“TOP DOG” Competition to Kick Off Friday Night Qualifying at NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals

Friday Night Competition to Award $7,500 in Bonus Money to Quickest Qualifiers

MADISON, IL – September 29, 2026 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – Friday night’s professional qualifying session at World Wide Technology Raceway will carry extra stakes as NHRA’s quickest qualifiers battle for $7,500 in bonus money during the inaugural “Top Dog” competition, presented by USEDHOTDOGS.com, at the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals, Oct. 2-4.

The unique new bonus program will add an entertaining twist to Friday night qualifying as the quickest qualifier in each professional category earns the title of “Top Dog” for the evening.

Under the program, the provisional No. 1 qualifier in each professional class will be escorted to the USEDHOTDOGS.com Stage, where they will take their place atop the “Top Dog Throne.”

As each session unfolds, competitors who surpass the previous elapsed time leader will dethrone the current occupant and claim the throne for themselves.

When the final qualifying runs conclude Friday night, the last driver remaining on the throne will officially be crowned the “Top Dog” of their respective class.

The winners will receive a custom Hot Dog Trophy, exclusive USEDHOTDOGS.com swag, a ceremonial winner’s check, and bonus cash awards totaling $7,500.

Prize payouts include:

• Top Fuel: $2,500
• Funny Car: $2,500
• Pro Stock: $1,500
• Pro Stock Motorcycle: $1,000

Bringing More Fun to Friday Night

The program is expected to become a featured element of the Friday night experience, with coverage extending to NHRA’s television broadcast, in-house video programming and event-wide promotional activities.

“This is exactly the kind of creative, fan-focused activation that makes NHRA drag racing so much fun,” said Chris Blair, Executive Vice President and General Manager of World Wide Technology Raceway. “Fans love seeing drivers compete for more than just qualifying position, and the USEDHOTDOGS.com Top Dog challenge adds personality, entertainment and additional stakes to every run on Friday night. It’s going to create memorable moments both on and off the track.”

“Drag racing is about speed, performance and standing on top when the smoke clears,” said Robert Hamm of USEDHOTDOGS.com. “We wanted to create something fans will remember and drivers will want to win. Being named the Top Dog on Friday night is going to come with bragging rights, bonus cash and one of the most unique trophies in motorsports.”

Last year’s Top Hitter qualifying competition added an extra layer of excitement to Friday night qualifying, with Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car), Eric Latino (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) earning the No. 1 positions in their respective categories.

The NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals returns to World Wide Technology Raceway Oct.2-4, featuring the stars of Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle as the championship battle intensifies in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship.

For tickets and event information, visit WWTRaceway.com or call the ticket office at (618) 215-8888 ext. 1.

About World Wide Technology Raceway

World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR) is the home of NASCAR, INDYCAR and NHRA racing in St. Louis’ Metro East region. Located just five minutes from downtown St. Louis and covering 700 acres, WWTR is the largest outdoor entertainment facility in the area. WWTR’s facilities include a 1.25-mile superspeedway; 1/4-mile drag strip; 2.0-mile road course; the Gateway Kartplex state-of-the-art karting facility; and the adjacent Gateway National Golf Links. WWTR and Owner & CEO Curtis Francois have been recognized with several awards, including: 2023 St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame induction; 2023 Innovation in Philanthropy Award by the St. Louis Business Journal; 2022 Explore St. Louis Hospitality Hero Recognition; 2022 Best in Show and Best Event & Festival from the Illinois Governor’s Conference on Tourism; 2021 Comcast Community Champion of the Year; 2021 Jack Buck Award; 2020 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Track Award; 2018 Innovator Award from the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission; 2017 Outstanding Facility of the Year Award from the Race Track Business Conference; and the 2017 Spirit of St. Louis Award from the St. Louis Attractions Association. Our mission: We are committed to making a difference in our community, while providing first-class entertainment and memories that last a lifetime.

MEDIA CONTACT: Payton Buschhorn | WWTR Public Relations & Media Manager | 314.517.5125 | [email protected]

About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports and NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™ at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With more than 100 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Source: National Hot Rod Association 

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