Race winners, who are IHRA members, are now eligible to compete for even bigger prizes at the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals presented by Strange Engineering if they enter at least two other IHRA races (an IHRA-member track Summit SuperSeries team race or Sportsman Spectacular) before the 2024 IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals. 

Russell drove his Chevrolet Nova to the $1,500 winner in the Top ET (Box) class as final-round opponent Keith Taylor left early. It allowed Russell to take a pass of 6.746 seconds at 78.52 mph. Taylor went down the drag strip in 6.415 seconds at 99.15 mph.

(Box Winner — Vernon Russell Jr.)

(Box Runner-Up — Keith Taylor)

Brock parked his fire-engine red Chevy S-10 in the winner’s circle for No Box with a package that included a 6.691-second pass at 90.13 mph on a 6.61 dial-in. Runner-up Curly DeLee, the previous owner of Dorchester Dragway, went 8.453 seconds at 83.76 mph on an 8.40 dial-in. Brock won the holeshot with a .029 to .071 advantage at the tree.

(No Box Winner — Aaron Brock)

(No Box Runner-Up — Curly DeLee)

Sansenbaugher had an eventful day, making it to the third round of No Box eliminations in his brown Mopar and then driving on to the Sportsman victory. He put together a winning package of 7.913 seconds at 81.62 mph against a 7.91 dial-in with a .017 start. Runner-up Andy Chavis went 7.673 seconds at 90.07 seconds on a 7.67 dial-in with a .080 reaction time.

(Sportsman Winner — Evan Sansenbaugher)

(Sportsman Runner-Up — Andy Chavis)

Pruett continues to build his reputation as one of the best Junior racers around with an elapsed time of 7.193 seconds and 74.91 mph on a 7.19 dial-in. He also got a big advantage of .112 to .207 at the start over second-place Jaxon Romanstine. The numbers for Romanstine showed an 8.097-second run at 77.98 mph with an 8.05 dial-in.

(Junior Dragster Winner — Kaden Pruett)

(Junior Dragster Runner-Up — Jaxon Romanstine)

Jeff Mcalhany (Box), Patrick McCabe (No Box) and Dalton Farman (Sportsman) were prize winners in the Moser Money Round.

Congratulations to all the IHRA Sportsman Spectacular winners at South Carolina Motorplex. Another big race is coming up in the Palmetto State next Saturday as the legendary Darlington Dragway hosts the IHRA Hot Rod Classic.

When asked about her racing heroes, Berlett points to some of the top-performing women of recent years. She likes two-time NHRA World Champion Brittany Force and fellow Top Fuel pilot Leah Pruett. There’s the Motorcycle legend Angelle Sampey and six-time NHRA Pro Stock World Champion Erica Enders.

Her favorite subject in school is science and asked about her favorite part of racing, she gives the obvious answer of winning, of course. She also loves the time spent with family. Her mom and dad are her biggest supporters, while Alexa loves helping her dad with his dragster.

She has aspirations of competing at the highest level, hoping to one day being in a Top Fuel dragster and racing for wins.

Join us in celebrating Alexa and the other great Junior Dragster racers across North America who are the future of our sport. The IHRA has many great tracks for them to compete at. Click here for a listing of current IHRA tracks with more tracks to be announced soon.

These racers can gain entry to the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals presented by Strange Engineering by winning an exclusive Sportsman Spectacular main event in conjunction with entering at least two other IHRA races (an IHRA-member track Summit SuperSeries team race or Sportsman Spectacular) before the 2024 IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals. Current IHRA membership is required.

Payouts have been announced with Sunoco Race Fuels, Triple JJJ Truck Repair and Team RFC “Racers for Christ” joining Moser Engineering in support of this event.

The Box and No Box racers are competing for a $1,200 winner’s purse and $300 to the runner-up. There’s a $50 entry fee. The Sportsman class offers $500 to the winner with a $30 entry. There’s also a $30 entry for the Motorcycle class with 80 percent payback of entry fees.

