TOP SPORTSMAN DRIVER STEVE STOCKTON READY TO TAKE ON

PRO SUPERSTAR SHOOTOUT IN SEA FOAM / BUGS-B-GONE CHEVY MALIBU

GRAND RAPIDS, MN. (Feb. 01, 2023) –

Steve Stockton, a second-generation racer, will compete in FTI Performance Top Sportsman category of the SCAG Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout at Bradenton Motorsports Park February 8-10 in the Bishop Performance owned Sea Foam/Bugs-B-Gone 1979 Chevy Malibu.

 

“We couldn't be more excited to participate in what we feel is going to be one of the biggest drag races in history,” said Chris Bishop, along with his father Dave owner and founder of the Bishop's Performance six-car sportsman team. “We’re honored to be part of this history making event. Getting the invite just three weeks out was a surprise, but we are ready. We couldn't be more excited to bring our Sea Foam/Bugs-B-Gone entry down there and see what we can do. We feel Steve is as good of a driver as anyone and believe wholeheartedly that he can get it done.”

 

In over 25 years of driving experience, Stockton has earned numerous bracket race victories, two divisional event and one national event wins. His experience makes him the perfect competitor in the invitation only PRO Superstar Shootout that will payout $50,000 to the Top Sportsman winner.

 

“It’s a huge honor just to have my name on the list with these other elite drivers in this historic event. I have experience racing for this kind of money but racing in Top Sportsman for this kind of money is really an exciting thing to be a part of,” Stockton said. “It will no doubt be a tough field and it’s going to bring together people that normally wouldn’t be at the same track because of their geographic locations so it will be exciting to see that. I’m going to focus the same on this as any other race. You can’t win by trying not to lose; you have to go out and be aggressive and see how the chips fall in the end.”

 

More than 32 Top Sportsman racers were invited to take part in the FTI Top Sportsman portion of the PRO Superstar Shootout. Top Sportsman will be a quarter-mile class and will utilize all current NHRA rules and racing procedures. The Top Sportsman racers will share the track with Super Stock Eliminator and Stock Eliminator as well as the professional categories of Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock. Off-track, the PRO Superstar Shootout will feature live music, a vendor village, the area’s best food trucks, and more.

 

“To participate on the same stage as the most well-known pro racers in the country is an honor, and we couldn't be more excited to be part of that,” Bishop said. “We realize there's a lot of sportsman and top sportsman racers who are qualified to do this so we're honored to have been offered the opportunity. Huge thank you to all our supporting partners, Sea Foam, Go Lithium Batteries, NGK, Racestar Wheels, Hughes Performance and Converters, Line Performance, Hoosier Tires, High Performance Lubricants and K&T Matco Tools. We wouldn’t be in this position without them."

 

Stockton and the rest of the Bishop's Performance racers will start their 2024 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series season in May with the Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway just outside of Chicago before racing in their first divisional event in Earlville, Iowa at Tri-State Raceway May 25-26.