MIDWEST DRAG RACING SERIES AT FUNNY CAR NATIONALS

‘Street Outlaws’ TV Personality to Drive Haney’s ‘Black Mamba’ Pro Modified

MARTIN, Mich. – With the Discovery Channel’s suspension of the popular “Street Outlaws” series it introduced in 2013, US 131 Motorsports Park has confirmed that Shawn “Murder Nova” Ellington, one of the franchise’s biggest stars, will compete in this week’s 21st annual Honor Credit Union Funny Car Nationals featuring the Midwest Drag Racing Series.

The 47-year-old Ellington, a resident of Sayre, Okla., will drive the “Black Mamba” 2020 Chevrolet Camaro of fellow Oklahoman Keith Haney, the MWDRS Pro Mod champion in 2017 and 2023 and a semifinalist at last year’s Funny Car Nationals.

“TV’s loss is our gain,” said US 131 Vice-President of Operations Jason Peterson.  “It just adds another element to one of our most popular events.”

Ellington is expected to challenge current point leader and 2019 series champion Aaron Wells of Edmond, Okla., and 2020 series kingpin Ron Muenks of Springfield, Mo., for the Pro Mod title in an event that will feature nitro and alcohol Funny Cars, fuel altereds, front-motored Top Fuel dragsters, jets, a Top Fuel motorcycle and the wheelstanding “Cool Bus.”

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.  

Jim Whiteley of Grand Junction, Colo., the two-time former NHRA World Champion in Top Alcohol Dragster and two-time NHRA Pro Mod event winner, will try to lock up the MWDRS Funny Car title at the wheel of a 2021 Chevy Camaro in which he won last year on Michigan’s fastest track.

Among those hoping to extend the battle is Steve Macklyn of Bountiful, Utah, the two-time reigning champion who currently is third in points, 16 points behind second place Mark Billington of Prosper, Texas, and 42 behind Whiteley.

In addition to Pro Mod and Funny Car, MWDRS champs also will be crowned in Top Sportsman, where three-time reigning series champion Rod Moore of Rushville, Mo., currently is only No. 4 in points, Top Dragster and Jr. Dragster classes.

Sharing the spotlight with the MWDRS will be four nitro Funny Cars including the “Chi-Town Hustler” Dodge driven by Pat Minick of Chicago, the “Mad Max” ’65 Ford Mustang of Dave Hill of Valparaiso, Ind., the “Runaway” Pontiac Firebird of John Lawson of Joliet, Ill., and the Chevy Camaro of former NHRA Top Fuel driver Joey Haas of Pleasant View, Tenn.

Another former NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster standout, second generation driver Dave Hirata of Lowell, Ind., will send Tom Motry’s “Drastic Plastic” against the newly-minted “Nitro Demon” of former Funny Car driver Greg Jacobsmeyer of St. Louis in the fuel altered feature and former Bakersfield March Meet winner Jimmy Young of Salem, Wis., will try to repeat as champion in the nostalgia Top Fuel dragster class.

The jet car portion of the program will feature a rubber match between Larsen Motorsports teammates Elaine Larsen of Palm Bay, Fla., and Josette Roach of St. Augustine, Fla., the former the defending champion; the latter the winner in 2023.  Also back for another turn is Canadian Russ Lethbridge, driver of the jet-propelled “Hellfire” truck, the world’s quickest and fastest Freightliner.  

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MARTIN, Mich. – Midwest Drag Racing Series 2025 driver standings entering the 21st Honor Credit Union Funny Car Nationals at US 131 Motorsports Park:

PRO MODIFIED – 1. Aaron Wells, Edmond, Okla., 1967 Shelby GT Mustang, 303; 2. Ron Muenks, Springfield, Mo., 1968 Chevy Camaro, 273; 3. Keith Goolsby, Branson, Mo., 1968 Chevy Camaro, 270; 4. Jon Stouffer, Neosho, Mo., 239; 5. Kallee Mills, Sand Springs, Okla., 1968 Chevy Camaro, 223.

FUNNY CAR – 1. Jim Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., 2021 Chevy Camaro, 175; 2. Mark Billington, Prosper, Texas, 2023 Chevy Camaro, 149; 3. Steve Macklyn, Bountiful, Utah, 2013 Ford Mustang, 133; 4. Kyle Smith, Valley Center, Kan., 2024 Chevy Camaro, 90; 5. Geoff Monise, Buena Park, Calif., 1970 Pontiac Firebird, 66.

TOP SPORTSMAN – 1. Tyler Wells, Edmond, Okla., 1969 Chevy Camaro, 382; 2. Mark Griffin, Round Mountain, Texas, 234; 3. Tina Pierce, Oklahoma City, Okla., 2008 Chevy Colorado truck, 230; 4. Rod Moore, Rushville, Mo., 2001 Chevy S-10 truck, 224; 5. Jason Kimbrell, Sibley, Mo., 1997 Saturn, 212.

TOP DRAGSTER – 1. Wade Pennington, Ada, Okla., 367; 2. Kati Laughter, Noble, Okla., 275; 3. Jordan Eperjesi, Lake Dallas, Texas, 271; 4. Jacob McNeal, Gilmer, Texas, 194; 5. J.R. Baxter, Waxahachie, Texas, 154.

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