Nitro Finals From Bradenton - Sellout Crowd

The final day of the PRO Superstar Shootout was the biggest yet as thousands of people poured into Bradenton Motorsports Park (right next door to the Freedom Factory) for eliminations.
Once again, you'll see what I see as I take photos for Drag Illustrated. I mounted my iPhone 15 on top of my Sony A7III stills camera. I've even added results graphics for you guys this time!
Top Fuel saw the final come down to Doug Kalitta and Clay Millican (that's the dragster sponsored by Cleetus McFarland, and he even had Jeff Lutz from Street Outlaws as a guest) while Funny Car was between Austin Prock and Matt Hagan. Who won? Well you'll have to see the video. We also included the Pro Stock final, the celebrations are wild!
Thanks to all the racers: John Force Racing with Austin Prock and Brittany Force, Tony Stewart Racing with Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan, Tony Schumacher, Kalitta Motorsports with Shawn Langdon, JR Todd and Doug Kalitta, SCAG Racing with Daniel Wilkerson and Justin Ashley, Dave Richards, Chad Green, Blake Alexander for Jim Head, Alexis Dejoria, Ron Capps, Antron Brown, Steve and Billy Torrence, Clay Millican, Bob Tasca, Paul Lee and I'm sure we've missed someone.
This was the biggest nitro drag racing event outside of the NHRA in a long, long time. We hope to see it become a regular event on the calendar.

[@Nike2141]

Man what an awesome event. closest thing to an old school fuel race at a small track we will ever get to see!

[@LivingNitro]

Small church, big wedding!!

[@bdb000x5]

Dad and I always went to the gatornationals wish I had known about this . Live maybe 15 to 20 mins from the track

[@atamagashock]

I remember when Atco raceway had big events like that. Shut was crazy at such a small track. Good ole days

[@Methoverbitches]

@@bdb000x5you’re trying to tell me you couldn’t feel ? Liar haha

[@halseyknox]

Don't know what world of old school racing your referring to but NOTHING in modern era nhra holds a candle to 60's/70's era drag racing....I repeat NOTHING

[@70chevs]

I hope there's more of these shows, it looks like everyone was pumped. A lot of the racers couldn't conceal their excitement.

[@LivingNitro]

I love seeing the emotion on the startline.

[@GreatCircle360]

This event had such an old school grudge match feel to it! More PRO sanctioned races please!!

[@LivingNitro]

Yes it had a different atmosphere. That said, I love the NHRA stuff too.

[@PyroStylez]

respect to the drivers that put their lives on the line every single pass..300+ mph aint no place for jokes or mistakes.

[@mgbchuck6527]

nicely done video/stills! Really great to see that AWESOME fan support for a GREAT way to start the 2024 Drag Race season

[@LivingNitro]

Thanks brother!

[@DrDixonBhD]

Great awesome coverage and The NHRA and FOX could make their broadcasts even better with this raw sound of drag racing captured in this cool video‼️♥️🏁🏆👍🏾

[@LivingNitro]

Wow, thanks!

[@ShreverBeaver]

Good video! “you know the deal” 😂 Hopefully this event reminds local politicians that a housing development next door is a bad idea.

[@porthole2]

Now that - is some of the best coverage I've seen in a long time - 'just the facts ma'am"

[@LivingNitro]

thank you!

[@werewolf14658]

I was here for this! It was an amazing first experience of top fuel and funny cars!

[@LivingNitro]

What was your reaction?

[@truthbomb4775]

Just cannot say enough about how great of a job you did putting this video together. This format is your niche that will make you stand above others.

[@madcapHPS]

I hadn't even thought about top fuel for years and years until this event and a lot of the videos on the Cleeter channel. Pretty awesome everyone out it together, hyped it up, and put on an incredible show.

[@LivingNitro]

Absolutely, it was epic.

[@robertlloyd7493]

Great report, superb camera work thanks 👍

[@LivingNitro]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@davegavin7914]

Electric will NEVER replace pure brute force 10,000 bhp the feel the sound the smell of thunder on the tarmac 🙏🏻🇬🇧👏👏

[@LivingNitro]

Nitro forever!

