Tue, 31 May 2016, 15:26 PM Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Hits Midway Point in Season with Visit

Courtesy of NHRA Communications Photo copyright 2016 Auto Imagery, Inc. To Ohio's Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park

NORWALK, Ohio -- The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series heads to Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park June 23-26 for the 10th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals. The awesome nitro-burning machines that crank out 10,000 horsepower will thunder down the historic track in a sensory-filled show that will conclude a challenging month for NHRA teams as the circuit hits the official midpoint of the season.

Fans in the Buckeye state will get to see the best in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle compete for coveted Wally trophies at the premier drag racing facility located just west of downtown Cleveland. Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Jack Beckman (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Karen Stoffer (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were last year's winners of the event. For the first time, the race will be televised nationally on FOX Sports 1.

The fan-favorite race will feature fierce competition between teams and drivers as the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series will wrap up a very busy month, as June features a race every weekend. The full stretch from May to June actually totals six races in seven weekends, but teams will show no lack of urgency as only six races will remain after Norwalk until the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship playoffs begin. Fans at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals will get to see drivers and teams at the peak of their game as they fight to earn points and solidify their positions in the top 10 standings in their respective categories.

Doug Kalitta, Jack Beckman, Greg Anderson and Karen Stoffer celebrate their wins last year.

Kalitta took the Top Fuel victory at the 2015 Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals by racing past Antron Brown in the final round. It marked the second victory of the season for the driver of the Mac Tools dragster. He went on to win the second to last race of the season in Las Vegas and finished the year fifth in the points standings. Kalitta has gotten off to a very impressive start this season and has won the last three events, at Houston, Atlanta and Topeka, Kan. He has control of the Top Fuel points lead and will have a good shot at defending his event title.

Brown, the reigning Top Fuel world champion, is second in points behind Kalitta with a victory in Las Vegas and runner-up finishes in Charlotte, N.C., and Topeka. The driver of the Matco Tools dragster won the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in 2014 and will be determined to make his way back to the winner's circle at the event this year.

The Top Fuel class is loaded with talent, though, and raising the Wally trophy will not be an easy task. Brittany Force and her Monster Energy team have already won two events this year and reset the national elapsed time record. Force, currently third in points, will be gunning for her first Norwalk victory, while Pomona winner Steve Torrence, 2007 event winner and eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher, Clay Millican, who is pursuing his first career win, Aussie Richie Crampton and Atlanta runner-up J.R. Todd are others in the field to keep an eye on.

Doug Kalitta defeated Antron Brown in the Top Fuel final last year.

In Funny Car, Beckman sprinted past Courtney Force in Norwalk last year to earn his third victory of the season and second ever at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park. He went on to win four more races and tally a career high seven victories. Beckman reset the national elapsed time record four times and finished second in the 2015 points standings. This year, Beckman has raced to two runner-up finishes in his Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Charger R/T and is currently second in points.

Courtney Force and her Traxxas Chevy Camaro SS currently lead the Funny Car points standings. She raced to the winner's circle in Houston to claim the 125th pro victory by a female in NHRA history and has also qualified fourth or better in every race this season except the season opener. Force has not yet won in Norwalk but hopes to change that stat this year despite a very competitive Funny Car class that has so far provided extraordinary performances at each race.

Matt Hagan, who won back-to-back events recently in Atlanta and Topeka, reset both the elapsed time and speed national records at the NHRA Kansas Nationals with a 3.862 second run at 335.57 mph. Hagan hopes to keep his wave of momentum going at full steam heading into Norwalk, but will find tough competition from 2014 Norwalk winner and 16-time world champion John Force, two-time 2016 event winner Tim Wilkerson, Robert Hight, Ron Capps, defending world champ Del Worsham and Las Vegas winner Alexis DeJoria.

Jack Beckman defeated Courtney Force in the Funny Car final.

In Pro Stock, Greg Anderson will have a good shot to win his second consecutive Norwalk title this season as he is already off to a great start in 2016 with three victories so far. Last year, Anderson pushed his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro past top rookie Drew Skillman to earn his fourth victory of the season. He finished second in the points in 2015 and is currently in the same spot now.

Anderson's teammate, Jason Line, is off to a stellar start this year as well and has raced to every final round so far in 2016. Line, the 2009 Norwalk winner, has a firm grip on the Pro Stock points standings and will hope to increase his lead as he chases his third Pro Stock championship title.

Others to watch in the all new era of Pro Stock, which features race cars with fuel-injected engines, shorter wheelie bars, flat hoods and a 10,500 RPM rev-limiter, include two-time Norwalk winner Vincent Nobile, back-to-back and reigning world champ Erica Enders, two-time season runner-up Bo Butner, who is third in points, 2012 champ Allen Johnson, tough Texan Chris McGaha and five-time world champ and Ohio native Jeg Coughlin.

Greg Anderson defeated Drew Skillman in the Pro Stock final last year.

Pro Stock Motorcycle will hit the track at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park for its fifth appearance of the 2016 season. Last year, Stoffer raced to her second victory of the season and eighth of her career by outlasting Angelle Sampey in the final round at Norwalk. Currently ninth in points, Stoffer needs a victory to turn around a slow start to the season and earn critical points at the midway mark of the regular season in the two-wheel category.

Three-time world champion and 2011 Norwalk winner Eddie Krawiec currently has a grip on the Pro Stock Motorcycle points lead. Krawiec raced his Screamin' Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson to victory at the 2016 season-opener in Gainesville and the most recent Pro Stock Motorcycle event in Atlanta. He also made his way to the final round in Charlotte, but lost to his teammate, reigning world champ and four-time Englishtown winner Andrew Hines. Others in the two-wheeled category hoping to race to the winner's circle include Gatornationals runner-up Hector Arana, two-time champ and two-time event winner Matt Smith, Louisiana alligator farmer Jerry Savoie, veteran rider Steve Johnson, Chip Ellis, Michael Ray Jr. and rookie Melissa Surber.

The NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series returns for its sixth race of the 2016 season at Norwalk. Veteran racer Troy Coughlin of Ohio is a two-time and reigning world champion of the class. Rickie Smith raced to victory at the 2016 season-opener in Gainesville and the most recent event in Atlanta, while Jim Whiteley earned his first career victory at the third event in Houston.

Karen Stoffer defeated Angelle Sampey in the Pro Stock Motorcycle final last year.

The Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals will also feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, where the future stars of the sport earn their racing stripes.

As always, fans will have the opportunity to interact with their favorite drivers as they're granted an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. This unique opportunity in motorsports gives fans direct access to the teams, allowing them to see firsthand how the highly-skilled mechanics service their hot rods between rounds, and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.

As part of NHRA's ongoing celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Funny Car class, one legendary Funny Car driver will be honored during pre-race ceremonies.

Fans also will want to visit NHRA's popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create a carnival atmosphere, with interactive displays, simulated competitions, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.

Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 5 and 7:45 p.m. on Friday, June 24 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, June 25, at 12:30 and 3:15 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday, June 26.

To purchase general-admission or reserved seats, call Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park at (419) 668-5555. Tickets also are available online at www.summitmotorsportspark.com. Kids 12 and under are free in general admission areas with a paid adult.

Before heading to Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park, the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series will make stops at New England Dragway in Epping, N.H., for the NHRA New England Nationals, June 3-5; Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J., for the NHRA Summernationals, June 9-12; and Bristol Dragway in Tennessee for the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, June 17-19. Keep up with all the NHRA action on FOX Sports 1.