Event Preview: The 22nd Annual Haltech World Cup Finals

There are very few events in heads-up drag racing like the 22nd Annual Haltech World Cup Finals at Maryland International Raceway (MDIR). Every November the best cars and drivers in the world descend upon Mechanicsville, Maryland to see who can conquer the tough competition to earn the right to stand in the winner’s circle. The eyes of the world will be on MDIR when the racing takes place November 1-5 and you can see it live RIGHT HERE on SpeedVideo.com!

There’s a reason why a certain level of prestige surrounds the WCF event — you have to be one of the fastest in the world just to make a qualifying pass. Unlike other heads-up races, the WCF has a minimum elapsed time policy that creates some of the greatest side-by-side racing you’ll see anywhere. For 2017, the ETs for every class have been lowered even more, so the racing is going to be faster and tighter than ever.

The WCF is unique in the heads-up racing world because the event features only heads-up racing that runs the full quarter-mile. As soon as the racing starts on Friday until the finals are held on Sunday, it’s purely who can get to the finish line first. This is one of the reasons that the event has so many fans in the stands and has one of the most electric atmospheres in all of drag racing.

The Fuel Injector Clinic Wild Street class is new at the WCF for 2017 and should be one of the most exciting of the weekend. This class has been designed to bridge the gap between the mid-seven-second cars in JPC Racing Street Fighter, and the low eight-second warriors of the Real Street Performance Super Street Class. The racing in this class is expected to be ultra-competitive and have a very closely qualified group of cars, so anything could happen on race day.

When it comes to the biggest rivalries at the WCF you needn’t look any further than the headlining class of Outlaw vs Extreme. This class is where the quickest and fastest cars operate and carry the flag for the import or domestic fans. After the 2016 event, there are now both imports and domestics that have run in the five-second zone, so the trash talk between the fans has already started to heat up for the 2017 WCF. You can expect to see the giant crowd at MDIR on their feet when this class hits the waterbox cheering on their favorite driver.

The WCF is more than just racing: it packs the pits with great entertainment for fans and racers alike. There will be a 2,300-foot long vendor midway filled with nothing but the best go-fast parts and apparel you’ll ever see. A world-class car show that features some amazing custom cars and bikes will also be happening on the pit side of the facility. Finally, it wouldn’t be the WCF without the IBT Bikini Contest and killer live music going on all day Sunday.