The weather at last weekend’s Las Vegas Nationals was unusually wet for October. Conditions suggested quick times and big speeds, but many teams were left searching for answers as performance failed to match expectations. With 21 Alcohol Dragsters on the grounds, some predicted the bump spot could fall into the low 5.30-second range. Instead, those forecasts never materialized, as humidity remained stubbornly high at approximately 75 grains, robbing both the methanol and nitro-burning engines of horsepower.
The DMP Awnings-Kentex Roofing team turned in a strong performance, qualifying 10th before falling to former Las Vegas event winner Jackie Fricke in the opening round. Despite the early exit, driver Kirk Wolf viewed the weekend as a positive step forward.
“It’s hard to look at this weekend as anything but a success,” said Wolf. “Going into round one of eliminations, we were running well enough to be competitive, but we were also very aware of the past wins that Jackie Fricke has had in Las Vegas.”
Wolf added, “We knew John Finke has a lot of experience here, and his car was getting faster every run like we were. We made a good run but we just came up a little short in a very good race.”
Team owner and tuner Dean Dubbin explained how the race developed: “We were a little soft in qualifying, and some of our new crew members provided valuable input. We made a few changes to help get the car moving better early in the run, and the car responded exactly the way we had hoped. We’ll continue to be more aggressive in the areas where the car is showing us it wants more, and we’ll keep building on what we learned this weekend.”
Dubbin continued, “We were hoping for a little more in the first round, but we only came up short by a small margin against Jackie [Fricke], so there’s plenty to be encouraged about. The car is responding well, and we’ll keep working on it at this weekend’s regional race. The new people we’ve added to the program have made an immediate impact, and we’re beginning to see the results of everyone working together.”
Next up for the DMP Awnings / KENTEX Roofing Team is the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Regional event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Alcohol teams will hit the track for testing on Thursday, followed by qualifying sessions on Friday and eliminations on Saturday.
The team will end the season at Pomona Dragstrip Nov. 14-17, for the last NHRA national event of the 2026 season.
This story was originally published on November 4, 2026. 
