• Driver of the Dodge Power Brokers Top Fuel DragsterThe Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, marks the 10th event on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series’ 22-race calendar.
• Dodge Power Brokers and Direct Connection return to Pruett’s Top Fuel dragster and Hagan’s Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car this weekend in Norwalk. The Dodge Power Brokers program serves as the exclusive source for Direct Connection, Dodge’s factory-backed performance parts program, which is equipped with staff trained to deliver a performance-focused customer service experience.
• The Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals will serve as Pruett’s 181st career Top Fuel start and her seventh at Norwalk.

From Leah:

Having raced last weekend at Bristol (Tenn.) Dragway, what advantage do you and the Dodge Power Brokers team get with back-to-back race weekends?

Although our altitude and weather conditions will change at Norwalk, we are in what I would call our second phase of the season weather-wise. Back-to-back between here and Norwalk, it is hot. What we learned in Bristol, we will be able to utilize in Norwalk. From a mental standpoint, everything is fresh in your brain. The guys service the car on Monday on the road and we get to continue our momentum. We have high attitudes and we are ready to get to Ohio.

You have four rounds of qualifying at Norwalk. What advantage does four rounds of qualifying have versus three rounds, which is what you have at the majority of NHRA events?

I’ve been dreaming of these Fridays to come of having two rounds on Friday. It is so advantageous as a driver because you want to see that Christmas tree in your car and get acclimated as many times as possible. It’s also our happy place. The first run sets the standard for the entire weekend – a zero below or above. Once you get that first run, you see where you’re at and you’re hopeful to be able to improve upon that for your Friday night session, which is most likely going to be the quickest of the entire event. It’s almost a pre-qualifier for your qualifier. When we only have three sessions, it’s very easy to get behind the eight ball, and that’s not a place we like to be. We cherish the number of runs we get to have, especially as we’re starting to go rounds and gather data. It’s my favorite thing, and I also really enjoy it for the fans that they get to see a lot of action on Friday if they can’t make it to the track the whole weekend.

Norwalk is known for its $1 per pound ice cream, which has inspired the tradition of winners receiving a special ice-cream-scoop trophy along with the Wally. What would it mean to bring home both trophies this weekend?

I really do stay away from sweets as much as possible. I’m more of a spicy foods girl, but I will take any type of winner’s circle trophy. With the round wins that we’ve had, each one feels different. We don’t break our cycle and we don’t break our momentum, so to think about being in the winner’s circle with both of those trophies would be very deserving for everyone. It’d be like getting your cake and eating it too and having your ice cream. I guarantee it’ll be a lot of work to get there, but I believe we’re due for it. A win will be memorable no matter what, but it’d be even sweeter if we’re able to take home both trophies.

Dodge’s headquarters is located 150 miles north of Norwalk in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Talk about the significance of competing in a quasi home race for Dodge.

Norwalk is technically a homecoming for us. Not just as our largest partner, but power plant and supporter in helping us gain advantages. On both the Funny Car and Top Fuel side, we work remotely with the Detroit headquarters on a number of projects and this is our opportunity to have our face-to-face meetings with them and go over more details about our projects. That is something I look forward to. For those individuals to be out at the track with us, that might spur conversations that we haven’t been able to have via email and Zoom. Winning with the Dodge Power Brokers car always has an extra push of horsepower behind it because it’s so endemic and this team would not exist without Dodge and the people who are coming to Norwalk. It’s not added pressure, by any means, but rather a welcome backing. We can’t wait to unleash our HEMI horsepower for them to see and continue the programs that we have.

Contact: Ashley Wilson, (303) 594-8147, Ashley.Wilson@TrueSpeedCommunication.com