Michalek Brothers Racing has formed a partnership with Burnyzz Speed Shop for the remainder of the 2022 NHRA racing season, which will include three races in Ohio and one each in Indiana and Texas.
 
“This is an exciting partnership for Michalek Brothers Racing,” said Corey Michalek. “Kyle and I have watched Josh and Brittanie Hart handcraft one of the most impressive automotive businesses in the country with Burnyzz Speed Shop since we first met Josh back in 2017 and they have continued to push the envelope ever since. "

The large father “Big Daddy” Don Garlits will make his return to Mo-Kan Dragway for the first time since the mid 1980’s in a two day celebration of Mo-Kan’s 60th Anniversary set for Friday and Saturday, July 15th and 16th. 

This event will be headlined by Nitro Chaos, an all nitromethane fueled, heads up, run whatcha’ brung contest of horsepower. Mo-Kan Dragway owner Carl Blanton and Nitro Chaos promoter Chris Graves have a long history and share the deep passion for the sport and feel that Nitro Chaos is the perfect event for this special race weekend and having the world’s greatest drag racer, Don Garlits to serve as feature guest and Grand Marshal truly sends this event over the top. 

First year Pro Stock driver Camrie Caruso has not been crowned NHRA Rookie of the Year for 2022 but she is making a strong case through the first seven races of the season. Heading into the NHRA Norwalk Nationals Caruso will be flying the colors of Kings of Vapor, an Ohio-based vapor store and online business that has been a longtime supporter of Caruso Family Racing.

“We have had a great relationship with the guys from Kings of Vapor,” said Caruso. “We have known them for years. We sold Rick Bowling my old Top Dragster and then we drove for him. We won a couple races and they have always been great supporters of our program. They will have some guests at the races this weekend and we are looking forward to an exciting race.” 

Veteran NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Chip Ellis is back competing again.

Ellis confirmed to CompetitionPlus.com he will be riding a second Buell for Ryan Oehler’s Pro Stock Motorcycle team at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals Friday through Sunday in Norwalk, Ohio.

Two-time NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster world champion Megan Meyer, who stepped away from competition after the 2020 season to start a family, will return to the driver’s seat of a Randy Meyer Racing A/Fuel dragster for two races this summer. With support from Meyer Truck Center and NGK’s Shop Squad, Meyer will run an exhibition race at Eddyville Raceway Park’s Night of Fire and will compete at Mo-Kan Dragway’s Nitro Chaos.   

“I missed the competitiveness and just being out there driving the car,” said Meyer, who won world championships in 2019 and 2020. “When I went to the races last year while I was pregnant, and again when I went to a race earlier this year, I just missed being behind the wheel. I really enjoyed being on the starting line with the crew and celebrating wins with them, but I also do miss the other parts of it that come with driving.”  

Bobby Bennett had a harrowing experience as a teenager at his South Carolina home racetrack, Spartanburg Dragway,

“Me and my dad almost got killed down there at Spartanburg Dragway, and my cousin’s the one who almost killed us. My cousin was running a front-engine dragster that used to be a Top Fuel dragster, but they had a 454 big-block Chevrolet in this thing. And when he was leaving the starting line, the harmonic balancer came off this car. It kind of looks like a five-pound weight at the gym. It came off his car and went whizzing across the return road. Me and my dad were standing there, talking, right at the base of the tower, and it knocked out the neon tube lights and knocked out about an inch-deep hole in the cinder block [tower] - went right between us. The thing never touched either one of us. I thought, ‘Holy smokes!’ If that thing had hit us, it would have decapitated one of us.”

While everyone would love to be in the top spot in the Comp Eliminator Bonus Fund, started by Rodger Brogdon and Rooftec, that’s not the only position that pays. In fact, anyone in the Top Ten in this heated points race will walk away with a nice chunk of change. 

Just ask Don Thomas, who, after winning the final Division 4 points meet of the season, is sitting fifth in the points race. His goal was to stay in the top ten, so he was thrilled to walk away with the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Wally in Tulsa.

At 118 miles, Norwalk Raceway Park is Kalitta Motorsports’ home track, and what better place to showcase a marketing partner?

Kalitta Motorsports’ flagship driver will be flying the branding and logos of long-time marketing partner SealMaster during the NHRA Norwalk Nationals this weekend when the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series rolls into Summit Motorsports Park. Additionally, Applied Innovation, the award-winning Michigan-based company with over 35 years of expertise, provides imaging, technology, and automation services for businesses across all industries, will be taking over the front sections of the Kalitta and Shawn Langdon Top Fuel dragsters.

“The Norwalk track is the closest race to our race shop as well as the SealMaster headquarters, so this will be a cool event to run this SealMaster Top Fuel dragster,” said Kalitta who is currently sitting in the Top Fuel Top Ten. “They get huge crowds at Norwalk, and I know we will have a ton of folks from our shop as well as SealMaster at the race.”

Tractor pulling veteran Stan Shelton picked up his second Stroud Safety Pro Mod victory of the season Saturday night, leading the list of winners in the Summit Racing Equipment Mid-West Drag Racing Series (MWDRS) presented by J&A Service festivities at World Wide Technology Raceway’s Summer Speed & Fire Spectacular. 
 
Multi-time MWDRS and NHRA champion Sean Bellemeur rolled to his third win of the season in J&A Service Top Alcohol Funny Car. Larry “Spiderman” McBride, who holds the record for the world’s quickest and fastest motorcycle, picked up his first MWDRS victory in Pingel Top Fuel Motorcycle. The series also welcomed the Custom Floaters Front-Engine Top Fuel class for the first time, and Shawn Bowen earned the win there after Chicago-style eliminations. 

The competition is heating up as the Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) rolls into the halfway point in its eight-race 2022 season this weekend at the North vs. South Shootout presented by Line-X and Iron Man Quick Connect Push Bar, June 23-25 at Maryland International Raceway. World championship contenders are emerging, while the series’ new small-tire class will make its debut. 
 
“The Maryland fans have always been very supportive of us over the years, and we have an incredible show lined up for them this weekend,” said Tyler Crossnoe, race director, PDRA. “Competition is at an all-time high across the board in our professional and sportsman classes. Plus, we’re debuting our newest class, AFCO Super Street presented by Menscer Motorsports. Fans of all kinds of different classes will find something for them at this event.”