We’re big fans of Drag Illustrated around here and, more specifically, its 30 Under 30 program.
If you’re not familiar, the 30 Under 30 awards recognize up-and-coming drag racing talent—and that doesn’t just mean in the driver’s seat. From mechanics to marketing and fan experience to fabrication, Drag Illustrated makes sure to acknowledge the massive scope of roles within the drag racing world. And better still, the selection criteria goes well beyond trophy count, weighing qualities like professionalism, poise, and a host of other factors before the list of honorees is finalized.
Wes Buck, founder of Drag Illustrated, tells us that his team receives thousands of applications each year, so whittling it down to 30 here isn’t an enviable task—but it’s a wonderful reminder that the drag racing talent pipeline is going strong!
You can learn more about the history of Drag Illustrated magazine and its 30 Under 30 awards in this episode of the OnAllCylinders Podcast:
As is custom, the winners are announced just prior to the annual PRI Show in Indianapolis, Indiana and there’s a big ceremony to honor each 30 Under 30 award recipient during the event. It’s a shindig that we attend every year, because it’s such a great way to applaud and energize the next generation of racers.
More importantly, the names on this list often become pretty familiar to drag racing fans over the coming years. In fact, there are already some folks here that are making big waves, like reigning NHRA PSM world champ Gaige Herrera and PDRA Extreme Pro Stock world champ Alan Drinkwater.
The entire list is below, check it out and be on the lookout for these winners in the future, we imagine we’ll be hearing from them again soon—and a hearty congratulations to everyone involved with such an amazing program!
Drag Illustrated 2023 30 Under 30 Award Recipients
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