Weekend Warriors, New Events, and Record Speeds | Drag Drive Repeat Show EP 125 presented by Summit Racing

Written By Michael Narx

Introduction: The Heartbeat of Drag and Drive Keeps Rolling

For Episode 125 of the Drag Drive Repeat Show presented by Summit Racing hosts Mike Narx and Eric White welcome Cody VanWinkle, the creator of Weekend Warriors Race & Relax, a brand-new regional event hosted at Western Colorado Dragway. The episode dives into Cody’s journey as a racer turned promoter, the winners and highlights of his event, the announcement of The Short Circuit (a new DDR-hosted event at Tulsa Raceway Park), and a detailed historical deep dive into Hot Rod Drag Week’s Street Race Small Block Power Adder Class.


Summit Racing Spotlight: The World’s Speed Shop

Founded in 1968 as a one-man startup, Summit Racing has grown into The World’s Speed Shop®, with four massive facilities, over 200 catalog editions, and 1,500+ brands. Summit continues to fuel the drag-and-drive world by saving racers money, delivering fast, and offering world-class customer service.

Fans are reminded to download the Summit Racing Mobile App, shop via the DDR affiliate link, and even grab official Drag Drive Repeat merchandise—including hoodies and t-shirts—directly from the Summit website.



Safety Reminder: Carry a Fire Extinguisher

Mike and Eric share a serious reminder inspired by racer Jaren Newinski, whose car fire nearly became catastrophic. His story serves as a wake-up call to always carry a fire extinguisher, even if it’s not for your own car.

The hosts spotlight Summit Racing’s inventory of safety gear and recommend Sparco extinguishers, reminding racers that “the bigger, the better” when it comes to fire safety on the road or track.



Lowdoller Motorsports Joins Summit’s Catalog

A huge milestone for Lowdoller Motorsports: their products are now available at Summit Racing’s online store and warehouses. DDR congratulates the Lowdoller team and hints at a future guest appearance to talk about their success.



DDR Updates: Points, Photos, and the Circuit 2026

  • Drag & Drive World Champion Points are nearly finalized with updates expected before Sick Smokies. Read Full Article HERE - Where do you stand????


  • Circuit Day Three photos have dropped, with Eric hard at work organizing thousands of images for the DDR website and store. The Circuit Day Three Photo Album


  • The Circuit 2026 will include a Cars & Coffee-style morning event with open runs, a burnout pit, vendors, and a “Touch A Truck” attraction for kids—bringing drag-and-drive culture to a wider audience.




Driven Racing Oil Spotlight

Eric highlights Driven GP-1, calling it “The performance engine oil that can do it all.”

From drag strips to demo derbies, GP-1’s high zinc, high-cling formula protects engines using Bradford, PA base oil. Racers get 10% off at DrivenRacingOil.com with code DDR10, and the brand continues to appear at major events across the U.S.



The Short Circuit: A New DDR Event in November

Perhaps the biggest news of the episode — Mike announces the newest DDR-hosted event, The Short Circuit, happening November 7–8 at Tulsa Raceway Park, presented by Summit Racing.

Event Details:

  • Check-in: Friday, Nov 7 at 5 PM
    Track Hot: 6–10 PM
    Pizza in the Pits: 9 PM (Thanks to Cornerstone Performance Transmissions)
    Saturday Convoy: 8 AM Leave TRP, Waffle House stop in Sapulpa, OK (First $500 covered by Driven Racing Oil), 100-mile cruise through Oklahoma backroads

    Racing & Awards: Saturday afternoon, awards at 4 PM

Classes:

  • ¼ Mile: DYO, 12.00 Index, All Motor, Power Adder, Stick Shift
    ⅛ Mile: 6.50 Index

Entry Fee: $150 per car (driver + co-pilot)
Goal: Minimum 40 entries by Oct 18 — or refunds will be issued.

Mike emphasizes that The Short Circuit isn’t meant to be massive—it’s a “fun season ender” for racers to close out the year with good times and camaraderie.

Upcoming Events Calendar

The fall racing calendar is packed:



Jay Wire Solutions: The Unsung Heroes of Wiring

Mike gives a tech-geek salute to Jay Wire Solutions, whose products like the Blinker Module and Heater Bypass Blockoff are must-haves for drag-and-drive reliability.

Jay’s expertise has supported countless record-setting builds, including those in the Street Race Small Block Power Adder Class, where precision wiring can be the difference between an 8.50 and an 8.49.

Land Speed Records Fall at Blytheville

Congratulations to Clark Rosenstengel, who shattered two ECTA records in his Camaro at Blytheville, AR:

  • Standing Mile: 266.74 mph
    Half Mile: 223.76 mph

    Both feats were achieved in the same car he drives in drag-and-drive events — proving that true racers can do it all.



Deep Dive: Street Race Small Block Power Adder History

Mike gets analytical, tracing the 8.50-index class history from Hot Rod Drag Week 2019 to 2025:

  • 2019: Randall Reed and Rick Steinke among the legends. Jim Braun and Rick Steinke became the first racers in HRDW SR SB PA history to run a perfect pass during the event! Competitors would submit 7 8.50x passes during the week!

  • 2021–2023: Dustin Trance dominates, including the last perfect run (8.500) in 2022.

