NHRA
NHRA PACIFIC DIVISION OPENS 2017 at WILD HORSE MOTORSPORTS PARK
CHANDLER, AZ – NHRA Pacific Division Points Race opens at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park as the first of 
seven events in the Pacific Division competition. This Friday through Sunday, March 3-5, 2017 drivers can earn points leading to divisional, regional and national championships as well as 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, Top Dragster Series and Sportsman
Highlighting the event is the 270 mph Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car classes as well as the division’s Top Sportsman and Top Dragster Series that will also run with the other sportsman classes at the event. Ticket pricing for the event is $30 per day. Children age 12 and under are admitted free with a paid adult.
TREADWELL KICKS OFF LUCAS OIL DIVISIONAL SERIES WITH A WIN
ORLANDO, FL – The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series kicked off its first divisional event of season in the 
southeast division, hitting Orlando Speed World Dragway this past weekend. Drivers from all over the southeast visited the strip to battle head-to-head in the Pro Winter Warmup. Winners were crowned in the Lucas Oil Series classes as well as STOTTS FORD Top Sportsman and Hickory Enclosed Trailers Top Dragster.
Fans were treated to an all Florida final round in Comp Eliminator. Jenny Treadwell of Mount Plymouth, and Steve Schumacher of Jacksonville went toe-to-toe. Treadwell, the reigning Division 2 champion opened up her title defense successfully, making a victory pass of 8.224 seconds, 141.62 mph as Schumacher finished at 8.046 seconds, 166.52 mph.
STASSI, DURIE FIRST TIME WINNERS AT ARIZONA NATIONALS
CHANDLER, AZ – George Stassi and Grant Durie both raced to their first NHRA National event win this weekend at 
the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.
Stassi, Brea, Calif., faced off with Washington racer and NHRA Northwest division hitter Jody Lang in the final for the Super Stock title. Stassi took the holeshot by .008 seconds which forced Lang into running too quick and breaking out by .009 seconds. Stassi crossed the finish line in 10.622 on his 10.60 dial for the win in his ’67 Camaro.
Canadian resident Durie (Vegreville, Alb.) took home the Top Dragster presented by RacingRVs.com with a lap of 6.824 seconds, 194.27 mph in his ’10 dragster for his first win. Durie beat out Tom Koenen, Tucson, Ariz., who left early by just .001 second with the red light foul start.
NHRA SOUTHEAST DIVISION OPENS 2017 at ORLANDO SPEED WORLD DRAGWAY
Orlando, FL – The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series opens its 2017 season at Orlando Speed World Dragway for the first of seven events in the NHRA Southeast Division. This Friday through Sunday, February 24-26, 2017, drivers will be racing to earn points leading to divisional and national championships as well as a chance at a share of the year-end purse of more than $519,000.
Categories include Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. A Highlight of the event will be the 250 mph RPM Pro Mod class, in addition to the division’s Stott’s Ford Top Sportsman Series and Hickory Enclosed Trailer Sales Top Dragster Series. Special ticket pricing for the multiple days is as follows; 2-Day Pass $40, 3-Day Pass $45, 4-day Pass $50. Children 10 and under are admitted free with a paid adult.
OLPIN DOUBLES UP TO KICK OFF 2017
POMONA, CA – The NHRA kicked off the 2017 season with the 57th annual Circle K NHRA Winter Nationals this past weekend at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Champions were recognized in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car, as well as Comp Eliminator, Stock, Super Comp and the rest of the classes that encompass the nationwide series.
Out of all the Lucas Oil winners, Ed Olpin, Pleasant Grove, Utah., had the most successful weekend by taking home a pair of NHRA Wally trophies. In the Super Gas final round, Olpin left the starting line with a near perfect light (.009), taking home the win at 9.886, 168.98 to Robert Naber’s, Ontario, Calif., 9.882, 163.06. Oplin then returned to the starting line to beat out Jeff Gillette, Benicia, Calif., and win his second Wally of the weekend, in Top Sportsman Presented by Racing RVs.com in a close 6.978, 298.26 to 6.939, 193.24.