[@drscottbecker3615]

1000% !

[@truthbomb4775]

Really like how you put the times on the screen after the run.

[@bevis226]

Bradenton is turning into a very fast track again. I've been a HUGE fan of the Kalitta family since the 80s. Congrats Doug Kalitta.

[@LivingNitro]

The fastest in the world!

[@warthunderplunder1021]

What a great event.. loved the videography just excellent all round .. great channel!

[@LivingNitro]

Much appreciated!

[@7080nik]

Great Great video!!! Way better than tv does it. The sound is just baddass. You gotta turn those stills into posters. Back in the 70s, you could buy NHRA funny car and top fuel posters everywhere. People had them hanging in their garages, bedrooms, living rooms etc. Dont see them anywhere anymore. Anyway, what an awesome sellout event!!!

[@LivingNitro]

That’s a great idea.

[@13699111]

Good memories of some old school drag racing. I'm old enough to remember all the great posters to

[@MRBLACK947]

and they're going to build a thousand houses right next to the track. What could go wrong? Awesome content sir. Thanks for filling in the coverage where Flo had to leave off. That's not s slam on Flo either. I'm just a cheap ass.

[@DadBeard-pi2oy]

So much awesomeness!!! Need more of this racing!!! Look at the crowd !!!! Thanks Cleet for putting Bradenton on the map!

[@LivingNitro]

Hope it comes back next year!

[@chuckg4229]

Clay for the win being the most exciting driver to watch and actually making us few like we were a part of it the entire week!! Congrats to a well fought but 2nd place win. Can’t win em all but he’s by far a crowd favorite!!! Damn he had a fast ass car!!! It looked like if you weren’t dialed just perfect in that right lane, you weren’t going to win unless the left made a mistake. All around an absolute blast to watch and I hope they bring more of these events to tracks like this across the country. Go Clay!!!

[@brutus2631]

Great video! Thanks for sharing 👊

[@LivingNitro]

You bet!

[@WootTootZoot]

It's nice to see race fans coming out to support all forms of racing. There have been too many times with races where there are hardly any people in the stands.

[@LivingNitro]

It was packed!

[@markkrekeler7450]

They out NHRA'd NHRA. This is the future of drag racing!

[@dakotaautosales9673]

😂😂🤡

[@MasonMcdougald]

Cleetus single handedly is bringing drag racing scene back

[@lsj8693]

Last time I saw Funny Car and Top Fuel run was at Thunder Valley a Long time ago. Good stuff!

[@Fueledpassionvideos]

I would like to tell you that your channel is exactly what I am striving to start. After many years of working, punching in, and punching out, I decided I want to start doing what I love, and that is attending drag races and capturing the moments, not just for myself, but for everybody to experience. I just thought I’d let you know that you’re an inspiration and I hope to one day show you what you have inspired me to become. Thank you for your amazing content!

[@LivingNitro]

You can do it! Make sure to post back in future videos when you have it up!!

[@Fueledpassionvideos]

@@LivingNitro I appreciate that! Will do!

[@jasonyates8640]

First time ever at a Pro Drag Event. Loved it Fkn Awesome!!! Funny Car Forever!! John Force!!!

[@LivingNitro]

What was your reaction to it?

[@duck539]

Killer Footage !!! Thank You !!!

[@LivingNitro]

You're welcome, glad you enjoyed it.

[@williambarger8506]

Top notch work. Love the stills.

[@LivingNitro]

Thanks! Got a favorite?

[@brentritchie6199]

Wonderful video it really captured the beasts that they are in action. Apart from launching an Apollo 13 type rocket you will never see, hear and feel the energy like top fuel your whole body feels the power. Well done!

[@LivingNitro]

Nailed it!

[@HarneyPhoto]

So many cameras and so much access. In your element there Luke

[@LivingNitro]

Sure was! Being able to move around freely is a lot of help to getting good photos.

