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MECHANICSVILLE, Md. — History was made Sunday at
Maryland International Raceway as the inaugural NHRA
Potomac Nationals concluded before one of the largest
crowds in track history, crowning the first NHRA Mission
Foods Drag Racing Series winners ever awarded national
event victories in Maryland.
Thousands of fans packed the Budds Creek facility
throughout the weekend as NHRA’s premier professional
categories — Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro
Stock Motorcycle — competed in the first NHRA event held
in the state. Sunday’s eliminations brought the
three-day event to a close with championship rounds,
Diamond Wally trophies, and a celebration decades in the
making for Maryland International Raceway and Southern
Maryland’s racing community.
The event marked a milestone for Maryland International
Raceway, which has spent decades building a reputation
as one of the nation’s premier drag racing facilities
and finally welcomed NHRA national competition to
Maryland for the first time.
The following drivers captured inaugural NHRA Potomac
Nationals championships Sunday:
Top Fuel: Shawn Langdon, 3.762 seconds, at 334.90 mph
Funny Car: Austin Prock, 3.956 seconds, at 324.20 mph
Pro Stock: Greg Anderson, 6.472 seconds, at 212.46 mph
Pro Stock Motorcycle: Angie Smith, 6.683 seconds, at
201.52 mph
Fans lined the grandstands, crowded Nitro Alley and
filled the professional pit areas throughout the day as
the NHRA Potomac Nationals eliminations progressed
toward the final rounds. Unlike many major sporting
events, spectators remained within arm’s reach of crews
and competitors, watching teams rebuild race cars
between rounds, while collecting autographs and
photographs from some of the sport’s biggest names.
In the pits, fans were often presented with the
opportunity to collect used parts from the
high-performance machines. Many took the opportunity to
have professional drivers autograph discarded piston
crowns, worn belts and other parts from the
high-performance machines maintained by their favorite
teams.
The four professional champions each received special
Diamond Wally trophies commemorating the inaugural NHRA
Potomac Nationals, creating a unique place in NHRA
history for the event’s first winners.
Royce Miller Reflects On A Historic Weekend
For many local fans, Sunday’s championship rounds
fulfilled decades of anticipation. Maryland
International Raceway owner Royce Miller has long
pursued an NHRA national event, and the successful debut
drew praise from competitors, fans and racing officials
throughout the weekend.
Royce Miller, owner of Maryland International Raceway,
described the inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals as a
highly successful debut for both the raceway and
Southern Maryland. Speaking after the conclusion of the
event, Miller said favorable weather, strong attendance
and overwhelmingly positive feedback from fans, racers
and NHRA officials helped make the first-year event
exceed expectations.
“It’s been awesome. We couldn’t have asked for better
weather. The feedback we’ve had from the fans, the
racers and the NHRA has just been great,” Miller said.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better first-year event.”
Miller said the weekend was memorable not only because
it marked the first NHRA national event held in
Maryland, but also because it produced numerous historic
moments, including the crowning of the first Potomac
Nationals champions and several notable records and
achievements throughout the event.
“It’s really rewarding. A lot of these guys I know.
There were a lot of firsts, not only from a winning
standpoint, but things that happened during the race and
records and everything that was set,” Miller said. “It
was truly a memorable weekend.”
Looking ahead, Miller said that the NHRA Potomac
Nationals are expected to return to Maryland
International Raceway in 2027. He expressed hope that
the local tourism community and service providers
experienced the economic benefits generated by the
influx of visitors attending the three-day event.
“We will be here next year. Probably somewhat close to
the same date,” Miller said. “We hope that the
businesses, hotels and restaurants, service stations and
parts stores all saw the benefits of the economic impact
this event brings to the region.”
Miller also said that while the Potomac Nationals
represented a major milestone, it is only one weekend
from Maryland International Raceway’s busy annual
schedule. He said that the raceway hosts more than 100
race days each year and credited the support of the
local community and St. Mary’s County for helping the
facility grow into a nationally recognized motorsports
destination.
Four Champions Etch Their Names Into Potomac Nationals
History
Angie Smith captured a career best run and the inaugural
NHRA Potomac Nationals Pro Stock Motorcycle championship
Sunday, earning a place in Maryland International
Raceway history as the first rider to win the class at
NHRA’s first national event in Maryland. Smith said the
victory was especially meaningful because the Potomac
Nationals can only have one first-time winner, and she
said the accomplishment carries added significance
because of her longstanding connection to Maryland
International Raceway and its fans.
