Bracket Racing
The 2024 Fling Schedule heats up at Bristol
Bristol, TN – After over 14 years of Flings Race Series bracket races, the one must-attend event for racers has without fail been the Fall Fling 
at Bristol Dragway.
“We sold out a single entry event in 3 minutes in 2023,” said Fling promoter Peter Biondo, “And while we appreciate the incredible support, it does lead to frustrated racers that can’t get signed up in time. Our answer for 2024 is simple – to give our racers more of what they want most.”
The racers asked and the Fling Team listened. The Summer Fling will be held at Bristol Dragway September 3-7, resulting in two Fling events at Bristol Dragway. Three weeks later, on September 24-28, the Fling Team will celebrate its fifteenth year at Bristol Dragway by putting up a guaranteed $500,000 purse to Friday’s winner during the Fall Fling 500K.
“This is where it all started with Peter and Kyle in 2010,” said Emily Biondo, “So what better way to celebrate 15 years with our racers than where it all began?”
The 2024 Fling season will fire up at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the highly anticipated Spring Fling Million April 2-6. The series will then head east to the beautiful GALOT Motorsports Park April 23-27 for the Spring Fling 50s. Each of the four events on the roster will host an ever-popular combination of high guaranteed payouts with $60,000 of racer appreciation giveaways to create the unique Fling experience that keeps racers and their families entertained.
Michael Jackson Wins JEGS Performance $30,000 Saturday and Hubbard Fall Fling Points Championship
Bristol, TN — JEGS Performance $30,000 Saturday at the RAD Torque Systems Fall Fling presented by Optima Batteries at Bristol Dragway 
would see the final winners circle celebration of the year for the Fling Race Series. At the conclusion of the evening another winner would be crowned, and the Fall Fling Points Championship presented by Hubbard Heating and Cooling would be determined.
At the ladder round six cars remained including Robert Hindman, Ken Batchelor, Donny Burleson, Ernie Humes, Dan Davies, and Michael Jackson. Batchelor won with the lesser of the breakout against Hindman after running just one-thousandth under, while Burleson turned it .001 red against Humes. Davies was .001 and four-thousandths under to bow out against Jackson.
At three cars, Batchelor put it dead-on eight against Humes, who broke out by two-thousandths. Jackson took the green and would return for the final round between two North Carolinians.
Two Champions Crowned on Moser Engineering $100,000 Friday at the Fall Fling
Bristol, TN — Moser Engineering $100,000 main event Friday was slated to be the most action-packed day of the week at the RAD Torque 
Systems Fall Fling presented by Optima Batteries at Bristol Dragway where 425 drivers battled head to head for the biggest payout of the weekend.
At round seven, ten cars remained including Dustin Smiley, John Labbous, Steve Dunn, Joe Meece, Shelley Elrod, Josh Baker, Noah Lewis, Cory Gulitti, Stephen McCrory, and Steve Witherow. Labbous was behind Smiley by .003 on the tree but put it dead-on five for the win, while Dunn was perfect to the .004 redlight of Meece. Elrod earned the door car bye and Witherow had the bye on the dragster side. Baker was .014 to knock out Lewis, while McCrory fouled out by eight thousandths to Gulitti.
As racers gathered at the trackside Laris Motorsports Insurance steak dinner, the six remaining drivers agreed on the split and rolled into the quarterfinals. Baker won on a double red after being -.003 to the five red of Labbous, while Witherow also turned it five thousandths red to the .008 of Elrod. Dunn and Gulitti were separated by just two thousandths and Dunn ran dead-on eight getting to the stripe by .010 to earn the bye to the final round.
Mike Barber Secures ATI Performance Products $30,000 Thursday Victory at the Fall Fling
Bristol, TN — The weather proved to work in the racers’ favor during ATI Performance Products $30,000 Thursday at the RAD Torque 
Systems Fall Fling presented by Optima Batteries at Bristol Dragway. Exactly 425 drivers staged up for Round 1 to chase after the first main event big check of the weekend.
In the quarterfinals six racers remained – half door cars and half dragsters including Michael Paschal, Mike Barber, Chris Ferguson, Josh Baker, Matthew Holmes, and Michael Jackson. Ferguson was .008 and took .003 at the stripe to move past Baker, while Barber was .005 with a substantial advantage on the tree for the win over Holmes. Paschal continued a dominating streak as he was .009 and dead-on eight against Jackson to earn a spot in the semifinals.
At three cars, Ferguson ended Paschal’s streak by laying down .010 total for the win. Barber took a solo trip down the track with a .012 light.
In a final where either competitor would be a first time Fling event winner, Barber won by way of a double breakout after running just three-thousandths under. Ferguson, who had the advantage off the starting line with a .009 light, ran five-thousandths under. Not only did Barber collect the $30,000 payday, but he will start the Fall Fling Points chase off in the lead.
Fall Fling Advanced Product Design $15,000 Wednesday Paused Due to Weather
Bristol, TN — Advanced Product Design $15,000 Wednesday at the RAD Torque Systems Fall Fling presented by Optima Batteries at Bristol 
Dragway began with a time run session for all racers on property to get their equipment dialed in for the rest of the weekend.
In the afternoon during the second round, a storm with heavy rain and lightning overtook the track and by the time it passed the sun had set. As the Bristol Dragway track staff made an effort to clear off the track with jet dryers, the dew point increased which would create unsafe conditions by the time the track was projected to be fully prepped.
