{"id":102010,"date":"2025-08-22T04:44:12","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T04:44:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/drag-racing\/uncategorized\/pro-mods-grassroots-racers-and-packed-grandstands-dragcoverage-night-of-fire-returns-to-alabama-international-dragway\/"},"modified":"2025-08-22T04:44:12","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T04:44:12","slug":"pro-mods-grassroots-racers-and-packed-grandstands-dragcoverage-night-of-fire-returns-to-alabama-international-dragway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/drag-racing\/uncategorized\/pro-mods-grassroots-racers-and-packed-grandstands-dragcoverage-night-of-fire-returns-to-alabama-international-dragway\/","title":{"rendered":"Pro Mods, Grassroots Racers and Packed Grandstands: DragCoverage Night of Fire Returns to Alabama International Dragway"},"content":{"rendered":"

When the sun sets over Steele, Alabama, this weekend, Alabama International Dragway will light up with one of the South\u2019s biggest drag racing spectacles: the DragCoverage Night of Fire, set for August 22-23. Anchored by a massive Pro Mod program expected to draw between 25 and 30 cars, the event has grown into what promoter TJ Pruitt proudly calls \u201cone of the Mecca events of the South.\u201d<\/p>\n

For fans, it\u2019s a rare chance to see outlaw-style Pro Mods storm the eighth-mile alongside grassroots heroes and local favorites, all in front of a full grandstand. For racers, it\u2019s a chance to compete on a stage that has become larger than anyone imagined when the event was first conceived.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re amazed at how huge this event has become,\u201d said Pruitt, founder of DragCoverage.com and the man behind Night of Fire. \u201cWe are expecting over 30 Pro Mods, and we\u2019re steadily getting calls every day. Some big names in the sport are coming. That\u2019s just a great feeling, and I can\u2019t thank Jason Collins, Denise Collins, and the entire crew at Alabama International Dragway enough for teaming up with me to bring one of the biggest drag racing events in the South.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Pro Mods Front and Center<\/h3>\n

Headlining the two-day show are Pro Mods \u2013 a slew of three-second players are already locked in. Qualifying takes place Friday night, August 22, with eliminations set for Saturday. Fans can expect big names and fresh faces alike, with a lineup that promises to stretch the pits.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn case you missed it, we\u2019ve already released some of the Pro Mod drivers coming, and we aren\u2019t done,\u201d Pruitt added. \u201cWe\u2019re expecting between 25 and 30 Pro Mods. I can\u2019t wait to see this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pro Mods may grab the spotlight, but they\u2019re far from the only draw. Pruitt anticipates between 250 and 300 race cars total, covering everything from grassroots bracket racers to heads-up categories, a balance he feels is critical to the event\u2019s identity.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m super excited for Night of Fire and even more excited to see the amount of attention the grassroots racers are getting,\u201d Pruitt said. \u201cThat\u2019s always been important to me \u2013 to make sure those racers are celebrated, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Building a Southern Mecca<\/h3>\n

Pruitt, who launched DragCoverage.com nearly two decades ago, has built Night of Fire around a simple principle: treat every racer and fan like they\u2019re the most important person in the world. That philosophy, combined with the scale of the on-track show, has elevated the event into one of the must-attend races on the Southern calendar.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne thing Wes [Buck] and I talked about on The Wes Buck Show in 2024 was to promote this as the biggest and baddest show in the nation,\u201d Pruitt said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s what we do. Make every racer and fan that rolls through the gate feel they are the most important person on the planet while racing in front of a full grandstand. That\u2019s what separates this event.\u201d<\/p>\n

The response has been overwhelming. Pruitt expects over 5,000 fans in the stands across the weekend \u2013 a crowd level that rivals national touring events and demonstrates the strength of grassroots drag racing in the South.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just a great feeling,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen you look up at the stands and see that many people, and when you hear from the racers how much they appreciate being part of something this big, that\u2019s what it\u2019s all about.\u201d<\/p>\n

More Than Just a Race<\/h3>\n

Night of Fire is supported by a dedicated group of partners and sponsors who help make the event possible. Laris Motorsports Insurance, Americans Rigging and Mechanical Services, and SpeAxisL are all lending support, with special thanks from Pruitt going to John Sullivan, Charles Smith, and Hank Stubbs.<\/p>\n

Spectator tickets are priced to keep the event accessible. Friday and Saturday admission is $25 each day, with kids 10 and under admitted free. Camping and family-friendly amenities make it easy for fans to make a full weekend of it.<\/p>\n

\u201cDrag racing in the South is about more than just the cars \u2013 it\u2019s about family, community, and pride,\u201d Pruitt said. \u201cThat\u2019s what Night of Fire is built on. When fans leave, I want them to feel like they\u2019ve been part of something special. And when racers leave, I want them to already be planning their return.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Event Details<\/h3>\n