“It’s just remarkable because it’s only first, one time.
The Miller family do such a great job. I was very
ecstatic when the schedule came out and we got to come
here,” Smith said. “A lot of fans knew me from when I
raced here before. So, I’ve developed a fan base here.
It’s just remarkable to be the first person to win here
at MIR.”
Smith said the win carried additional historical
significance because it marked the 200th professional
NHRA national event victory by a female competitor. She
credited generations of female racers who paved the way
for women in NHRA competition and said she was honored
to represent that legacy while adding her own chapter to
the sport’s history.
“I will always be the 200th, and that is very intriguing
to me, because you never know when you’re going to get
another one, and these things are hard to get,” Smith
said. “I couldn’t be more happy and I’m glad I can
represent the women of NHRA.”
Greg Anderson, the winningest Pro Stock driver in NHRA
history, captured the inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals
Pro Stock title Sunday and said the victory carried
special significance because of his longstanding
connection to Maryland International Raceway. Anderson
said he has competed at the facility for decades and
believes that familiarity helped him feel comfortable
racing at the first NHRA national event ever held in
Maryland.
“I don’t know how many other people in the class have
history here. I’ll bet I have the most history here. It
made me feel good about being here,” Anderson said. “It
made me feel like I understood the place and I knew the
place and I raced here before. I know I can do well
here.”
Anderson said winning the first Pro Stock championship
in Potomac Nationals history is particularly meaningful
because opportunities to become a first-time winner at a
new event only happen once. He noted that many younger
competitors had never raced at Maryland International
Raceway before, while he was able to draw on years of
experience and memories at the track.
“It meant a lot to me. To be the first winner here at
the Potomac Nationals, pretty damn cool,” Anderson said.
“I heard a quote two weeks ago from the great Kyle
Busch. He won a race, and he got out, and he was asked
the question, how special is it? It’s so special because
you just don’t know when it’s going to be your last one.
You don’t know that we don’t know what tomorrow brings,
so you’ve got to enjoy every one you get, and I hope and
pray to God this is not the last one.”
Anderson also praised Southern Maryland race fans and
the region’s support of Pro Stock racing. He said the
East Coast crowd’s appreciation for the class helped
create a unique atmosphere throughout the weekend and
contributed to one of the most enjoyable events of the
season.
“I love racing up and down the East Coast. It seems like
the fans really appreciate it and appreciate a lot of
Pro Stock up here,” Anderson said. “It makes you want to
win even more. Cool place to be, cool place to race.”
Shawn Langdon captured the inaugural NHRA Potomac
Nationals Top Fuel championship Sunday, becoming the
first Top Fuel winner in event history and extending one
of the hottest streaks in professional drag racing.
Langdon’s victory marked his fourth win of the season
and third consecutive NHRA national event victory,
further strengthening his position among the
championship contenders.
“Obviously I’m excited to win the race, any race for
that matter,” Langdon said. “To win here, to continue
the streak as well. It’s all good things.”
Langdon said winning the first NHRA national event held
at Maryland International Raceway was especially
rewarding because of the competitive nature of the field
and the opportunity to help deliver an exciting show for
fans attending the inaugural Potomac Nationals. He noted
that success at a new venue requires both drivers and
teams to perform at their highest level.
“It’s always great to come to a new facility and be able
to make good runs like that. It’s a good show for the
fans,” Langdon said. “It’s very competitive. Your team’s
got to be at their best, and you’ve got to be at your
best inside the car.”
The veteran driver said he has a personal connection to
Maryland International Raceway dating back approximately
15 years, when he visited the facility to compete in
bracket racing. Langdon said he enjoys racing at tracks
like MIR because they provide a close connection between
fans, teams and competitors while maintaining the
atmosphere that helped build the sport.
“I enjoy coming to tracks like this. I came here 15
years ago and came here to bracket race. So, I enjoy
coming to these smaller tracks,” Langdon said. “The fans
are awesome. Everything’s kind of close. It feels like
it’s all right there.”
