Nitro Chaos

Haas Clinches 2024 Championship, Umlauf & Pennington Win at Midstate

Words by Chris Graves, photos by Dan Ricks

The DMP Awnings Nitro Chaos series made its final appearance of the 2024 season at Midstate Dragway in Havana, Illinois for the Twisted Shifterz Championship Finals presented by Morrow Brothers Ford, Inc.


Coming into the event, Joey Haas had the points lead but with Mitch King and Jody Austin hot on his heels, the pressure was on. A full sixteen car field of outlaw nitro burners of all kinds jammed the pits for two days of battle where the Championship would be decided. Every team on the property was after precious points in their efforts to finish in the Top 10 and earn their piece of the $15,000 DMP Awnings Championship payout.


Friday night hosted two header flame filled qualifying sessions and saw Dave Hill in the "Mad Max" N/FC sitting atop the charts with a 3.63 at 209 mph. Championship contender Jody Austin was in the bottom half of the field going into Saturday. Austin's third qualifying attempt landed him in the number two spot with a 3.61 at 201 mph. Points leader Joey Haas struggled a bit on Friday, but came out swinging in the third qualifying session to take the top spot with a stellar 3.55 at 208 mph. The fields were set and it was time to play for keeps.


A quick shower pushed through the area after the qualifying was completed. A big thank you and job well done goes out to the entire staff at Midstate Dragway for their hard fought effort to dry and re-prepare the track for the event to continue. The fans were still coming through the gate and it was time to race!


The first pair of the first round of McKinney Corp 'A' Field competition found defending series Champion Garry Wheeler Jr lined up with Joey Haas, the current points leader. Upon completing his burnout, Haas and company clinched the 2024 DMP Awnings NITRO CHAOS Championship! Its a good thing they had points in hand, because Wheeler's 3.900 defeated Haas' 3.903 in the closest drag race of the season.


As the elimination rounds dwindled down, the CP-Carrillo 'B' Field final was in the water box and featured first time finalist Andy Fangman and his crowd favorite Iowa based nitro powered "Fueled Addiction" 1969 Camaro Pro Mod against top five contender Wade Pennington in the "Scrap Bucket" AA/Fuel Altered from Oklahoma. The drivers were dead even off the line but Pennington had the power and his 4.22 just nosed out Fangman's close 4.34.


The McKinney Motorsports 'A' Field found a John Umlauf in a battle with Garry Wheeler Jr. Off the line Wheeler had the advantage but mechanical problems set in and Umlauf charged header flames high in the sky to his first career CHAOS win with a 3.99 time slip.


Congratulations to the winners John Umlauf and Wade Pennington in an all fuel altered winners circle and to the 2024 DMP Awnings NITRO CHAOS Champion, Joey Haas and the "Nimrods"!


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