[@DIARRHEA-PANIC]

Perfect, that looked awesome

[@alanmumford8806]

Heck of a job on the camera work and editing. So happy for the competitor teams, Victor and BMP, what a crowd!

[@LivingNitro]

Thanks!!

[@jimcurt99]

Excellant video- wish Clay had won- but still an amazing event

[@LivingNitro]

Next time!

[@littlemuffin943]

this event was amazing i have been to a bunch of drag events, NHRA and nothing compares to this and the amount of the behind the curtin content was insane from all the youtubers loved it, man i was pulling for clay and cleetus and everyone on that crew this week amazing job!!!!! i hope this come's back next year at BMP

[@LivingNitro]

I hope it comes back too!

[@markcrawford7052]

This reminds me of the pro winter warm-up at Palm Beach raceway before they closed it.

[@jimtaggert7268]

Awesome coverage!

[@LivingNitro]

Thanks a lot!

[@KCadbyRacing]

New subscriber👍 Awesome coverage and editing (nothing but burnouts and runs)...

[@LivingNitro]

Thank you! Just the stuff I like to see too.

[@charles5473rd]

Loved the National Anthem. Brought Chills❤❤

[@andrewyoung9751]

Great race - wish i was there. Great video too

[@LivingNitro]

It was awesome!

[@sammygonzalez7627]

I salute you, you did one heck of a job recording this race...you definitely have skills

[@LivingNitro]

I appreciate that, thanks!

[@13699111]

Excellent !!!

[@deelichty5601]

This event was by far the richest, fastest, and most enjoyable drag racing event I have ever attended. Can't say enough good things about PRO and Drag Illustrated as promoters and just hope there's many more events like this in the future!

[@LivingNitro]

Glad you enjoyed it! What was your favorite moment?

[@fastsilverado]

It's amazing now to watch how much the sport has changed in 35 years. My dad and I watched every Thursday night on ESPN in the late 80s. Remember when Eddie Hill went a 4.99; we thought it couldn't Go much faster. Look at it now.

[@LivingNitro]

The performance gains get harder to find and yet they keep coming!

[@yosmith1]

Great coverage!

[@LivingNitro]

Thank you!

[@texasrider5621]

It’s good to see the crowd back it was getting pretty bad. It seems like there last year. People just weren’t showing up like they used to.

[@erpfanatic6586]

How about that *CROWD* NHRA!?!?!?

[@dakotaautosales9673]

Hey Goofball NHRA Sells out All the time at much larger facilities🤦‍♂️ And also don't ever watch a NHRA Event again if they are so bad🧁

[@logant4388]

i was in the stand lol this was the most enjoyable race ive ever been to the sound of these dragsters are insane

[@LivingNitro]

They shake the ground!

[@tonysayles2891]

good footage ,,, nice cam work as well ,,, keep up the great work ,,, THANKS👍

[@LivingNitro]

Thanks 👍

[@mcyoung11]

I want to go to this race next year. It looks like the kind of racing I love

[@LivingNitro]

Definitely put it on your list!

[@chrislynch7574]

Thanks for posting this great video at least here we didn’t have to pay for yet another subscription tv service

[@acrewdog]

Well done video! I could smell the Nitro!

[@LivingNitro]

The only thing you need to feel like you are there is the smell haha

[@Rick_Dunaway]

We need more or these races!

[@TernaryTrout]

Nice coverage sir... Great idea putting in the times as a banner :)

[@LivingNitro]

Thanks, so long as the track has a timing app like Bradenton it is easy enough - but inputting them manually would be a time suck.

[@Roy-zz5pb]

What was the spot for funny vs TF?

[@obsidian....]

Great job with the overlays 🙏🙏🙏

[@LivingNitro]

Glad you like them!

[@nudesforjesus]

Thank you for uploading this!

[@LivingNitro]

No problem!

[@Mo--Dad]

Heck of a job on the camera work got to see me than we do on Sundays with NHRA great show killer racing great job ...I believe some people better take notes

[@LivingNitro]

Thanks man!

