US 131 RECREATES DRAG RACING’S ‘GOLDEN AGE’
20th Annual Funny Car Nationals Also Features Jets, Pro Mods, NDRL, MDRS
If you’ve ever wished it was possible to return to drag racing’s golden age, US 131 Motorsports Park is prepared to serve up a reasonable facsimile Sept. 6-7 when it plays host to the 20th annual Honor Credit Union Funny Car Nationals featuring throwback nitro Funny Cars, Alcohol Funny Cars, the muscle cars of the Nostalgia Drag Racing League and four of the most awe-inspiring jet vehicles on the planet.
In addition, Michigan’s fastest track will welcome back the stars of the Midwest Drag Racing Series including defending Pro Modified champion Keith Haney of Broken Arrow, OK, and his “Black Mamba” 2020 Chevrolet Camaro.
MDRS qualifying begins Friday with sessions at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. that will set provisional fields in Pro Mod, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Top Dragster and Top Sportsman. A last chance qualifier is scheduled Saturday morning prior to the start of eliminations at 4 p.m.
Topping the nitro Funny Car lineup is the new Pontiac Firebird version of “Buzz’s Bomber” driven by Mark McElwee. Other contenders include Greg Jacobsmeyer of St. Louis, MO, in the All-Star Dodge 1970 Dodge Challenger, Joe Haas in the “Nimrod” ’57 Chevy Bel Air, “Joliet John” Lawson in his “Runaway” Firebird, Levi Keenen of Paris, IL, in his “Illinois Thunder” Plymouth Arrow and former NHRA Top Alcohol dragster standout Dave Hirata of Lowell, IN, newest driver of Tom Motry’s Chicago-based “Drastic Plastic” Ford Mustang.
All those cars plus eight “other era” Alcohol Funny Cars including the “Detroit Tiger” 1977 Chevy Monza of Belleville’s Steve Timoszyk, will race Saturday at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. along with the window-rattling jets – two dragsters and a pair of trucks.
It’ll be an all-female jet dragster showdown between Larsen Motorsports teammates Elaine Larsen, 56, the two-time former IHRA World Jet Car Champion, and Josette Roach, the 29-year-old who won last year’s Funny Car Nationals jet feature, followed by a battle of one-upmanship on the part of jet truck drivers Russ Lethbridge of Hagersville, Ontario and Jerry McCart of Morrow, GA.
Lethbridge drives “Hellfire,” the world’s quickest and fastest Freightliner while McCart returns in his familiar “Homewrecker” entry.
US 131 is offering across-the-board savings of $5 on every ticket purchased in advance of the Funny Car Nationals. That includes tickets for kids 6-12 that, if purchased at the gate, would be $10. Gate price for adult tickets is $20 Friday and $35 Saturday. Kids under six are free both days when accompanied by a ticketed adult and, as always, parking in the main lots is free.
In addition, coupons good for $5 off adult tickets and FREE tickets for kids 6-12 are available at participating Honor Credit Union locations.
-www.us131msp.com-
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