Words and photos by Ian Tocher

Making memories—and history—is what the ADRL’s oldest event is all about.
Since ushering in the series’ very existence in 2004 at Carolina (SC) Dragway, “Dragstock” has never failed to deliver massive crowds, drama and record-setting performances worthy of a true marquee event.

From the unique team competition started at  the inaugural go round to the ADRL’s game-changing shift to free admission upon moving the race in 2006 to Rockingham (NC) Dragway, to the first 200-mph, eighth-mile pass by a doorslammer in 2007 to the first all-three-second Pro Nitrous field just last year, Dragstock has clearly staked a claim as one of drag racing’s seminal events.

This weekend’s Simpson Dragstock VII promises to deliver more of the same, as more than 150 teams in five pro classes will congregate at “The Rock” with each seeking to etch its name in the Dragstock record books. Many will also be going after valuable Championship points that will get them into the elite top eight teams  in each class for the year-ending Battle for the Belts at Billy Meyers palace of speed the fabled Texas Motorplex, while others will be on track to clinch a playoff position.

The implications of Dragstock have been diminished somewhat this year, however, as it no longer represents the final opportunity to garner points toward qualifying for the ADRL’s championship-deciding tournament. That honor now goes to Norwalk, Ohio, in a couple of weeks’ time, though it’s unclear if that’s a permanent schedule change or just a result of adding the Norwalk date after the release of an initial event line-up late last year.

With 100 points per round on the line in addition to attendance, qualifying and record setting bonuses, a maximum of 616 points are within reach of each racer at each event, so results from Dragstock VII will undoubtedly help determine the fate of several ADRL race teams this year.

So, with a potential 1,232 points still available (plus an extra 50 points paid for perfect attendance at all 10 ADRL events this season), no one in Pro Extreme (PX) or Pro Nitrous (PN) has yet clinched a Battle for the Belts appearance, but several drivers/riders in Extreme 10.5 (XTF), Pro Extreme Motorcycle (PXM) and Extreme Pro Stock (XPS) can race comfortably in Rockingham, already knowing they’ll be championship contenders come October in Dallas.