No Quit in Milan: Joon, Worsham, Smith, and Esz Go Home With Ironmans

(Photo Credit: Peyton Lohr/Racing Refresh)

By Logan Morris

After a full day and night of heavy rainfall, Sunday became the impromptu finale at Darana Dragway in Milan, Michigan. For both fans and drivers, it was well worth the wait. The energy was high, the emotions were real, and the passion on display proved just how much winning an IHRA Ironman means to everyone involved.

In Alcohol Funny Car, Phil Esz captured the Ironman trophy, and his emotion was written all over his face when I caught up with him in the winner’s circle.

“I worried about it all night long, you know? I wish we got it done last night, I wanted to win, and I just knew I had to do my job. That’s what I did today, and that’s how we won. I got a great team behind me.”

In Top Alcohol Dragster, Will Smith claimed the Ironman after defeating Rich McPhillips Jr. in the finals. Smith has steadily made a name for himself in the drag racing world with his sharp driving instincts and calm demeanor under pressure. Sunday’s win at Darana Dragway marked a major career highlight and showcased his growing presence in the class.

In Funny Car, former IHRA champion Del Worsham returned to form, defeating Dan Hix. Worsham has found success across the drag racing spectrum, whether in Top Fuel or Funny Car, and Sunday was another chapter in his storied career.

But the most unforgettable moment of the day came when Lex Joon earned his first IHRA Ironman in Top Fuel. The team’s motto — "never quit" — rang true in Milan as Joon and his crew pulled off a hard-fought victory over Mitch King in the finals. When I spoke to Joon, he was open and heartfelt about just how much this win meant.

“Today was really a rollercoaster. We went into today and I thought, ‘let’s see if we can get the first win’ because we had a lot of issues with the car during qualifying. We qualified in a really bad place because I also knew if you want to get to the final round, you have to win every round. So, if you think about it, we basically beat every car, except one in the field. I don’t get it - we had a lot of issues with the car. With no data, with broken wires, so there’s only one magneto, with all kinds of stuff. Just before we fired it up before the finals it didn’t want to run, it was backfiring, and then it appeared that something else was broken - we fixed it. My crew is who won me the race. They just did not give up. … We have no big sponsors, we have a couple of loyal supporters that help us, but the American dream is here, and we are proof of it, so thank you all.”

Joon's Team Celebrates at The Starting Line

(Photo Credit: Peyton Lohr/Racing Refresh)

With a weekend full of drama, heart, and horsepower now in the books, the IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series will next roar to life September 3 - 6 at Darana Raceway in Hebron, Ohio.