The Mid-West Drag Racing Series will use the final two events of its 2026 season to determine whether the Quarter-Max Pro Extreme Exhibition Class deserves a permanent place in the championship lineup.
The class has been confirmed for Oct. 23-24 at Tulsa Raceway Park and Nov. 6-7 at Xtreme Raceway Park, giving racers, fans and sponsors an opportunity to evaluate the category before series officials make a decision on adding it as a points-paying class in 2027.
Pro Extreme traces its roots to the middle of the 2000s when the ADRL introduced the division as a showcase for boosted and outlaw-style Pro Mod combinations. The class quickly became one of outlaw drag racing’s signature attractions, featuring supercharged, turbocharged and nitrous-powered entries competing under the same umbrella of rules.
MWDRS owner Keith Haney believes bringing the class to the series is the best way to determine whether there is enough interest to support a championship division.
“The Mid-West Drag Racing Series has always been about listening to racers and building the sport of drag racing,” Haney said. “Pro Extreme has generated a lot of interest over the years, and we felt the best way to evaluate its future with the MWDRS was to put it on the racetrack. This exhibition gives everyone from the stands to the sponsors an opportunity to see the class in action before we make any decisions for next season.”
Quarter-Max Race Cars signed on as title sponsor of the exhibition, aligning one of the sport’s leading chassis builders with a class that helped shape the modern outlaw doorslammer landscape.
Company owner Clyde Scott said the category remains one of the most balanced forms of Pro Mod racing because it removes many of the power-adder restrictions found elsewhere.
“This class holds a special place for me because it’s where I started my Pro Mod career,” Scott said. “While I enjoy every form of Pro Mod racing, what makes Pro Extreme unique is that it removes many of the power-adder restrictions, helping level the playing field. Teams that may not have years of data or unlimited testing can still be competitive, qualify well, and have a legitimate opportunity to win races.”
From Scott’s perspective, that competitive balance benefits both racers and spectators.
“From a racer’s perspective, that’s exciting. From a fan’s perspective, it creates unpredictable, hard-fought racing that showcases incredible horsepower and talented drivers. Quarter-Max is proud to support this exhibition class, and we’re excited to see what the racers and fans think over these final two MWDRS events.”
The exhibition will feature an eight-car qualified field with three qualifying sessions, including two Friday rounds and one Saturday morning session before eliminations begin immediately following the opening round of Stroud Safety Pro Mod competition. The purse totals $18,000, with $10,000 awarded to the winner.
Series officials also released what they have described as a simplified rules package intended to encourage participation while maintaining safety. Double power-adder combinations and nitro-powered entries are prohibited, competitors must meet NHRA, IHRA or PDRA licensing and chassis certification requirements, and cars cannot compete in multiple categories during the same event.
Haney said Quarter-Max was a natural partner because of the company’s history in doorslammer racing and Scott’s support of the class.
“Quarter-Max has become one of the premier chassis builders in drag racing, and we’re proud to have them involved with this new program,” Haney said. “Clyde’s passion for the class and understanding of what it can offer racers made Quarter-Max the perfect partner for this exhibition. We want to give racers another place to compete while putting on the best possible show for our fans.
“We’ve never been about adding classes just to add classes. We’re going to listen to our racers, our fans, our marketing partners, and our tracks. If everyone believes this class belongs in the MWDRS, we’ll seriously evaluate making it part of our 2027 championship lineup.”
The MWDRS is also exploring the possibility of adding the Quarter-Max Pro Extreme Exhibition Class to September’s Smackdown at Flying H Drag Strip if additional sponsorship can be secured. Feedback from racers, sponsors, promoters and fans during the exhibition events will ultimately determine whether Pro Extreme becomes the series’ newest championship category beginning in 2027.
