This weekend marks the mid-point in NHRA’s 75th anniversary Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. With the tenth of 20 races scheduled take place at Norwalk, Ohio’s Summit Motorsports Park, racers are salivating at the opportunity to bring home the diamond Wally in the 20th edition of the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals.
Racing at this track is always a treat. The operations of the track, owned by the Bader family, bring out floods of fans to the venue, all relishing the activities on track and the countrified atmosphere surrounding it. And the ice cream. Always the ice cream. It’s a treat drag racers look forward to at least once a year.
The track hosted Division 3’s doubleheader this past weekend, so it’s ready for the Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle combatants that are heading their way. The weekend is set up to handle both professional and sportsman competition, beginning on Thursday and continuing through Sunday’s eliminations.
In addition to the standard qualifying and elimination rounds, the Pro Stock class has its annual GETTRX Pro Stock NHRA All-Star Callout. Last year’s winner of the Callout, Matt Hartford, has to be in the catbird seat to repeat, as he’s already tallied three victories in nine events. He’ll be joined by the 2024 victor in this race-within-a-race, Greg Anderson, by reigning champion Dallas Glenn and Eric Latino from the KB Titan Racing stables. The balance of the eight-car field comes from Elite Motorsports: Greg Stanfield, Erica Enders, Aaron Stanfield and Jeg Coughlin Jr. With only 14 Pro Stock cars on the entry list, everyone will race on Sunday.
This tenth race of the year also features the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge for all Mission Foods classes, pitting the previous race’s semifinalists against one another to gain championship points and, of course, money. And this being the 75th year of NHRA’s existence, the sanctioning body is going out of its way to celebrate local heroes. In the northern Ohio region, the celebration will be for NHRA legend Connie Kalitta, whose Kalitta Motorsports Top Fuel two-car team currently leads the standings and whose Funny Car racer J.R. Todd holds third-place points in his Toyota GR Supra. There will be a tribute to Scott Kalitta with reigning Top Fuel champion Doug Kalitta.
In addition to celebrating Connie Kalitta, NHRA intends to show appreciation for Jim Head, who owns, tunes and formerly drove in Funny Car competition. Head’s current Ford Mustang driver, Canadian Spencer Hyde is the reigning 2025 Rookie of the Year for his exceptional work in his first year racing Funny Car with Head. Hyde grew up racing at this track, so it’s both his and his team owner’s “home” circuit. Head is also featured on the event’s commemorative ticket, giving Hyde the obligation to, perhaps, pick up his first NHRA victory? “Seeing Jim recognized in this way means lot. It’s really cool to have a race in Jim’s backyard and it also adds a little bit of pressure for me as a driver, because not only is it his hometown, but I consider this my home race as well. You want to do well in front of your friends and family and all of the Canadians at this event.”
Last year, Justin Ashley was the Top Fuel winner in Norwalk, while Austin Prock earned the win in Funny Car, Cory Reed took his inaugural Pro Stock victory and John Hall’s Matt Smith Racing Buell was first to the win lights in Pro Stock Motorcycle. All of these drivers are present as they attempt to repeat, but in every class, that’s going to be a tough ask. Ashley is still looking for his first 2026 Wally, and will have to deal with such luminary combatants as Shawn Langdon and Doug Kalitta from Kalitta Motorsports, Josh Hart at John Force Racing, a rejuvenated Antron Brown, still celebrating his Bristol victory and both Leah Pruett (Epping winner) and Tony Stewart (Pomona1 winner). With a 17-car field, someone will go home!
Last year’s Funny Car winner, Austin Prock is not having the kind of year he’s accustomed to, having changed teams over the winter. following back-to-back championships. Moving from John Force Racing to Tasca Racing, together with his father Jimmy and brother Thomas, hasn’t been a simple endeavor. The team failed to qualify for its first race in Gainesville and hasn’t been consistent in the succeeding eight events. Yes, Prock did find the Winner’s Circle at a new, NHRA venue, Maryland International Raceway, but the team’s lack of consistency is telling. With 14 Funny Car entries on the grounds, everyone races Sunday.
Joey Gladstone is continuing his super sub work for Matt Smith Racing this weekend, as the team’s leader recovers from his surgeries. By now, Gladstone’s got his rust out and should be formidable in support of the six-time champion. But he, along with his three teammates – Angie Smith, Jianna Evaristo and last year’s winner Hall, will have their hands full with the Vance & Hines Motorsports duo of reigning titleholder Richard Gadson and two-time champion Gaige Herrera, who definitely looked ready for prime time in Bristol.
Leading into this weekend’s race, NHRA updated its rulebook with amendments for both nitro classes, Top Fuel and Funny Car, revising and clarifying its throttle pullback/return electrical components. No additional comments were made by the sanction. It was also noted that Top Fuel racer Lex Joon, originally on the entry list for this race, has withdrawn.
The weekend’s schedule includes two Friday and two Saturday qualifying sessions for the four Mission Foods classes, together with the Pro Stock Callout and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenges (for all but Pro Stock). Pro Mod and Factory Stock Showdown are part of this huge program and there are ten Lucas Oil classes: Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Competition Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster. The latter begin their qualifying on Thursday, while racing commences on Saturday. The Summit JDRL National Shootout Eliminations are also taking place this weekend in Norwalk.
This being a racing weekend for NHRA, showers are predicted for Friday and Saturday, with temps in the mid-70s, while Sunday is looking to be a good day for racing, with mostly sunny skies and mid-80s for the high temps.
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