WDRA GROWTH CONTINUES WITH THE ADDITION OF NORTHERN MICHIGAN DRAGWAY

Northern Michigan Dragway becomes the latest facility to choose a sanctioning agreement with the WDRA.

NORWALK, OH: Michigan racers will have another World Drag Racing Alliance (WDRA) facility to compete during the 2025 season with the addition of Northern Michigan Dragway.

The eighth-mile racetrack in Kaleva was founded in 1970 by Michigan Motorsports Hall of Famers Tom and Jim Ledford. Now entering its 55^th season, Northern Michigan Dragway has experienced tremendous support, with over two hundred racers registering for the points chase in 2024. This growth is credited to the friendly atmosphere and family-forward management of Brian and Wayne Ledford.

Northern Michigan Dragway has made various improvements in recent years, including a complete resurfacing of the racetrack and increased paving throughout the vast pit area, staging lanes, and return roads. Becoming a sanctioned facility again has rejuvenated the excitement and camaraderie that comes with earning a coveted spot in the year-end festivities.  

FOD CONTROL CORPORATION OFFERS EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT TO WDRA MEMBER TRACKS

This partnership with the FOD Control Corporation can assist racetracks in cutting costs on track maintenance in 2025.

NORWALK, OH: The World Drag Racing Alliance (WDRA) has procured a partnership with the FOD Control Corporation in 2025, adding to its already impressive line-up of discounts and perks that come with being part of the Alliance. The FOD Control Corporation will provide a ten-percent discount to WDRA member racetracks who purchase a FOD-Razor Motorsports Sweeper, which is an innovative drag mat that picks up FOD (foreign object debris) from the racing surface, pits, and staging lanes.

“The beauty of this system is that it doesn’t send the debris airborne,” said Jon O’Neal with WDRA.  “Most racetracks have traditionally used air power to move debris off the racing surface, but that becomes sketchy near cars in the pits or the lanes. This concept of a sweeper was built for airfield use, but the effectiveness of these drag mats on racing surfaces has amazed me. The only other way I know to lift material is a vacuum truck, and the cost savings with a device like this are extraordinary in comparison.”

The FOD-Razor Motorsport Sweeper is an ingenious pull-behind sweeper built to ensure a clean surface while enhancing performance and safety during competitive events. The durable design quickly removes rocks and aggregate, loose tire rubber, glass, fiberglass, carbon fiber debris, and other foreign substances.  It’s an easy and low-maintenance way to prevent tire and vehicle damage, operates seamlessly on various track surfaces, and is compact, lightweight, and easy to deploy. To drive home the positives, the FOD-Razor Motorsport Sweeper can be connected to any motorized vehicle, has a lifetime warranty, and is manufactured in the USA.

CHAMP PANS TO COME ON BOARD WITH WDRA FOR THE 2025 SEASON

WDRA racers are rewarded with an exclusive discount when purchasing Champ Pans products in 2025.

NORWALK, OH: The World Drag Racing Alliance (WDRA) is pleased to announce the addition of Champ Pans to its growing list of marketing partnerships ahead of the 2025 racing season. All WDRA members will receive an exclusive $50 discount certificate with Champ Pans through the innovative WDRA Racer Benefits program.  

For over forty years, Champ Pans by JR Manufacturing has been a trusted resource for top-notch oil pans and products manufactured in-house at its facility in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The Redetzke family-owned and operated business began with humble roots in a 10×20’ workshop and quickly expanded due to the demand for their exceptional oil pans. Through hard work and dedication, Champ Pans has grown to manufacture over one thousand products while maintaining a focus on quality, high performance, and affordability. With two generations of dirt track experience at the helm, Champ Pans understands a racer’s need for the best products to improve efficiency.

THE WDRA SUMMIT SPORTSMAN DRAG RACING SERIES PRESENTED BY SUNCOAST PERFORMANCE BEGINS JANUARY 1

We are beyond blessed to have both Summit Racing Equipment and SunCoast Performance extend their partnerships and their support of the Alliance. The Summit Sportsman Drag Racing Series and the Summit World Championship presented by Suncoast Performance in 2025 programs are set to begin again on January 1. Montgomery International Dragway will be the place only the best gather together on October 23-25, 2025. Get your WDRA registration and take your shot at putting your name in the WDRA history books. Racers can register for the program here: https://www.racewdra.com/license/

KINGDOM MEDIA JOINS THE ALLIANCE TO SUPPORT MEMBER TRACKS, OFFERS HUGE EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNTS

NORWALK, OH: Kingdom Media Company, the minds behind the brilliant videos documenting snapshots of the 2023 and 2024 Summit World Championship events, are offering their services to WDRA member tracks with exclusive discounts attached. Their ability to document and promote events and brands has been a key element in showing the world the excitement surrounding the WDRA Summit Sportsman Drag Racing Series culmination.

“I have seen Douglas Wade captivate rooms in track operator meetings with his work and knew immediately that this was the guy to tell our story,” said Jon O’Neal of the WDRA. “Along with other forms of sport and entertainment, he had worked on a couple of drag racing events and I knew he had a vision that paralleled ours.”

