IHRA: Will IHRA Northern Nationals be one for the record books?

Above: Pro Stock's John De Florian could break his own ET record this weekend at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park.

Nitro Motorcycle racer and current points leader Jay Turner really likes the site of the final IHRA Drag Racing Series event of the season: U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan.

"It's one of the best tracks in the country," he said. "The track will take all the power you can give it."

That could be an indication of some new entries in the IHRA record book after this weekend's competition. Aside from the obvious – horsepower – there are three things that largely dictate a record-setting opportunity: a good track, which U.S. 131 definitely is; good track preparation and the IHRA crew, which has been faced with some tough challenges (such as the infuriatingly intermittent rain at the last race, the Mopar Rocky Mountain Nationals at Castrol Speedway in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) and performed like the professionals they are; and favorable weather.

That last one is a big unknown. It has been unseasonably hot in central Michigan this week, but the forecast for the weekend calls for a cooldown, which is good news – engines make more power in cooler weather – but it is also bad news, as the reason for the cooldown appears to be thunderstorms. There's not much we can do about this until someone builds an entirely enclosed quarter-mile drag strip.

So what are we looking at, record-wise, in the IHRA for the four Pro classes?

In Pro Mod, points leader Billy Harper set the ET record of 5.832 seconds at Maryland International Raceway last June in his 2000 Dodge Viper. Some have come close this year, but no Pro Mod has been able to top Ray Commisso's top speed of 246.08mph set in March 2009 at State Capitol Speedway in Louisiana.

In AMSOIL Nitro Funny Car, points leader Jason Rupert set the ET and top speed records in his 1969 Chevrolet Camaro at Memphis International Raceway last October, with an ET of 5.595, and a speed of 261.72mph. Rupert's points lead has shrunk to the point where it's certain he will be pulling out all the stops this weekend. After all, setting at ET world record is good for 20 points.

In Pro Stock, John De Florian was on fire in his 2012 Chevrolet Camaro at San Antonio Raceway in March 2014, setting the ET record at 6.224, and top speed at 226.70mph, a record that seems in reach – possibly by De Florian, who is entered in this weekend's event.

And in Nitro Motorcycle, Mark Cox has the top speed record of 230.76 mph, set in April 2014 at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida. The ET record was set in June at Maryland International Raceway by Bob Malloy, who could top his 6.204 this weekend at Martin.

For more information on the IHRA Northern Nationals, log onto US131msp.com.