MADISON, Ill. — It took two weeks to get from a first round win to the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown winner’s circle but Lee Hartman took the rain delayed Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals during the NAPA Midwest Nationals.
In Martin, Mich., Hartman defeated Kyle Pawuk and 2026 U.S. Nationals winner Scott Libersher in rounds one and two before the race was moved to World Wide Technology Raceway.
Last night Hartman outran championship contender Raymond Nash in the semifinals and today in the final round of qualifying for the Midwest Nationals Hartman drove away from David Janac resetting the national elapsed time record in the process with a blistering 7.511 seconds at 176.67 mph. This was Hartman’s first Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series national event victory.
“This Carrier Service Dodge has been awesome,” said Hartman. “It’s a Stanfield Racing Engines never give up attitude. They just tune, tune, and make it better every pass until we’re finally getting a groove. This story’s playing out, and it’s not over yet. We’re just finally getting comfortable. We had so many obstacles this year, and we just kept fighting and fighting.”
Since he made his debut in the class in 2020 Hartman had raced to three runner-up finishes prior to today’s win. His last final round appearance was the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 Nationals outside of Chicago. Hartman and his Mopar Dodge Challenger set the elapsed time record three times from the beginning of the Michigan race to its completion today in St. Louis.
“We had epic weather in Michigan, and the car was running great,” said Hartman. “Now we have a week or so to think about what we’re going to do. We come here, and then we got the same type conditions here in St. Louis. I’ve been in a groove. Nothing real major. I knew the car was right. I knew everything we worked on was right.”
After four rounds of racing during the Great Lakes Nationals plus seven previous Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series national event, Hartman is feeling strong. This is the first win for a Dodge Challenger Drag Pak this season.
“I’m just comfortable in the car. I’m at the point where I can drive the car and I know what it’s going to do.”
In the Great Lakes National semifinals contested yesterday at World Wide Technology Raceway, Janac defeated David Davies II when Davies’ Dodge Challenger Drag Pak overpowered the track losing critical traction off the starting line. Hartman raced to the final with a record setting 7.548 second pass at 182.30 mph. He reset his own record which he set two weeks ago in Michigan. His red Dodge Challenger outran championship contending driver Raymond Nash in a very close race.