[@porthole2]

I wasn't aware of this event until just a few days ago, couldn't have made it anyway on short notice, but boy does it sure look like some hard lessons were learned, mistakes analyzed from the first time this sport tried events like this. "Cleetus" (or Larry or Garrett...) was born 22-23 years after the last time a Pro event happened. You can't even find google links unless you use the right combo of words. My buddies and I camped out at Long Island Dragway for the NY event, had a great time, but the "PRO" was short lived. Congrats Cleetus on a job well done. Now do some research on how the Knapp brothers let the PREMIER track on the east coast vaporize.

[@dakotaautosales9673]

What did Cletus do🤦‍♂️

[@alkennedy1124]

Congratulations congratulations 🎊🎉🎈🍾 buddy thanks ,for the starting line shots vlogs good job thanks BigAl California.

[@LivingNitro]

You’re welcome, BigAl.

[@gerrylangston9514]

Nice job on putting together this video.

[@LivingNitro]

Thanks!

[@kevskonversions594]

Excellent camera work!

[@LivingNitro]

Thank you!!

[@Dizman76]

Does anyone know what handicap the funny cars were leaving on? Also, thanks for the awesome video mate.. 4k and up close.. this is some of the best footage of fuel cars i've ever seen.

[@LivingNitro]

Two tenths. I think the dragsters will need another half a tenth next year. And thank you for the kind comments!

[@Dizman76]

@@LivingNitro All good mate and thanks for the info.

[@McCarnut]

Cheers for the quality coverage this weekend!! ❤ from 🇦🇺

[@LivingNitro]

No problem 👍

[@williambarry8015]

They would have never gone to that track if it didn't have an absolutely perfect surface. So the people that created that surface are the ones that deserve the credit. Cus you can just go look. 99.99% of all the small tracks are inadequate to hold these guys at 100% full throttle.

[@LivingNitro]

Absolutely! Top class surface.

[@dakotaautosales9673]

No surface is perfect Skippy

[@williambarry8015]

@@dakotaautosales9673 as far as small independent tracks go it is Skippy.

[@dakotaautosales9673]

@@williambarry8015 99% of the tracks are independently OWNED SKIP GET A GRIP 🧁 And what is your definition of small

[@marcholtz7582]

WOW! Great job on this one, my throats burning from the sweet smell of nitro and rubber!

[@LivingNitro]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@llama__]

Man this event and all the funny car and nitro chaos events are the way to go. I love regular nhra event but these events got a different feeling

[@spudnickjquesanar1678]

It's like theOld IHRA days.but better

[@LivingNitro]

It was a lot of fun.

[@JMill0420]

I want to do for my hometown track, what Cleetus has done for his. Freaking unreal!

[@johnbehneman1546]

CONGRADULATIONS TO ALL NHRA DRIVERS AND TEAMS.

[@Saltfly]

Great event.

[@ludicrous7044]

CONTROLLED EXPLOSION!!!🔥🔥😭

[@jonosborne4711]

AA/FUEL nuff said.

[@johnbehneman1546]

GREAT RACING BY EVERYONE.

[@RedsFishin]

Thank you for posting the times! Insta sub

[@LivingNitro]

Welcome!

[@lastboyscoutNZ]

What lens a you using? It's crisp!

[@LivingNitro]

Sony 24-105 F4 during the day and Samyang 35mm F1.4 at night.

[@lastboyscoutNZ]

@@LivingNitro Nice, keep it up :)

[@johnnylopez7861]

Great content that was awesome

[@LivingNitro]

Thanks man!

[@danadouglass9028]

I can see myself in the stands across from you all the way to the right taking pictures, I'm almost at the top at 3:20 lol

[@LivingNitro]

Sweet! Hi!!

[@richardvoss77]

The fastest track in Florida! Let's go Clay!

[@LivingNitro]

Clay is awesome.

[@rayray8840]

Kool. Video, lots if editing I'm sure. Just subd. Bring on the nitro👍🏻

[@LivingNitro]

Thanks for the sub!

