XENIA — Many of the nation’s top bracket drag racers will be on hand Saturday and Sunday, June 10-11 for the final two days of the 12th Ultimate 64 Shootout high stakes drag race at Kil-Kare Dragway.

Defending Shootout winner Cody McDaniel, of Tarryton, Tenn. was seen running two rear-engined dragsters during Friday’s $10,000-to-win under card race, which was sponsored by Abruzzi Transmissions and Converters.

There’s a lot of money flying around Kil-Kare’s 1/8-mile concrete drag strip this weekend. Aside from Saturday’s $50,000-to-win Ultimate 64 Shootout, Abruzzi and Trick Flow Cylinder Heads are hosting a $10,000-to win under card event each day.

A total of $147,000 is being awarded over the weekend to the winners and event runners-up, and that’s not counting money being dished out to race semifinalists or round winners.

Former International Hot Rod Association World Champion Kenny Underwood, 2012 Ultimate 64 Shootout winner Gary May, NHRA Super Gas World Champion “Miss Mia” Tedesco, Fairborn big-money bracket racer “Disco” Dean Karns and 2009 Shootout champ Jason Lynch were each seen competing in Friday’s races. You can bet that several other big-name bracket racers made the trek to Kil-Kare Dragway as well.

Spectator tickets are $10 each for each day. Fans can expect a full day of racing on both Saturday and Sunday.

Gates open Saturday at 7 a.m. with three primary events taking place: the $10,000-to-win event, plus a TRS Engineering-sponsored Ultimate 32 junior dragster event (with $1,000 going to the winner; $500 to the runner-up), and then the Ultimate 64 Shootout, featuring many of the nation’s top bracket racers, beginning at 7 p.m.

Gates open at 8 a.m. on Sunday, June 11. A church service will take place from 8:30-9 a.m. with the weekend’s third $10,000-to-win event beginning at 10 a.m. An Ultimate 15 junior dragster event ($500 for the winner) takes place on Sunday, plus an $8,000-to-win 32-car Ultimate Gambler event is also scheduled.

The event, the brainchild of Empty Pockets Motorsports promoters Kelly Estes and Randy Helton of Franklin, Ohio, had previously been held at Mountain Park Dragway, in Clay City, Ky. This weekend’s race marks the first time the Ultimate 64 Shootout is being held at Kil-Kare Dragway.

Defending Ultimate 64 Shootout winner Cody McDaniel, of Tarryton, Tenn. does a burnout prior to his round 4 win in Friday’s $10,000-to-win under card race, sponsored by Abruzzi Transmissions and Converters. The winner of Saturday’s June 10 main event will earn $50,000 at Xenia’s Kil-Kare Dragway.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2017/06/web1_CodyMcDaniel_PS.jpgDefending Ultimate 64 Shootout winner Cody McDaniel, of Tarryton, Tenn. does a burnout prior to his round 4 win in Friday’s $10,000-to-win under card race, sponsored by Abruzzi Transmissions and Converters. The winner of Saturday’s June 10 main event will earn $50,000 at Xenia’s Kil-Kare Dragway. John Bombatch | Greene County News

The winner of the 2012 Ultimate 64 Shootout, Gary May is a picture of concentration inside his drag racer, during fourth round action of the $10,000-to-win Abruzzi Transmissions and Converters drag race, June 9 at Kil-Kare Dragway in Xenia.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2017/06/web1_GaryMay_PS.jpgThe winner of the 2012 Ultimate 64 Shootout, Gary May is a picture of concentration inside his drag racer, during fourth round action of the $10,000-to-win Abruzzi Transmissions and Converters drag race, June 9 at Kil-Kare Dragway in Xenia. John Bombatch | Greene County News

Dean Howard (far lane) pre-stages his Deuce’s Wild Chevy II drag racer during Friday’s $10,000-to-win event at Kil-Kare Dragway in Xenia.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2017/06/web1_DeanHowardChevyII_PS.jpgDean Howard (far lane) pre-stages his Deuce’s Wild Chevy II drag racer during Friday’s $10,000-to-win event at Kil-Kare Dragway in Xenia. John Bombatch | Greene County News

Chunks of rubber fly as Jacob Meinert does a burnout, prior to fourth round action in Friday’s Ultimate 64 Shootout $10,000-to-win under card event June 9 at Kil-Kare Dragway.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2017/06/web1_JacobMeinert_PS.jpgChunks of rubber fly as Jacob Meinert does a burnout, prior to fourth round action in Friday’s Ultimate 64 Shootout $10,000-to-win under card event June 9 at Kil-Kare Dragway. John Bombatch | Greene County News

A pair of dragsters make sub 5-sceond passes, during Friday’s June 9 $10,000-to-win drag race at Xenia’s 1/8-mile Kil-Kare Dragway. Saturday’s June 10 event — the Ultimate 64 Shootout — will award $50,000 to the winner of a 64-car high-stakes sportsman bracket racing event.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2017/06/web1_4secondpass_PS.jpgA pair of dragsters make sub 5-sceond passes, during Friday’s June 9 $10,000-to-win drag race at Xenia’s 1/8-mile Kil-Kare Dragway. Saturday’s June 10 event — the Ultimate 64 Shootout — will award $50,000 to the winner of a 64-car high-stakes sportsman bracket racing event. John Bombatch | Greene County News