thank PDRA’s ownership and management.
I think they get it. They get who the customer is. I think that’s
important to be successful in the long run. I think you’re going to see
good things in the next five years in PDRA.”
In 2018, Top Dragster will offer both Elite Top Dragster and Top Dragster
32, just like the pilot Top Sportsman program this season. The entire
field will qualify together. 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 TD entries. If 42 or more total TD cars make a
qualifying pass, Top Dragster will run as a 32 car field in addition to
the Elite 16.
Matt Cooke and all the 2017 World Champions will be honored at the PDRA
Awards, held on Saturday, December 9. Tickets and more information can be
found at www.pdra660.com
ABOUT THE PDRA
Based in Pittsboro, North Carolina, the Professional Drag
Racers Association is the top sanctioning body in the
United States for the sport of eighth-mile drag racing.
The PDRA’s professional categories include Pro Extreme,
Pro Nitrous, Pro Boost, Extreme Pro Stock and Pro Extreme
Motorcycle along with several sportsman and various
exhibition categories. The 2017 PDRA schedule consists of
eight national events. For more on the world’s premier
eighth-mile drag racing organization visit
www.pdra660.com. Follow the PDRA: Facebook, Instagram,
Youtube.
Photo: Gary Rowe / RaceWorks.com / PDRA660.com
PRESS CONTACT: Lisa Collier
Professional Drag Racers Association
lisa@pdra660.com
704.692.4636
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