[@shalynncarden3056]

National anthem, awsome

[@Marvin-fn7ks]

We are moving to Lakewood Ranch . Hopefully this event is at Bradenton next winter!

[@LivingNitro]

Tell all your neighbors how good the track is for the local area!

[@Marvin-fn7ks]

Believe me I know . Im a fan .

[@Fatboyee]

Pretty neat except not knowing who half of the drivers were.

[@paulmazzola398]

How did they determine a handicap for funny car vs top fuel?

[@erpfanatic6586]

Luckily, there had already been Top Fuel vs Funny Car races held in the past, I believe first at Bristol, circa 1999? 2000? Anywho, if I recall correctly, the average disparity was .30 and the tree would flash the 4/10th pro tree to Funny Car first, then .30 of a second later, the same would flash to Top Fuel. The event was won by, none other than the 'Champ, John Force. Ah that brings it back, doesn't it?

[@dakotaautosales9673]

There has always been about 2/10 of the second difference in funny car VS top fuel that's how they came up with it

[@GTM697]

Welp, everyone in right line got screwed over. Must've been something on that track at like 3/4 track.

[@charlienewbery4157]

great job Luke

[@LivingNitro]

Thank you!!

[@user-cc2xv8fl3n]

Love it back in the day they use to race top fuel dragsters vs funny car .

[@ericwight919]

It's too bad this will all be gone when the houses show up.

[@Ocboy420]

Love the cleetus on the side of his car

[@LivingNitro]

Hell yeah brother!

[@dakotaautosales9673]

Nut Rider

[@patrickr2686]

Clay is the star of the whole event

[@LivingNitro]

He did so well!

[@dakotaautosales9673]

Wrong 😂 Try Doug Kallita Austin Prock and Erica Enders What in the hell were you watching🧁

[@NorthernChev]

I can’t even imagine what it’s like to try to hold on to a car that breaks its tires loose at 300 miles per hour.

[@LivingNitro]

Right? Crazy skills.

[@600wheel]

🤘😎🤘Wicked vid

[@LivingNitro]

Thanks man!

[@NorthernChev]

When I was in college I dated a girl who wanted to drive Top Fuel dragster. I think she’s an admin assistant in some backwater town in Pennsylvania now. Apparently her dreams changed along the way…

[@Robert-lr3wr]

Driver name ,and results of each round we be nice

[@spudnickjquesanar1678]

Like the Old IHRA day's but better

[@artartful854]

Am I missing the win light ? Would love to know who actually won these rounds. And at 13:22 we are watching the crew and not Erica blow some more doors off ? Why ? Then on the final again, I never see the win light. He's hunting for the crew and I think he is not sure which one won.

[@LivingNitro]

The win light is the white circle next to the numbers. As I said in the intro to the video, shooting stills was my main priority at the track, so capturing crew reactions was part of my brief.

[@artartful854]

Sorry, I didn't see in the text and watched a few runs and didn't hear anything. Crew reactions for me are not much at all. I look to see the runs, wins and numbers.

[@tedh.8356]

NHRA should adapt the Funny cars and Top Fuelers running against each other in Qualifying, what would be any problem?

[@denniswilliams2385]

Looks like the left lane was a little sketchy and then it wasn’t. Great Event

[@wadesimon3536]

How did Clay lose?!?! He ran 3.8 or better all weekend! Then ran a 4.2 in the finals 🤔 just goes to show how competitive / close this is. Wow! What an event!

[@lancemiller4647]

love the coverage but I hate that there's no driver names pinned at any point..

[@LivingNitro]

I’ll work on something for the next video.

[@edwardrodriguez2845]

nice job 💯 .. but it be cool if the put the drivers name and who won the round...but hey good job 👍

[@LivingNitro]

The circle represents the winner. Names are tricky because they need manual graphics, versus just the times which can be semi-automated. I’ll work on something for my next video and see if I can come up with a solution! Thanks for watching!