Mon, 3 Dec 2007, 01:18 PM NHRA Announces Formation of Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series

Courtesy of NHRA Communications

GLENDORA, Calif. -- To help preserve NHRA's rich history and tradition while seizing on the success of nostalgic drag racing competition, NHRA has announced the formation of the "NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series" that will crown year-end points champions in 14 categories.

"This new series is an exciting step that will appeal to drag racing fans young and old," said Peter Clifford, executive vice president and general manager, NHRA. "It's a great way to introduce the younger generation to the history of our sport and give fans young and old a glimpse of racing the way it used to be."

The NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series will kick off with the famed March Meet at Bakersfield, March 7-9, and conclude Oct. 10-12 at the California Hot Rod Reunion presented by Automobile Club of Southern California back at Bakersfield's Auto Club Famoso Raceway.

Among the highlighted stops in between will be Firebird Raceway in Boise, Idaho for their 36th annual Pepsi NightFire Nationals as well as Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, Calif. and The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

In all, there will be seven independently produced events with each class of competition competing at and earning points toward the series championships at five of those seven events. The four groups comprising the 14 categories are as follows:

* Nostalgia Top Fuel dragster
* Nostalgia Funny Car
* Group 1 (4 categories): A/Fuel, Junior Fuel A, Junior Fuel B, and AA/Gas Supercharged
* Group 2 (8 categories): Nostalgia Eliminator 1, Nostalgia Eliminator 2 and Nostalgia Eliminator 3; A Gas, B Gas, C Gas, and D Gas; and Hot Rod

Each of the seven events will feature at least two of the four groups and only the first two events - the March Meet at Bakersfield (March 7-9) and the So Cal Shootout at Fontana (April 18-20) - will feature all four.

"This series will benefit everyone from the racers to the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum," said Steve Gibbs, director, Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum. "It provides a great opportunity to preserve NHRA's rich heritage through nostalgic drag racing competition."

There are already hundreds of "race-ready" drivers anxious to compete and racing will be conducted under existing, well-established NHRA nostalgia rules. The year-end champions in each of the 14 categories will earn the most coveted trophy in all of drag racing, the Wally.

NHRA HOT ROD HERITAGE RACING SERIES SCHEDULE*
DATE              RACE              TRACK           GROUPS
March 7-9         March Meet        Bakersfield     TF, FC & Groups 1 & 2
April 18-20       So Cal Shootout   Fontana         TF, FC & Groups 1 & 2
May 2-4           FC Feature        Las Vegas       FC & Group 2
May 30 - June 1   TF Feature        Bakersfield     TF & Groups 1 & 2 
Aug. 8-9          NightFire         Boise           TF & FC only
Sept. 13-14       Sports Special    Fontana         Groups 1 & 2 only
Oct. 10-12        CHRR              Bakersfield     TF, FC, and Group 1

CATEGORIES*
*     Nostalgia Top Fuel Dragster 
*     Nostalgia Funny Car 
*     Group 1 
      *     A/Fuel 
      *     Junior Fuel/A 
      *     Junior Fuel/B 
      *     AA/Gas Supercharged 

      *     Group 2 
      *     Nostalgia Eliminator - 1 
      *     Nostalgia Eliminator - 2 
      *     Nostalgia Eliminator - 3 
      *     A/Gas 
      *     B/Gas 
      *     C/Gas 
      *     D/Gas 
      *     Hot Rod 
* Schedule and categories subject to change

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