Mo-Kan Dragway celebrates 61 years with Nitro Chaos

Jul. 15—ASBURY, Mo. — In an event that draws some of the biggest names in drag racing, the Mo-Kan Dragway began the celebration of its 61st anniversary on Saturday with the popular Nitro Chaos Series, sportsman class drags, junior drags and more.

Among the most recognizable names at Mo-Kan on Saturday were the Meyer sisters — Megan Meyer Lingner and Rachel Meyer Curl, of Megan Meyer Racing, who between them hold three prestigious National Hot Rod Association titles.

Lingner, of Gardner, Kansas, is a two-time NHRA world champion. She retired in 2020 to start a family but returned to racing last year to become the first woman to win the Nitro Chaos event at Mo-Kan Dragway.

"When I made that decision in 2020, it had nothing to do with COVID; I made the decision before all that stuff happened," she said. "We went on to win the championship that year, and I was just kind of burned out on all the traveling ... I was ready to take a step back. I was recently married and were trying to have a baby, and obviously you can't be pregnant and drive."

Lingner and her husband, Adam Lingner, had that baby, Henry, now 2, and heard last year about the Nitro Chaos Series coming to Mo-Kan.

"That's what made me come back," she said. "I love the atmosphere here, everyone comes here just to have fun. We are doing a points series, but it's really not the focus at all. It's more about just putting on a good show and getting to race against new cars. The type of cars here I wouldn't have ever had the chance to race against in NHRA events."

Lingner said the Mo-Kan event also provides an opportunity to meet new people.

"Most of the people here are local, and it's really the only chance they have to come out and race with the Nitro Chaos Series," she said. "We're just here to have fun, and you can definitely tell when you roll into the gates that that is the type of atmosphere here."

Lingner said the shorter series (four races) allows her to spend more time with her family.

"It allows me to be closer to home and make more memories with my son," she said. "He loves being at the track and being around cars, but at the same time, we love doing other stuff, too."

As for her chance at winning the event this weekend, Lingner was optimistic.

"We're hoping we can get another win," she said. "I think we have a good chance at it. We got some good data last year, we know the track is going to be really good. Carl (Blanton, Mo-Kan owner) and Tyler (West, Mo-Kan manager) and his team have been doing a great job of making sure the track is in great shape for us. We have high hopes and hope we are going to do some damage here."

For Curl, the 2021 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series national champion from Mount Vernon, Mo-Kan holds a special place in her heart. The dragway is where she met her husband, Daniel Curl, about five years ago at a local bracket race.

"I was out here with my green dragster and he was out here with his Plymouth Duster," Curl, a new mom of a 9-month-old boy, said.

It is Curl's first year racing in the Nitro Chaos Series, with includes four races throughout the U.S. The series opened in Cincinnati, moved to Des Moines for its second race and will conclude later this summer near Houston.

"Iowa was my first race and this will be my last one (in Nitro Chaos), because we will have our two other cars racing some NHRA stuff," she said. "But I'll be at the last race with Megan."

Curl talked about racing at Mo-Kan.

"I think the fans here are a lot more into some of the cars that they are seeing," she said. "Sometimes NHRA portrays it like the top-fuel cars are the main thing and the rest of us are just filler cars. I feel the way they promote this here includes all the cars and I believe the fans are better."

Other competitors

Cassville's own Scott Palmer, one of the best top-fuel racers in the world, also competed Saturday.

"He's a nationally known NHRA top-fuel racer," Blanton said. "He'll be attempting to set the piston power track record tonight (Saturday)."

Because of a Friday night rainout, Blanton said the schedule has shifted, with all qualifying on Saturday and all eliminations on Sunday. Gates open at 10 a.m. Sunday with sportman time runs. Nitro eliminations begin around 1 p.m., with more rounds at 3 and 5 p.m. Tickets are $20 for a full day of racing, with kids 12 and younger admitted free of charge.

Blanton said the field includes racers from as far as Canada.

Saturday marked the second year that Mo-Kan has hosted the four-race Nitro Chaos Series. Blanton explained how his dragway in Asbury was able to be part of the series.

"I have a very good relationship with the promoter, Chris Graves," Blanton said. "I've known him since he was about 15. I've kind of mentored him a little bit. He loves coming here because he loves the track, and he loves the fact that the fans turn out. Big kudos to Chris and Tara Graves and the whole Nitro Chaos crew; they've created something here that's fantastic."

Fans indeed turned out on Saturday, with packed stands and tailgaters down the length of the quarter-mile track. In a sport where every ticket is a pit pass, fans were able to talk to drivers and even purchase a ride on a top-fuel dragster with speeds up to 170 mph.

Fans watched as about 200 cars competed in qualifying rounds in sportsman, junior drag and Nitro classes.