Brewer honors an unforgettable friendship by winning the 2025 WDRA Summit Sportsman World Championship in his late friend’s racecar.

MONTGOMERY, AL: Sometimes the road to the world championship turns out to be a country back road with a couple of potholes and switchbacks that force you to slow down. For the 2025 WDRA Summit Sportsman World Champion, Chad Brewer, that means you get to soak in the scenery and enjoy the ride because once you reach the destination, you’ll have a story worth listening to.

A military brat raised in a family of gearheads, Brewer grew up in various places but has always been involved in the car scene, no matter the location. Once his family planted their roots in Southwest Virginia, he made his first pass down Elk Creek Dragway at the age of fifteen and has eagerly buckled into a racecar ever since. Over thirty years of competition, he’s had his fair share of success, racking up approximately ten championships, NMCA victories, a runner-up at the World Footbrake Challenge, and winning the NHRA Div. 2 Bracket Finals, where his world championship aspirations were shattered due to a broken planetary in the first round at Pomona.

After a second-round exit in the No Box class at last year’s WDRA Summit World Championships, Brewer had his heart set on returning to the big stage and skillfully earned two Brainerd Motorsports Park track championships this season: No Box and Sportsman. Brewer and his parents hit the highway with two racecars, where the first of the aforementioned potholes in his success story began while on the way to Montgomery International Dragway.

Brewer said, “It felt like luck was on our side, but everything kept trying to battle us. During the Friday $5K, Dad was at a shop getting the alternator fixed in his tow truck because he hauled the Camaro down for me. Then the Nova had issues, so I had to swap carburetors, but luckily it was during the time run, so I had plenty of time to get it fixed.”

Mike Peters rose to the top of the Motorcycle and Sled field during the 2025 WDRA Summit World Championships presented by SunCoast Performance.

MONTGOMERY, AL: Tenacity flourishes through consistent effort, optimism, and dedication to your goals, regardless of the setbacks, difficulty, or current outcome. A quote from Julie Andrews reads, “Perseverance is failing nineteen times and succeeding the twentieth.” However, for the newly crowned WDRA Summit Motorcycle World Champion, Mike Peters, his perseverance would eventually pay off during his fifth attempt at claiming that coveted title.

The talented New York native has qualified and participated in five world championship events since 2017, including back-to-back invitations for the WDRA Summit World Championships presented by SunCoast Performance, since the introductory Motorcycle and Sled class last season. Peters, representing Lancaster Motorplex, admitted that seemingly minor on-track mistakes left him lacking in the win light department during prior races. Yet, he maintained an admirable outlook on those experiences.

He explained, “Every time I felt like it was just a little screw up, and it just wasn’t my day. I kept telling myself, ‘I know that I’m a good racer, and if I stick with it, then my day will come.’ When you love doing something that’s a win-or-lose situation, I always tell my mom and dad, ‘We might have lost, but so what?’ I’m going home safe, we’re smiling and having fun at the end of the day, and that’s really what it’s all about.”

Peters has proven himself to be a fierce competitor, racking up eight track championships on his now-backup Kawasaki before upgrading to a 2011 Suzuki Hayabusa last winter. He claimed six wins this season to wrap up his ninth track championship and made the 1,000-mile and seventeen-and-a-half-hour trek to Montgomery International Dragway during what would be a life-changing event.

If you are not the highest finishing WDRA Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Drag Racing Series presented by SunCoast Performance registered racer in your class at your home track there is another way to qualify for the Summit World Championships.

You can also qualify for the Summit World Championships by winning a WDRA Summit Bracket Finals presented by Laris Motorsports Insurance IF you have a current SSDRS registration on file by July 1st.

If you are not already registered for the Summit Sportsman Drag Racing Series but are planning on attending a WDRA Summit Bracket Finals event you can register here before July 1st to maintain your eligibility: https://www.racewdra.com/license/

NORWALK, OH: The World Drag Racing Alliance (WDRA) and world champion drag racer Luke Bogacki and his team at Thisisbracketracing.com announce the launch of a free instructional video series aimed at educating new Junior Dragster competitors.  The series, entitled “Day 1”, is a free guide for new Junior Dragster parents and drivers to help make their first day at the drag strip safe, smooth and fun.

The five-part series feature high quality video content for both new drivers and their parents.  The videos are broken down into sections that cover multiple topics including the time before getting on the track, the safety features and procedures of the car and driver personal protection devices as well as the mechanics of operating the vehicle and exiting the track safely.

“WDRA loves to collaborate with people like Luke, Justin Lamb, Kris Whitfield and the team at Thisisbracketracing.com that give back to the sport and are thrilled to help launch this new program”, said WDRA’s Skooter Peaco.  “Luke and his team deliver this content in a very understandable and relatable format that first time racers and parents can easily understand.  Luke and WDRA’s Don Scott who are both parents of Junior racers, have a real passion for Juniors.  Don sent this to me to preview and I knew immediately that this is something the junior licensing program has been missing.  We have many tracks that do hands on lessons for first time Juniors and just about every experienced Junior parent will jump in and help a new racer but this new resource is a huge advancement in the education process.  Every step in this process emphasizes and educates safety.  This is not about how to win races or driver strategy; this series is devoted to educating new drivers and new parents on how to safely run the car before they ever show up to the track.”   

NORWALK, OH:  In a groundbreaking move for the world of drag racing, the World Drag Racing Alliance (WDRA) and the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) have announced their first-ever collaboration, setting the stage for an exciting future on race tracks across the nation. This partnership marks a new era where both sanctioning bodies join forces to elevate the experience for racers and racing venues alike.

