Big league nitro racing returns to Pittsburgh May 20-21

Courtesy of IHRA 

NEW ALEXANDRIA, PA – It has been several years since the sights, sounds and smells of big league nitro racing have filled the lanes at Pittsburgh Raceway Park, but that will all change later this month when the IHRA Nitro Jam series makes its debut at the western Pennsylvania track May 20-21 for the Pittsburgh Nitro Jam.

Three pro nitro classes will be in attendance at the debut event, along with several exhibitions and local racers making for one of the biggest drag racing events in the state in just a few short weeks. And it will all take place at a facility rich in drag racing history as Nitro Jam brings professional drag racing back to the Keystone State for the first time in many years.

“Pittsburgh Raceway Park is a track known for its rich racing history and we are thrilled to add another chapter to that legacy when we debut Nitro Jam at the track later this month,” said Nitro Jam President Aaron Polburn. “We are bringing in some of our most exciting and most competitive nitro classes alongside a great lineup of extras including Grave Digger, Shockwave, Megasaurs and more. It will be two nights of incredible entertainment featuring some of the best racers in the country. I can’t wait.”

Some of the all-time greats have graced the grounds at Pittsburgh Raceway Park through the years, dating back to when it was known as Keystone Raceway Park. Among PRP’s many accomplishments over the years is the first ever 5-second Top Fuel run in 1972 when “TV” Tommy Ivo roared down the Keystone quarter-mile in one of his legendary machines. And over the years the track has seen many legends put rubber to pavement in the Steel City and now a new breed of racing will visit the facility and make its own history May 20-21.

It is a race, for nostalgia purposes, that will bring back a lot of memories for fans that remember the glory days at the track while new fans will be presented with two nights of great entertainment featuring some of the fastest and most exciting race machines in the world.

Among the classes that will fill the lanes at the legendary facility are three of the most popular nitro classes in the sport today in Pro Fuel Dragster, Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car and Nitro Harley. All three nitro-burning, fire-breathing classes will compete both nights under the lights using the new Nitro Jam racing format that includes two rounds of racing with the quickest winners from round one meeting up in round two to determine a champion.

Under the new rules the competition has never been closer as drivers are forced to give it their all night after night if they are to have any shot at competing in the final round.

Fans at Pittsburgh Raceway Park will also enjoy a weekend at the newly renovated facility that includes new grandstands greatly increasing the capacity at the track, more pavement, upgrades to the lighting and sound systems and numerous other upgrades designed to create a better experience for fans and racers.

Entering the Pittsburgh Nitro Jam the closest battle of the year can be found in the 100-percent nitro powered Pro Fuel Dragster class. Florida native Bill Evans in the “Black Pearl” machine leads the standings by just two points over Texas-based racer Michael Manners in “The Shredder” dragster.

Another class featuring close competition and great racing are the stars of Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car. Fans who remember the old days when what we now know as nostalgia Funny Car racing wasn’t nostalgia at all will be in for a treat as a handful of the east coasts best Prostalgia Nitro Funny Cars will take to the track featuring the only Pennsylvania-based race team in the field as Peter Gallen in the “Poverty Stricken” ’74 Vega brings the championship lead into the race. 

Gallen owns a sizable gap over Ohio racer Mike McIntire in the “McAttack” Camaro.

Nitro Harley wraps up the nitro lineup with four of the fastest motorcycles in the world powered by nitromethane fuel, spitting fire down the track and reaching incredible speeds with no real safety net to speak of. Steve Dorn leads the field entering the Pittsburgh Nitro Jam over Randal Andras.

Additional racing at the Pittsburgh Nitro Jam can be found in the show finale as the world famous Grave Digger monster truck makes its drag racing debut at Pittsburgh Raceway Park taking on the incredible 30,000 horsepower Shockwave jet semi in a battle of the two of the most popular and exciting race machines on the planet.

Also in action at the Pittsburgh Nitro Jam will be the towering, car-crunching Megasaurus exhibition machine, wheelstanders and much more.

Tickets to the inaugural Pittsburgh Nitro Jam can be found online at www.nitrojam.com or by calling (724) 668-7600.

Don’t miss the return of professional nitro drag racing to Pittsburgh Raceway Park May 20-21 at the Pittsburgh Nitro Jam.