Words by Jeff Burk - Photos by Richard Muir

The Mountain Motor Nationals at historic Maryland International Raceway is one of if not the iconic “outlaw” doorslammer race in drag racing. Before there were Pro Mod national events there was the MIR Mountain Motor Nationals.

It is possible that this race, which was first run in 1978, is responsible for the term “Mountain Motor” being synonymous for any late model racecar with a big-inch engine under the hood. There was a time in the late seventies and early eighties when this race was run in front of standing room only crowds and was the pre-eminent doorslammer-only race in drag racing.

The 34th annual running of this event took place May 11-12 and, although there wasn’t a standing room only crowd as there had been in the past, the race still delivered to the Maryland doorslammer fans a great race.

Track operator Royce Miller offered his fans three different classes of fast doorslammers: the supercharged/turbocharged class, the nitrous-only class and the classic mountain-motored Pro Stock class. Each class delivered great racing and there was even a new track speed record set at this race.