Junior Dragsters will race for a $200 winner’s purse with a $25 entry fee. There’s also a Teen Street race for ages 13-17 with $50 to the winner and a free entry. There’s also going to be a Ladies Only Class with free entry. It’s a celebration of the ladies on Mother’s Day weekend.

Gates open at 11 a.m. and time trials begin at noon. It’s only a $10 spectator admission with kids 12-under admitted free.

Click here for the Gleason Raceway Park Facebook page. Make sure you take advantage of all the benefits of becoming an IHRA member. Click here to visit the IHRA membership center. You may also call 85.JOIN.IHRA where our membership coordinator Heather Roth will help get you on track.

There is the IHRA Hot Rod Classic at Darlington Dragway the following week before four straight weekends of races. Gleason Raceway Park hosts the Sportsman Spectacular on May 11, followed by Kil-Kare Raceway on May 18.

Another doubleheader weekend takes place May 25 with races at Dragway 42 and Music City Raceway. The stretch concludes with June 1 races at Humboldt County Dragway.

What does all this mean for the racers?

It’s more opportunities than ever before to qualify for the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals presented by Strange Engineering. In addition, racers will compete for prestigious IHRA Ironman trophies and the very popular oversized championship checks. IHRA members will also be in the running for limited-edition Sportsman Spectacular commemorative medals.

Racers can gain entry to the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals presented by Strange Engineering by winning the main event in the Box, No Box, Sportsman and Junior Dragster classes in conjunction with entering at least two other IHRA races (an IHRA-member track Summit SuperSeries team race or Sportsman Spectacular) before the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals. 

Current IHRA membership is required, and each event is tailored to the host track’s racing programs.

Make sure you’re ready to take advantage of all the benefits of competing in these events, like being eligible for contingency bonuses as an IHRA member. Click here to visit our membership or call 85.JOIN.IHRA where IHRA membership coordinator Heather Roth will help make the process smooth and easy.

They started the races hoping to attract the HAMB organization, which was running an annual race at Mo-Kan Dragway in Missouri. That didn’t transpire, so Phillips booked a 1964 and earlier race at the former military base. Now, it has expanded where they’re running different classes of race cars.

“We’re doing bracket racing now and we have four categories — Gasser (’66 and earlier), Mean Street, Open Comp and Junior Dragsters,” Phillips said. “We have two big events per year which are a celebration of drag racing. We will be changing the Mean Street to Sportsman and the Open Comp to Modified.”

They also feature five classes of heads-up racing.

Eagle Field was constructed in 1942, just months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Joe Davis owns the property and some of the non-racing events include fly-ins. Phillips got to know about the property through his employer moving equipment from Eagle Field for a fly-in at the Fresno airport.

Phillips later met with Davis and started the Eagle Field Drags. The track features concrete walls and there are restrooms and showers on property. There is plenty of room for recreational vehicles, while the Lions Club and a local Mexican restaurant serve as food vendors. For those staying the weekend, music and dancing are offered on Saturday nights.

Now, the addition of IHRA sanction gives racers a chance to take advantage of membership benefits.

“I’m proud to be an IHRA member and start that on the West Coast,” Phillips said. “It gives us some clout and support.”

Phillips looks forward to working with other West Coast tracks and putting together a shootout near the end of the year. One of the neat events is a celebration of old-school drag racing, an evening where they use a flagman at the start.

It’s a part of Eagle Field’s mission to help fans and racers relive the glory days of drag racing. The main event on Friday pays tribute to former Fremont Dragway starter Eves Tall-Chief, who died in 2020.

“We call it ‘Flag Start Friday’ and do it for fun to remember Chief,” Phillips said. “It’s fun and exciting, but otherwise, we race with the tree.” 

Click here to check out the Eagle Field Facebook page and learn more about this facility. To become an IHRA member, click here to visit our membership or call 85.JOIN.IHRA where our friendly IHRA membership coordinator Heather Roth can take you through the process of getting you on track.

Other terrific opportunities await as racers can gain entry to the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals presented by Strange Engineering by winning the main event in the Box, No Box, Sportsman and Junior Dragster classes in conjunction with entering at least two other IHRA races (an IHRA-member track Summit SuperSeries team race or Sportsman Spectacular) before the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals. Current IHRA membership is required. 

