Fri, 27 Oct 2006, 05:07 PM NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Returns to Thunder Valley Raceway

Courtesy of NHRA Marketing

NOBLE, Okla. -- Thunder Valley Raceway Park will host the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series for one day, Friday, October 27. The final day of the event was rained out on its original date, October 13-15, forcing NHRA South Central division and track officials to move eliminations to the new date.

Gates at Thunder Valley Raceway will open at 9 a.m. Friday and each competitor will get one time trial beginning at 9 a.m. Eliminations are slated to start immediately following the time trials.

The race is the last of seven in NHRA South Central division competition and will feature drivers in eight categories, including 250 mph Top Alcohol Dragsters and Top Alcohol Funny Cars, vying for late-season points leading to divisional and national championships. The division's Reher-Morrison Top Sportsman Series, the TCI Comp Cams Top Dragster category and the Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley Davidson will also run in conjunction with the event.

Thunder Valley Raceway Park is located off Highway 77 South, south of Highway 9E. From I-35, take exit 108A (Hwy. 9E) east to Highway 77 and go south. For more information call the track, (405) 872-3429, or visit

http://www.OKThunder.com.

NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES FACT SHEET

WHAT: Completion of the rain-delayed Thunder in the Heartland, a round of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, where drivers earn points leading to divisional and national championships. Categories include Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The event is the last of seven in South Central Division competition. The division's Reher-Morrison Top Sportsman Series, TCI Comp Cams Top Dragster category and NHRA Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley Davidson will also be run in conjunction with the event.

WHERE: Thunder Valley Raceway Park, Noble, Okla. Track is located off Highway 77 South, south of Highway 9E. From I-35 take exit 108A (Hwy. 9E) east to Highway 77 and go south. Follow the signs to the track.

WHEN: Friday, October 7, 2006

SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Oct. 27 -- Gates open at 9 a.m. Qualifying fields are set so each category will get one time trial run starting at 9 a.m. Eliminations will begin immediately after each class makes a pass.

For more information call the track, (405) 872-3429

PURSE: The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competitors will vie for cash and contingency awards of $181,900, as well as a chance at a share of the year-end purse of more than $560,000.

2005 EVENT WINNERS: Steve Torrence, Top Alcohol Dragster; Richard McLain, Top Alcohol Funny Car; Shane Heckel, Comp Eliminator; Joe Teuton Jr., Super Stock; James Paul, Stock Eliminator; Heidi Robinson, Super Comp; Jesse Serna, Super Gas; Rustin Mayse, Super Street

BONUS PROGRAMS:
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES POINTS FUND -- a $561,000 point fund from Lucas Oil, which will be shared by 2006 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series divisional champions and national champions. Divisional awards include $8,500 each to the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car champions; $3,000 to the champions in both Competition and Super Stock; $2,000 each to the champions in Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The seven national champions will share a bonus of $135,000.

JEG'S ALLSTARS: The best of the best from each of NHRA's seven divisions will compete for a share of the $100,000 point fund from Jeg's High Performance. The 2007 Jeg's Allstars event will culminate a year-long points battle between drivers in each of NHRA's Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series' eight classes. The top points earner in each category will qualify to represent his/her division at the 2007 Jeg's Allstars. Points are based on in-division races only.

The winning division's team will share $20,000 and individual awards include $7,000 each to the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car champions, $6,000 to champions in Comp Eliminator and Super Stock, and $4,500 to the Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street champions. Runners-up in all categories will earn $2,000 apiece. Each Allstars competitor will also receive a share of a $20,000 towing fund to get to the event.

Event sponsor, Jeg's High Performance, is offering a "double up" bonus to Jeg's Allstars participants. Any 2007 Jeg's Allstars champion who also wins the national event will have his/her Allstars prize doubled.

REHER-MORRISON TOP SPORTSMAN SERIES: Run in conjunction with the Lucas Oil Series, competitors in the Top Sportsman class are vying for division championships. The top points finisher will earn a year-end bonus of $1,000 and the runner-up will get $500. Top Sportsman racers may run the seven South Central Division Lucas Oil events as well as three Lucas Oil Series races in either the Southeast or North Central Divisions.

NHRA SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE SERIES presented by HARLEY DAVIDSON: The NHRA Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley Davidson, run in conjunction with the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, is an opportunity for competitors in NHRA's Sportsman Motorcycle class to earn points toward divisional championships. The $14,000 champions' purse posted by Harley Davidson will be paid to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place points finishers in NHRA divisions that host Sportsman Motorcycles.