Wed, 12 Oct 2016, 09:25 AM NHRA Makes Schedule Change for 2017 Countdown Races

Courtesy of NHRA Communications

GLENDORA, Calif.- The AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals and the Dodge NHRA Nationals are switching their event dates for the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship, NHRA officials announced Tuesday.

The Dodge NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Penn. will move up one week to Sept. 21-24 and the AAA Insurance NHRA Nationals at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Ill. will move back one week to Sept. 29-Oct. 1. The change will improve the overall schedule for both venues.

"I think we will see some benefits from this by moving off the weekend of the NASCAR races at Dover (Delaware),'' said Lex Dudas, Vice President and General Manager at Maple Grove Raceway. "We know fans over the years wanted to do both, but they had to pick and choose."

The Dover race track is only 100 miles south of Maple Grove Raceway, which now becomes the second race of the Countdown to the Championship, the six-race playoff at the end of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season that determines the champion in the four professional categories - Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle.

The AAA Insurance NHRA Nationals at Gateway Motorsports Park now becomes the third race in the Countdown.

"Hosting our event on the last weekend of September should provide more enjoyable conditions for our fans," said Chris Blair, Gateway Motorsports Park's Executive Vice President and General Manager. "In addition, many of the racers would like the opportunity to attack our racing surface under ideal conditions for shattering records."

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