Luke Bogacki made drag racing history at Alabama International Dragway, becoming the first driver in the 24-year history of the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) SuperSeries to win both the Top (Box) and Mod (No Box) World Championships.
The Carbondale, Illinois, driver not only captured two national titles but also earned record payouts totaling $50,000 for his performance. His feat headlined a championship weekend that also saw Brad Davis, Austin Stidham, and Ryan Bell claim world titles in Sportsman, Motorcycle, and Junior Dragster, respectively.
All four champions received IHRA Ironman trophies, commemorative checks, a Gold Card, and championship rings and jackets. But it was Bogacki’s unprecedented double win that had racers and fans talking long after the final round.
In the Top class final, Bogacki used a sharp .008 reaction time in his 1974 Chevrolet Vega to grab the advantage over Scott Hessler’s .054 start in his Camaro. Bogacki’s winning pass of 6.513 seconds at 104.43 mph held off Hessler’s 5.187-second, 131.04 mph effort.
“I’m having a hard time taking it all in,” Bogacki said. “It was just my day. I didn’t drive particularly well on the bottom bulb, but it just fell into place. It’s pretty cool to get two here. It’s incredible just to be here on this stage – it’s an incredible accomplishment.”
Bogacki sealed his Mod class title when opponent Joe Barney fouled by just -.005 second in the final. That miscue handed the win to Bogacki, who posted a 6.821-second pass at 81.51 mph after a .034 reaction time. Barney, who had won Friday’s Race of Champions, clocked 6.353 seconds at 96.83 mph.
The Mod victory capped a dream weekend for Bogacki, who became the first driver to sweep both premier SuperSeries categories in the same season. His effort underscored a career built on precision, focus, and resilience on the national bracket scene.
Mississippi racer Brad Davis earned his own historic moment by denying 2020 champion Joe Tharp Jr. another title in the Sportsman class. Davis’ 8.369-second run at 79.95 mph, coupled with a .015 reaction time, edged Tharp’s 7.482-second, 87.63 mph pass.
The victory was worth $20,000 and carried extra meaning for Davis, whose home track, Holly Springs Motorsports, had hosted the previous three IHRA SuperSeries World Finals.
“This means everything to me. It doesn’t even seem real,” Davis said. “I was in the World Finals last year and didn’t do any good. I felt like today, if I could win the first round, I could win the whole race. I won the first round and everything fell into place.”
In Motorcycle, Ohio’s Austin Stidham broke Tennessee’s two-year hold on the title by defeating Nashville’s Drew McLain in the final. Stidham’s .006 reaction time set the tone for a 5.721-second, 122.21 mph pass to McLain’s 6.861 at 97.31 mph.
It was an emotional win for Stidham, who began the weekend by damaging the motor on his own bike Thursday. Riding a borrowed motorcycle from his father, he regrouped and captured the $10,000 championship payday.
“The weekend did not start out well. I didn’t get things figured out until this morning,” Stidham said. “Yesterday was a completely different day, but today everything fell into place.”
Virginia’s Ryan Bell completed the list of champions by winning the Junior Dragster title in one of the toughest brackets of the weekend. Bell defeated standout Texan Ty Janousek in the semifinal, then beat 2024 World Champion Tate Hildebrandt in the final with a 7.595-second pass at 81.95 mph and a .023 reaction time.
Hildebrandt, the defending champion, ran 8.029 seconds at 78.34 mph after a .081 start. For Bell, the victory capped years of effort and reflected the quality of competition at his home track, Elk Creek Dragway.
“This means the world to me. I’m truly blessed to have this opportunity with the crew that I have,” Bell said. “I feel my home track, Elk Creek Dragway, helped prepare me for this race with all the great competition. This showed me that I can stick right with the best of them.”
The 2025 IHRA SuperSeries World Finals once again highlighted the grassroots heart of sportsman drag racing — where precision, poise, and perseverance determine champions.