The Fling Team made the decision to begin ATI Performance $30,000 Thursday as scheduled with a new entry time trial in the morning before going straight into first round. “Our racers pre-entered this race for the 30K, 100K, and 30K main events,” said promoter Peter Biondo. “We want to deliver as promised, and we’ll see how the week progresses as far as coming back to continue eliminations of the 15K event.”
2023 RAD Torque Systems Fall Fling Presented by Optima Batteries Pre-Race
Bristol, TN — The final stop on the 2023 Fling Race Series Tour is happening this week at the RAD Torque Systems Fall Fling presented by Optima Batteries. Bristol Dragway will host 425 of the best bracket racers in the country at this unique single entry event.
“With 677 entries at our 2022 Bristol event, we felt we needed to cap the field in order to deliver the experience our racers have come to expect,” said promoter Peter Biondo. “We decided to only accept 425 single entries to allow us to finish before the track gets too cold or humid at night. Our goal is to provide a safe racing surface and end each day at a reasonable hour.”
Rob’s Automotive Tuesday will host a track-operated test and tune run in conjunction with the American Race Cars/Race Tech 32-Car Dragster Shootout where the finalists will each win a chassis with the winner having choice of builder.
HUNTER PATTON PICKS UP SUMMIT $50K PAYDAY ON SATURDAY OF THE 28th ANNUAL MILLION DOLLAR DRAG RACE
ST. LOUIS – After four days of massive car counts, incredible victories, intense competition, and unmatched excitement, Saturday’s sunrise 
would provide the last opportunity for racers to profit during the 28th Annual Mickey Thompson Million Dollar Drag Race.
Following the new entry time trial session, No Box competitors were called to the staging lanes for the final Summit $50K race of the weekend. A healthy field of 626 door cars and dragsters made their way towards the finish line during first round and without a buyback, no second chances would be available.
The fifth round featured a case of déjà vu as Nick Hastings and John Ratulowski faced off as the final bottom bulb racers. Ratulowski puts together an .019 total package but gets .013 change when Hastings is .004 up front and runs dead on with a two for the win. Hastings adds another $1,000 No Box bonus to his bank balance and moves into the door car side where he is eliminated the next round on a breakout.
HAGAR MAKES HISTORY BY CONQUERING 28th ANNUAL MILLION DOLLAR DRAG RACE WITHOUT DELAY BOX
Donnie Hagar is crowned the 28th Annual Million Dollar Drag Race champion at World Wide Technology Raceway
ST. LOUIS – The line lock is off, and we are rolling out of the water box for the day everyone has been patiently waiting for…Friday at the 
28th Annual Mickey Thompson Million Dollar Drag Race. The largest payout of the event is awarded on Friday as someone is guaranteed to leave with six figures.
Before deciding who will make their way toward the winner’s circle, all drivers receive a time trial to get dialed in for the day. The more lucrative purse calls for a higher entry fee that always lowers the car count from the surrounding $50K races. Since World Wide Technology Raceway is packed with eager racers, the decrease benefits drivers by providing time for a re-entry round if they fail to turn on the win light in round one.
The atmosphere changes on Million dollar Friday which creates an amplified excitement as the stakes continue to rise. Drivers and families not participating in Friday’s race stay to watch alongside the return road or in the grandstands, because everyone wants to know who will win it all. After the playing of the National Anthem, invocation, and moment of silence for the Million Dollar Drag Race creator, George Howard, the first pair of No Box racers make their way through the tunnel and onto the racing surface.
LAWRENCE LEAVES WITH SUMMIT $50K CHECK ON THURSDAY OF THE 28th ANNUAL MILLION DOLLAR DRAG RACE
ST. LOUIS – One day removed from Nick Hastings proving that you don’t need a delay box to collect a $50,000 prize, drivers had another 
opportunity to cash in during Thursday’s installment of the Summit Triple 50’s.
The 28th Annual Mickey Thompson Million Dollar Drag Race witnessed even more racers roll through the gates of World Wide Technology Raceway as the new entrants received a time trial prior to eliminations. Buybacks were canceled to compensate for the crowd which soared to a staggering 774 entries during the first round of competition. The support from racers produced the highest car count during the 28-year history of the Million Dollar Drag Race.
As a gesture of appreciation, the Folk family has announced a $28K Giveaway that will take place during the Million main event. On Friday, 28 tech cards will be randomly selected, followed by a live contest on the starting line where various cash prizes will be distributed via sealed envelopes with a combined value of $28,000 as a nod to the 28th Annual Million Dollar Drag Race.
HASTINGS FOOTBRAKES TO SUMMIT $50K VICTORY WEDNESDAY AT THE 28TH ANNUAL MILLION DOLLAR DRAG RACE
ST. LOUIS – Approximately five hours after Wes May claimed the first big check of the 28th Annual Mickey Thompson Million Dollar Drag 
Race, the rumble of racecars returned to World Wide Technology Raceway for Wednesday’s Summit Racing Equipment $50K.
Drivers who rolled in the gates later than the rest of the competition were given a new entry time trial to get dialed in for a daunting day of drag racing. Another increase in car count resulted in the second day without forgiveness from a buyback round to crown a winner at a reasonable time.
A mix of no box, door cars, and dragsters totaled an impressive 680 entries launching off the starting line in round one of Summit $50K Wednesday. In the fifth round, the last two bottom bulb racers staged up to see who would claim the $1,000 No Box bonus. John Ratulowski leaves first with his 6.26 dial, but Nick Hastings has the reaction time advantage and chases him down taking a .006 margin of victory.