Austin Prock captured the Funny Car title at the
inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals on Sunday, earning his
first national event victory of the season and adding a
Diamond Wally trophy to his collection. The reigning
two-time Funny Car world champion said the victory was
especially meaningful because it came during a season of
transition for his team and marked an important
milestone for the new Ford Racing program.
“We’re with a new team, all the same faces in different
places,” Prock said. “All the work that we put in and
everything that we learned, it was like restarting. So,
to be seven races in and with the Mission #2Fast2Tasty
this weekend and win the Diamond Wally, I think it says
a lot about this team and what we’re capable of.”
Prock said the support he received from Maryland
International Raceway fans throughout the weekend was
unlike anything he had experienced in his racing career.
He described the Southern Maryland crowd as
exceptionally welcoming and said fans embraced both him
and his team from the moment they arrived at the track.
“A lot of fans came up to me, and everyone kept saying,
‘This is your weekend,’” Prock said. “The fans were
right, and that’s awesome to say. We had a bunch of them
down in the winner’s circle. We got a few of them in
there for pictures and let them hold the Wallys.”
According to Prock, those interactions created a special
connection with spectators and made the victory even
more rewarding.
“I have to say it’s the fans. I have never felt more
loved at a racetrack than I have today,” Prock said. “It
has been exceptional, unbelievable. Everybody’s had my
back since we walked in here on Thursday.”
National Event Brings Economic Impact And Fan Engagement
Rob Fisher, director of marketing for JEGS, said the
company’s decision to become title sponsor of the
inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals was driven by both
business opportunity and a desire to connect with drag
racing fans in an underserved market. Fisher said
Southern Maryland and the greater Mid-Atlantic region
provide access to passionate racers and fans who have
supported drag racing for decades but had never hosted
an NHRA national event.
“This area of Maryland is kind of an underserved market
for us,” Fisher said. “It allows us to bring JEGS to the
fans and the local racers.”
Fisher said the Potomac Nationals allowed JEGS to bring
its brand directly to local fans through interactive
displays, merchandise and fan engagement activities.
“One of the initiatives that we’re doing this year is to
bring JEGS to the masses,” Fisher said. “We bring the
JEGS experience.”
Fisher said the Potomac Nationals helps fill a
geographic gap in NHRA’s national footprint, attracting
fans from throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. He
noted that events like this also generate economic
benefits for local hotels, restaurants and businesses as
competitors, sponsors and spectators travel to the
region.
“People will travel to these races. Having this race
here is good for marketers, sponsors and the region,”
Fisher said. “We go spend our money with the local
businesses.”
Fisher praised the turnout and atmosphere throughout the
weekend, describing Southern Maryland fans as highly
engaged and enthusiastic. He said packed grandstands,
strong midway traffic and fan participation exceeded
expectations and demonstrated the area’s appetite for
national-level drag racing.
“The grandstands were packed the whole time. People were
excited to be here,” Fisher said. “Your fan base here is
very engaged. We’ve eclipsed our goals here.”
A Homegrown Track Earns The National Spotlight
Drexel Crowson of Upper Marlboro said the inaugural NHRA
Potomac Nationals gave Mid-Atlantic drag racing fans
what they had wanted for years — a national NHRA event
close to home. A longtime Maryland International Raceway
supporter, Crowson said the arrival of the NHRA Mission
Foods Drag Racing Series validates the raceway’s
reputation as one of the region’s premier drag racing
facilities.
“For me, I only have to travel an hour versus two hours,
three hours or getting on a plane,” Drexel said. “It’s
nice that this is the closest place to see a national
event. I can sleep in my own bed, get up, drive here and
go back home.”
Crowson said he has watched Maryland International
Raceway evolve through years of improvements, including
upgrades to grandstands, race infrastructure and safety
barriers. Throughout those changes, he said racers from
across the DMV region have consistently praised the
facility’s racing surface and overall quality.
“I’ve been coming here for at least 20 years,” Crowson
said. “A lot of racers from the Baltimore-Washington
metropolitan area say this is a great racing surface.
“They love racing here.”
Crowson encouraged Southern Maryland residents who have
never attended a drag racing event to experience
Maryland International Raceway firsthand, describing the
atmosphere as welcoming, family-friendly and unlike
anything television can fully capture.
