Mon, 22 Dec 2003, 06:31 PM NHRA Sport Compact Extreme Rush to Be Held at Topeka and Dallas in 2004

Courtesy of NHRA Communications Photo by:Auto Imagery, Inc.

GLENDORA, Calif. -- For the second consecutive year, NHRA Summit Sport Compact Drag Racing Series competitors in both the Pro RWD and Pro FWD categories will compete in front of tens of thousands of fans in the prestigious NHRA Sport Compact Extreme Rush, NHRA officials announced today.

Matt Hartford

The two exhibition events will be contested during the O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals, May 27-30, at Heartland Park Topeka in Topeka, Kan. and the O'Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals, Sept. 23-26, at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas.

"For the second consecutive year, the NHRA is showcasing its elite sport compact drivers on drag racing's largest stage, an NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series event," said Gary Raasch, director of marketing for the NHRA Summit Sport Compact Drag Racing Series. "The opportunity to expose their turbocharged machines in front of packed houses at two of the nation's quickest drag strips is something NHRA is pleased to be able to offer the competitors and their sponsors."

The top eight point earners in the Pro RWD and Pro FWD classes will earn the right to compete in the Extreme Rush based on points and participation in the NHRA Summit Sport Compact Drag Racing Series. The Extreme Rush contestants will be seeded in a tournament-style bracket and compete for $17,000 in bonuses. They will receive two test-and-tune runs on Saturday, with the Extreme Rush eliminations being held on Sunday.

The winners of the NHRA Sport Compact Extreme Rush will earn $4,000 bonuses, while the runners-up will receive $1,000. The two semifinalists are awarded $750 and the four first-round finishers get $500.

Stephan Papadakis

"I really look forward to the Extreme Rush races," said Stephan Papadakis, Pro RWD winner of the StreetGlow Extreme Rush at Texas Motorplex in October 2003. "NHRA allows us to compete on a well-prepared track in front of thousands of fans, which is a great experience for us. We ran record times at both Extreme Rush events in 2003 and I'm confident there will be more competitive racing next year, which will give a better showing for the fans. It was great to win the Extreme Rush, but to put up the numbers we did at Dallas in front of all those fans was fantastic."

The two NHRA Sport Compact Extreme Rush events also will be featured on NHRA's weekly magazine show, NHRA 2Day, aired live from the race on Sunday morning on ESPN2.

Points for the first Extreme Rush event at Heartland Park Topeka will be earned during NHRA Summit Sport Compact Drag Racing Series events at California Dragway (March 13-14), Moroso Motorsports Park (April 17-18) and Old Bridge Township Raceway Park (May 1-2). Drivers will earn Extreme Rush points for the second NHRA Sport Compact Extreme Rush at Texas Motorplex during NHRA sport compact events at Atco Raceway (May 15-16), Bandimere Speedway (June 12-13), The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (July 16-17), Texas Motorplex (July 16-17) and Gateway International Raceway (Aug. 21-22).

The 10-race, $2.1 million NHRA Summit Sport Compact Drag Racing Series will once again feature competition at nine tracks nationwide with each racing being televised on ESPN2. A guaranteed year-end championship bonus fund of $144,000, as well as event purses totaling $260,500 are guaranteed. The series also offers sport compact drag racing's most lucrative contingency program.

The NHRA is the premier sanctioning body for sport compact drag racing. It presents the 10-race, $2.1 million NHRA Summit Sport Compact Drag Racing Series at nine tracks across the country from March-October. The series features the largest guaranteed sport compact event purse of more than $26,050 paid out per event. In addition, the series offers a year-end championship fund of $144,000, along with more than $1.7 million in contingency payouts. The series is highlighted by its five championship classes (Pro RWD, Pro FWD, Modified, Turbo Magazine Hot Rod and Honda Tuning All Motor). For more information, please visit www.nhrasportcompact.com.

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