Kingdom Media Company will be offering their full service video production talents to WDRA tracks with an exclusive $2,500 discount. This offering allows WDRA member tracks to take advantage of some of the best full-service shooting and editing in the market at an attainable price tag.

WDRA Drives Financial Support To Member Tracks With Laris Motorsports Insurance Partnership

Sanctioning Body Renews Unique Partnership Program That Financially Benefits WDRA Member Tracks

NORWALK, OH – The World Drag Racing Alliance set out to be “different by design” just 23 months ago and it has quickly transformed the relationship between a sanctioning body and its member tracks.  That industry change continues with the announcement that Laris Motorsports Insurance has renewed the wildly popular national track partnership commitment to the Alliance.  Thanks to the generous support of our partner Laris Motorsports Insurance, the WRDA is able to waive annual sanction fees of all 57 WDRA sanctioned facilities, lending direct financial support to the WDRA track network.    

“As we operate in an environment and economy that puts constant financial pressure on drag strip operations, the first challenge WDRA tackled was to bring our tracks tangible support in terms of overhead reduction and sponsorship programs,” said WDRA’s Skooter Peaco.  “The Laris Motorsports program is the cornerstone of our member track partnership programs.  This new way of forward thinking helped launch two additional national partnership programs with our tracks this season and WDRA was thrilled to put a combined $161,805 back in our track’s pockets,  In addition, WDRA tracks saved tens of thousands of dollars by using the products and services of a dozen companies that offer exclusive WDRA track  discounts on a variety of products they need to run the operation.” 

GLEASON DRAGWAY JOINS WDRA AS PART OF THE MEMBER TRACK FAMILY

Norwalk, OH- The World Drag Racing Alliance and Gleason Dragway have announced a multi-year sanction agreement that will see the newly renovated Gleason Raceway Park join the alliance in 2025 and beyond.  The Northup family have been on a tear of improvements since their acquisition of the facility in early 2021 and flying the WDRA flag will give them the opportunity to expand on those improvements.

“There is no better definition of a family owned and operated facility when most of the staff with radios on are part of that family,” said WDRA’s Jon O’Neal. “The essence of providing a safe, attractive and family oriented experience is alive and well at Gleason.”

Brothers Sam and Rick Northup along Samantha Archabal and the extended Gleason Family have been hard at work with a fresh AccuTime Timing System and wiring, starting line concrete work, extension of the shutdown and return road and a mass of equipment purchases and repairs to get the facility to their level of operation. Sam and Rick are carrying on the tradition of being in business together for over 30-years.

“I feel that this is the right move for our racers,” said co-owner Rick Northup.  “The professionalism of the WDRA shows in their efforts.  Looking forward at the next ten years, we feel the WDRA is the right fit for our facility and is going to be the place to be.”

PROLUBE OIL PARTNERS WITH WDRA FOR THE 2025 SEASON

Prolube Oil will directly support racers at the 2025 WDRA Summit World Championships by sponsoring the Free $5K Sportsman Gamblers Race.

NORWALK, OH: Prolube Oil joins forces with the World Drag Racing Alliance (WDRA) as the class sponsor for the Free $5,000-to-win Sportsman Gamblers Race contested at the WDRA Summit World Championships.

Partnering with a drag racing sanctioning body is a full-circle moment for Prolube Oil founder Paul Wireman, who owned and operated Riverside Dragstrip & Speedway for fourteen years, beginning in 1964.  As a car enthusiast and late model racer, Wireman began experimenting with oil additives in hopes of creating a competitive edge on the racing surface. He adjusted the formula throughout the late 1980s until the development of the Prolube Oil Treatment, which reduces friction, increases engine life, and even expands the time between oil changes. This winning combination has been used to secure five National Championships in NASCAR, NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle, and JEGS Pro Stock Truck and is now welcomed as a marketing partner for the sportsman racing ranks with the WDRA.

“The Prolube team is thrilled to partner with the WDRA for a great event that gives back directly to the racers,” said Jake Wireman with Prolube Oil. “This partnership is very meaningful to us because it takes us back to our roots and feels like home.”

WDRA WELCOMES PIEDMONT DRAGWAY TO THE MEMBER TRACK FAMILY IN 2025

NORWALK, OH: Piedmont Dragway, hailed as “The Doorslammer Capitol of the World,” has entered into a multi-year sanction agreement with the World Drag Racing Alliance (WDRA) beginning with the 2025 season. Located in Julian, North Carolina, Piedmont Dragway boasts a slam-packed season with nearly 100 events stretching from January to December. The eighth-mile facility was founded in 1957 and has accumulated a rich history throughout decades of exciting action and close competition.

“Inviting such a well-run and beloved facility to our family is a pleasure,” said Josh Peake with WDRA. “I have a long-standing relationship with the facility and its racers, so it’s an honor to be able to bring them into the programs this sanctioning body has to offer.”

Manager Buffy Brewer has decided to switch sanctioning bodies to provide their racers with the unique benefits that come with being part of the WDRA. Additionally, the track looks forward to challenging the best racers from the Carolinas when they bring a team to compete at the WDRA Summit Southeast Bracket Finals presented by Laris Motorsports at Galot Motorsports Park in October.