GLENDORA, Calif. (Nov. 10, 2012) – The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series will return for its 12th season with 45 events taking place across the United States during the 2013 racing season. Three double events, two events taking place during the course of the weekend and the return to Rocky Mountain Raceways in Salt Lake City, will highlight the rich and diverse schedule. The 2013 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series season will kick-off at Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville in February and will conclude at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in November.
During the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series there will be 24 regional events featuring the 250-mph Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car classes. There will be a minimum of six events in each of the seven NHRA divisions.
Regional, divisional and national championship points and a purse of more than $500,000 in seven categories will be up for grabs during the course of the racing season. The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series also includes three sportsman-focused national events: the JEGS NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals; the JEGS NHRA Pacific SPORTSnationals; and the JEGS NHRA Northern SPORTSnationals.
Adding to the excitement of 10 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series events across the country will be the addition of the newly created NHRA Screamin’ Eagle Championship Motorcycle Series. Top Fuel, Pro Gas, Draggin’ Bagger, V-Rod, and Hot Street will all compete during the course of the weekend with a total purse of $152,800 among the five classes.
“The core of NHRA drag racing is the grassroots racers that compete in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series,” said Forrest Lucas, owner and CEO of Lucas Oil Products. “It’s important for the long-term health of drag racing to support these talented drivers and teams, which is one of the main reasons we continue to back this series. Many of these racers also benefit from our products, which further strengthens the bond between Lucas Oil and the competitors out there giving it their all every weekend.”
Bonus programs available to competitors in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series include the $100,000 JEGS Allstars, and the NHRA Perfectly Strange Performance Award, in which a total of $45,000 is up for grabs throughout. Individual divisions may also have additional bonus programs available to racers.
Some prominent graduates of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series who have gone on to successful careers in the NHRA Full Throttle Series include Brandon Bernstein, Morgan Lucas, Shawn Langdon, Courtney Force, Alexis DeJoria, and Jeg Coughlin Jr.
2013 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Schedule
Northeast Division
April 12-13 Virginia Motorsports Park Petersburg, Va.
May 24-26 Maple Grove Raceway Reading, Pa.
June 14-16 Lebanon Valley Dragway West Lebanon, N.Y.
July 19-21 New England Dragway Epping, N.H.
Aug. 2-4 Atco Raceway Atco, N.J.
Aug. 16-18 Cecil County Dragway Rising Sun, Md.
Sept. 6-8 Old Bridge Twp. Raceway Park Englishtown, N.J.
Southeast Division
Feb. 15-17 Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville Gainesville, Fla.
March 8-10 South Georgia Motorsports Park Cecil, Ga.
May 23-24 Atlanta Dragway Commerce, Ga.
May 25-26 Atlanta Dragway Commerce, Ga.
Sept. 20-21 Bristol Dragway Bristol, Tenn.
Oct. 11-13 Silver Dollar Raceway Reynolds, Ga.
North Central Division
April 26-28 Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis Brownsburg, Ind.
May 17-19 Norwalk Motorsports Park Norwalk, Ohio
June 7-9 Route 66 Raceway Joliet, Ill.
July 19-21 National Trail Raceway Columbus, Ohio
July 27-28 Mid-Michigan Motorplex Stanton, Mich.
Aug. 23-25 Beech Bend Raceway Park Bowling Green, Ky.
South Central Division
March 1-3 Royal Purple Raceway Baytown, Texas
April 19-21 Texas Motorplex Ennis, Texas
June 8-9 No Problem Raceway Belle Rose, La.
June 21-23 Tulsa Raceway Park Tulsa, Okla.
Sept. 13-15 Royal Purple Raceway Baytown, Texas
Oct. 4-6 Thunder Valley Raceway Park Noble, Okla.
West Central Division
May 4-5 SRCA Dragstrip Great Bend, Kan.
June 1-2 Brainerd International Raceway Brainerd, Minn.
June 14-16 Bandimere Speedway Denver
June 21-22 Cordova Dragway Park Cordova, Ill.
Aug. 23-24 Heartland Park Topeka Topeka, Kan.
Sept. 6-8 Tri-State Raceway Earlville, Iowa
Northwest Division
April 26-28 Firebird Raceway Boise, Idaho
May 24-25 Spokane County Raceway Spokane, Wash.
June 14-16 Mission Raceway Mission, B.C.
July 12-14 Woodburn Dragstrip Woodburn, Ore.
Aug. 15-16 Pacific Raceways Kent, Wash.
Aug. 17-18 Pacific Raceways Kent, Wash.
Pacific Division
Feb. 28-Mar. 1 Firebird International Raceway Chandler, Ariz.
March 2-3 Firebird International Raceway Chandler, Ariz.
March 29-31 The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas
June 8-9 Top Gun Raceway Fallon, Nev.
July 19-21 Sonoma Raceway Sonoma, Calif.
Sept. 27-29 Rocky Mountain Raceways Salt Lake City
Oct. 31-Nov. 3 The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas
2013 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Regional Schedule
East Region
Feb. 15-17 Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville Gainesville, Fla.
April 12-13 Virginia Motorsports Park Petersburg, Va.
May 24-26 Maple Grove Raceway Reading, Pa.
June 14-16 Lebanon Valley Dragway West Lebanon, N.Y.
July 19-21 New England Dragway Epping, N.H.
Aug. 16-18 Cecil County Dragway Rising Sun, Md.
North Central Region
April 26-28 Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis Brownsburg, Ind.
May 17-19 Norwalk Motorsports Park Norwalk, Ohio
June 7-9 Route 66 Raceway Joliet, Ill.
June 21-22 Cordova Dragway Park Cordova, Ill.
July 19-21 National Trail Raceway Columbus, Ohio
Aug. 23-25 Beech Bend Raceway Park Bowling Green, Ky.
Central Region
March 1-3 Royal Purple Raceway Baytown, Texas
June 21-23 Tulsa Raceway Park Tulsa, Okla.
June 14-16 Bandimere Speedway Denver
Aug. 23-24 Heartland Park Topeka Topeka, Kan.
Sept. 6-8 Tri-State Raceway Earlville, Iowa
Oct. 4-6 Thunder Valley Raceway Park Noble, Okla.
West Region
March 2-3 Firebird International Raceway Chandler, Ariz.
March 29-31 The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas
June 14-16 Mission Raceway Mission, B.C.
July 12-14 Woodburn Dragstrip Woodburn, Ore.
Aug. 17-18 Pacific Raceways Kent, Wash.
Oct. 31-Nov. 3 The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas