Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, Ill. (July, 11, 2014)
Now celebrating its 31st year, the JEGS Allstars competition is one of the most highly anticipated events of the season for racers in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. Racers can only qualify for one of the coveted spots on the JEGS Allstars team by winning a year-long competition within each of NHRA’s seven geographic divisions.
The racers in the JEGS Allstars event will be competing for a share of more than $120,000 in cash awards posted by JEGS Mail Order. The overall team champions will split a $20,000 bonus.
Any driver who can win the JEGS Allstars on Saturday and then return to win the NHRA O’Reilly Route 66 Nationals title the following day will automatically be eligible for a “double-up” bonus from JEGS Mail Order.
Current NHRA pros Jeg Coughlin Jr., Morgan Lucas, Shawn Langdon, and Spencer Massey are all former winners of the JEGS Allstars race.
Last year, the team from the NHRA West Central Division (Division 5) won its first-ever overall team title in the JEGS Allstars. The Division 5 team turned in a dominating performance with four individual winners.
In the Top Alcohol portion of the JEGS Allstars competition, the team from the Central Region dominated the event, earning the specially designed perpetual trophy that accompanies the win. Randy Meyer drove to victory over West Region’s Joey Severance in the Top Alcohol Dragster final. John Lombardo Jr. won his first JEGS Allstars title when he defeated Dan Pomponio in the Top Alcohol Funny Car final.
There are 10 former or current NHRA national champions racing in this year’s JEGS Allstars event. They are Duane Shields, Randy Meyer, Jay Payne, Chris Demke, Frank Aragona Jr., Alan Ellis, Ray Connolly, Luke Bogacki, Jeff Lopez, and Matt Driskell.
There are three women in this year’s JEGS Allstars field. Jennifer White will represent the South Central Division in Top Dragster. Brina Splingaire will compete for the North Central Division in Super Stock and Kari Larson will be the Division 5 blocker in Super Gas. Larson is the sister of defending JEGS Alstars champ Trevor Larson.
The team from the North Central Division (Division 3) and Southeast Division (Division 2) are tied with seven overall titles in the JEGS Allstars. The Northeast (Division 1) team has six.
There are three racers in this year’s field who are pulling double-duty. Trevor Larson is the Division 5 representative in Super Comp and Super Gas while Jason Kenney will represent the Division 1 team in Super Comp and Super Gas. Phil Unruh is also the Division 5 representative in Super Stock and the Division 5 blocker in Top Dragster.
Since 1985, the JEGS Allstars has been contested in four locations; Bowling Green, Ky., Indianapolis, Ind., Columbus, Ohio, and Joliet, Ill.
The drivers in this year’s JEGS Allstars will represent 29 U.S. states and two Canadian Provinces. There are seven drivers from California, five from New Jersey and five from Texas.
By The Numbers
JEGS Allstars Edition
3 Women in the JEGS Allstars field. (Jennifer White, Kari Larson, and Brina Splingaire)
7 JEGS Allstars Team Championships for Divisions 1 and 3
6 JEGS Allstars Team Championships for Division 2
29 Different U.S. States represented by the 2012 JEGS Allstars team
31 Years for the JEGS Allstars competition