Sat, 12 Nov 2011, 19:57 PM Top Alcohol Classes will Compete in New Lucas Oil Series Regional Championship Program in 2012

Courtesy of NHRA Communications

GLENDORA, Calif. -- The two premier classes in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series - Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car - will be showcased in four regions as part of a new Regional Championship program in 2012.

The four regions that will feature the Top Alcohol classes will be designated as East, North Central, Central and West.

"During the development of the Regional Program, we worked with several of our Lucas Oil event host tracks and others within the industry," said Josh Peterson, vice president of racing administration, NHRA. "While everyone recognized the importance of the Top Alcohol categories to the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, emphasis was placed on reducing the number of events, maintaining successful events and establishing consistency into the program."

As part of the new Regional Championship program, NHRA will pay the Top Five drivers in the series point standings for each class in each of the four regions. Regional Lucas Oil Champions will be based on five of seven events.

In addition to the change in points structure for the Regional Program, the Lucas Oil National Championship will change from the current points structure of the best five of eight both at the National and Divisional Event level to seven of 10 for National Events and three of five for Regional Events.

The two categories will continue to be featured at 16 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series events and television coverage of those races will continue to air on ESPN2 HD in 16 one-hour shows. Competition Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street will continue to compete at all NHRA Lucas Oil events.

2012 NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES REGIONAL SCHEDULE

EAST REGION
Feb. 17-19    Gainesville Raceway           Gainesville, Fla.
April 20-21   Virginia Motorsports Park     Dinwiddie, Va.
May 25-27     Maple Grove Raceway           Mohnton, Pa.
June 22-24    Lebanon Valley Dragway        West Lebanon, N.Y.
July 20-22    New England Dragway           Epping, N.H.
Aug. 17-19    Cecil County Dragway          Rising Sun, Md.

NORTH CENTRAL REGION
April 27-29   Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis           Indianapolis
May 18-20     Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park    Norwalk, Ohio
June 8-10     Route 66 Raceway                            Joliet, Ill.
July 20-22    National Trail Raceway                      Hebron, Ohio
Aug. 24-26    Beech Bend Raceway Park                     Bowling Green, Ky.

CENTRAL REGION
June 15-17    Bandimere Speedway                Morrison, Colo.
June 22-24    Tulsa Raceway Park                Tulsa, Okla.
Aug. 10-11    Cordova Raceway Park              Cordova, Ill.
Aug. 24-25    Heartland Park Topeka             Topeka, Kan.
Sept. 7-9     Tri-State Raceway                 Earlville, Iowa
Sept. 14-16   Thunder Valley Raceway Park       Noble, Okla.

WEST REGION
March 23-25   The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway        Las Vegas
May 25-27     Mission Raceway                              Mission, B.C.
July 13-15    Woodburn Dragstrip                           Woodburn, Ore.
July 20-22    Infineon Raceway                             Sonoma, Calif.
Sept. 7-9     Woodburn Dragstrip                           Woodburn, Ore.
Nov. 2-4      The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway        Las Vegas