Thu, 16 Apr 2009, 06:46 AM Auto Club's McKernan Slated for Dignitary Role at JEGS Pacific SPORTSnationals

Courtesy of Scott "Woody" Woodruff

FONTANA, Calif. --

Tom McKernan

Tom McKernan, Chief Executive Officer of the Automobile Club of Southern California, has been named the Grand Marshal/Honorary Starter for the upcoming NHRA JEGS Cajun SPORTSnationals at Auto Club Dragway at Auto Club Speedway. The event, slated for April 17-19, is the second of three NHRA SPORTSnationals events sponsored by JEGS.

After years of corporate involvement in motorsports, McKernan's participation in NHRA drag racing evolved to a personal level in 2007 when his daughter Megan earned her Super Comp license and began competing at NHRA events. Since then, it is not unusual to find McKernan out in the pits among the sportsman racers or at the starting line cheering on his daughter rather than in the corporate suite.

"The McKernan family is a drag racing family not unlike JEGS or the thousands of other families involved in NHRA," said Scott Woodruff, JEGS director of Media & Motorsports. "That's why we wanted to honor Tom for his dedication to the sport of drag racing. Not only does he support his daughter's racing efforts but he helps support the drag racing community through the Auto Club's many sponsorships."

There are three NHRA JEGS SPORTSnationals events scheduled in 2009. The Cajun SPORTSnationals in April was the first of the three and is followed by the JEGS Pacific SPORTSnationals (April 17-19) in Fontana, Calif., and the JEGS Northern SPORTSnationals (September 25-27) in Columbus, Ohio.

The races are designed to showcase NHRA's sportsman categories exclusively. Competitors in Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street will vie for more than $50,000 at each of the NHRA SPORTSnationals event this year. NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series national event points will be awarded to drivers in all categories except Super Street. In addition, all three NHRA SPORTSnationals events will feature NHRA class eliminations, including a Super Stock Hemi Shootout.

Top Sportsman and Top Dragster will also run in conjunction with all three events and Sportsman Motorcycle will run at the JEGS Cajun SPORTSnationals and at the JEGS Pacific SPORTSnationals.