After a dramatic brush with the guard wall during qualifying in Topeka, Lyle Barnett is ready for redemption as he prepares to compete in his Elite Motorsports Twin Turbo Pro Mod at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, home of the famous “Zoo,” a fan camping experience that is unparalleled.
Although this is only his second year in the highly competitive FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by D-Wagon, the talented driver nabbed two national event wins in his rookie season and he’s eager to add more hardware to that collection. After discovering a mechanical “gremlin” in his 2018 Camaro during the event in Topeka last weekend, Barnett feels positive about his chances in Brainerd and thinks this is where his season will take a turn for the better.
“Last year we were really able to turn it on in the second half of the season,” said Barnett. “I’m hopeful we can do the same thing this year. I’ve never competed in Brainerd before, but they have some of the best Pro Mod fans in the country. It’s going to be fun to put on a show for them. I’m excited to check out the Zoo while I’m there, but all of my focus is on competing at the top of my game and turning on win lights.”
The D-Wagon NHRA Pro Mod Shootout, an exclusive specialty race for the Pro Mod category, will take place on Friday and Saturday, with $10,000 being awarded to the winner.
In the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the Patterson-Elite team is eager to welcome some neighbors from the north to their first NHRA national event. Joining the fleet of Super Stock Copo Camaros will be Terry Elias (FSS/B 2022 Copo), his son James Elias(FSS/A 2020 Copo), and their friend and mechanic John Harder (FSS/A 2020 Copo), all of Winkler, Manitoba, Canada. Larry Dyck (FS/B 2019 Copo), of East St. Paul, Manitoba, will be competing in the Stock Eliminator category.
These enthusiastic drivers are relatively new to the sport, but after getting a taste of the excitement, competition and camaraderie in sportsman racing, they are all looking forward to competing in Brainerd. Todd Patterson (FSS/D 2019 Copo) and Aydan Patterson (FSS/F 2014 Copo) will also participate in the Super Stock category.
The Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway will run from August 18-21.
This story was originally published on August 18, 2022. 
