Drag Illustrated Partners with Werner Communications to Take Winter Series and Elite Motorsports Million to Mainstream Sports Stage
By: Werner Communications
DALLAS (August 11, 2025) — Drag Illustrated has announced a new partnership with Werner Communications, a leading public relations and event management firm with over 30 years of experience, to bring the 2025-2026 Drag Illustrated Winter Series – including the groundbreaking $1,000,000 Elite Motorsports Million – to the forefront of the mainstream sports conversation.
The Winter Series, which features three marquee events at Bradenton Motorsports Park, has already become one of the most talked-about attractions in drag racing. The addition of the Elite Motorsports Million – the largest performance-based bonus in drag racing history – has elevated the stakes and created one of the most compelling storylines in all of motorsports: win all three Pro Mod events and take home a life-changing seven-figure payday.
For Werner Communications founder Elon Werner, the project aligns perfectly with his company’s mission.
“The opportunity to work with Drag Illustrated to promote the Winter Series is exactly why I founded Werner Communications,” said Werner. “Our over 30 years of public relations, communications and event management experience is designed to make series and events like the Winter Series and the Elite Motorsports Million signature events in the sports universe. The leadership of Wes Buck and his team combined with Werner Communications contacts and skillset in event operations will go hand in hand to make sure every sponsor and racer receive maximum exposure before, during and after the series. Being able to promote the Elite Motorsports Million is a unique opportunity to be part of spreading the word for a game-changing moment in drag racing.”
Drag Illustrated Founder & Editorial Director Wes Buck sees the Werner Communications partnership as a critical step toward pushing drag racing deeper into the mainstream motorsports conversation.
“Over the last 20 years, I’m proud of the ties we’ve built and the relationships we’ve formed with the most prominent drag racing media and many of the biggest names in motorsports journalism,” said Buck. “But the mission has always been bigger than that. We want to put this sport – the spectacle, the intensity, the passion-driven moments that make drag racing so special – right in front of the masses. We want to win new fans, show them something they’ve never experienced, and make them feel like they can’t miss the next one.”
Buck added that the focus on growth isn’t just about audience size, but about the quality of the experience for everyone involved.
“We’ve been laser-focused on improving every part of the Winter Series – from the competition on track to the energy in the stands – and raising the bar year after year. Bringing Elon and his team into the mix gives us the horsepower to tell that story far beyond the guardwalls. We’re not just promoting drag races; we’re building a live event experience that delivers growth, keeps fans coming back, and makes every first-time visitor a lifelong supporter.”
“When fans walk out of a Winter Series event, I want them to leave saying, ‘I’ve never seen anything like that.’ That’s our standard, and we’re committed to raising it every single season.”
The 2025-2026 Drag Illustrated Winter Series presented by J&A Service kicks off with the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals, continues with the U.S. Street Nationals, and concludes with the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod. The series will bring together the best racers in the world, a fan-first live experience modeled on the most successful sports entertainment properties, and the Elite Motorsports Million – the largest performance-based bonus in drag racing history.
For more information on the Drag Illustrated Winter Series and the Elite Motorsports Million, visit dragillustrated.com.