Trailer Ranch LLC will sponsor as an event sponsor at South Carolina Motorplex with a $1,500-to-win and $80 entry fee for the Top (Box) race. The Mod (No Box) class features a $1,000 winner’s purse and $60 to enter. Sportsman (Street) and Junior Dragster classes offer $300 to the winner with a $40 entry fee.  

Spectator tickets are $20 with kids 12-under admitted free.There is a test-and-tune Friday night before Saturday’s main event. It’s a jam-packed weekend as Sunday features a full day of IHRA Summit SuperSeries points races. Click here to check out the South Carolina Motorplex Facebook page.

Beacon Dragway offers a $1,500-to-win top prize and $60 entry fee in the APD Carbs Super Pro (Box) class for Saturday. There is a $1,300 winner’s purse and $50 entry fee in the BTE No Box class. Both the Hoosier Tire / Rupert Carbs Sportsman and the Mohler Maintenance Junior Dragster classes feature $600-to-win with a $30 entry fee. 

Spectator tickets are $10 each with kids 12-under admitted free. Click here to check out the Beacon Dragway Facebook page with IHRA Summit SuperSeries points races the next couple of Saturdays, followed by the IHRA Sportsman Spectacular

Be sure to take advantage of the weekend and enjoy all the benefits of being an IHRA member. Click here to visit our membership or call 85.JOIN.IHRA where our friendly IHRA membership coordinator Heather Roth can take you through the process of getting you on track.

Graves, who captured a huge Gamblers win at Xtreme last November, calls “Big” Ty Janousek his racing hero. Cutting fast cars is what he likes most about the sport. It’s no surprise that this Texan’s favorite sport besides racing is football. He has plans beyond his time in the Junior Dragsters with a 1971 Chevrolet Nova he plans on competing in.

More Junior Dragster racers will be highlighted on IHRA.com and our social media pages soon including one from Illinois, one from Pennsylvania and another from Texas.

Entries for all other classes and spectator tickets will also be available. While registration will be available at the track, racers are highly encouraged to get their entries in early as planning for parking and other items take place. Click here for the pre-sales link.

Partners like Don Baskin Trucking LLC, M&M Transmission, Stroud Safety, Hoosier Racing Tire, Extreme Racing Oil, LJ1 Oil Products and TMF Metal Solutions are IHRA Hot Rod Classic sponsors. Trailer Ranch LLC will also have a display set up.

Pro Mods are competing for a $10,000 winner’s purse with $3,000 for the runner-up. Real Steel N/T racers will see $5,000 to the winner and $1,000 to the runner-up. Top Dragster and Top Sportsman payouts include $3,000 for the winner and $1,000 for the other finalist.

Quick Rod, Super Rod and Hot Rod feature $2,000-to-win and $750 for runner-up with all the races broadcast on the IHRA-TV channel on YouTube.

Bracket racers have big-money showdowns in Box and No Box with $5,000 for the winner and $1,000 for runner-up. Junior Dragster racers face off with $750 for the winner and $500 for runner-up.

Each entry must be an IHRA member and have an IHRA competition license in the ET range of the vehicle utilized during competition.

Crew weekend passes are $75 and a single-day pass for Saturday is $35. VIP Pit Parking Pass is $50 plus credentials for each occupant. Spectator costs (No restricted area access) are $70 for the 3-day weekend, $55 for a 2-day (Friday-Saturday) wristband and $30 for a single-day ticket.

Click here for a listing of the Darlington HRC schedule, payouts, entry fees and rules. You don’t want to miss out on this exciting event as it’s never been easier to become an IHRA member. Click here to visit the IHRA membership center or call 85.JOIN.IHRA where our membership coordinator Heather Roth will get you ready to race down the track.

Please come by and say hello to these officials as we always welcome the racers’ input. Be sure you are eligible to compete in the IHRA Summit SuperSeries, the most prestigious national championship in all of bracket racers. Click here to visit our membership center online. You may also call 85.JOIN.IHRA where our friendly IHRA membership coordinator Heather Roth can take you through the process of getting you on track.