Tatum, Lee, Harris, DeFlorian, and Dietsch Secure $1 Million Shot at IHRA Triple Crown

The IHRA Triple Crown resumed at Darana – National Trail Raceway in Hebron, Ohio, after the weather‑delayed Maple Grove opener in May, with five class winners advancing $1 million bids.

Tripp Tatum, Paul Lee, Jason Harris, John DeFlorian, and Taylor Dietsch now hold eligibility for the series’ bonus, earned by sweeping September’s Maple Grove doubleheader. This sets a high-stakes target.

The return to Ohio rewarded execution and adaptability, reflecting trends from recent qualifiers as tuning windows narrowed after Friday’s changing track conditions. Teams balanced aggression with reliability throughout eliminations.

In Top Fuel, Tatum defeated Gary Pritchett with a 3.764 at 328.47 mph, capitalizing when Pritchett lost power late and clocked 3.859 at 274.39.

Tatum reached the final by eliminating Chuck Lofton and Jasmine Saline. The win delivered $150,000 and, more significantly, control of his destiny heading into September.

He called the success bittersweet given his friendship with Pritchett, while welcoming a two‑month preparation window for the Maple Grove push.

Paul Lee mirrored that outcome in Funny Car, beating Del Worsham with a 3.973 at 326.32 mph against 4.018 at 323.04, after earlier wins over Jon Capps and Joe Haas.

Lee credited crew chief Jon Schaffer, plus Seth Randall and John Medlen, for an error‑free weekend that kept the setup window tight and repeatable under pressure.

Jason Harris prevailed in Pro Mod with a 3.567 in his ’69 Camaro, narrowly covering Jacob McNeal’s 3.599 after McNeal left first. Harris emerged from a 31‑car field.

The result brought $100,000 and a second 2026 shot at the bonus. Harris highlighted consistent reaction times and thanked Harts Charger, TKM, ProLine, Hoosier, and Southern Diamond.

In Mountain Motor Pro Stock, John DeFlorian edged Jeremy Huffman by .0058 seconds with a 4.052 at 177.30 mph to Huffman’s 4.076, overturning a slight reaction‑time deficit.

DeFlorian banked $50,000 from a field where roughly half the qualifiers ran 4.10s or quicker, underlining the category’s parity and the importance of clean execution.

Taylor Dietsch completed the quintet in Pro Stock, defeating his father, Jason Dietsch, with a 4.865 at 148.66 mph, reversing last season’s outcome at the same venue.

Supporting winners included Jason Scruggs, Jody Austin, Rachel Curl, Phil Esz, Mitch Brown, Ryan Peery, and Anthony Rhodes.

Their victories spanned Outlaw Pro Mod, Fuel Altered, Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car, Top Fuel Motorcycle, Nitro Harley, and the Hemi Shootout.

The Triple Crown concludes September 10–13 with a Thursday–Friday race and a Saturday–Sunday finale at Maple Grove Raceway, creating a rare back‑to‑back sweep opportunity.

Any Hebron winner who takes both remaining events secures the $1 million bonus, amplifying strategic calls on parts life, lane choice, and turnaround procedures.

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Miles Carter

Miles Carter covers grassroots and regional drag-strip action, from bracket racing to street-legal shootouts. His event previews and performance-upgrade guides keep local racers up to speed on timing-slip trends, tire tech, and weekend race highlights.