On Saturday, August 1, tens of thousands of drag racing fans packed the grandstands at Norwalk, Ohio’s Summit Motorsports Park to witness the spectacle that is the 49th annual Cornwell Quality Tools Night Under Fire. Despite a forecast that predicted a near-guaranteed rainout during the primetime show, the Bader family and its team persevered to provide another star-studded show at the world’s largest single-day drag racing event.
In the headlining King of Nitro competition, four NHRA Top Fuel standouts and four NHRA Funny Car stars battled it out for $430,000 in total winnings. Top Fuel rookie Maddi Gordon won the four-car dragster shootout, while her team owner, three-time world champion Ron Capps, won the Funny Car shootout. Just a month after the two drivers doubled up to win the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Norwalk, Capps defeated Gordon in the King of Nitro final round.
Night Under Fire also hosted the inaugural Mountain Motor Pro Stock Shootout powered by Ross Environmental, with $100,000 in total prize money for the 23 teams that attempted to qualify for the 16-car field. Jerry Tucker and barrier-breaking crew chief Frank Gugliotta qualified No. 1, but it was 2023 PDRA Extreme Pro Stock world champion Alan Drinkwater and 2025 NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock world champion John DeFlorian who squared off in the final round. Drinkwater got the win on a holeshot, earning the $50,000 winner’s share of the purse.
A 16-car field of Top Sportsman entries took part in the show as well, with Keith Castle taking down Ronnie Proctor in the final round.
Ohio’s own Corey Michalek secured another Night Under Fire Top Alcohol Dragster title when he defeated Michigan’s JP Gutierrez in an A/Fuel vs. blown alcohol battle.
The Night Under Fire lineup was rounded out by the ScottRods AA/Gassers, jet cars, a jet truck, local bracket racing, and of course, the Bader family’s signature fireworks show.
DI contributing photographer Krista Zivcic captured the sights, from the always-popular autograph session and moments in the pits to the pyrotechnic-heavy on-track show.
This story was originally published on August 3, 2026. 
The post PHOTO GALLERY: Norwalk’s 49th Annual Night Under Fire first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
