Drag Illustrated Issue 177, July / August 2022 | Page 34

Dirt

D-Wagon NHRA Pro Mod Shootout Added to Brainerd Race

By Josh Hachat

The FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by D-Wagon is set to hold its first-ever shootout specialty race in August . The D-Wagon NHRA Pro Mod Shootout will take place on Friday and Saturday of the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway on August 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 ,” said Craig Kruckeberg , owner and CEO / CVO , Kruckeberg Industries . “ 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 at Brainerd . If one or more of the top 16 don ’ t attend the race in Brainerd , the nexthighest 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 ,” said Josh Peterson , vice president of racing administration , NHRA . “ 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 International 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 ,” said Kristi Copham , owner , Brainerd International Raceway . “ 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 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 .” DI
PHOTOGRAPHS BY NHRA MEDIA AND LUKE NIEUWHOF
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