MICKEY THOMPSON TIRES & WHEELS RETURNS TO NHRA AS MAJOR EVENT SPONSOR
STOW, OH – Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels continues its support of NHRA drag racing in 2017 as a major event 
sponsor of the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. The company will also continue its role as a contingency sponsor for all Sportsman racing classes, as well as Pro Mod and Pro Stock Motorcycle.
In addition to sponsoring champions Dan Fletcher and Luke Bogacki, the company plans to attend all national events with the fully-equipped Mickey Thompson trailer to provide trackside support to racers throughout the 2017 season.
The 2017 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series kicks off with the Winternationals, happening this weekend at the Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, Calif. The Regional series begins in Chandler, Ariz. Feb 24 and the Pro Mod series begins March 16 with the Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.
SPORTSMAN PERFORMANCE BONUS AWARDS INCREASE PURSES
DALLAS — For the third consecutive year, the School of Automotive Machinists & Technology (SAM Tech) will put 
money back into Division 4 racers pockets. The SAM Tech Sportsman Performance Bonus Award purse will be aiming to increased payouts in the Stock Eliminator class at all six Division 4 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series events this season.
The dedication of the School of Automotive Machinists & Technology (SAM Tech) is to show the winners and runner-ups at each event in Stock Eliminator they matter and they will receive the Sportsman Performance Bonus Award worth an additional $500 for the winner and $250 for the runner-up for the 2017 season.
Multi-time Funny Car winner Phil Burkart Jr. to return in Schwab Dodge Charger
SALT LAKE CITY – Funny Car team owners Robert and Lisa Schwab have once again enlisted the steady hand of 
veteran driver Phil Burkart Jr. to pilot their Dodge Charger R/T for the season-opening 57th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals and a handful of other national events on the 2017 schedule.
The partnership is a continuation of the group’s first race together at the second Las Vegas race last fall.
“We’re a new team with big dreams,” Robert Schwab said. “At this point we are figuring out how to compete at this level so selecting a veteran driver like Phil really helps us tune the car. He’s very steady and methodical in the driver’s seat so that removes many of the variables we deal with run after run.”
Schwab tunes his car with assistance from Terry Manzer.
SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION 4 HALL OF FAME INDUCTIONS
DALLAS – The NHRA has announced today that Raymond Martin will be inducted into NHRA’s South Central Division 4 Hall of Fame.
NHRA’s Division 4 is the historic South Central Division home of “The Good Guys.” Division 4 features tracks from Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Louisiana. The Division 4 Hall of Fame honors individuals, drivers and officials who laid the groundwork for NHRA Drag Racing in the region. Raymond Martin will join the likes of Eddie Hill, Raymond Beadle, Kenny Bernstein, Bill Meyer and many more in the South Central Division Hall of Fame.
This year’s inductions will take place during the Division 4 Banquet and Awards Ceremony at the L’Auberge Hotel and Casino in Lake Charles, La., Saturday January 7, 2017. Those in attendance are welcome to take part in a Hall of Fame Reception prior to the Division 4 Banquet and Awards ceremony. There we will also be an open forum during the Hall of Fame Reception about Raymond’s racing accomplishments.
Strickland Clinches Second National Championship in Pomona
Pomona, CA – The 2016 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series came to a close in the Pacific Division Race at Pomona 
Auto Club Raceway Sunday. Event champions and National Champions were crowned in the series finale. Top Alcohol Dragster, Funny Car, Comp, Super Stock, and the rest of the classes that encompass the Lucas Oil Series were in action.
Top Alcohol Dragster 2016 Lucas Oil Champion Joey Severance, Woodburn, Ore., further solidified his status as the best in the division with his fastest run of the weekend. The Woodburn racer registered his victory pass at 5.212 seconds, 275.96 mph. Cody Perkin, Bluffdale, Utah did not show up for the final round. The victory marks Severance’s 16th career National event win and the sixth of the 2016 season.
