Mon, 02 Dec 2024, 20:02 PM PDRA Pro Jr. Dragster Champ Ethan Steding Adds Pro Street World Championship in Rookie Season

Courtesy of Drag Illustrated on behalf of the Professional Drag Racers Association Photo copyright 2024 Tara Bowker and Gary Rowe

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. - Three years after winning the 2021 PDRA Pro Jr. Dragster world championship, 17-year-old Ethan Steding secured the 2024 Menscer Motorsports Pro Street presented by Afco Racing world championship to become a two-time Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series world champion. He's now just the second driver to win titles in the PDRA's Jr. Dragster and professional categories. Competing in his rookie season, Steding won three races to secure the Pro Street world championship.

"At the start of the season, I didn't think I would be here," Steding said. "I thought this whole season was going to be a learning curve. This group of Pro Street guys, I thank them. They're all super respectful and welcomed me into the class super nicely. I just definitely didn't think I'd be here. I was just hoping to win one race, but we were actually able to win three and secure the championship. It means so much to me, and I know it means a lot to these crew guys."

Steding, the son of WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive championship runner-up Kurt Steding, made his "big car" debut at the season-opening East Coast Nationals at GALOT Motorsports Park. He scored his first No. 1 qualifier award at the next race, the Mid-Atlantic Showdown at Virginia Motorsports Park. The firsts continued at the next race, the American Doorslammer Challenge at Summit Motorsports Park, when Steding earned his first event win. He won again at the next event, the North vs. South Shootout at Maryland International Raceway, sharing the winner's circle with Kurt on Father's Day weekend. A third win followed two races later at the inaugural Thunder Valley Throwdown at Bristol Dragway.

Those three wins put Steding in the points lead going into the Brian Olson Memorial World Finals at Virginia, where he only needed to qualify to clinch the title. That might sound easy on paper, but a class-record 20 Pro Street entries attempted to qualify for the 16-car field at the World Finals. Steding in his roots-blown P2 Contracting "College Fund" '24 Camaro went into the final qualifying session on the outside looking in. Tuned by two-time Pro Boost world champion Todd Tutterow and son Ty Tutterow, Steding laid down a 3.999 to qualify No. 9 and to secure the championship.

"There was definitely some pressure going into that session," Steding said. "All three of our cars in the camp were not in the field [Kurt in Pro Boost and sister Lily in Pro Jr. Dragster]. There was some nervousness going on in the pits. The track was cold and Chris Cadotto didn't get down the track in front of me, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The nerves were definitely there, but I have full faith in these guys. Todd and Ty are bad dudes behind that laptop and they've been doing this their whole life, so they know what's up."

With the championship in hand, Steding plans to continue racing in Pro Street in 2025. The Pittsburgh-based P2 Racing team doesn't have a specific timeline in mind, but Steding does plan to join his father in Pro Boost at some point.

"I'm still new to this, so I definitely need a lot of seat time," Steding said. "Hopefully someday I get to be in the same class as my dad trying to chase after him and those guys. That would be my dream to be in a Pro Mod, but for now we're going to stay in this thing and get some more seat time and try to take advantage of that."

Steding, who's in his senior year of high school while also working at the family business, praised his team and sponsors that played a significant role in his standout rookie season.

"I just want to thank everyone, my mom and dad [Wendi and Kurt], especially. Without them, I would not be able to do this. They supply everything," said Steding, who also thanked Larry Jeffer Race Cars, P2 Contracting, P2 Paving, Noonan Race Engineering, NGK Spark Plugs, and Ty-Drive. "Our team - Ty, Todd, Brad, KB, Dennis, Redfield - they're a bad group of guys and we have a great team."

Another young gun, Scott Kincaid, finished second in Pro Street points in just his second season in the class. Driving his screw-blown '69 Camaro, Kincaid earned his fifth consecutive win at the season opener and added two runner-up finishes and a first career No. 1 qualifier award. Rookie Brian Weddle came in third with his screw-blown JW Racing '68 Camaro, earning one win in three final-round appearances. He also qualified No. 1 twice and set a new class E.T. record at the World Finals.

The Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series will celebrate its 2024 world champions at the annual PDRA Championship Awards Banquet on Friday, Dec. 13 in downtown Indianapolis.