Coming into the Shakedown at M’Town, expectations were sky high, and the historic event surpassed even the stoutest forecasts as both Mid-West Drag Racing Series and world records fell left and right in one of the most stunning displays of racing anywhere in the world. The event, which was a partnership between the Fueltech Radial Outlaws Racing Series and the Summit Racing Equipment Mid-West Drag Racing Series, was billed as the “Unholy Reunion of Big and Small Tire,” as smiles as wide as the groove beamed through the pits.
31 Pro Mods committed to make the show prior to testing Wednesday, making for one of the largest Stroud Safety Pro Mod fields in the history of the series. Names like Jason Lee, Scott Tidwell Racing, Kye Kelley, Peter Norton, and Paige Coughlin joined MWDRS powerhouse regulars like Kallee Mills, Ryan Martin, Shawn Ellington, Robert Costa, Bob Glenn, Aaron Wells and more.
The event started off with a bang, as Kallee Mills rocketed to a 3.575-second elapsed time in the opening round of qualifying. That set her at the top end of the field for the next 24 hours ahead of Jason Lee’s 3.577. The opening round also saw Robert Costa drop a personal-best 3.588, Ryan Martin run a powerful 3.595, and Victor Alvarez, Paul Gargus, Kye Kelley, also dip into the 50’s.
On Friday, the Compressed Air Supercharging Top Sportsman and the Race Star Wheels Top Dragster presented by UEM Pistons joined the fracas, setting their first time trials in an event that promised to change up the championship standings.
It would be Paige Coughlin who fired the shot heard ‘round the world on Friday Evening. With a 3.552-second pass at 213 mph, she became the new record-holder as the quickest ET in MWDRS Stroud Safety Pro Modified history. The pass knocked Mark Micke and Ryan Martin off the co-record-holder throne, with passes set in 2024 in Mark Micke’s case; and in Martin’s case just minutes before Coughlin’s record. It would stand for 24 hours, as Paul Gargus would take the win in his Pro Mod debut while resetting the record with a 3.547-second pass in the finals against Aaron Wells.
“I’ve always wanted to drive Pro Mod and I was looking to get familiar with the car this weekend. We want to be in the mix, but getting a feel for it was the main thing. I didn’t set the record. The crew, Hurricane Motorsports, Peter (Norton) and US-131 Motorsports Park all came together to do this,” said Coughlin in an interview the next day.
Saturday saw wall-to-wall action as Compressed Air Supercharging Top Sportsman saw Mike Savoia take a victory in a broke bye that should have featured Ron Biondo. Rod Oxford wheeled the Derrol Hubbard Pro 4.20 car to the 2nd round, losing to Ron Biondo. Casey Higgins would also make it to the 2nd round, as would reigning Champion Tyler Wells. The race, featuring many ringers and non-regulars, had the possibility of upsetting the points to a major extent, but ultimately the 2nd and first round eliminations for all series regulars means the field will remain tight.
In UEM Pistons Top Dragster presented by Race Star Wheels, Jason Jensen would go .009 on the tree and 4.53 to a victory over Mike Kopko in the finals. This marks Jensen’s second victory in a row at The Fastest Track in Michigan, going back to his win last year at the Funny Car Nationals. Notably, these are the only two races he has entered in that time. Jacob McNeal would make it to the 2nd round to get eliminated by Jensen in his dragster.
The Field for Pro Mod would see 13 drivers in the 16-car field qualify in the 50’s with a bump spot of 3.625 from the No. 16 quailfier Aaron Wells. Both of those figures are also MWDRS records.
Wells would go on a roller coaster Saturday, red lighting to No. 1 qualifier Paige Coughlin in round one; however, Coughlin took out multiple timing cones on a wild ride, reinstating Wells into round two. He then lost to Jacob McNeal in the semifinals, but a DQ for McNeal after a post-round tech inspection once again reinstated Wells into the finals where he would come up short against Paul Gargus. McNeal will receive no points for the event.
Ryan Martin would make his way to the semi’s, giving him back to back semifinal appearances in the season-opening rounds. In round two, Martin used a holeshot to beat Jason Collins, who ran a 3.562 to Martin’s 3.574 in the quickest side-by-side pass in the history of the series. Collins’ pass was the quickest for a blower car in series history.
Keith Goolsby debuted his new Pro Mod, formerly Randy Merrick’s Red Rocket, to fabulous results. He ran a 3.626 over the weekend, marking a new personal best and breaking in a Tutterow-tuned car in style after it had sat dormant for a few years.
Tutterow would also send Robert Costa to a blistering pass, a personal best 3.566 against Paige Coughlin in the second round of Pro Mod Slammers. A late leap by Costa would cost him as Coughlin saw the win light despite her 3.573.
Bob Glenn qualified 17th and would have made the field as an alternate, but the championship hopeful hurt his roots-blown Mustang and couldn’t find the source of the issue. With a heavy heart, the B&K team elected to take the car back to Florida to keep the powder dry and make sure they could properly reassess the car without further damage.
MWDRS event winners at the Shakedown at M’Town were: Paul Gargus (Stroud Safety Pro Mod), Jason Lee (Pro Mod Slammers), Mike Savoia (Compressed Air Supercharging Top Sportsman), and Jason Jensen (Race Star Wheels Top Dragster).
The MWDRS returns to US-131 Motorsports Park for the Northern Nationals July 31-August 1 for the next race on the 10th anniversary tour.
The post Mid-West Drag Racing Series Records Fall, New Winners Crowned at Historic Shakedown at M’Town first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
