Photos by Robert Richard
by Bobby Bennett, A.J. England; Photos by Robert Richard
JOON, WORSHAM CLAIM TOP WINS AT IHRA OUTLAW NITRO SERIES
Lex Joon and Del Worsham took home victories Sunday in the IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series at Darana Dragway after rain postponed eliminations from Saturday. Both drivers earned $50,000 winner’s purses and Ironman trophies.
Joon, a former FIA Top Fuel champion, secured his first U.S. win despite blowing the blower at the finish line. He ran 3.964 seconds to defeat Mitch King, who struck the tires and finished in 4.236 seconds.
“Thank the Good Lord who helped us out today,” Joon said. “Thank you IHRA. This is unbelievable what they did. We will be back for more. My crew was also unbelievable today to get the win.”
Joon advanced to the final after beating season-opening Columbus winner Scott Palmer in the semifinal. He left the line with a .052 reaction time in the final.
Worsham, the 1992 IHRA World Champion, drove to a 4.085-second pass at 315.35 mph to defeat Dan Hix in the Funny Car final. Hix left even at the start but slowed to a 4.496-second run at 84.40 mph.
“This feels amazing. I was kind of bummed we didn’t win the last race so anything other than a win wasn’t going to be enough,” Worsham said. “I haven’t had one of these (Ironman trophies) in 30 years, September 1995, my last IHRA win, so this is really special to me.”
Chris Powers won Mountain Motor Pro Stock on a holeshot with a .005 light, edging Dillon Voss by three thousandths. Powers ran 4.172 seconds at 171.62 mph in his Chevrolet Camaro to Voss’ 4.175 at 171.62 mph.
“I’m stoked. This is the only thing left we tried to get for Sonny, but IHRA quit running it years ago,” Powers said. “We’ve won championships in PDRA, races in NHRA, but now we’ve got an Ironman. I can’t thank the folks at Sonny’s Racing Engines enough.”
In Pro Mod, Kurt Steding edged Wes Distefano by .008 for his first Ironman and $50,000 payout. Steding ran 3.864 seconds at 204.64 mph, while Distefano posted a 3.711 at 202.89 mph after gaining the starting-line advantage.
“Wes is good on the tree and I watched him win a lot of 632 races on tree, so I knew I had to bring it,” Steding said. “You will see us at the $125,000 race coming up in two weeks.”
Will Smith earned his first national-event win in Top Alcohol Dragster with a 5.398-second pass at 269.14 mph. Rich McPhillips Jr. smoked the tires at the hit, giving Smith a decisive victory.
Phil Esz scored his first win in Top Alcohol Funny Car, running 5.551 seconds at 261.02 mph to get past Tony Bogolo, who was .017 quicker off the line but slowed to 5.666 at 256.12 mph.
Tim Molnar won Pro Nitrous with a 3.76-second pass at 203.62 mph, holding off defending winner Tony Wilson. Molnar left first with a .023 reaction time to Wilson’s .036.
Hall of Fame rider Jay Turner closed out the event with a Top Fuel Harley win over Jordan Peterson. Peterson left first but Turner ran 6.365 seconds at 134.81 mph for his 18th IHRA national-event victory.
QUALIFYING NOTEBOOK – IHRA NITRO OUTLAW SERIES THRILLS AT MILAN DRAGWAY
IN 2025
1 – REJUVENATED IHRA IS BACK AND FOR REAL – The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) continued its resurgence in 2025 with a high-octane qualifying day at Milan Dragway in Michigan. Under clear skies and moderate temperatures—high of 86°F, low of 73°F, with a brief delay for precipitation—the track provided hot and sticky conditions for racers to push their machines to the limit. This event, the second in the revived IHRA Nitro Outlaw Series following the successful Columbus opener, drew a mix of veterans and newcomers eager to etch their names into the sanctioning body’s new chapter.
With two qualifying sessions on Friday, the fields are set for Saturday’s eliminations in Pro Mod, Mountain Motor Pro Stock, Funny Car, and Top Fuel. The atmosphere was often electric, blending nostalgia for IHRA’s past with excitement for its future under new ownership and leadership.
The time trials saw intense battles across categories, with drivers borrowing gear, overcoming mechanical gremlins, and committing to the series full-time. The track’s surface, meticulously prepped by IHRA crews, allowed for record-setting runs despite the summer heat. Fans packed the stands, witnessing passes that combined raw power with precise driving. As the sun set, the nitro flames lit up the night, capping a day that reinforced IHRA’s commitment to accessible, high-stakes drag racing.
2 – SCOTT PALMER REPEATS AS TOP FUEL QUALIFIER, EYES BACK-TO-BACK WINS – Scott Palmer continued his hot streak in Top Fuel, grabbing the No. 1 spot with a 3.8886-second blast at 293.73 mph. His .0392 reaction time was sharp, and despite a shredded belt at the finish line, the run stood as the session’s best.
“We were number one at the last race and won the race. I told ’em coming into this one—it’ll be harder to win this race than the last one,” Palmer said. “We’re missing a couple of heavy-hitters, but to me it’s still gonna be harder, because you’re gonna have to battle yourself along with it. You cannot make a mistake. We had a few little gremlins—which Top Fuel cars do—but we battled through ’em. We shredded a belt down there at the finish line, and honestly, it would’ve run better than that. But that was an excellent run, and it gives us something to work off of for tomorrow.”
Coming off the Columbus victory, Palmer’s team fine-tuned the fuel system and blower for Milan’s conditions. The belt issue, common in nitro cars, didn’t derail the pass, but it highlighted the razor-thin margins.
