NHRA released its 2012 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series schedule today, which features 43 events, with a minimum of five races conducted in each of NHRA's seven divisions and four series specialty events.
In its 11th year, the Lucas Oil Series also includes the addition of a newly created Regional level of events that will feature the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car categories. There will be four Regions: East, North Central, Central and West with a total of 23 Regional events across the country.
Returning to the schedule in 2012 will be Orlando Speedworld Dragway with an event on Feb. 10-12 and the addition of a second stop at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March.
NHRA Lucas Oil Series drivers in seven categories compete for valuable points leading to regional, divisional and national championships and a share of over $500,000 purse. The series also includes three sportsman-focused national events: the JEGS NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals in Belle Rose, La.; the JEGS NHRA Pacific SPORTSnationals in Fontana, Calif.; and the JEGS NHRA Northern SPORTSnationals in Columbus, Ohio.
Other categories that compete in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series are Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. Some divisions also opt to run additional categories, including Top Sportsman, Top Dragster and the Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley-Davidson.
"Sportsman racing is the core of our sport and the people that compete at this level are not only our customers, but our friends,” said Forrest Lucas, owner and CEO of Lucas Oil Products. “It gives us great pride to support the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and we're excited about a promising 2012 season.”
Bonus programs available to competitors in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series include the $100,000 JEGS Allstars, the NHRA Perfectly Strange Performance Award, in which a total of $45,000 is up for grabs throughout, and the Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley-Davidson. Individual divisions may also have additional bonus programs available to racers.
Some prominent graduates of the NHRA Lucas Oil Series who have gone on to successful careers in the NHRA Full Throttle Series include Brandon Bernstein, Morgan Lucas, Shawn Langdon, Alexis DeJoria, and Jeg Coughlin.
2012 NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES SCHEDULE
NORTHEAST DIVISION
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. 3-5 Atco Raceway Atco, N.J.
Aug. 17-19 Cecil County Dragway Rising Sun, Md. **
Sept. 7-9 Old Bridge Township Raceway Park Englishtown, N.J.
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
Feb. 10-12 Orlando Speedworld Dragway Orlando, Fla.
Feb. 17-19 Gainesville Raceway Gainesville, Fla. **
March 2-4 South Georgia Motorsports Park Valdosta, Ga.
June 22-23 Atlanta Dragway Commerce, Ga.
Sept 28-30 Bristol Dragway Bristol, Tenn.
Oct. 12-14 Silver Dollar Raceway Reynolds, Ga.
NORTH CENTRAL DIVISION
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 **
July 28-29 Mid-Michigan Motorplex Stanton, Mich.
Aug. 24-26 Beech Bend Raceway Park Bowling Green, Ky. **
SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION
March 2-4 Royal Purple Raceway Park Baytown, Texas
April 20-22 Texas Motorplex Ennis, Texas
June 1-3 No Problem Raceway Belle Rose, La.
June 22-24 Tulsa Raceway Park Tulsa, Okla. **
Sept. 14-16 Thunder Valley Raceway Park Noble, Okla. **
Oct. 12-14 Royal Purple Raceway Park Baytown, Texas
WEST CENTRAL DIVISION
May 5-6 SRCA Dragstrip Great Bend, Kan.
June 2-3 Brainerd International Raceway Brainerd, Minn.
June 15-17 Bandimere Speedway Morrison, Colo. **
Aug. 10-11 Cordova Raceway Park Cordova, Ill. **
Aug. 24-25 Heartland Park Topeka Topeka, Kan. **
Sept. 7-9 Tri-State Raceway Earlville, Iowa **
NORTHWEST DIVISION
May 4-6 Firebird Raceway Boise, Idaho
May 25-27 Mission Raceway Mission, B.C. **
June 22-24 Spokane County Raceway Spokane, Wash.
July 13-15 Woodburn Dragstrip Woodburn, Ore. **
Aug. 17-18 Pacific Raceways Kent, Wash.
Sept. 7-9 Woodburn Dragstrip Woodburn, Ore. **
PACIFIC DIVISION
Feb. 24-26 Firebird International Raceway Chandler, Ariz.
March 23-25 The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas **
June 9-10 Top Gun Raceway Fallon, Nev.
July 20-22 Infineon Raceway Sonoma, Calif. **
Nov. 2-4 The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas **
NHRA LUCAS OIL SERIES SPECIAL EVENTS
March 16-18 JEGS NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals Belle Rose, La.
TBA JEGS NHRA Pacific SPORTSnationals Fontana, Calif.
June 30 JEGS Allstars Joliet, Ill.
Sept. 21-23 JEGS NHRA Northern SPORTSnationals Hebron, Ohio
** Denotes Regional events with Top Alcohol classes