The IHRA and WDRA are now united in their mission to manage sanctioned facilities, ensuring insurance compliance, licensing, and organizing dynamic bracket racing programs and events. “We have a unique opportunity to combine the strengths of both IHRA and WDRA to help our collective facilities and provide opportunities and stability for our bracket racing members,” said WDRA’s Don Scott. “WDRA’s expertise is on the member track, licensing, and bracket racing side of the sport. As IHRA launches new pro racing programs and events, there is a need for making sure the IHRA tracks and bracket racers get taken care of. The WDRA team is going to make sure that we are there to support the IHRA facilities and bracket programs because this arrangement is simply good for our sport.”

IHRA’s Darryl Cuttell shares this enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “Both groups have the best interests of the tracks and racers at heart. We all agree that we will make our sport better by working together, and each group complements each other perfectly. Anyone that has been around me or our group knows that we are going to make it happen.”

Together, these organizations oversee 110 sanctioned facilities (not including upcoming agreements) and host fifteen bracket racing events, laying the groundwork for a vibrant, supportive racing community. This collaboration is not just an agreement but a promise to racers that their passion and dedication will be met with enhanced opportunities and a robust racing environment. Immediate implementation of this partnership will see further announcements as both groups work tirelessly to forge a new pathway for member tracks and bracket racers, propelling drag racing into a bright, inclusive future.

Historic NY dragstrip rejoins the WDRA with new lessee and management.

NORWALK, OH: The World Drag Racing Alliance (WDRA) and Skyline Motorsports park (Previously Skyview Drags) will join forces with a multi-year agreement as the facility is under a new lessee and management.

James Robinson (Robbo) brings nearly 35 years of experience in working with multiple tracks in and out of NY state to the picturesque 1/8th mile facility with partners George Coleman and Dave Gennett.

“Having the Skyline racers in the WDRA will feel like a family reunion and I’m excited that a part of the new managerial goal is to bring a team to the Bracket Finals,” said WDRA Director Jon O’Neal. “The goal of providing a platform for racers and racetracks to prosper is not lost on Robbo and the new team.”

Located in Tioga Center NY, Skyline will be opening for the 2025 reunion season on April 11th and the schedule will include Friday night test and tune, Saturday shows, no prep racing, and special events. The biggest change for the drag strip is moving the points program to Sundays. Also planned are car shows, tractor pulls, diesel races, truck night, Jet dragsters, holiday weekend shootouts and once a month Wednesday night grudge racing.

“Staying with WDRA sanctioning, Skyline Motorsports Park will field a team to show their strength at the Summit Bracket finals held in September at Keystone Raceway Park,” said Robinson. “We look forward to bringing a team back to the finals and competing with the best.”

Along with the Accutime equipped drag strip, there is a ½ mile concrete oval which is open to leasing options. The facility also has a nearly completed Hare Scramble track and maximizing the motorsports options of the facility will be a priority to the new management.

The facility and its racers can reap the rewards of being part of The Alliance through several exclusive discounts and benefits provided by WDRA marketing partners. More details can be found at https://www.racewdra.com/wdra-racer-benefits/. Racers can find information on obtaining a WDRA Summit Sportsman Drag Racing Series license by visiting https://www.racewdra.com/license/.

CLICK HERE: https://www.racewdra.com/online-rulebook/

Mahle Motorsport is the latest prestigious marketing partner committed to working with the WDRA in 2025.

NORWALK, OH: The World Drag Racing Alliance (WDRA) announces MAHLE Motorsport as the “Official Piston of the WDRA” as part of a new marketing partnership for the 2025 season. The most practical connection for the signature WDRA Rod trophy would undoubtedly be a piston, which is why MAHLE Motorsport has stepped up to become the title sponsor of the Race for the Rod events.

“It makes perfect sense for the signature WDRA Rod trophy to be accompanied by a piston company, and MAHLE Motorsport is one of the most respected names in the industry,” said Jessica Spears with the WDRA. “We are thrilled to have their support and look forward to promoting their brand at WDRA MAHLE Motorsport Race for the Rod events throughout our member racetracks this season.”

The WDRA Rod trophy is CNC machined from a block of billet aluminum, stands 21” tall, weighs approximately 11 pounds, and is soaked in 100% Made in the USA prestige. MAHLE Motorsport is etched into the laser-engraved plating to be proudly displayed in the homes of 2025 MAHLE Motorsport Race for the Rod winners. Every WDRA member racetrack is encouraged to add one of these events to their schedule each season as an incentive for their local racers.

North Carolina’s longest-running drag strip joins the Alliance for the 2025 season.

NORWALK, OH: The World Drag Racing Alliance (WDRA) and Wilkesboro Dragway will join forces, effective immediately, as the historic North Carolina facility has signed a multi-year sanction agreement to become part of the Alliance.  

The Ellis family built the historic facility in 1955 as a quarter-mile dirt dragstrip with no return road.  Seventy years later, David and Stacey Staten have taken control of North Carolina’s longest-running dragstrip with full intentions of continuing the track’s legacy. Several renovations are underway on the track and the facility buildings, with an opening day scheduled for March 1^st. Racing will be held on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday to include various programs, such as grudge, no prep, bracket racing, daily driver, and test and tune events. 

“Wilkesboro Dragway is very important to the North Carolina drag racing community,” said Josh Peake with the WDRA. “The track is going on seventy years now, and multiple generations of racing families have called Wilkesboro home. I appreciate David and Stacy Staten for placing their trust in the WDRA to help them with their new venture running the facility.