Mercier, Worsham, Stubbs, Montecalvo Claim Big Wins at IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series

Dan Mercier and Del Worsham win Top Fuel and Funny Car at Darana Dragway in West Salem, Ohio, claiming $50,000 and IHRA Ironman trophies as the Outlaw Nitro Series intensifies.

The event streams live on IHRA.TV and SPEED SPORT 1, drawing a broad audience. Worsham becomes the season’s first repeat winner; Mercier is the fourth different Top Fuel victor.

Mercier defeats Jake Sanders in the final, after Sanders eliminates No. 1 qualifier Scott Palmer. Earlier, Mercier dispatches Smax Smith, then Lex Joon, to set up the title run.

The deciding pass is 3.178 seconds at 273.89 mph to Sanders’ 3.317 at 226.24. Mercier dedicates the result to mentor Terry McMillen, underscoring a long-standing Top Fuel partnership.

It is Mercier’s first Top Fuel win this season, keeping the championship picture fluid. Execution on race day, rather than outright pace, continues to define this volatile bracket.

Worsham edges Terry Haddock on a holeshot. His 3.283 at 269.95 trails Haddock’s 3.282 at 271.25 on pace, but the quicker reaction decides a finely poised Funny Car final.

That result delivers four consecutive finals for Worsham, matching a personal benchmark set in 1992. He highlights the pressure of consistent rivals who repeatedly make full pulls.

Mountain Motor Pro Stock swings on reaction time. John Montecalvo’s .005 light and a 4.091 at 175.85 in his red Mustang overcome Chris Powers, who fades to a 4.312 at 136.99.

Outlaw Pro Mod goes to Hank Stubbs. Despite trailing Pat Moore early, Stubbs posts a 3.716 against Moore’s 3.895. He records personal bests, including a 60-flat early and a 56 in semis.

Pro Nitrous turns on experience. Rickie Smith takes a second straight victory with a .007 light, beating Jackie Slone Jr.’s .037 and 3.710 with a 3.689 at 206.14.

Ryan Peery wins Top Fuel Harley after Jay Turner red-lights, stopping the clocks at 4.219. Courtney Moeller prevails in Outlaw Snowmobile after recovering from an early disadvantage.

In alcohol classes, Rachel Curl’s 3.517 edges Rich McPhillips in Top Alcohol Dragster. Phil Esz secures Top Alcohol Funny Car when Tony Bogolo red-lights in the final.

The meeting underscores drag racing’s breadth, hosted at one of the region’s best racing tracks, and showcases varied types of motorsports that reward precision as much as outright performance.

For teams, development priorities track evolving regulations and costs, making auto racing industry trends a competitive differentiator as the IHRA campaign enters its decisive stages.

Attention to driver preparation and equipment remains central, with leading race suit brands supporting consistent, safe execution during punishing fall conditions.

Visual Summary

Miles Carter

Miles Carter covers grassroots and regional drag-strip action, from bracket racing to street-legal shootouts. His event previews and performance-upgrade guides keep local racers up to speed on timing-slip trends, tire tech, and weekend race highlights.