Thu, 2 Nov 2006, 09:15 AM NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series Continues it's Growth Both in Racing and

Courtesy of NHRA Communications Photo copyright 2006 urbanracer.com

GLENDORA, Calif. -- Partnerships

Brad Personett

The NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series continues to maintain its position as the premier sport compact racing series in the United States following a successful and momentum-building season.

In 2006, the NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series enjoyed a record-setting season not only in terms of the performances on the track but off the track as well. The six-year-old series experienced an increase in the number of fans, racers and sponsors that participated with the 11-race tour. The season was capped off by crowning two-time world champions in four of the five championship categories, including Brad Personett (Pro RWD), Ed Bergenholtz (Pro FWD), Paul Efantis (Modified) and Ron Lummus (Hot Rod). Jeremy Lookofsky (Honda Tuning All Motor) enjoyed his first world championship.

As for on-track highlights, fans of the NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series were treated to some of the quickest and fastest sport compact passes ever recorded on the quarter-mile. The NHRA national records for both elapsed time and speed were bettered in all five championship classes throughout the 2006 NHRA Xplod season, totaling 10 new performance standards set by seven different drivers.

Julie Stepan

Continuing the campaign to increase sportsman racing at each of the NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series events, NHRA implemented a Regional Sportsman Championship for 2006. Competitors in the East and West regions were awarded a Wally during the NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series year-end banquet. Winning the first ever sportsman regional championships were: John Ferguson (Urbanracer.com Sport FWD, East); Tony Palo (Urbanracer.com Sport FWD, West); Julie Stepan (Sport RWD, East); Ryan Woon (Sport RWD, West); Loan Nguyen (BFGoodrich Tires Street Stock, East); Mark Bremer (BFGoodrich Tires Street Stock, West); Erica Nocita (Quick 16, East); and Karl Martin (Quick 16, West). The chase for the coveted sportsman championship Wally in 2006 resulted in a significant increase in sportsman participation over 2005 for the NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series.

Sony Electronics continued its sponsorship of the series with its Xplod brand as the title sponsor for the race series and lifestyle segment of events. In 2006, Sony Xplod continued to offer a low qualifier award at each NHRA Xplod Series national event, as well as to present each NHRA Xplod World Champion with state-of -the-art Sony products during the NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series awards banquet. At the track, Sony's presence was felt by way of an interactive display where fans could experience several Sony Xplod car audio systems and receive autographs from NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series drivers.

In addition to Sony Xplod's participation, NHRA increased the number of additional sponsors involved with the NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series. Programs were implemented to recognize both on and off track performances. Nitto recognized the accomplishments of each of the five professional NHRA Xplod Series world champions by awarding them the Nitto Diamond Tree Ring. WD-40 awarded the NHRA WD-40 Crew Chief of the Race award at each of the nine stand-alone races and the NHRA WD-40 Crew Chief of the Year award. BFGoodrich Tires continued to offer the popular BFGoodrich Tires NHRA Street Stock Bounty which awarded a cash payout to the driver who posted the top speed and time for each event and the year. Idemitsu continued to offer the Idemitsu NHRA Sport Compact Perfect Light award for any driver with a perfect reaction time of 0.000 seconds, and Mr. Moto Products presented the NHRA Mr. Moto Best Appearing Award at each stand-alone event for the best looking race car in either pro or sportsman categories.

Television exposure for the sport, its sponsors, and the race teams remained a focus for NHRA in 2006 as event coverage from the NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series and the NHRA Xplod Stylefest events were shown on the nation's most recognizable sports network ESPN2. The broadcast crew of Bruno Massel, Kenny Sargent and Jessica Barton gave fans watching at home a new appreciation for this unique brand of racing and all the colorful activities that go on in the pits over the course of an event. Six of the telecasts were shown with lead-in shows such as American Dragster, NHRA 2day, and the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. Also, Inside Drag Racing had a three minute segment of race recaps called NHRA Sport Compact Drag Racing Series Race Report.

"We will continue to work with racers, sponsors and tracks to deliver compelling entertainment to our fans so they can enjoy the best sport compact racing in the world." said Josh Peterson, general manager of the NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series. We appreciate the participation of the entire racing community, including the racers, sponsors, fans and tracks. We value their involvement and support of the NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series, and we look forward to another successful season in 2007."

NHRA is the premier sanctioning body for sport compact drag racing. It is presenting the 11-race, $2.5 million NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series at nine tracks across the country from April through October. The series features the largest guaranteed sport compact event purse of more than $27,000 paid out per event. In addition, the series offers a year-end championship fund of $144,000, bonus program payouts near $20,000, along with the most lucrative contingency payout program in the sport at more than $2.5 million.

The series is highlighted by its five championship classes (Pro RWD, Pro FWD, Modified, Hot Rod and Honda Tuning All Motor). In addition, and at all nine of the stand-alone NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series events, the NHRA Xplod Stylefest showcases a compliment of the lifestyle and entertainment elements synonymous with today's sport compact scene. More information is available at nhrasportcompact.com.