NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

The FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by D-Wagon is set to hold its first-ever shootout specialty race during the 2022 campaign.

The D-Wagon NHRA Pro Mod Shootout will take place on Friday and Saturday of the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd Int'l Raceway on Aug. 18-21, giving 16 standouts in the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by D-Wagon the opportunity to win the category’s first specialty race and the $10,000 prize.

“D-Wagon couldn’t be more excited to bring the first-ever shootout to NHRA Pro Mod,” Kruckeberg Industries Owner and CEO/CVO Craig Kruckeberg said. “When the idea was presented to us, we thought this was a perfect opportunity to not only get extra attention for D-Wagon, but also provide extra excitement into an already great NHRA Pro Mod series. It’s going to be an event you can’t miss.”

The top 16 in points following the NHRA Pro Mod stop a week earlier in Topeka will be eligible to compete in the D-Wagon NHRA Pro Mod Shootout in Brainerd. If one or more of the top 16 don’t attend the race in Brainerd, the next-highest in the points standings will be eligible to compete in the shootout, which will have a total purse of $25,000.

“It’s great to see D-Wagon’s enthusiasm for Pro Mod racing and for them to showcase that excitement with this new D-Wagon NHRA Pro Mod Shootout,” NHRA Vice President of Racing Administration Josh Peterson said. “This will be a big opportunity for the standout NHRA Pro Mod teams to compete in a shootout event in front of a huge amount of race fans in Brainerd, and I know they’re all looking forward to putting on a show.”

The winner of the D-Wagon NHRA Pro Mod Shootout will also have a chance to double up and pick up an event win the next day in Brainerd to cap off what would be a memorable weekend. The class made its debut at the fan-favorite facility in 2021, and the teams will look to perform on an even bigger stage this year with the specialty race within a race.

“Our fans at Brainerd Int'l Raceway enjoyed seeing NHRA Pro Mod in action for the first time last year, and we knew they were already excited to see the class return to the schedule,” Brainerd Int'l Raceway Owner Kristi Copham said. “By adding the NHRA Pro Mod Shootout with a local company like D-Wagon as the sponsor, it makes a huge weekend even bigger, and we can’t wait for our fans to experience it all.”
 
The added excitement is exactly what D-Wagon, which serves as a people transporter behind any golf cart or all-terrain vehicle (ATV) equipped with a hitch, had in mind when it became a class sponsor for the first time this year. D-Wagon, which is the latest endeavor from Kruckeberg Industries, is also a sponsor for Pro Mod veteran Doug Winters, who will be looking to earn his spot in the specialty shootout.  

“With Kruckeberg Industries only a short distance from Brainerd, we were already excited to have the race on the NHRA Pro Mod schedule again for 2022,” Winters said. “With the addition of the D-Wagon NHRA Pro Mod Shootout, it will make for one of the greatest NHRA Pro Mod events in class history, and I’m also looking forward to pulling a D-Wagon around the famed Brainerd Zoo.”

The FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by D-Wagon features the world’s fastest doorslammer cars, offering something unique for every drag racing fan. Featuring several different power adders and 250-mph action, the class has been a hit with fans and has enjoyed a strong start to the 2022 season. Kris Thorne has impressed to open the year, winning the first two races. Other top drivers in the class include reigning world champ Jose Gonzalez, two-time champ Stevie “Fast” Jackson, multitime world titleholder Rickie Smith, J.R. Gray, Lyle Barnett, Sidnei Frigo, and Justin Bond.

The stop in Brainerd is the sixth of 10 races during the 2022 NHRA Pro Mod season.

“We’ve been extremely pleased to welcome several new partners in the NHRA Pro Mod class this season, putting the class on a great path for the future,” Peterson said. “The parity in the class has been terrific this year, we’ve already seen a lot of tremendous racing through two events, and we’re excited to see NHRA Pro Mod continue to grow.”