MWDRS
MWDRS Gearing Up for Double Event at Tulsa’s Fall Throwdown in T-Town
TULSA, OK — A big weekend is on tap for the Summit Racing Equipment Mid-West Drag Racing Series (MWDRS) presented by J&A 
Service, as the series will crown event champions for two different events at the fall edition of the Throwdown in T-Town, Oct. 6-8, at Osage Casino & Hotel Tulsa Raceway Park. Eliminations from the MWDRS Great Bend Nationals in June will be completed Thursday before kicking off the Tulsa race, adding another exciting element to the historic event.
“We’re coming up on our 30th edition of the Throwdown in T-Town,” said Keith Haney, founder of MWDRS and co-owner of Tulsa Raceway Park. “We do two a year, one in the spring and one in the fall. The fan turnout is always amazing. Everybody looks forward to racing at the Throwdown just because of the atmosphere itself. Todd [Martin, track co-owner] does a great job interacting with the fans. Having Al Tucci and Luke Clevenger on the mic and all of them interacting together is pretty cool too.”
Over 20 drivers, including Haney and Martin, have signed up to compete in Stroud Safety Pro Mod, joining J&A Service Top Alcohol Funny Car and the series’ newest class, Jerry Bickel Race Cars Pro Street, which made its debut at the spring Throwdown.
Tanner, Marshall Pick Up MWDRS Wins at US 131 Motorsports Park
MARTIN, MI — Preston Tanner scored his first Summit Racing Equipment Mid-West Drag Racing Series (MWDRS) presented by J&A 
Service victory in his Stroud Safety Pro Mod debut Saturday night at US 131 Motorsports Park’s Honor Credit Union Funny Car Nationals. The 22-year-old former Jr. Dragster standout defeated points leader Dustin Nesloney when Nesloney went red in the final round. Tanner is now the fourth different Pro Mod winner in the five races the series has contested so far this season.
A red light also decided the outcome in the J&A Service Top Alcohol Funny Car final round, where Chris Marshall won over Annie Whiteley to secure his third MWDRS victory.
MWDRS event victories also went to Billy Swain in Race Star Wheels Top Dragster, Michael Chitty in Voss Wheelie Bars Top Sportsman, Austin Perrone in B&C Trailers Pro Jr. Dragster, Aliyah Pitsch in Zimmerman Properties Sportsman Jr. Dragster, Roderjan Busato in Pro Mod Slammers, and Colman Hansen in Jr. Slammers.
MWDRS Ready to Get Back on Track at US 131 Motorsports Park’s Funny Car Nationals
MARTIN, MI — It’s been nearly three months since the Summit Racing Equipment Mid-West Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service 
last raced, so the all-eighth-mile series is recharged and ready to put on a show at US 131 Motorsports Park for the track’s 18th annual Honor Credit Union Funny Car Nationals, Sept. 9-10. It’s the sixth race of an eight-race season for the series, which includes headlining pro and sportsman classes.
“It feels like it’s been forever,” said Keith Haney, founder, MWDRS. “Our racers even feel like it’s been forever. But the good thing is people got to spend time with their families and concentrate on work. It’s kind of like a little break to recharge and revamp your program or stock back up because parts are hard to get. It’s a combination of things that make the time off great.”
The two quickest and fastest classes in the MWDRS, Stroud Safety Pro Mod and J&A Service Top Alcohol Funny Car, will join the Funny Car Nationals lineup that also features four nostalgia Nitro Funny Cars, nostalgia BB/Funny Cars, and jet Funny Cars.
Shelton, Bellemeur Add MWDRS Wins at Summer Speed & Fire Spectacular in St. Louis
MADISON, IL — 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.
Dustin Nesloney, the Pro Mod points leader going into the weekend, scored the Pro Mod Slammers win after losing in the opening round of the regular Pro Mod field. He defeated Ed Thornton in the final round.
With Heavy Hearts, MWDRS Moving Forward with Summer Speed Spectacular in St. Louis
MADISON, IL — Though the Summit Racing Equipment Mid-West Drag Racing Series (MWDRS) presented by J&A Service is still mourning 
the recent loss of Pro Mod driver Ronnie Hobbs, the series is moving forward with the fifth race of their eight-race season, the Summer Speed & Fire Spectacular at World Wide Technology Raceway near St. Louis. It’s the last event before the MWDRS goes on a summer break.
“Ronnie was a good friend, a fierce competitor, and an advocate of the series,” said Keith Haney, founder and owner, MWDRS. “His loss of life impacted the whole MWDRS staff and our racers. It’s going to be hard for us all, but Ronnie wouldn’t want it any other way. He’d want us to strap back into our race cars and for us to continue on with the show we’ve been providing for six years now. We will go on. We have to.”
The MWDRS is taking part in World Wide Technology Raceway’s Summer Speed & Fire Spectacular as a part of a show that also includes jet dragsters, fireworks, and more.
MWDRS Mourns Loss of Pro Mod Driver Ronnie Hobbs at Great Bend Nationals
TULSA, OK — The Mid-West Drag Racing Series (MWDRS) is saddened over the passing of Pro Mod driver Ronnie Hobbs following an on-
track incident during Friday night qualifying at the MWDRS Great Bend Nationals at SRCA Dragstrip.
Hobbs, a recent winner in Stroud Safety Pro Mod, lost control of his screw-blown “Texas Rattlesnake” ’17 GT350 Mustang, impacted the right-side retaining wall, and exited the racing surface. He passed away at the scene.
