Super-Fast Snowmobiles Racing This Weekend At NHRA Nationals at BIR

Fans of straightline racing across the country often wait anxiously for the big National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) circuit to come somewhere close to their hometown. The raw power appeal of the amazing Top Fuel, Pro Stock, Funny Car and Pro Stock Motorcycle classes in palatable, and often times there’s very good racing in the undercard as well.

Racing fans going to the NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minnesota, in recent years, however, get a special treat, and it’ll happen again this weekend at the host Brainerd International Raceway… We’re talking about the “Pro Stock Snowmobiles” class.

Now, much like Pro Stock cars and Pro Stock Motorcycles, there is really not much “stock” going on with these amazing sleds. And that result shows up in the speeds: Last year’s winner, Ron Bray, took the quarter mile at 8.354 seconds and broke the light beams at the far end traveling at 153.33 mph. WOW!

Like most years, this year’s field of eight qualifiers includes some big names from snowmobile straightline racing, including several past winners at the BIR NHRA Nationals. The qualifiers are:

  • Ron Bray of Anoka, Minnesota (Ski-Doo)
  • Louis Wirbel of Marion, Michigan (Ski-Doo)
  • Edwin Wirbel of Hope, Michigan (Ski-Doo)
  • Zach Davis of Brighton, Michigan (Ski-Doo)
  • Todd Serra of Commerce City Township, Michigan (Ski-Doo)
  • Rich Stumpf of Almont, Michigan (Ski-Doo)
  • Ed Ilgen of Rockford, Illinois (Ski-Doo)
  • Charlie Fleck of Green Bay, Wisconsin (Ski-Doo)

We’ll be heading up to the NHRA Nationals on Sunday morning. It should be exciting.

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