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PRI and SEMA Take Maryland Lawmakers Behind the Scenes at NHRA Potomac Nationals
Highlights
- Delegates Morgan and Hornberger toured NHRA Potomac Nationals event.
- They met racers, vendors, and learned about drag racing’s impact.
- NHRA officials detailed event organization and 75th anniversary plans.
- Austin Prock won Funny Car event with a 3.956-second run.
- Motorsports industry contributes nearly $500 million annually to Maryland.
- SEMA and PRI aim to raise lawmakers’ awareness of motorsports.
Maryland State Delegates Matthew Morgan and Kevin Hornberger receive a behind-the-scenes tour during the inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals at Maryland International Raceway, assessing motorsports’ economic and community footprint.
Over two days, they walk the paddock, meet racers and teams, and observe event operations. The agenda focuses on how drag racing functions competitively while sustaining local businesses.
NHRA executives Brad Gerber and Alen Cisija brief the group on national event logistics, compliance, and stakeholder coordination, context that carries extra weight during the NHRA’s 75th anniversary season in 2026.
NHRA leaders Brad Gerber and Alen Cisija guide lawmakers through event operations during the sanctioning body’s 75th year.
Trackside, Austin Prock engages with the delegation, then converts pace into result. He wins Funny Car with a 3.956-second pass over Jack Beckman’s 3.971 in eliminations.
Austin Prock claims Funny Car honors with a 3.956-second run, edging Jack Beckman’s 3.971.
The pit area underlines drag racing’s accessibility, with fans and competitors interacting freely. That openness helps convey the sport’s culture beyond on-track performance.
Top Fuel racer Maddi Gordon and team owner Ron Capps add perspective. Capps’ winning record contrasts with Gordon’s 22-year-old trajectory, shaped by a lifetime in the sport.
Gordon frames racing as a lifestyle and career path, emphasizing family values and discipline. Her development arc is charted in this profile on Maddi Gordon.
PRI Grassroots Manager Coby Lobaugh highlights how Gordon’s attitude resonates with policymakers, reinforcing the need to protect participation pathways and track access.
Motorsports contributes nearly $500 million annually to Maryland’s economy.
Economic data anchors the visit. Nearly $500 million flows into Maryland each year from motorsports, with more than $17 million directly benefiting districts represented by Morgan and Hornberger.
More than $17 million in motorsports activity supports families and small businesses in the delegates’ districts.
Conversations with vendors, teams, and spectators give lawmakers ground-level insight into supply chains, traveling workforces, and the seasonal cadence of event income.
For SEMA and PRI, the objective is policy fluency. Their ongoing initiative to educate officials, including efforts outlined by SEMA and PRI, hinges on firsthand exposure to racing environments.
Events like the NHRA Potomac Nationals align community engagement with economic reality, strengthening understanding that helps safeguard the sport’s competitive future.
Visual Summary
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PROCK
PROCK
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BECKMAN
BECKMAN
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Delegate Hornberger
Delegate Hornberger
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Delegate Morgan
Delegate Morgan
NHRA Potomac Nationals:
Lawmakers dove into drag racing — felt the speed, met the racers, saw behind the scenes
Lawmakers dove into drag racing — felt the speed, met the racers, saw behind the scenes
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$500M
added by racing
to MD’s economy
to MD’s economy
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Racers & Lawmakers
shared stories,
built new advocates
built new advocates
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Future in Focus
Stronger bonds,
racing protected
racing protected
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When lawmakers feel the thrill, racing gets a stronger future!
When lawmakers feel the thrill, racing gets a stronger future!
Meet the new generation: Maddi Gordon proves racing shapes leaders — on and off the track.
Nicholas Rivera delivers NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car news, including eliminator-round results and reaction-time stats. He brings track-side interviews, contender profiles, and championship-point breakdowns straight from drag-racing’s biggest national events.
Related FervoGear guide: custom drag racing suit built for driver protection, custom fit, and sponsor-ready design.
