Summit Racing Equipment Mid-West Drag Racing Series Closes 2021 at Xtreme Texas World Finals

Championships on the Line as Summit Racing Equipment Mid-West Drag Racing Series Closes Season at Xtreme Texas World Finals

FERRIS, TX – There is plenty to be decided in the 2021 Summit Racing Equipment Mid-West Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service season, which means everything is on the line at the final race of the season, this weekend’s Mid-West Drag Racing Series Xtreme Texas World Finals at Xtreme Raceway Park in Ferris, Texas.

Showcasing the strong parity throughout the classes, all of the world titles will be decided on Friday and Saturday, with close points battles to be decided in Pro Mod, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster, and the Jr. Dragster classes. With the weekend slated to be heavy on drama and excitement, it’s exactly the way MWDRS officials drew it up.

“The rules are so good in each category that nobody has locked up anything and you always want it to go down to the last race,” MWDRS owner Keith Haney said. “It’s pretty phenomenal. Nobody has run away with anything this year in any class, and everybody is racing for that championship purse.”

That’s a significant motivator in each class, as the champion in Top Alcohol Funny Car earns $20,000, with the runner-up getting $10,000. The Pro Mod world champion will earn $5,000, while champs in Top Sportsman and Top Dragster each earn $1,000.

Heading into Xtreme Raceway Park, Joey Oksas holds a 55-point lead over Jim Whiteley, while Haney is still alive in the championship hunt as well, sitting 94 points back. Oksas can wrap up the title with a solid outing in Texas, but he still has to perform at a high level to win his first championship in a class loaded with talent.

In Top Alcohol Funny Car, Sean Bellemeur is gunning for a second straight world championship in the Mid-West Drag Racing Series, and he enters the final race with a 37-point advantage against Chris Marshall. They faced off in a pair of entertaining duels at the double race in Tulsa earlier this month, with Marshall staying in contention by winning the second race.

Bill Bernard, who has a pair of wins this season, is 81 points back and is still alive, while Annie Whiteley is 118 points out of first heading to the finale. Anita Strasburg has a 96-point lead over Chase Huffman in Top Dragster, while Kelvin Brown and Michael Chitty are set for a thriller in Top Sportsman. Brown’s lead is just 19 points heading to the MWDRS Xtreme Texas World Finals. Jonathan McClain is the current points leader in Pro Junior Dragster and Tyler Wells leads the way in Sportsman Junior Dragster.

The final race of the season is also taking place at Xtreme Raceway Park for the first time in series history, which adds even more excitement to a must-see weekend.

“We’re really excited to get back to Xtreme Raceway Park. (Track owner) Clyde Scott is amazing, and Gaylen and Celeste Smith are both great track managers,” Haney said. “It’s a great all-concrete surface, a great facility and we’re thrilled to take the finals there. They always have a great fan turnout there and every time we’ve been there it’s been great, so we’re really looking forward to it.”

The MWDRS takes plenty of momentum into the last race of the year as well. The first two episodes of their series on MAV-TV have aired and drawn rave reviews, with the next two episodes slated for Oct. 24 and Oct. 30. The series also overcame some early weather challenges this year, putting together a thrilling late-season schedule that culminates this weekend.

“I couldn’t be more proud of everyone with the Mid-West Drag Racing Series due to the fact we went through some weather ordeals,” Haney said. “To get in all the races and have it go as well as it has, it’s pretty awesome. The staff at the MWDRS has put together a wonderful year and I owe it all to them.”

The first two rounds of qualifying take place at 6 and 8 p.m. on Friday, with the final round of qualifying starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday. The first round of eliminations is slated for 4 p.m. on Saturday at Xtreme Raceway Park.

It was also the first time Bellemeur raced at SRCA Dragstrip and he put on a show, taking out Chris Marshall in a thrilling side-by-side race in the final round. Bellemeur went 3.658 at 210.05 to oust Marshall’s 3.659 at 208.97 in a terrific drag race, picking up his second victory this season.

“It’s always tough going to a track you’ve never been down, but I’m lucky to have a guy like (tuner) Steve Boggs in my corner,” Bellemeur said. “The track was absolutely phenomenal and we underestimated it a couple times. Racing Marshall, it was an awesome race. I left pretty good, Steve had it tuned up and we squeaked out a win. There were a lot of really close races and it was an awesome place. I look forward to coming back.”

Bellemeur and his team debated sitting out the final qualifying session Saturday morning, but as conditions rapidly improved, they made the call and qualified No. 1, taking home the $1,000 top qualifier bonus with a run of 3.644 at 210.18.

After going 3.663 at 209.56 in an opening-round bye run, Bellemeur got past Annie Whiteley with a 3.843 at 189.82 to advance to the final. Bellemeur had to pedal the car a couple times that round, but everything was working against Marshall, as Bellemeur left first with a .032 light and had just enough to hold off Marshall at the finish line.

“I pedaled it twice against Annie and we were lucky enough to get the win light there,” Bellemeur said. “We’re still learning what this car wants, but our goal is to win a championship in both the NHRA and Mid-West Drag Racing Series. We’re going to do everything we can to try and get that done.”

Keith Haney enjoyed an impressive weekend in Pro Mod, finishing as the runner up. He knocked off Jim Whiteley, who qualified No. 1 with a 3.714 at 201.40, in the semifinals on a holeshot with a 3.726 at 202.88 in his nitrous-powered “Black Mamba” Camaro. With MAVTV also on hand, Haney praised the experience at SRCA Dragstrip as MWDRS made a lasting debut at the facility.

“Hats off to everyone at the track and everyone at Mid-West Drag Racing Series,” Haney said. “Everyone did a phenomenal job, the fans loved the show and it was just a great race weekend. We gave our fans and marketing partners exactly what they needed to see this weekend. It was a great atmosphere and everyone knocked it out of the park.”

In Top Dragster, Ramey’s 3.893 at 178.02 was enough to give him the win over Chris Burrell. Anita Strasburg qualified No. 1 with a 3.736 at 196.62. Secret knocked off Terry Pope in the Top Sportsman final round with a 4.671 at 147.71, while Ed Thornton’s 4.025 at 196.79 gave him the No. 1 qualifier.

In Pro Jr., Peres beat Jonathan McClain in the championship round, while Wells prevailed over Lucas Dreher in the Sportsman Jr. final.

The Summit Racing Equipment Mid-West Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service returns to action Sept. 10-11 with the U.S. 131 Nationals at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Mich. For more information on the Mid-West Drag Racing Series, visit www.midwestdragracingseries.com.