NHRA
Mickey Thompson Returns as Title Sponsor of the NHRA Top Fuel Harley Drag Racing Series
STOW, OH – Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels is back for another year of exciting motorcycle drag racing. The 
popular Mickey Thompson Tires Top Fuel Harley Drag Racing Series will be featured at 10 events during the 2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series calendar.
“The Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels Top Fuel Harley motorcycle category has quickly become one of the most exciting of the NHRA series,” said NHRA vice president and chief development officer Brad Gerber. “Top Fuel Harley thrilled fans at events in 2018, and we look forward to another electrifying season.”
The Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels Top Fuel Harley series features bikes capable of exceeding 220 mph, making it the fastest motorcycle racing action on the circuit. Races are often decided by thousandths of a second.
Mickey Thompson Back as NHRA Major Event Sponsor for 2019
STOW, OH – Jan. 22, 2019: With drag racing in its DNA, it’s no surprise that Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels is 
back as a major event sponsor of the 2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.
“Drag racing is an important part of what we do, and who we are,” said Ken Warner, vice president of marketing, Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels. “We offer a complete line of competition tires for racers on two and four wheels and our products set new standards and break traditions in innovation.”
In addition to attending all national events with the fully-equipped Mickey Thompson trailer to provide trackside support to racers, the company will increase its presence at select 2019 NHRA events with a second on-site trailer.
Oakley Motorsports Extends Sponsorship of Division 3 Top Dragster and Top Sportsman
The NHRA North Central Division along with Oakley Motorsports and Diamond Piston are proud to announce that 
they have extended their sponsorship of the North Central Divisions Top Dragster and Top Sportsman classes for 2019.
2018 marked the first season of the sponsorship for the Oakley Motorsports Top Sportsman and Top Dragster Classes. Phillip Oakley, owner of Oakley Motorsports could not be happier with the results of 2018. During this past season some of the quickest Top Dragster and Top Sportsman events were held at the North Central Divisions Lucas Oil Series, with competitors from all over the country attending events. The bar has been set for 2019 to be one of the most competitive seasons ever. And with the continuation of support from Oakley Motorsports and Diamond Pistons, the North Central Division should once again be the home of the quickest and fastest Top Dragster and Top Sportsman classes in the country.
Oakley Motorsports is based in Ownesboro, Ky., and has been providing winning high-performance horsepower for Drag Racing, Circle Track, Tractor Pulling and Street Cars for over a decade. Phillip Oakley takes pride in every motor that leaves his shop. And the support given to the customers is second to none in the industry. He will take the time to make sure his customers reach their performance goals. When you combine the services level provided from Oakley Motorsports with quality of Diamond Pistons you have a winning combination. Proof of that is the 2018 Oakley Motorsports Top Dragster Champion Ed Dudley who used a Oakley Motorsports combination.
SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION 4 HALL OF FAME INDUCTION
DALLAS, TX – The NHRA South Central Division 4 announced today that Jeff Teuton will be inducted into the 
NHRA South Central Division 4 Hall of Fame.
The Division 4 Hall of Fame honors individuals, drivers, and officials who laid the groundwork for NHRA Drag Racing in the South Central Division. Teuton will join the likes of Eddie Hill, Raymond Beadle, Kenny Bernstein, Bill Meyer and many more in the South Central Division Hall of Fame.
“The NHRA and South Central Division 4 are pleased to induct Jeff Teuton into the NHRA South Central Division 4 Good Guys Hall of Fame,” said Trey Capps, Division 4 director. “Jeff has had a long history Drag Racing and many accomplishments to his credit. His support through the years to the racers, sponsors, and the NHRA are sport changing.”
Jeff Teuton has been a part of NHRA Drag Racing for over 25 years. Jeff has always tried to better the sport of drag racing for not only the competitors but also for the sponsors and as well as the NHRA. Jeff was one of the founding members, as well as the President, of the Sportsman Racing Association (SRA). Jeff has held multiple NHRA ET and MPH Records with a variety of cars. He is the only known racer to win an 8 round Stock Eliminator Class Race from the Byron IL. Class Nationals in 2001, and still holds the title of the oldest driver to win in Stock Eliminator.
THREE INDUCTED INTO NHRA NORTH CENTRAL DIVISION HALL OF FAME
INDIANAPOLIS – Travis Miller, a veteran NHRA technical inspector, former Division Director Jay Hullinger and the 
late Leo Taugher a national and divisional announcer were inducted into the National Hot Rod Association’s North Central Division Hall of Fame during their annual awards banquet (Saturday, December 8) held at the Indianapolis Wyndham West.
Miller from Louisville, Ky. started drag racing at Bullitt Dragway in 1964 and later became a technical inspector at Ohio Valley Raceway in Valley Station in 1970. He joined the NHRA certification team in 1985 and continues to serve as an NHRA chassis and technical inspector.