“There’s nothing like it,” Crowson said. “The adrenaline
is something that you can’t describe. You really have to
be here to experience it.”
NHRA Potomac Nationals Draws Visitors To Southern
Maryland
Visitors traveled from across the Mid-Atlantic and
beyond to attend the event, generating activity for
local hotels, restaurants, campgrounds and businesses
while introducing many first-time visitors to Southern
Maryland.
April Brown traveled from New Jersey to attend the
inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals, making the trip
specifically because NHRA brought a national event to
Maryland International Raceway. A longtime NHRA fan,
Brown praised both the facility and the Southern
Maryland community, describing the event as well worth
the trip.
“The NHRA is what brought us here for this weekend,”
Brown said. “It’s so exciting. There’s nothing like NHRA
drag racing.”
Brown praised Maryland International Raceway and
Southern Maryland hospitality, describing the facility
as clean, beautiful and welcoming. She said the
atmosphere throughout the weekend made the trip
worthwhile.
“I love this track. It’s beautiful. The facility is very
clean. The people are very friendly,” Brown said. “I
hope everybody came out and saw it.”
Janaj Carmichael of New Jersey attended the NHRA Potomac
Nationals for his first-ever drag racing event,
traveling to Maryland International Raceway to
experience the sport in person.
“I’m here to just experience my first ever race. I’m
here to see the track and see the fast cars,” Carmichael
said. “I wanted to experience it for myself.”
He said he watched drag racing videos online and knew of
the sport through family members, but nothing prepared
him for the sensory experience of watching Top Fuel
dragsters and Funny Cars compete live.
“It’s not the same feeling when you really see it in
person,” Carmichael said. “When you’re on the bleachers,
it feels like everything around you is shaking.”
Hakim Jackson of New Jersey traveled to Maryland
International Raceway for the inaugural NHRA Potomac
Nationals after losing access to nearby NHRA national
events in his home region.
“I saw this year they came down to Maryland, so that’s
not too far,” Jackson said. “So I came down to
experience it.”
Jackson said he previously attended NHRA events at
Englishtown, New Jersey, and later Maple Grove Raceway
in Pennsylvania. When those venues no longer hosted NHRA
national events, he found himself traveling farther to
attend races. He said the addition of Maryland
International Raceway to the NHRA schedule helped fill
an important gap for Mid-Atlantic fans.
“There really weren’t any NHRA events nearby,” Jackson
said. “This race fills that gap. It’s nice to have one
this close.”
Drag Race Bracket Bonanza Connects NHRA Fans Worldwide
One of the weekend’s more unique fan-engagement
initiatives was Drag Race Bracket Bonanza, a free online
prediction game that allows NHRA fans to compete by
selecting winners in each professional elimination
bracket.
Created by Elon Werner of Werner Communications, the
game is played at every NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing
Series national event and has grown to approximately
9,000 registered participants worldwide. Fans complete
brackets for Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro
Stock Motorcycle before eliminations begin, earning
points for correct picks and bonus points for predicting
upsets.
“We do it for every national event. It’s totally free,”
Werner said. “We have about 9,000 registered players,
and we have people playing around the world.”
Participants compete for event victories, season-long
championships and specialty awards. Event winners
receive commemorative plaques signed by NHRA race
winners, while larger competitions throughout the season
feature custom trophies and championship-style belts.
Werner said the program creates interaction between
fans, drivers and teams while encouraging participants
to follow all four professional categories.
“Drivers are talking about it. Fans come up to them and
say, ‘I’ve got you in my bracket,’” Werner said. “You
have to fill out all four categories, and it makes
people understand all the classes a little more.”
According to Werner, winners have come from across the
United States and countries including Australia, New
Zealand and the Philippines, demonstrating the global
reach of NHRA drag racing and the growing popularity of
the fan-driven competition.
Maryland International Raceway Takes Its Place On NHRA’s
National Stage
After years of planning, facility improvements and
anticipation from local racers and fans, Maryland
officially joined the list of states to host NHRA
national event competition.
For Maryland International Raceway, the weekend
delivered more than champions and trophies. It brought
national television exposure, sold-out crowds, and
validation of what generations of Southern Maryland
racers and fans have long believed: that Maryland
International Raceway belongs on drag racing’s biggest
stage.
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