September, 4, 2021
Now celebrating its 37th 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 $150,000 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 Dodge/SRT U.S. Nationals title the following day will automatically be eligible for a “double-up” bonus from JEGS Mail Order.
Current NHRA pros Aaron Stanfield, Bruno Massel, and Shawn Langdon are all former winners of the JEGS Allstars race.
Last year, the team from the NHRA West Central Division (Division 5) won the overall team title in the JEGS Allstars for the third time in the last six years. The Division 5 team was led by winners Trevor Larson (Super Comp), Kris Thies (Super Street), and Allen Firestone (Top Sportsman).
The North Central Division (Division 3) and South Central Division (Division 4) are tied for the lead with eight overall JEGS Allstars titles, while the teams from the Northeast Division (Division 1) and Southeast Division (Division 2) are tied with seven overall titles.
Since 1985, the JEGS Allstars has been contested in four locations; Bowling Green, Ky., Indianapolis, Ind., Columbus, Ohio, and Joliet, Ill.
There are 13 former or current NHRA national champions racing in this year’s JEGS Allstars event. They are Duane Shields, Joey Severance, Craig Bourgeois, Bryan Worner, Ricky Decker, Ray Miller III, Christopher Dodd, Austin Williams, Jeremy Mason, Al Kenny, Anthony Bertozzi, Aaron Stanfield, and Matt Driskell.
There are four women in this year’s JEGS Allstars field. Defending event champion Jackie Fricke will compete in Top Alcohol Dragster, where she is joined by Julie Nataas. Randi Lynn Shipp will represent the Division 3 team in Stock while Alison Prose is also representing Division 3 in Super Street.
The only driver to double-up at a JEGS Allstars race is Trevor Larson, who won the Super Comp and Super Gas titles in 2015. Larson also won in 2020, and has returned as the blocker.
Mary Ann Method was the first woman to win the JEGS Allstars with her Stock victory in 1995. Since then, four others have joined her including the late Shelly Howard (Top Alcohol Dragster, 2004), Lynn Hoosigian (Super Street, 2006), Brenda Grubbs (Stock, 2008) and Jackie Fricke (Top Alcohol Dragster, 2020).
The most successful driver in the history of the JEGS Allstars is Frank Manzo who has 10 wins in the Top Alcohol Funny Car class.
Division 4 racer Slate Cummings will return to Indy in search of his sixth JEGS Allstars title. Cummings won last year’s event, and also carded wins in 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2016.
Defending Super Stock champ Kyle Rizzoli, who returns this season as a blocker, is the son of Jim Rizzoli, who won the 1992 JEGS Allstars Top Alcohol Dragster title.
By The Numbers (JEGS Allstars Edition)
3 Overall JEGS Allstars team titles for the Division 5 team in the last six years.
4 Women in the JEGS Allstars field. (Rachel Meyer, Megan Meyer, Annie Whiteley, Jackie Alley, Allison Doll, Rebecca Miller.)
8 JEGS Allstars Team Championships for Division 3 and 4
10 JEGS Allstars wins for Frank Manzo
13 World champions in this year’s field
37 Years for the JEGS Allstars competition