NHRA
NHRA ANNOUNCES REMAINDER OF 2020 MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES
ENNIS, TX – NHRA announced today the remainder of the 2020 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season. In collaboration with all 
stakeholders, NHRA plans to hold six national events to complete the 2020 season. The Texas Motorplex will be hosting the AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals, October 14-18 at the famed motorsports facility located just south of Dallas/Fort Worth. The track is celebrating its 35th anniversary and will be hosting a wide variety of classes and events throughout the week.
The 2020 NHRA season has looked very different due to the global pandemic. NHRA has worked closely with its partner tracks and race teams to construct a schedule that will honor its rich racing history.
“We have been racing under a special order from the Governor of the Great State of Texas since the end of May and our COVID numbers in our area are rapidly decreasing,” said Texas Motorplex owner Billy Meyer. “We are providing a variety of safety measures throughout the facility to ensure fans, racers and sponsors have a positive experience. Our number one goal is to host an exciting event from October 14-18.”
Revised NHRA schedule adds championship implications to Houston’s Mopar Nationals
BAYTOWN, TX – The positioning of the 33rd annual Mopar Express Lane NHRA SpringNationals presented by Pennzoil as the second-to-
last professional event of the revised 2020 season will likely turn Houston into drag racing’s title town for the first time in history.
Due to the continued fallout of COVID-19, the sanctioning body of drag racing released its final slate of six national events Wednesday with venerable Houston Raceway Park positioned to hold its traditional speed-fest on October 23-25. With the regular playoff system scraped for the year, it’s highly likely that one or more of the four professional championships up for grabs could be secured in Houston.
“Our family decided we really needed to be a part of this season,” said Seth Angel, vice president and general manager of the facility. “We feel strongly that our loyal fans and sponsors deserve this race and although it’ll be different than what we’re used to, we’ll all be able to get our nitro fix and enjoy the world’s fastest motorsport together.
“The timing of our race towards the end of the schedule gives us a very unique chance to crown NHRA champions right here at Houston Raceway Park powered by Pennzoil. We’ve traditionally been a springtime stop on the schedule so this will be a special treat for all of us.”
REMAINING 2020 NHRA SEASON ANNOUNCED
GLENDORA, CA – NHRA announced today the remainder of the 2020 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season. In collaboration with all stakeholders, NHRA plans to hold six national events to complete the 2020 season.
The 2020 NHRA season has looked very different due to the global pandemic. NHRA has worked closely with its partner tracks and race teams to construct a schedule that will honor its rich racing history.
“We are grateful to the loyal NHRA fans who have stuck with us during these trying times,” said NHRA President Glen Cromwell. “NHRA plans to hold these next six national events to conclude the 2020 season. Thank you to our fans, racers, and partners for your continued support and cooperation.”
JEGS Allstars event adds extra drama to historic U.S. Nationals
INDIANAPOLIS -The best Sportsman racers that NHRA has to offer are headed for historic Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis this weekend 
to take part in the 36th annual JEGS Allstars, a special event held during the Denso Spark Plugs U.S. Nationals. The event was originally scheduled to take place in Chicago in June, but has been moved to Indy as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the 80 racers who have qualified for the special event, winning an individual title at the JEGS Allstars race is a tremendous achievement, but being a part of the winning overall team is an extra-special accomplishment, particularly on the hallowed grounds of Lucas Oil Raceway, home of NHRA’s oldest and most revered event.
Last year, the team from the South Central Division turned in a dominant performance to win their record-tying eighth overall team title. The Division 4 crew also won titles in 1987, 1992, 1994, 2002, 2003, 2011 and 2018.
A CHANCE TO MAKE HISTORY FOR NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES COMPETITORS AT PRESTIGIOUS DENSO SPARK PLUGS NHRA U.S. NATIONALS AT INDY
INDIANAPOLIS – It’s the biggest weekend of the NHRA Mello Yello Series season and Ron Capps is feeling plenty of momentum as he prepares to race on the sport’s grandest stage. The former Funny Car world champion won at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis for the first time in his illustrious career in August, putting him in prime position to win the biggest race in the sport, this weekend’s 66th annual DENSO Spark Plugs U.S. Nationals.
