Fri, 19 Sep 2008, 01:34 PM National Trail Raceway's NHRA SportsNationals Event Highlights Lucas Oil Drag Racing

Courtesy of NHRA Field Marketing

HEBRON, Ohio -- Series Competitors NHRA will showcase NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Sportsman competitors at the second of three SPORTSnationals events slated for this year when National Trail Raceway hosts the fourth annual JEGS NORTHERN SPORTSnationals, Sept. 19-21.

The JEGS NORTHERN SPORTSnationals will feature a purse of nearly $65,000 plus more than $400,000 in posted contingency awards for competitors in six NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series categories. Competing categories include Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. NHRA Lucas Oil Series national event points will be awarded to drivers in all categories except Super Street. The Spitzer Race Cars Top Dragster class and the Dart Top Sportsman category will also run at the event.

"I think the SPORTSnationals program offers our Sportsman racers a unique and fun opportunity to compete for national points at an event that is all their own," said Eric Lotz, NHRA Director of Field Marketing and Contingency Programs. "And Jegs is the perfect company to partner with in this venture because they are all about Sportsman racing. They've done it all and they know what these racers go through to be competitive day in and day out."

While the focus of the event will be on competition in the core NHRA Sportsman categories, Saturday's action will include class eliminations in Stock and Super Stock which includes the popular Mopar Hemi Challenge.

NHRA reintroduced the SPORTSnationals four years ago at No Problem Raceway Park in Belle Rose, La., to rave reviews from racers and spectators. Prior to that, NHRA had hosted the SPORTSnationals from 1974-1986 at a trio of tracks, including Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Ky., (1974-'80; 1985-'86), the old Houston International Raceway (1981-'82) and O'Reilly Raceway Park (1983-'84).

The JEGS.com NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals held in April at No Problem Raceway in Belle Rose, La., was the first of the three events planned for the year. This weekend's JEGS NHRA Northern SPORTSnationals is the second, and the third, the NHRA JEGS Pacific SPORTSnationals in Fontana, Calif., is slated for October.

TICKETS: General admission tickets for the JEGS NORTHERN SPORTSnationals are $15 Friday, $20 Saturday and $15 Sunday. Children 8 to 12 years old are $5 each day and kids 7 and under are admitted free. For ticket information, contact National Trail Raceway at (740) 928-5706. For additional information about the event, visit NHRA.com or NationalTrailRaceway.com.

Jegs Northern SportsNationals Fact Sheet

WHAT: Fourth annual JEGS NORTHERN SPORTSnationals, a national event exclusively for NHRA Sportsman competitors in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. Sportsman competitors in six categories will be featured in competition, while five of those categories will earn points leading to 2008 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series national championships. Featured NHRA Lucas Oil Series categories include Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The Spitzer Race Cars Top Dragster class and the Dart Top Sportsman category will also run at the event.

WHERE: National Trail Raceway, Hebron, Ohio. 2650 National Road, SW, Hebron; approximately 20 miles east of Columbus on old U.S. Highway 40, one mile north of Interstate 70 at the Kirkersville exit. From Columbus, take I-70 to Highway 158 north and follow the signs, or take I-70 to Highway 37 north to U.S. Highway 40 and follow the signs.

WHEN: Friday through Sunday, September 19-21.

PURSE: Posted purse of nearly $65,000, plus more than $400,000 in contingency postings.

SCHEDULE:	
FRIDAY, Sept. 19 -- Qualifying and time trials, 10 a.m.
TOP DRAGSTER QUALIFYING at 4 p.m.
TOP SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING at 4:30 p.m.
COMP ELIMINATOR QUALIFYING at 5 p.m.
	
SATURDAY, Sept. 20 -- Qualifying and time trials, 8 a.m.
STOCK CLASS ELIMINATIONS at 11 a.m. 
SUPER STOCK CLASS ELIMINATIONS featuring the Mopar Hemi Challenge at 1 p.m.
JEGS TOP DRAGSTER SHOWDOWN at 2 p.m.
TOP DRAGSTER QUALIFYING at 1:30 and 4:30 p.m.
TOP SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING at 2 and 5 p.m.
COMP ELIMINATOR QUALIFYING at 2:30 and 5:30 p.m.
SUPER ELIMINATOR SHOWDOWNS throughout the day

SUNDAY, Sept. 21 -- FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 8 a.m. TOP DRAGSTER round 1 begins at 11 a.m. TOP SPORTSMAN round 1 begins at 11:30 a.m. COMP ELIMINATOR round 1 begins at noon.

SPECIAL EVENTS: Stock and Super Stock class eliminations, Saturday; Mopar Hemi Challenge, with a winner-take-all $5,000 purse, Saturday.

TICKETS: For tickets contact National Trail Raceway, (740) 928-5706 or visit www.NationalTrailRaceway.com.

GENERAL ADMISSION (includes pit pass) - Friday: Adult, $15, Children (8-12), $5; Saturday: Adult, $20, Children (8-12), $5; Sunday: Adult, $15, Children (8-12), $5; Children 7 and under, free with a paid adult.

DEFENDING WINNERS: Doug Doll Jr. (Comp); Rock Running (Super Stock); Billy Baker (Stock); Karsten Blume (Super Comp); Michael Sawyer (Super Gas); Lynn Hoosigian (Super Street).

ABOUT THE TRACK:
National Trail Raceway started out as a 320-acre facility built by Clark Rader Sr., along with sons Clark Jr. and Ben, in the fall of 1963. At that time it was the fifth largest of its kind in the United States. In 1972 the Rader family expanded and improved the facility and allowing them to play host for the first time to the Springnationals.

In 1996, the NHRA purchased the track, bringing an end to the Rader era. NHRA has made significant improvements to the historic facility including the addition of the three-level timing tower and corporate suites, a TV production area, asphalt-covered pit areas and staging lanes, concrete guard walls that run the entire length of the racing surface and an extensive drainage system to control water runoff.

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