One thing is sure: Palmer emphasized that mental toughness is essential for racing a Top Fuel dragster.
“These cars fight you every pass,” Palmer explained. “It’s you vs. the machine.”
Palmer’s confidence stems from a seasoned crew that quickly diagnoses issues. His larger-than-life personality makes him a fan favorite.
“IHRA’s giving us a platform to shine,” he said. “Bigger purses, less hassle—perfect for independents like us.”
Heading into eliminations, Palmer’s pole position positions him for another win, but he knows the ladder is stacked. “One round at a time,” he cautioned.
3 – DEL WORSHAM REVIVES IHRA GLORY WITH FUNNY CAR POLE POSITION – Veteran Del Worsham brought his wealth of experience to the Funny Car category, securing the top qualifier spot with a 4.2201-second run at 235.23 mph. His .0928 reaction time
complemented a pass that, while not flawless, outpaced the field.
Worsham detailed the run’s challenges: “It came loose in the middle of the track on us… we
were really trying to make a three-second run. Probably pushing a little too hard. I thought it
would do it, it just wouldn’t hang on… Still made a decent run, just not enough for what I
wanted… The last time I won an IHRA event was almost 30 years ago, August of ’95, at the
World Nationals in Top Fuel… I’ve never been to an IHRA event that’s this well prepared and
looks this good. The track’s good, and they’ve got a great foundation here.”
Pushing for a sub-4-second ET, Worsham’s team ramped up the nitro percentage and clutch aggression, but tire spin mid-track forced corrections. Still, the pass held together for the quickest time of the day.
As a tuner-driver, Worsham balances setup and seat time. His car, a modern Toyota chassis
with advanced data, allows real-time adjustments. “We’re chasing consistency,” he explained.
“One good run sets you up, but eliminations are a different beast.”
The Funny Car class, with its 11,000 horsepower flopper bodies, drew cheers from fans.
Worsham’s pole gives him lane choice and further momentum after a runner-up in race number one. With no rain in the forecast, expect aggressive tuning for race day.
4 – JERRY TUCKER EMERGES AS FRONT-RUNNER IN – Jerry Tucker, a relative newcomer to the IHRA scene, stormed to the No. 1 qualifier position in Mountain Motor Pro Stock with a stout 4.1049-second pass at 175.37 mph. His reaction time of .1533 was solid, but it was the clean, straight run in the second session that locked him in atop the ladder.
Tucker, who made his IHRA debut earlier this month at the Columbus event, reflected on his
quick adaptation. “175 is probably a pretty good hit… We were fast enough to go to the one spot in the first round. We just got a little outta shape and I shut it off. Then the second round we went to the left lane and it went down fine…I’ll get a bye in round one tomorrow. It’s always
better to race a bye than someone else”
The bye in eliminations is a strategic advantage, allowing Tucker’s team to conserve parts and
focus on setup tweaks
Mountain Motor Pro Stock, featuring massive displacement engines without power adders, drew a competitive 12-car field to Milan. The fastest qualifier in the first round, John Montecalvo did
not believe the time would stay. “We’ll all be quicker at night.” he said.
5 – ROBIN ROBERTS BORROWS A CHAMPIONSHIP SUIT AND CLAIMS PRO MOD POLE – Robin Roberts turned heads in Pro Mod qualifying at Milan Dragway, not just with his blistering 3.6393-second elapsed time at 208.43 mph, but also with the backstory of his borrowed firesuit.
Roberts’ own suit was flagged as non-compliant during tech inspection, leading to a last-minute scramble. He turned to fellow racer Jason Harris, whose firesuit had already secured two championships in previous seasons.
“I said, well, who’s got a suit I can borrow?” Roberts recounted post-run. “Went down to Jason’s and I borrowed his suit—turns out that suit already won two championships. So I’m wearing his suit and sitting low ET qualifying. So it was fun. I borrowed a suit. He’s a good dude… We had a goal coming in here to qualify number one… We wanted to support this IHRA and get it going.
We also wanted to qualify number one, and we did that. Like we just, we really threw the house at the car on that last round and it held. I had to drive it a bit, but it held.”
Roberts’ reaction time of .0019 was near-perfect, showcasing his experience in the
doorslammer class. The run wasn’t without drama; the car required some mid-track corrections, but Roberts muscled it through for the top spot. His team, known for meticulous tuning, adjusted
the supercharger boost and clutch engagement between sessions to maximize performance on Milan’s grippy surface.
This marks Roberts’ first IHRA appearance in the revived series, and he’s vocal about his support. “IHRA’s back, and it’s better than ever,” he added. “The format—two quals, eight-car fields—keeps costs down and competition up. We’re here to win, but also to build this thing.”
Roberts’ story resonates in the pits, where camaraderie shines. Harris, who lent the suit, joked, “I wanted my suit back!” As eliminations loom, Roberts heads into round one with lane choice and momentum, aiming to parlay his qualifying dominance into an Ironman trophy.
The Pro Mod class, with its mix of blown and nitrous entries, embodies IHRA’s “run what ya
brung” ethos. Roberts’ performance sets a high bar, and with weather holding steady, expect
even quicker times on race day.
6 – IHRA LEADERSHIP DOUBLES DOWN ON REVIVAL EFFORTS AT MILAN – IHRA President Josh Peake was hands-on at home in Milan, overseeing a seamless qualifying
day. Building on Columbus, they’ve focused on racer feedback to refine operations.