Hullinger grew up at the family’s owned Bunker Hill Drag Strip, which his father opened in 1956 as Indiana’s first drag strip. He served as NHRA North Central Division Director from 1987 to 2017 overseeing NHRA drag racing in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and western Ontario, Canada.
‘NHRA on Fox – Powered by Dodge’ Livestream Broadcast Set for 2018 PRI Trade Show
Auburn Hills, MI – The Dodge brand is fired up for the 2019 race season, bringing the 2018 Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show right to enthusiasts and race fans as official sponsor of NHRA livestream coverage from the annual event, scheduled for December 6-8 at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis. “NHRA on Fox – Powered by Dodge” will offer three full days of livestream coverage from the 2018 PRI Show, available for viewing at www.NHRA.com.
“We are excited to partner with Dodge to livestream our NHRA on FOX studio from the PRI Show,” said Brad Gerber, NHRA vice president of sales and chief development officer. “Everyone is going to enjoy seeing the Dodge Challenger 1320 and the Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak by our booth. These impressive automobiles are sure to be a crowd pleaser.”
Mopar Dodge Top Fuel driver Leah Pritchett and Mopar Express Lane Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car driver Matt Hagan will stop by to participate in livestream interviews with Tony Pedregon and John Kernan from the “NHRA on Fox – Powered by Dodge” broadcast team. Hagan and Pritchett will also take part in autograph sessions at the NHRA display, booth #7032, on Thursday, December 6.
ARAGONA CLINCHES WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
GLENDORA, CA – Going into the NHRA season ending Auto Club NHRA Finals at Auto Club Dragway at Pomona 
this weekend, Frank Aragona Jr. has locked up his second NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Comp Eliminator World Championship. The Freehold, N.J., racer racked up 613 points including four wins in six final rounds and cannot be caught.
A second-generation driver, Aragona came out strong with a pair of wins and a runner-up finish in his first five events. He won national events in Gainesville, Fla., and in Charlotte, N.C., and advanced to the final round at Speed World Dragway in Orlando, Fla. He then added a win in Reading, Pa., a runner up in Rockingham and a win in West Lebanon, N.Y., to cap off his points total.
A number of racers were chasing Aragona going into last weekend’s divisional event in Las Vegas with most dropping out of contention including 2017 champion David Rampy. The championship was officially locked up when Clint Neff elected not to enter this weekend’s event in Pomona, Calif.
PARKER, MARSHALL WIN BIG IN VEGAS
LAS VEGAS – Kim Parker and Chris Marshall took home the wins in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny 
Car this weekend at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Parker, Graham, Wash., qualified No. 1, then took out Dan Mercier and Johnny Ahten in rounds one and two to advance to the alcohol dragster final against Shawn Cowie who qualified No. 2. Cowie knocked out Matt Sackman and Duane Shields on his way to the final. Parker was out first as Cowie shook the tires and Parker led from start to finish clocking in at 5.604 seconds at 259.21 mph for her second regional event win.
Marshall came from the No. 4 spot and advanced to the funny car final with wins over 2017 World Champion Shane Westerfield and Jirka Kaplan. Ulf Leanders of Sweden took out Steve Burck and John Lombardo Jr. on his way to the final.
Marshall, McMinnville, Ore., took the holeshot and needed it to hold off the quicker Leanders. Marshall went 5.473 at 268.01 to defeat Leanders’ 5.453, 268.01.
MCCLANAHAN, NERO AND PROCTOR CLINCH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
LAS VEGAS – Brian McClanahan, Paul Nero and Ronnie Proctor all clinch NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series World Championships this weekend in the early rounds of eliminations at the NHRA Pacific Division Lucas Oil Series event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
McClanahan, Alta Loma, Calif., entered the weekend with a one-point lead in Stock Eliminator over 2017 Champion Justin Lamb as both drivers looked to add to their points totals. With a round one victory, and a loss by Lamb, McClanahan clinched the 2018 NHRA Lucas Oil Stock Eliminator World Championship.
McClanahan now joins his dad Jerry and his son Ryan for three generations of NHRA Lucas Oil World Champions. Jerry won the NHRA Stock Championship in ’73, ’74 and ’78 and Ryan took the honors in 2010 in Super Stock.
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES PACIFIC DIVISION FINALE HOSTED AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Las Vegas – The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway host the Pacific Divisions final race on November 1-4. The event is one of 44 scheduled across the country where drivers in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series earn points towards championships and a chance at a share of the year-end purse of more than $519,000. Categories include Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The division’s Pacific Division Top Sportsman Series and Top Dragster Series.
The event also marks the final stop on the nationwide series to earn points toward regional and divisional championships for all classes and the second to last stop for NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series National Championship points.
Gates at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway open at 7 a.m. each day. Qualifying and time trials start Thursday morning at 8 a.m. Top Dragster, Comp Eliminator and Top Sportsman qualify on Thursday at 3 p.m. and Friday at 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Top Dragster, Comp Eliminator and Top Sportsman start eliminations Saturday at noon.
