In the 1980s, iconic wrestling promoter Jim Crockett developed a promotion he branded as a Bunkhouse Stampede, where the participants fought in a battle royale format complete with rivalries and, if needed, weapons until one man was left standing.

This season's Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown battle has looked like those old Bunkhouse Stampede matches with seven different finalists in six events.

One of the unique features of this specialty division featuring the latest factory hot rods from the three major domestic has been a bounty program where a racer is awarded $1000 for knocking off the previous event winner. The bounty has been claimed in five of the six events this season.

To give an idea of how competitive the series has been in 2022, one racer has won three of the events and doesn't lead the points going into this weekend's Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.

David Barton, who has won two events thus far this season, snagged a 55-point lead over three-time winner Bill Skillman at the most recent event, the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.

"We're really excited to be racing the Factory Showdown at our home track because there are a lot of Factory Stock Showdown fans in the Northeast that haven't seen these cars run since the Englishtown days," Barton said. "This class is bigger and better than ever. The competition is fierce, and it's going to take everything I have to stay in the No. 1 spot. I'm not going to put too much pressure on myself; I'm just going to do my own thing and keep a clear head."

Just how tough has this season been? Defending series champion Aaron Stanfield is sitting third in points, 186 points out of first.

"I think some crazy things would have to happen for us to win a championship, but we are still focused on going out there and winning," Stanfield said. "I feel like we have a good of chance as anyone to win this weekend and that is our goal."

With just two races left in the 2022 Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown season, the results of the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals could be very telling in the grand scheme of the championship hunt.

The racing action at Maple Grove Raceway will begin with qualifying rounds Friday at 4:15 p.m. and Saturday at 11:30 a.m., and 3:15 p.m. Eliminations will begin with round one on Saturday at 5:45 p.m. and continue Sunday at 12:10 p.m.