Byron Dragway, which celebrates its 60th Anniversary season in 2024, also recently celebrated the 25th Anniversary of its marquee bracket race, the Firecracker Bracket Nationals. With new racer incentives and competition as intense as ever, 2024's Firecracker assured Byron Dragway's place as one of the premier facilities for bracket racing in the United States. 

Those incentives were announced at the Byron Racer Awards banquet. They included a race weekend that would go from three days to four, with a $10,000-to-win "warm-up" race on Thursday and the usual $30k/$100k/$30k payout Friday through Sunday, totaling $170,000 guaranteed to the winners. 

Byron Dragway owner Kevin Robertson also announced that Saturday's $100,000 winner's payout would be the minimum, with a maximum of $150,000 provided entry minimums were met.

THURSDAY

Thursday's $10,000 warm-up race was completed under the lights, with local heavyweight Brian Folk matching up with first-time Byron Dragway bracket finalist Nate Kelly. Kelly, of Tinley Park, IL, bested the veteran driver Folk, of Durand, IL, at both ends of the track, with a .018 reaction time to Folk's .040. Kelly drove to a 4.918 ET on a 4.89 dial-in at the finish line. Folk drove his Chevy Cavalier to 5.289 ET on his 5.26 dial-in. As Nate Kelly went to the Byron Dragway Winner's to collect his first-ever Big Check, the skies over Northern Illinois opened up with seasonal thunderstorms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

FRIDAY

As most track operators know, events are held at the whims of the weather. This is especially true in the Midwest, with its often volatile summers.

Thursday night's storms continued into Friday morning, only ending mid-afternoon. 1-1/2 inches saturated the grounds, changing the course of the 2024 Firecracker Bracket Nationals.

With Friday's thirty grander washed out and Saturday and Sunday's forecast to be rain-free, Byron owner Robertson and General Manager Jake Steder decided to split the remaining $160,000 into $80k to the winner for Saturday and Sunday.

 

 

SATURDAY

After time runs for a few late arrivals, Saturday's eliminations were underway. As the rounds dwindled, Andy Schmall of Idaho Falls, ID, became the last No-Box car standing when he defeated Shane Boney in Round 6. Schmall, who earned a $1000 bonus for the feat, would join the Box class field in Round 7. 

When the dust settled, Andy Schmall would face Tucker Kanselaar in the Final.

 Schmall, no stranger to Byron Dragway's Winner's Circle, having won $30,000 at the 2018 Firecrackers, got to the final on a competition bye and, before that, defeated the formidable Gary Williams in Round 7.
Tucker Kanselaar earned a final round berth by running his number in Round 8 and defeating former Byron Dragway owner BJ Vangsness, who broke out by .008 seconds. And in a touch of irony, Kanselaar defeated double-entered Gary Williams in Round 7.

For the Final, Andy Schmall dialed in a 5.94. Tucker Kanselaar predicted he'd run a 4.48 in his dragster. Both drivers had near identical RTs. Schmall left with a .023, Kanselaar, 022. Tucker had erased Andy's 1.46-second head start by 500'. They were side by side at the finish line, with Schmall crossing it .004 seconds before Kanselaar. Schmall's ET, 5.940, was dead on his dial-in. Tucker Kanselaar ran 4.485 seconds, .005 over.

 

 

 

SUNDAY

Sunday morning brought more favorable conditions, dispensing with Saturday's high heat and humidity.

A few one-day entries showed up on Saturday, and they would get time runs promptly at 8:30 AM. Among them was 2021 Firecracker Bracket Nationals winner TC "T-Bucket" Williams, who pocketed a track record of $160,000 in another rain-shortened weekend.

Eliminations began soon after, and Round 1 and a stiff tailwind brought an element of unpredictability to the competition, with many breaking out. By Round 2, drivers had made the appropriate adjustments.

The No Box side of the equation was decided in Round 6, when Brandon Schmall, brother to Saturday's overall winner Andy Schmall, defeated Nick Hastings, who struggled to reel his short wheelbase Pontiac T1000 back into the groove after another characteristic 80' starting line wheelstand.

Sunday's $80k to win final round would feature TC Williams and Branson Schmall. Would it be the Schmall Brothers, each taking home $80k? Or TC Williams, who had a shot at being the only two-time Firecracker BIG MONEY winner? It's a great storyline either way.

Schmall got to the final on a competition bye in Round 8 by cutting the best light (.005) in Round 7 over Tim Vincent, who broke out in his dragster. Brandon Schmall also ran dead on his 6.06 dial-in at 6.060.
TC Williams defeated Phil Bryant in Round 8 with a run of 4.701, only .011 over his dial-in to Bryant's .033 over.

In the Final, Schmall again predicted his Nova will run 6.06 seconds. Williams goes with what's worked for the previous two rounds and dials in 4.69. Both left on green, Schmall with a .025 RT. Williams left the line 1.37 seconds later with a .004(!) RT. TC was driving around Brandon before 600' and crossed the finish line .033 seconds before Brandon. Willimas' ET was 4.705 seconds, while Schmall ran a 6.087 ET.

After the final, both drivers gave some credit to "lucky breaks." Perhaps. Yet, looking at the run sheets, each consistently hit their dial-ins and cut great lights, especially Williams. Both earned their place in the final round.