As in all forms of motorsports, the seeds of drag racing were sown by racers who built their hot rods in a home garage or machine shed. If you wanted to race, you had to build it yourself by necessity. As the sport quickly matured, professional shops dedicated to constructing purpose-built race cars became the rule, not the exception.

Recent years have brought no-prep and outlaw-style drag racing to the scene. Having formed in the grass-roots, racer-built cars were common. With that niche of the sport maturing, big checkbooks and professional builds have taken over.

Enter Joliet, Illinois’ Joe Zolper, business owner, skilled fabricator, car builder, and drag racer.

While racing in some no-prep and outlaw events in his home shop-built Charger Daytona Pro Mod named “Dauntless”, Zolper noticed that fewer participants built their race cars compared to years past. He also took note of the questionable claims by some, that their cars were built by their driver in their home shop.

This inspired “Joliet Joe” to organize a race specifically for drag racers who build their cars.

Builder’s Brawl is that race. It will take place at World Wide Technologies Raceway in Madison, IL, on July 29th and 30th.

“There are still some racers who build their own race cars,” said Zolper. “These people deserve recognition for their hard work and talent as builders. And they also deserve a chance to compete against other builder-racers in front of a crowd of appreciative spectators. That is what Builder’s Brawl is about!”

It’s how he carries on his life, from building a business to raising a family, to now organizing the first-of-its-kind race.

To participate in this eighth-mile, no-prep race, racer-builders must submit a qualification form to prove their cars meet the criteria of a home-built race car. A selection panel of five judges will separate the contenders from the pretenders. Those who pass muster will race within one of four categories. Payouts are based on the number of entries, with an 80/20 split between winner and runner-up.

The racing community has taken notice of what Zolper is putting together. Besides a growing number of entries, interest from several companies, including parts manufacturers such as Race Star Wheels, Holley, and Andy McCoy Parts & Composites, has translated into event sponsorships. Said Zolper; “These companies recognize that Builder’s Brawl racers are their customers, and they want to be part of this. To have each and every one of them on board is very humbling and appreciated.”

With less than a week until the race, Zolper reminds builders there is still time to get in on the action. “If you think you’ve got what it takes as a builder and a driver, it’s time to show us what ya got!”

For more information, including full criteria, class breakdown, spectator ticketing, and more, visit the Builder’s Brawl website at https://buildersbrawl.com/ .