Dubbin Motorsports and driver Kirk Wolf turned in a solid effort at the 19th Annual University Hospitals Cavalcade of Stars, part of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, held last weekend at Summit Motorsports Park. Despite challenging weather conditions, the Minnesota-based team delivered a solid performance that sets the stage for a promising run at the upcoming NHRA Summit Racing Equipment Nationals.
Wolf opened qualifying with a clean and confident 5.330-second pass at 271.35 mph, securing the No. 5 spot on the ladder. The DMP Awnings – Kentex Roofing Systems A/Fuel Dragster showed early promise, but hot and humid conditions made it difficult for tuners Chase and Clay Copeland to keep all eight cylinders lit through the finish line. The car dropped holes late in both Q2 and Q3, unable to improve on their initial Q1 effort.
In round one of eliminations, Wolf faced off against Madison Payne in the Duane Shields-owned entry, tuned by veteran Dana Hopewell. Payne encountered issues early, while Wolf powered through the quarter mile with a 5.309 at 245.52 mph to advance.
The semifinal round brought a tight matchup against Jamie Noonan driving the Samsel-owned and tuned car. Both drivers were good on the tree—Wolf with a .057 and Noonan with a .058—but Noonan edged out the win with a 5.274 at 276.35 mph to Wolf’s 5.323 at 267.48 mph.
“We have our car back, finally,” said Wolf, reflecting on the team’s performance and the return to form after early-season challenges.
Team owner Dean Dubbin remains optimistic. “We’ve got a consistent and fast car, and we’re building momentum at the right time. We will have to improve our performance to pull even with the top-running teams, but we are very pleased with the consistency of the car during the weekend.”
The Dubbin Motorsports team will remain in Norwalk for next weekend’s NHRA Summit Racing Equipment Nationals, June 26–29. The event is expected to draw 18–20 of the nation’s top-rated Top Alcohol Dragster teams and is widely regarded as a favorite among competitors nationwide.
With renewed confidence and a strong baseline, Dubbin Motorsports looks to make a serious statement on one of the sport’s biggest stages in Norwalk.
This story was originally published on June 23, 2025. 
