For the third consecutive year, the ProMedia Motorsports Group bowled ‘em over with its largest event at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois. Despite apprehension that the state of the economy would keep entries and spectators at a minimum, organizers were stunned when the 3rd Annual NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street Legal Drag Racing drew more competitors and fans than ever before.

Although the weather for the three-day extravaganza ranged from brief cooling rainstorms to clear skies with temperatures in the low 90’s, attendees were treated to over 400 entries from 29 states and several Canadian provinces in one of the greatest shows in drag racing. Contested without bracket racing support, the event retains its title as the pinnacle of Pro Street and “ten-five” racing and the largest gathering of “street car” machinery on the planet.

Easily the dominant figure in Pro Street competition in 2008, Missourian Mark Micke ran the table (again) in his Procharged 526-cubic inch Chevy-powered ‘68 Camaro. Having already been in every NMCA Scorpion Performance Pro Street final round of the year (with only one loss) and earning the $35K winner’s check at the World Street Challenge, Micke led qualifying at 6.32/221.34, (Low ET), won three rounds running between 6.34 and 6.41 and then beat Tony Bischoff’s Cougar in the NMCA PS final round with a six hundredths of a second holeshot in a 6.41/220 to 6.40/218 battle. Micke then returned to beat NMRA Pro Outlaw champ Ron Lummus for the overall Super Bowl title with a 6.35/221.96. So flawlessly stable the car is almost boring to watch, Micke’s red Chevy is currently the most efficient Pro Street vehicle in the sport.

This is the default player used to display virally syndicated titles via the Get the Code button. Steve Matusek goes wild at the NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl

The event is, for all intents, two separate national events in one weekend; the entire slew of National Mustang Racers Association classes are contested while, simultaneously, the entire roster of National Muscle Car Association categories are run to completion. After all eliminator winners are determined, each champion is paired with the closest rational victor (in rules and format) from the opposing association in championship “Shootouts” which are worth plenty of extra cash and Nitto Tire‘s exclusive diamond, ruby and emerald “Christmas Tree“ championship rings. In all, the event featured a mind-boggling 33 final rounds.

The quickest and fastest teams from the NMCA/Edelbrock series and the NMRA/Keystone Automotive Tour once again appeared for the bash sponsored by Motive Gear and Nitto Tires and, despite the monumental logistics of such an unusual event, the race was completed on time each day due, in no small part, to Chris McMahan and the Route 66 Raceway staff and ProMedia’s event director, the legendary Lynwood Dupuy.