‘NITRO CHAOS’ THIS WEEK AT 24TH NORTHERN NATIONALS

‘NITRO CHAOS’ THIS WEEK AT 24TH NORTHERN NATIONALS

Top Fuel Dragsters, Fuel Altereds, Funny Cars and Pro Mods at US 131

MARTIN, Mich. – The 24th annual Northern Nationals presented by Gun Lake Casino Resort returns this week to Michigan’s fastest track with an action-packed lineup featuring Nitro Chaos, Ryan Martin, Shawn Ellington “Murder Nova” and the other Pro Mod stars of the Midwest Drag Racing Series, Top Fuel Harleys, Top Fuel dragsters, Nitro Chaos, jets and more.

Summer’s final fling, a smorgasbord of sight, sound and speed, begins with the free-for-all format of Nitro Chaos, the wildly-popular national outlaw series in which Top Fuel dragsters compete against fuel altereds, fuel Funny Cars and other nitro-burning abberations to determine a single overall champion.

The two-day speedfest hosted by US 131 Motorsports Park also will showcase six front-motored Top Fuel dragsters including that driven by multi-time NHRA Hot Rod Heritage winner Jimmy Young of Burlington, WI, four Top Fuel Harleys led by that of multi-time NHRA series champ Jay “Bulldog” Turner of Julian, NC, the wheelstanding 2009 PT Cruiser of Canadian “Nitro Mike” Kunz, the Larsen Motorsports jet dragsters and two jet Funny Cars.

Friday’s schedule will feature qualifying for both the Nitro Chaos and MDRS events.  Saturday’s program begins with last chance qualifying at 11 a.m. and the start of eliminations at 3 p.m.  Two pro shows featuring the world’s fastest race cars, including the nitro-burners and the jets, are set for 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday.

Adult tickets purchased in advance are $20 Friday; $40 Saturday.  For kids 6-12, the advance ticket price is $7 for each day.  At the gate, adult tickets will be $25 and $45, respectively and kids’ tickets $10.  Those under six are free when accompanied by a ticketed adult.  In addition, discounted admission and free kids ticket coupons are available at Gun Lake Casino Resort in Wayland.

The rules for the featured Nitro Chaos competition are simple.  Beyond standard safety items, there are no rules.  The category is open to any four-wheel vehicle burning a fuel mixture that is at least 80 percent nitromethane in motor that is situated in front of the driver. 

Among the favorites to emerge from all the chaos are current point leader Garry Wheeler Jr. of Tulsa, OK, winner of the inaugural series championship in 2023 in a Top Fuel dragster; Brian Kohlmann of Bloomington, IL, whose hemi-powered 1931 Chrysler three-window coupe has been a crowd favorite; Dave Hill of Valparasio, IN, who drove his “Mad Max” Ford Funny Car to victory last month at Norwalk, Ohio; and Dave Hirata of Lowell, IN, once a standout in the NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster category who now is driving the “Drastic Plastic” fuel altered for Tom Motry.

Others expected to vie for the title are Top Fuel drivers Jake Sanders of Brownsburg, Ind., winner last March at the Texas Motorplex outside Dallas, Trent Work of Tulsa, OK (teammate to Wheeler), Mike Lewis of Indianapolis, IN., and Paul Schultz of Tulsa (“Nitro Monkey”); fuel Funny Car driver Colin Thomas of Elbert, CO (“Twisted Sister” Ford Mustang); and Levi Kennen of Paris, IL (“Illinois Thunder”), Pete Dove of Shelbyville, IN, Paul Miller of Garrettsville, OH, and reigning series champ John Umlauf of Rolla, MO (“Mass Chaos”), all in short-wheelbase fuel altereds, 200 mile-an-hour throwbacks to drag racing’s golden age.

In addition to Young, who won the 2013 NHRA March Meet at Bakersfield, CA, and the 2021 NHRA Hot Rod Reunion at Bowling Green, KY, the nostalgia Top Fuel field will feature front-motored dragsters driven by Mike Taylor of Berwyn, IL, Larry Gocha of Flushing, MI, John Lorbiecki of Oconomowoc, WI, Jake Miller of Garrettsville, OH and Dave Belock of Parma, OH.

Turner will oppose Micah Fenwick of Belmont, ME, and two others in the Nitro Harley portion of the event while Mike Mathes of Byron, GA, will send his “Screamin’ Demon” 2002 Corvette against the “Captain America” 1972 Dodge Charger of Josh Krueger of Savanna, IL, for jet Funny Car bragging rights.

Returning once more to the state in which she grew up, two-time former IHRA jet dragster World Champion Elaine Larsen, now a resident of Palm Bay, FL, will oppose teammate Josette Roach of St. Augustine, FL, in a side-by-side showdown for jet dragster supremacy.

Although the MDRS will crown champions in Top Dragster, Top Sportsman and a pair of Jr. Dragster divisions, it is the Pro Modified competition that attracts the majority of the attention.

That’s largely because of Martin and Ellington, two stars of the Street Outlaws franchise who have proven that their talent is more than just TV hype. In fact, Martin drove his “Fireball” Camaro to victory last April in the debut of the Outlaw Street class at the NHRA 4Wide Nationals at Charlotte, NC, and he comes into US 131 as the MDRS point leader.

This week, he’ll face challenges from a host of standouts including Kallee Mills of Sand Springs, OK, currently fourth in points in her 1989 Chevy Camaro, Robert Costa of Albuquerque, NM, driver of a vintage 1941 Willys, and racer and businessman Keith Haney of Broken Arrow, OK, a former champion in his “Black Mamba” Chevy Camaro. 

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NITRO CHAOS SERIES

2026 Championship Points

1.Garry Wheeler Jr., Tulsa, OK, Grand Prix Racing Top Fuel dragster, 93; 2. Brian Kohlman, Bloomington, IL, 1931 Chrysler 3-window coupe, 81; 3. Colin Thomas, Elbert, CO, “Twisted Sister” Ford Mustang Funny Car, 73; 4. Trent Work, Tulsa, OK, Grand Prix Racing Top Fuel dragster, 69; 5. Anthony Whitfield, Elk City, KS, “Mighty Mouse” fuel altered, 65; 6. Dave Hill, Maryville, TN, “Mad Max” Ford Mustang Funny Car, 61; 7. Levi Keenen, Paris, IL, “Illinois Thunder” fuel altered, 59; 8. Jake Sanders, Brownsburg, IN, “The Menace” Top Fuel dragster, 57.

MIDWEST DRAG RACING SERIES

2026 Championship Points

Pro Modified – 1. Ryan Martin, Moore, OK, 2023 Chevy Camaro, 212; 2. Shawn Ellington, Mustang, OK, 1970 Chevy Nova, 193; 3. Aaron Wells, Mustang, OK,1968 Chevy Camaro, 165; 4. Kallee Mills, Sand Springs, OK, 1968 Chevy Camaro, 129; 5. Tie, Paul Gargus, Remlap, AL, 1968 Chevy Camaro, and Ryan Bush, Ft. Smith, AR, 1969 Chevy Camaro, 128 each; 7. Bob Glenn, Tierra Verde, FL, 2003 Dodge Dakota, 122; 8. Robert Costa, Albuquerque, NM, 1941 Willys, 86; 9. Tie, Kye Kelley, Summit, MS, 1992 Chevy Camaro, and Keith Haney, Broken Arrow, OK, 2020 Chevy Camaro, 68 each; 11. Tommy Cunningham, Murray, KY, 1967 Ford Mustang, 66; 12. Jason Collins, Tuscaloosa, AL, 1968 Chevy Camaro, 64.

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