Top Fuel dragsters capable of topping 300 mph will scream down the strip at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan this weekend, as the inaugural Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals brings a national NHRA event back to the state for the first time in 66 years. Among the drivers previewing the race is Leah Pruett, the Tony Stewart Racing Top Fuel driver who returned to full-time competition this year after stepping away to start a family.
A Historic Return for Michigan Drag Racing
The last time Michigan hosted a full NHRA national event was in 1960 at Detroit Dragway, according to NHRA.com. That six-decade gap makes this weekend's races at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park more than just another stop on the circuit — it's a homecoming for a state whose identity is tightly bound to the automotive industry. Pruett discussed the significance of the event with CBS News Detroit ahead of the green light.
The stakes go beyond nostalgia. The Great Lakes Nationals, running September 18 through 20, serves as the 15th event of the 20-race NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and, more importantly, kicks off the six-event Countdown to the Championship playoffs, according to a release distributed via PR Newswire. Whoever performs well in Martin this weekend carries momentum into a postseason that will determine this year's national champions across the sport's professional categories.
Pruett's Comeback and a Family Racing Story
Pruett is a 12-time NHRA Top Fuel event winner who stepped away from full-time racing in 2024 to start a family, giving birth to her son Dominic in November of that year, per the same PR Newswire release. She returned to the Tony Stewart Racing Dodge Top Fuel dragster in 2026 after the two-season hiatus.
During Pruett's time away in 2024 and 2025, her husband and team owner, NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart, took over driving duties in her 12,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragster full-time, the release notes. Stewart has since transitioned to racing for Elite Motorsports in 2026, clearing the seat for Pruett's return.
From Martin Dragway to a Modern Playoff Host
The venue itself has a long history under different names. U.S. 131 Motorsports Park opened in 1962 as Martin Dragway, founded by track operator John Grivins, according to DragChamp.com. In 2002, the track underwent a $14 million modernization project and reopened under its current name, with the Peterson family taking over management, as reported by Drag Central.
Long before that renovation, the facility had an established history in drag racing. The track also holds a speed record of 338.35 mph, set by Top Fuel driver Dom Lagana in September 2017, per DragChamp.com's reporting — a mark that has earned it a reputation as one of the fastest tracks in Michigan.
A Road Tour and a Future Already Locked In
Ahead of the race, NHRA and Dodge scheduled the NHRA Dodge Tour de Michigan for Thursday, a public vehicle road tour traveling from Stellantis North America headquarters in Auburn Hills through Hell, Michigan, before ending at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, according to NHRA.com. The drive was designed as a ceremonial kickoff connecting Metro Detroit's automotive culture with West Michigan's racing scene.
The commitment to Martin doesn't end with this inaugural weekend. U.S. 131 Motorsports Park announced in August that the Great Lakes Nationals will return to U.S. 131 Motorsports Park on September 17 through 19, 2027, according to a statement from U.S. 131 Motorsports Park. The 2027 event is scheduled to open the Countdown to the Championship.
