Tue, 31 May 2016, 14:44 PM NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Returns to Tennessee's Bristol Dragway

Courtesy of NHRA Communications Photo copyright 2016 Auto Imagery, Inc. For Thrilling Father's Day Action

BRISTOL, Tenn. -- The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series heads back to one of the most picturesque dragstrips on the 24-race circuit to host the 16th annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, June 17-19, at Bristol Dragway. The race is the 11th event of the 2016 season.

The unmistakable sights and sounds found only at famed Thunder Valley has brought fans together over the years during the important Father's Day weekend as they cheer on their favorite drivers in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock. Richie Crampton (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) are the defending winners of the event that will for the first time be telecast on FOX Sports 1.

Bristol Dragway, located in scenic northeast Tennessee and carved into one of the valleys in the majestic Appalachian Mountains, opened in 1965 and operated under NHRA sanction until 1967. After a 32 year hiatus, Bristol Dragway was reintroduced to NHRA competition in 1999 and the Mello Yello Series circuit in 2001. The NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals has given fans in the area unparalleled access to some of racing's biggest stars. The event moved to Father's Day weekend in 2010 and the race has evloved into one of drag racing's most popular events, leading to Bristol Dragway gaining the reputation as an ultimate fan destination with its unique surroundings and colorful history.

Erica Enders, Matt Hagan and Richie Crampton celebrate their wins last year.

In Top Fuel last year, Crampton claimed his third victory of the 2015 season at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals by defeating Larry Dixon in the final round. The Australia native went on to win two more races in his Lucas Oil dragster to finish the season with a career high five wins and a third place points finish. This season Crampton is off to a bit of a slow start but hopes to turn his fortunes around by defending his Bristol title, but the tough Top Fuel field won't take it easy on him.

Current points leader Doug Kalitta is coming off three wins in a row at Houston, Atlanta and Topeka in his Mac Tools dragster. He beat his Kalitta Motorsports teammate J.R. Todd at the NHRA Southern Nationals in Atlanta in the closest Top Fuel race in history with a margin of victory that was less than .0001. Kalitta is a three-time Thunder Valley Nationals winner, but hasn't won there since 2006.

Eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher has five career victories at Bristol Dragway - the most of any active driver in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Schumacher hasn't raced to a final round yet this season, but no one will take the winningest driver in Top Fuel history lightly.

Richie Crampton defeated Larry Dixon last year in the top Fuel final.

Others to watch in the Top Fuel include Pomona winner Steve Torrence, who won at Bristol in 2013, reigning world champ Antron Brown, who is second in points and two-time 2016 event winner Brittany Force.

Funny Car's Hagan won for the first time at Bristol Dragway last year, racing past Don Schumacher Racing teammate Ron Capps in the 2015 final. The driver of the Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots Dodge Charger R/T posted consecutive wins at the most recent events in Atlanta and Topeka. Jumping to fourth in the points standings, Hagan took down teammate Jack Beckman to end a 19-race winless streak at Atlanta and again in Topeka. A cattle rancher from Christiansburg, Va., Hagan considers Bristol Dragway his hometown track and he will look to defend his title in front of friends and family on Father's Day weekend.

One of the most famous fathers in drag racing history currently holds the Funny Car record for most wins at Bristol Dragway. The 16-time world champion, John Force, has four victories at Thunder Valley and aims to make it five in an all new PEAK Antifreeze Chevy Camaro SS, which he debuted in Topeka, Kan. His last win in Bristol came in 2013. Force, who raced to a runner-up finish in Phoenix, is ninth in points.

His Funny Car competitor and daughter, Courtney, drove her Traxxas Chevy Camaro SS to victory in Houston and currently has control of the points lead. She'll be gunning for the winner's circle at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, but three-time event winner Capps, reigning world champ and two-time Bristol winner Del Worsham, Robert Hight, two-time 2016 winner Tim Wilkerson, Beckman and Las Vegas winner Alexis DeJoria will look to beat her there.

Matt Hagan defeated Ron Capps in the Funny Car final last year.

Enders, the back-to-back and defending Pro Stock world champ, raced to her fourth victory of the 2015 season en route to the championship crown in 2015. Enders beat fellow Texan Chris McGaha in the final round to earn her second consecutive victory at Bristol Dragway. Last year she raced to a category-best and career-high nine victories, the most of any female driver in a single season in NHRA history. The story has been a little different this year.

Ken Black Racing teammates Jason Line and Greg Anderson have raced one of their Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaros to victory at every Pro Stock event so far this season. Line, the current points leader, has five victories so far in 2016, including one at the most recent event in Topeka, and has raced to every final round this year. Line won at Thunder Valley in 2006, while Anderson, who has three victories so far this year and is second in points, won at Bristol in 2001 and 2004.

Others to watch in the new era of Pro Stock, which includes fuel-injected engines, shorter wheelie bars, flat hoods and a 10,500 RPM rev-limiter, include Bo Butner, who is third in points, five-time world champ Jeg Coughlin, 2014 top rookie Drew Skillman, 2012 world champ Allen Johnson, Chris McGaha and Vincent Nobile.

Erica Enders defeated Chris McGaha in the Pro Stock final last year.

The NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series returns for its fifth race of the 2016 season at Bristol. Veteran racer Troy Coughlin of Ohio is a two-time and reigning world champion of the class. Rickie Smith raced to victory at the 2016 season-opener in Gainesville and the most recent event in Atlanta, while Jim Whiteley earned his first career victory at the second event in Houston.

The NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, where the future stars of the sport earn their racing stripes.

As always, fans will have the opportunity to interact with their favorite drivers as they're granted an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. This unique opportunity in motorsports gives fans direct access to the teams, allowing them to see firsthand how the highly-skilled mechanics service their hot rods between rounds, and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.

As part of NHRA's ongoing celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Funny Car class, one legendary Funny Car driver will be honored during pre-race ceremonies. Bristol Dragway will also add a personality from the sport into its prestigious Legends of Thunder Valley.

Fans also will want to visit NHRA's popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create a carnival atmosphere, with interactive displays, simulated competitions, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.

Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 5 and 7:30 p.m. on Friday, June 17 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, June 18, at 1 and 4 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for noon on Sunday, June 19.

To purchase general-admission or reserved seats, call Bristol Dragway at (423) 989-6900. Tickets also are available online at BristolDragway.com. Kids 12 and under are free in general admission areas with a paid adult.

Before heading to Bristol Dragway, the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series will make stops New England Dragway in New Hampshire for the NHRA New England Nationals, June 3-5, and Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J., for the NHRA Summernationals, June 9-12. Keep up with all the NHRA action on FOX Sports 1.