ANOTHER DOSE OF NITRO AT FUNNY CAR NATIONALS

Pro Mods, Jets, Fuel Altereds and a Wheelstander Also Featured at US 131

MARTIN, Mich. – The 21st annual Honor Credit Union Funny Car Nationals takes center stage this week at US 131 Motorsports Park featuring, among others, the legendary and World Championship-winning “Chi-Town Hustler” Dodge, Tom Motry’s “Drastic Plastic” fuel altered, “Golden Era” front engine Top Fuel dragsters and all of the Pro Mod and Funny Car stars of the Midwest Drag Racing Series.

Also in the spotlight will be Steve Harper’s wheelstanding “Cool Bus,” Micah Fenwick’s awesome Top Fuel motorcycle, the Scottrods, an assemblage of nostalgic 1960s-era gas coupes and sedans, and, finally, three of the most awe-inspiring jet vehicles on the planet including the “Hellfire” Freightliner truck owned and driven by Canadian Russ Lethbridge.

Gates open Friday at 8 a.m. with MWDRS testing from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. followed by pro qualifying sessions at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. for Pro Mods, Funny Cars, Top Sportsman cars, Top Dragsters, Jr. Dragsters and nostalgia Top Fuel dragsters plus, for the first time, exhibition runs by the Pro Stock 800 snowmobiles set to race Sept. 26-28 in the track’s annual Super Sled Shootout.

Saturday’s program begins with a last chance qualifier for MWDRS racers and nostalgia Top Fuelers at 10 a.m.  MWDRS eliminations begin at 4 p.m. followed by nitro cars, jets, the fuel bike and the “Cool Bus” at 6 p.m. and again at 9 p.m.

Spectators still have time to take advantage of substantial discounts on tickets purchased on-line at www.us131msp.com.  In advance, adult tickets are $20 Friday and $35 Saturday.  At the gate, those same tickets are $25 and $40, respectively.  Whether you buy in advance or on site, every ticket includes pit access and free parking.  Tickets for kids 6-12 are $7 daily if purchased on-line; $10 at the gate.  Children under six are free when accompanied by a ticketed adult.  In addition to the on-line savings, deeply discounted coupons also are available at participating Honor Credit Union locations.  

Originally campaigned by John Farconas, Austin Coil and Pat Minick, the “Chi-Town Hustler” won the NHRA Funny Car Championship in 1982 and 1983 after earlier dominating the match race circuit.  It now is driven by Chicago’s Mike Minick.

Others in the Funny Car lineup include Illinois’ own “Joliet John” Lawson, who has abandoned retirement to again drive the “Runaway” Pontiac Firebird; Joey Haas of Pleasant View, Tenn., (Top Fuel runner-up to Steve Torrence at the NHRA Mile-Hiigh Nationals in 2021) and Dave Hill of Valparaiso, Ind., driver of the “Mad Max” 1965 Ford Mustang.  

Motry’s “Drastic Plastic,” driven by former NHRA tour winner Dave Hirata of Lowell, Ind., will be challenged by the new “Nitro Demon” fuel altered of former Funny Car standout Greg Jacobsmeyer of St. Louis.  

In addition to the world’s quickest and fastest Freightliner truck, the jet lineup includes the potent Larsen Motorsports dragsters driven by Michigan native and two-time IHRA jet dragster world champion Elaine Larsen, 57, of Palm Bay, Fla., and her protégé, Josette Roach, 30, of St. Augustine, Fla.  Roach beat Larsen to win the Funny Car Nationals in 2023 before her teacher dredged up some payback in 2024.

Former Bakersfield March Meet champion Jimmy Young of Salem, Wis., will try to repeat as nostalgia Top Fuel champion in an eight-car field that likely also will  include Michigan racers Larry Gocha of Flushing and Shawn Bowen of Goodrich along with Mike Taylor of Berwyn, Ill., Dave Belock of Parma, Ohio, and Jim Orband of Garrettsville, Ohio.

-www.us131msp.com-