The race marks the fourth event at Lucas Oil Raceway since the NHRA restarted its season during the COVD-19 pandemic, but Labor Day weekend at Indy has had a special and historic feeling for the past 65 years. It’s the one thing Capps has yet to check off on his list, but there’s no denying the veteran is feeling good in his 11,000-horsepower NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat after picking up an Indy win just weeks ago.
MOPAR EXPRESS LANE NHRA NATIONALS CANCELED DUE TO PANDEMIC
NHRA optimistic about the balance of 2020 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule
GLENDORA, CA – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NHRA and Maple Grove Raceway have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Mopar Express Lane NHRA Nationals presented by Pennzoil.
“We are extremely disappointed to announce the cancellation of the September national event, which has been a staple event for the past 35 years. Due to the pandemic, Pennsylvania governor Tom Wolf has severely limited attendance at events for the 2020 season,” said Maple Grove Raceway President, Kent Lewis.
NHRA SOUTHERN NATIONALS CANCELED DUE TO COVID-19 CONCERNS
GLENDORA, CA – The NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway, scheduled for Aug. 28-30, has been canceled due the current COVID-19 pandemic. NHRA made this difficult decision after exhaustive deliberation with track representatives, health officials and government authorities.
NHRA and Atlanta Dragway came to this conclusion after carefully weighing the significance of the 40th anniversary of the NHRA Southern Nationals. The anniversary of the historic race will be celebrated in 2021.
JONATHAN GRAY EARNS SECOND CAREER E3 SPARK PLUGS NHRA PRO MOD DRAG RACING SERIES WIN WITH TRIUMPH AT INDY
INDIANAPOLIS – Jonathan Gray raced to his first career E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series victory since 2017 on Sunday as at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, slipping past Bo Butner in the final round as part of the Dodge NHRA Indy Nationals presented by Pennzoil.
The Pro Mod race, which was presented by Jerry Bickel Race Cars, was the second of the 2020 season in the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service. Gray went 5.5850-seconds at 249.49 mph in his nitrous-powered Camaro to knock off Butner, who went 5.899 at 248.48 in the finals. It gave Gray his second career win in the class in a matchup that featured two standouts driving for the injured Rickie Smith, a multi-time champ in the class.
Prior to last month’s NHRA Pro Mod season-opener, Gray had not raced in the class for nearly three years. But he impressed on Sunday in Indy, reaching the final round with victories against Jeffrey Barker, No. 1 qualifier Khalid Albalooshi and former world champ Mike Janis.
CAPPS GETS FIRST INDY WIN, JOINS S. TORRENCE, J. COUGHLIN JR. AND SAMPEY IN WINNER’S CIRCLE AT DODGE NHRA INDY NATIONALS PRESENTED BY PENNZOIL
INDIANAPOLIS – Ron Capps picked up his first career win at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, racing to the Funny Car victory on Sunday at the Dodge NHRA Indy Nationals presented by Pennzoil and also giving the longtime standout a win at every track on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series circuit.
Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won in their respective categories at the fifth race of the 2020 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season and third straight at Indy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Capps won for the first time in 2020 and 65th time in his career with a final-round run of 4.110-seconds at 294.63 mph in his 11,000-horsepower NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat to beat J.R. Todd in a battle of former world champs. It also gives Don Schumacher Racing its seventh straight Funny Car win and the organization its 349th overall win. Capps beat Tim Wilkerson, Blake Alexander and Bob Tasca III to reach his first final round of the year, leading to a memorable celebration after the first-time Indy win.
TOP FUEL’S MCMILLEN EARNS FIRST CAREER NO. 1, JOINED BY TOP QUALIFIERS JOHNSON JR., LINE AND M. SMITH AT DODGE NHRA INDY NATIONALS PRESENTED BY PENNZOIL
INDIANAPOLIS – Veteran Top Fuel driver Terry McMillen qualified No. 1 for the first time in his NHRA career on Saturday, powering to the top spot during the final qualifying session of the Dodge NHRA Indy Nationals presented by Pennzoil at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.
Tommy Johnson Jr. (Funny Car), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also No. 1 qualifiers in their respective categories at the fifth race of the 2020 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season and third straight at Indy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
McMillen, who has two career victories, jumped from 14th to the No. 1 position with a run of 3.807-seconds at 312.28 mph on his final pass of the day in his 11,000-horsepower AMALIE Motor Oil dragster. He will take on Lex Joon to open eliminations, looking for his first win of 2020.