“The loss of Ronnie Hobbs is a huge blow to us and the drag racing world and everybody affected by it,” said Keith Haney, founder and owner, MWDRS. “He was a total advocate for MWDRS, period. Just a tremendous loss. He was doing what he loved, that’s for sure. He really loved drag racing. Not that that makes it any easier or any better. All of us at the MWDRS offer our deepest condolences to Ronnie’s family, friends, and fans.”
MWDRS and SRCA Dragstrip officials postponed the rest of the Great Bend Nationals following the incident out of respect for Hobbs and his family. Officials and racers spent Saturday morning remembering Hobbs.
MWDRS Tour Rolls on to Historic SRCA Dragstrip for Great Bend Nationals
GREAT BEND, KS — A month after completing a double event in Tulsa, the Summit Racing Equipment Mid-West Drag Racing Series 
(MWDRS) presented by J&A Service is moving on to SRCA Dragstrip for the second annual Great Bend Nationals, June 3-4. It’s the first of two June races before the series takes the summer off.
“Everything was great about this track last year and we’re excited to go back this year,” Haney said. “We had great runs last year and a great event. It was the very first track to hold an NHRA national event, and it’s just exciting that we get to bring our show there. The staff at the place is awesome – they’re all volunteers. Their EMS team is on point. The track prep was great. Everything was great.”
Like every other MWDRS event, the Great Bend Nationals will include the headlining Stroud Safety Pro Mod and J&A Service Top Alcohol Funny Car classes. Sportsman and Jr. Dragster categories will also race at Great Bend, including Voss Wheelie Bars Top Sportsman, Race Star Wheels Top Dragster, B&C Trailers Pro Jr. Dragster, and Zimmerman Properties Sportsman Jr. Dragster.
Hobbs, Shelton, Bellemeur and A. Whiteley Lead Winners at MWDRS Double Event During Throwdown in T-Town
TULSA, OK — Stroud Safety Pro Mod drivers Ronnie Hobbs and Stan Shelton scored their first career victories in the Summit Racing 
Equipment Mid-West Drag Racing Series (MWDRS) presented by J&A Service at Osage Casino & Hotel Tulsa Raceway Park’s spring Throwdown in T-Town, which also included eliminations from the MWDRS Memphis Nationals.
Hobbs won the Tulsa event, along with Sean Bellemeur in J&A Service Top Alcohol Funny Car, Robert Costa in Pro Mod Slammers, Shannon Smith in Voss Wheelie Bars Top Sportsman, Karl Jones in Race Star Wheels Top Dragster, Brody Zimmerman in B&C Trailers Pro Jr. Dragster, Kale Moberly in Zimmerman Properties Sportsman Jr. Dragster, and Dave Pierce in Dave’s Claremore RV Pro Street.
Shelton was the Memphis winner, joining additional winners Annie Whiteley in Top Alcohol Funny Car, Todd Martin in Pro Mod Slammers, Anita Strasburg in Top Dragster, Robert Irby in Top Sportsman, Alexis Kesterson in Pro Jr. Dragster, and Tyler Wells in Sportsman Jr. Dragster.
MWDRS to Crown Two Event Winners in One Weekend at Spring Throwdown in T-Town
TULSA, OK — The spring edition of Osage Casino & Hotel Tulsa Raceway Park’s popular Throwdown in T-Town got even bigger when 
eliminations were postponed at the recent Summit Racing Equipment Mid-West Drag Racing Series (MWDRS) presented by J&A Service Memphis Nationals two weeks ago. Now, it’s race week again and racers are traveling to Tulsa to put on a show for the Throwdown fans.
“This has become a nationally recognized, can’t-miss event,” said Keith Haney, owner of the MWDRS and co-owner of Tulsa Raceway Park. “Fans have come to expect a thrilling, diverse show at the Throwdown, and they absolutely pack the place. Racers come from all over the country because they want to put on a great show in front of a huge crowd. It’s a win-win for everyone involved. And now with two races in one, it’s going to be an even bigger show.”
Racing will start Thursday evening beginning with eliminations from the Memphis race. The sportsman and Jr. Dragster classes completed first round of eliminations at Memphis, while Stroud Safety Pro Mod and J&A Service Top Alcohol Funny Car will start with first round. The final rounds from the Memphis race will be contested Friday morning before starting the Tulsa race qualifying in the evening.
Pro Street to Compete at the Mid-West Drag Racing Series Throwdown in Tulsa
TULSA, OK – The exciting Pro Street class has competed at Throwdown in different variations for years. However, in 2022, the class 
becomes part of the MWDRS at both Throwdowns with the possibility of being added to others in 2022 and 2023.
Dave Pierce of Tulsa’s iconic Dave’s Claremore RV had a vision and desire to compete again himself after stepping out of the seat of the family-owned and campaigned Purple Gorilla Nitrous Pro Mod several years ago. The Pro Street class has seen the track in Tulsa for years, with a few tweaks.
“I really wanted to revive the class and make it competitive and give us something to build on. The radial classes have really gone away in the Mid-West so I sold my radial Camaro and purchased a 2003 Grand Am”, states Dave Pierce.
Cars like Pierces’ Bickel-built car, that was a former Jason Line Pro Stock car, are perfect for this class which aims to resurrect some of the cars people have in their shops.
