After a year of precise production planning, the47th Annual Cornwell Tools Night Under Firewas powerfully presented to a capacity crowd on Aug. 3, 2024, atSummit Motorsports Parkin Norwalk, Ohio.
While the forecast gave everyone a fright early in the week, it improved dramatically and racers and performers dove in to put on a stellar show for the 40,000 fans in attendance.
A qualifying session got the event into gear on Aug. 2, before the main show took the stage on Aug. 3. As part of opening ceremonies, Summit Motorsports Park president Bill Bader gave a touching tribute to sixteen-time NHRA Funny Car champion and longtime and loved participant of the event, John Force, who was not able to attend as he continues to recover from his on-track accident. Additionally, a massive American flag was unfurled over the track, the national anthem was performed by Chris Biggin and a fantastic military plane flyover by the Hooligans Flight Team took place.
On a tight track professionally prepared by Evan Bader and his Summit Motorsports Park Team and Kurt Johnson and his Total Venue Concepts Team, the event engaged with riveting racing and exciting entertainment, and many memories were made at The Greatest Show in Drag Racing®.
TheFunny Carfield was filled with famous and fierce drivers, includingRon Capps,Cruz Pedregon, Dale Creasy Jr.andJack Beckman, who waspiloting theJohn Force Racing PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS.The highly anticipated final round featuredDale Creasy Jr.andJack Beckman, and Creasy Jr., in his Tek Pak entry, won after both drivers worked to settle their high horsepower cars.
Fan-favoriteTop Fuelracers Brittany Force, Antron Brown, Clay Millican and T.J. Zizzogave it everything they had, with flames flying from their header pipes. At the end of the night,Brittany Force, certainly making her father, John Force, proud, drove her Cornwell Quality Tools Top Fuel Dragster to a 4.19 to defeatT.J. Zizzo, who had to take his foot off the pedal in his Rustoleum Top Fuel Dragster.
Top Fuel Harley-Davidson Motorcycleriders tackled high speeds on two wheels, and when everything was said and done,Chris Smithsecured the win with a 6.96 overTii Tharpe’s7.49.
NHRA North Central Division Top Alcohol Funny CarandTop Alcohol Dragsterracers were a force at this event. Among them wasSean Bellemeur,who has been on a roll in his Bartone Bros. Racing entry inTop Alcohol Funny Car, and he continued his winning streak at this event with a 5.53 pass whileChris Fosterwas forced to get out of the throttle in his car. Additionally, popular racersGary PritchettandTony Stewart, multi-timeNASCAR Cup Series champion, met up in theTop Alcohol Dragsterfinal, and while they were close on the tree and the top end, Pritchett pulled off the win with a 5.25 to Stewart’s close 5.26.
TheR&R Auto Body Top Sportsmanfinal saw Dwayne Gallogly gun to the win over Dave Paone with a 4.16 to a 4.35 respectively.
In theB’laster Pro Mod Shootout, Doug Winters drove his 1969 Chevelle to victory over Nick Januik and his 2020 Corvette.
Also awe-inspiring were Jet Dragster drivers working toward aNorth American Jet Car Championshipwhile wowing fans with fiery displays. Among them was Hanna Motorsports driverJosh Graham, who sealed the deal in hisEastern Raider.
Rich Hanna,inhisFirst Strikejet Funny Car, flew down track alongside teammateGary Schwartz, in hisTop Secretjet Funny Car, and Hanna won two out of three races against Schwartz.
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Steve Harperand his wheelstandingCool BusandRick Reamand his wheelstandingStudebaker Bullet Nosereached for the sky, and Ream managed to hang his front tires in the air just a little longer than Harper.
Performing at Summit Motorsports Park for the first time,CanadianRuss Lethbridgeclimbed into hisHellfirejet truck, bumped into the beams and blasted down track with fire flying, andHayden Proffittstrapped into hisHot Streak IIjet truck and set sail with afterburners all aglow.
As part of the excitingEdelbrock Super Series Elite presented by Red Line Oil and Rocko Machineprogram, the top 16 racers in Edelbrock Super Pro, Edelbrock Pro, Wiseco/CycleTech Super Bike and Edelbrock Sportsman Delivered on Time by TFC Transportation racers as of Aug. 1 raced for a share of a substantial $64,400 guaranteed purse at the event. Matt Cornell cruised to the win over Zach Smith inEdelbrock Super Pro, while Brian Green gunned to the win over Geoff Case inEdelbrock Pro, Jeremy Hicks hauled to the win when Ed James turned on the red light inWiseco/CycleTech Super Bikeand Nick Hastings nailed the win over Mitch Williams inEdelbrock Sportsman Delivered on Time by TFC Transportation.
For the excitingSummit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster Shootout, winners in Bear Motorsports Junior Dragster presented by Wiseco Advanced, Intermediate and Novice classes at select Edelbrock Super Series races were eligible to compete at the 47thAnnual Cornwell Tools Night Under Fire for a guaranteed purse of $6,900. Gabe Wojnowski gathered the win over Maleah Mosley in Advanced, while Jaiden England edged out Ellieanna Oldenburg in Intermediate and Kendall Moreland pulled off the win over Callie Moreland in Novice.
All of the action was capped off by the jaw-droppingBader Family Signature Fireworks Finale presented by R&R Auto Body, which was followed by the very popular track walk featuring thousands of fans and event winners, and a concert by Trainwreck Country Band in the staging lanes.
“This annual event, which has become prestigious, means so much to our team, and we try very hard to ensure that it is magical and memorable for each and every one of our participants and guests,” said Bader. “That is our number one goal, and to see smiling faces means that we have accomplished that, and that gives us even more inspiration for planning next year’s event. We thank everyone who came to our home for the 47thAnnual Cornwell Tools Night Under Fire, and we congratulate the winners. It is not too early to say here’s to next year’s event. We are already looking forward to it.”
This story was originally published on August 5, 2024. 