  • 2024: Randy Seward runs 8.5094 to win.

  • 2025: Rick Steinke matches Dustin Trance’s all-time record of 8.5048, with nine 8.50x competition passes submitted across the week, it marked the Quickest Year since the rules were updated in 2012 to limit the class to 8.500 Minimum ET.

Mike says the class is “the epitome of drag-and-drive racing—street-driven cars that live on the razor’s edge of perfection.”


MAHLE Motorsport Spotlight & Toughest Roadside Repair Award

Eric spotlights MAHLE’s PowerPak Piston Kits — precision-engineered for over 1,200 applications.

The show also opens nominations for the MAHLE Toughest Roadside Repair Award, recognizing racers who overcome mechanical chaos mid-event.

Past winners include:

  • 2024: Bob Gruber and Nick Larson’s top-end rebuild in Motion Raceworks parking lot, keeping them awake for 40+ hours, and their subsequent Stick Shift Class Win!

  • 2023: Kyle Omilanow (Toyota truck engine swap at Miles of Mayhem)

Mike reminds viewers: “We want to hear your stories—this award belongs to the warriors who refused to quit.”


DeatschWerks: Precision Fueling, Proven Power

DeatschWerks joins the sponsor spotlight with its line of high-performance fuel systems supporting 400–2200 horsepower. DDR fans get 10% off sitewide using DDR10.

Weekend Warriors Race & Relax: A New Regional Gem

The highlight of Episode 125 is the interview with Cody VanWinkle, promoter of the Weekend Warriors Race & Relax event held at Western Colorado Dragway.

Cody and his father created the event after years of competing in Rocky Mountain Race Week and Big Sky Race Week, aiming to give racers a weekend alternative who can’t take off a full week for national events.

Despite harsh elevation (4,600 ft base, 7,000 ft DA), unpredictable weather, and snow on the mountain route, the event was a massive success — featuring multiple classes, a scenic 140-mile cruise, and incredible community stories.



Class Winners – 2025 Weekend Warriors Race & Relax

2025  Weekend Warrior Race & Relax presented by CAR TECH AUTOMOTIVE AND DIAGNOSTICS INC. Results 🏆

K&G Properties Unlimited:

🥇Nick Johnson with a 8.88 average 

🥈Johnathan Ryan with a 9.55 average 

🥉Cody VanWinkle with a 10.39 average 

 4 Greg Wall with a 11.29 average 


Watkins Collision LLC 11.0:

🥇Jeep Berry with a 11.059 average 

🥈 Matt Potter with a 11.259 average 


Mobility Driven  12.0:

🥇Jeremy Crider with a 12.008 average 

🥈Ben Wood with a 12.034 average 

🥉Mark Cooling with a 12.71 average 


BS Metal Works  13.0:

🥇Tyler White with a 13.024 average 

🥈Tucker Myers with a 13.052 average 

🥉Shane Obernesser with a 13.074 average 


Crider Consulting LLC 14.0:

🥇Haden VanWinkle with a 14.013 average 

🥈Connor Keller with a 14.056 average

🥉Alex Rice with a 14.119 average 

 4  John Ellyson with a 14.185 average 

 5  Chris Mills with a 14.188 average 

 6  Steve Wolfe with a 14.611 average 

 7  Dennis Tangreen with a 15.071 average 


Relax Crew Poker Run:

🥇Alex Rice

🥈Mycha Nelson


Most Passes Made: 

🏆 Shane Obernesser, who made a grand total of 46 passes in 2 days. 20 on Friday 10/3 and 26 on Sunday 10/5.

Scenic Route, Community, and Camaraderie

The 140-mile drive through the Grand Mesa region treated racers to breathtaking mountain views, apple festivals, and even light snow.

Cody shared memorable highlights:

  • Three first-time racers making their debut passes

  • The community’s “Milkshake Crew” showing up with classics

  • A participant who completed the cruise on a Harley despite the snow

  • Local diners, car shows, and a “Touch-A-Truck” atmosphere that captured what drag-and-drive is all about

Mike called it “a model for what regional events should be—short miles, big smiles.”

PerformaBuilt Transmissions: Built for Legends

As the official transmission builder of DDR, PerformaBuilt Transmissions continues to redefine toughness—engineering 4L60s that survive seven-second runs and 7,000-lb wagons.

Lessons, Legacy, and Looking Ahead

Cody confirms the event will return in 2026, likely in the same early-October window, with plans to expand classes and improve logistics.

Mike and Eric praise the Weekend Warriors team for introducing drag-and-drive to a new audience in the mountain west and invite fans to follow their Facebook page for updates.


The Gentleman’s Agreement

The show ends with DDR’s trademark message:
“If you enjoy what we’re doing—hit like, subscribe, and share it with your race car friends. No contracts, no strings attached. Just the Gentleman’s Agreement—your support keeps drag-and-drive alive.”


✅ In Summary:
 Episode 125 captures everything the drag-and-drive world represents — passion, problem-solving, and people helping people. From Cody VanWinkle’s homegrown event in Colorado to the upcoming Short Circuit at Tulsa Raceway Park, the spirit of the community keeps roaring louder than ever.




Michael Narx
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