Route 66 Raceway (Joliet, Ill.) June, 2, 2017
Now celebrating its 34th 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. In addition, there are close to $50,000 in manufacturer posted contingency awards available to the finalists this year.
Any driver who can win the JEGS Allstars on Saturday and then return to win the JEGS NHRA 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., Jack Beckman, and Shawn Langdon are all former winners of the JEGS Allstars race.
Last year, the host team from the NHRA NortCentral Division (Division 3) won its record eighth team title in the JEGS Allstars. The Division 3 team was led by wins from Brian Browel (Comp), Andrew Hill (Stock) and Mark McDonald (Top Sportsman). McDonald went on to win Sunday’s title and earn the JEGS double-up bonus.
After the North Central Division’s (Division 3) record of eight overall titles, the teams from the Northeast Division (Division 1), and Southeast Division (Division 2) are tied with seven overall titles in the JEGS Allstars. The South Central Division (Division 4) team has six.
Since 1985, the JEGS Allstars has been contested in four locations; Bowling Green, Ky., Indianapolis, Ind., Columbus, Ohio, and Joliet, Ill.
There are 14 former or current NHRA national champions racing in this year’s JEGS Allstars event. They are, Joey Severance, Shane Westerfield, David Rampy, Bruno Massel, Craig Bourgeois, Frank Aragona Jr., Jeff Strickland, Austin Williams, Nick Folk, Kevin Brannon, Gary Stinnett, Justin Lamb, Joe Santangelo, and Lynn Ellison.
There are two women in this year’s JEGS Allstars field and they are both in the Top Alcohol Dragster class. Megan Meyer will represent the Central Region while Kim Parker will be a part of the Pacific Region team.
There are three racers in this year’s field who are pulling double-duty. Joe Santangelo II is the Division 1 representative in Super Stock and Stock and teammate Nick Willard will race in Top Dragster and Top Sportsman. Jeff Strickland will represent the Division 2 team in Stock and Top Dragster.
The drivers in this year’s JEGS Allstars will represent 33 U.S. states and two Canadian Provinces. There are seven drivers each from Washington and Louisiana and four from Ohio.
By The Numbers (JEGS Allstars Edition)
2 Women in the JEGS Allstars field. (Megan Meyer, Kim Parker)
7 JEGS Allstars Team Championships for Divisions 1 and 2
6 JEGS Allstars Team Championships for Division 4
33 Different U.S. States represented by the 2018 JEGS Allstars team
34 Years for the JEGS Allstars competition