With a pair of tracks back on the schedule and eight total races planned, the Summit Racing Equipment Mid-West Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service announced its exciting 2022 schedule this week.
The new season opens with the MWDRS Xtreme Texas Nationals at Xtreme Raceway in Ferris, Texas on March 18-19 and ends with the MWDRS Xtreme Texas World Finals on Oct. 21-22 at the same facility.
The MWDRS will compete at five additional tracks at the other six events, bringing back stops at Memphis International Raceway and World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis.
The series will have its customary stops at its home facility, Tulsa Raceway Park, for the two Throwdown in T-Town races, and also head to U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Mich. and SRCA Dragstrip in Great Bend, Kan., showcasing the incredible action and big-money purses in Pro Mod, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster, as well as Jr. Dragster.
“I would say this is the best schedule we’ve put together since we’ve started,” Mid-West Drag Racing Series Founder Keith Haney said. “I truly love the schedule we’ve put together for next year and the feedback has been amazing. We’re all excited about this. Our marketing partners like to be in different areas or areas they haven’t been in a while, so they love this schedule as well.”
Another noteworthy aspect of the 2022 schedule is the mid-year break the MWDRS will take. After starting in Ferris, Texas, the MWDRS will race in Memphis for the Memphis Nationals on April 22-23, the Throwdown in T-Town on May 6-7, and the Great Bend Nationals at SRCA Dragstrip on June 3-4. Two weeks later, on June 17-18, the MWDRS will close out the first portion of the season with the Summer Speed Spectacular in St. Louis. It will be the first race in Memphis since 2019 and the first in St. Louis since 2020.
The series will take nearly three months off before returning in the fall, something Haney believes will serve the MWDRS well.
“Being off during the hottest months of the year in the Midwest doesn’t hurt anybody’s feelings,” Haney said. “It will allow everyone to regroup, restock and finish out the year strong. We wanted to load up the first half of the year and load the back half of the year.”
Due to weather cancellations this year, the MWDRS had an extended absence in 2021, having a few months off before returning to action in the late summer. It wasn’t planned that way this year, but it worked out well for all parties and MWDRS will repeat that in 2022, setting up a big finish that includes the U.S. 131 Nationals on Sept. 9-10 in Martin, the fall Throwdown in T-Town on Oct. 7-8 and the Xtreme Texas World Finals.
The MWDRS also worked closely with the PDRA and NMCA to ensure there wasn’t any overlap of events on the same date, something that took extensive planning from all parties.
That’s a huge positive for the MWDRS, which finished off a thrilling 2021 season just weeks ago in Texas. With remarkable side-by-side racing in all categories, the MWDRS takes considerable momentum into the 2022 campaign. Joey Oksas won the world title in Pro Mod and Sean Bellemeur took the championship in Top Alcohol Funny Car for the second straight year, and the series will look to continue the same great action next year.
“There’s so many things to be excited about with this schedule,” Haney said. “Picking back up in St. Louis, they always do a great job and it’s been one of our best-attended races. Getting back on the roster at Memphis, we’re looking forward to it. It’s a great facility. You can’t beat the two Throwdown races, and Xtreme Raceway Park is just a phenomenal facility. Great Bend, that’s a great track and we’re excited to go back to U.S. 131 as well. There’s a lot to be excited about.”
This story was originally published on November 10, 2021. 
