Dubbin Motorsports and driver Kirk Wolf battled heat, humidity, and challenging track conditions to deliver a standout performance at the NHRA Summit Racing Equipment Nationals, held June 27–29 at Summit Motorsports Park.
With track temperatures soaring to 140°F and atmospheric conditions pushing the density altitude to 3,800 feet, A/Fuel dragsters faced a minefield of dropped cylinders and traction issues. The Dubbin team adapted quickly, overcoming early setbacks to advance to the semi-final round.
As It Happened:
Q1 was cut short for Wolf when an ignition failure shut the car off just after firing.
In Q2, the team took a conservative approach to navigate the challenging conditions, posting a 5.476 at 258.52 MPH to secure the No. 15 spot.
“After an ignition issue shut the car off after firing in Q1, we dialed the car down for Q2 to get down a tricky 140° racetrack safely,” said team owner Dean Dubbin. “The air was brutal with a 3,800 ft DA, 89°, 130 grains of water, and a poor barometer. We had multiple holes out late in the run, but we still managed a 5.476 @ 258.52 mph.”
With improved air forecasted for Saturday morning, the team aimed to climb the ladder in Q3. When the Dubbin car came to the starting line, they had been bumped from the 16-car field and would have to fight their way back into the program. Wolf delivered under pressure with a 5.325 at 262.39 MPH, despite losing cylinders late in the run.
“Track conditions caught us a bit soft,” Dubbin noted, “but we clawed out a 5.32, even after losing a couple of holes on the top end.”
The run qualified the team in the No. 10 spot and set up a first-round matchup with Anthony Troyer in the McPhillips Family A/Fuel Dragster.
In round one, Wolf powered down the track to a 5.406 at 263.77 MPH, while Troyer lost traction and aborted the run.
Round two saw Wolf advance again after Brandon Greco red-lit. Wolf in the DMP Awnings – Kentex Roofing backed dragster made another clean pass down the right lane, running 5.348 at 265.27 MPH.
The semi-final round against current NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster champion Shawn Cowie ended early when Wolf got the starting line advantage but lost traction before 60 feet.
“It was a great weekend overall,” said Wolf. “Hot and humid with tricky track conditions. We finally have a car that is starting to repeat. I’m excited for Brainerd in a few weeks.”
Dubbin shared the team’s upbeat outlook. “The whole team did a great job of managing all that was thrown at them. Every round of qualifying and eliminations was different and the car responded to every change we made. We feel good about what we accomplished in the past two weeks here in Norwalk, and we are really looking forward to the Brainerd races.”
Up Next:
Kirk Wolf and the Dubbin Team are gearing up for back-to-back appearances at the Dubbin Motorsports home track, Brainerd International Raceway. They’ll compete in the NHRA Lucas Oil Regional event from August 7–10, followed by the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, August 14–17.
This story was originally published on July 1, 2025. 
The post Dubbin Motorsports & Kirk Wolf Deliver Clutch Performances in Challenging Norwalk Conditions first appeared on Drag Illustrated.