LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES TO FEATURE 43 EVENTS IN SEVEN NHRA DIVISIONS IN 2010

New Event in Tulsa, Okla. Added to South Central Division 

GLENDORA, Calif. (Nov. 24, 2009) – NHRA officials released its 2010 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.

The 2010 schedule also includes the addition of a new event May 15-17 at Tulsa Raceway Park in Tulsa, Okla. in the South Central Division.

NHRA Lucas Oil Series drivers in seven categories compete for valuable points leading to divisional and national championships and a share of the $561,000 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.

The 2010 season marks the ninth year of Lucas Oil’s support of NHRA sportsman racers in a partnership that extends through 2012.

Headlined by the powerful Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car classes, the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series allows racers to compete for a championship close to home.  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.

“We are extremely proud to be involved with the dedicated racers who compete each weekend in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series,” said Forrest Lucas, owner and CEO of Lucas Oil Products.  “We can’t wait to start another successful and memorable racing 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, Ashley Force Hood, and Jeg Coughlin.

Based in Corona, Calif., Lucas Oil Products is the fastest-growing additive lines in the consumer automotive industry, featuring a premium line of oils, greases, and problem-solving additives. Through innovative product research and development, along with aggressive marketing programs, Lucas Oil Products has established itself as the top-selling additive line in the American truck-stop and auto-parts industries.

2010 NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES SCHEDULE

NORTHEAST DIVISION

April 30-May2    Atco Raceway*                                                   Atco, N.J.

May 28-30          Maple Grove Raceway                                        Reading, Pa.

July 2-4               Lebanon Valley Dragway                                     West Lebanon, N.Y.

Aug. 20-22         Cecil County Dragway                                         Rising Sun, Md.

Sept. 10-12         Old Bridge Township Raceway Park                   Englishtown, N.J.

Oct. 1-3              Atco Raceway                                                     Atco, N.J.

SOUTHEAST DIVISION

Feb. 12-14             Bradenton Motorsports Park                               Bradenton, Fla.

Feb. 19-21             Gainesville Raceway                                            Gainesville, Fla.

March 5-7              Orlando Speed World Dragway                          Orlando, Fla.

Sept. 11-13            Atlanta Dragway                                                  Commerce, Ga.

Oct. 15-17             Silver Dollar Raceway                                         Reynolds, Ga.

NORTH CENTRAL DIVISION

April 23-25            O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis                 Indianapolis

May 14-16             Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park       Norwalk, Ohio

June 11-13             Route 66 Raceway                                              Joliet, Ill.

July 10-11              Mid-Michigan Motorplex *                                  Stanton, Mich.

July 23-25              National Trail Raceway                                        Columbus, Ohio

Aug. 27-29            Beech Bend Raceway Park                                 Bowling Green, Ky.

SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION

April 23-25            Texas Motorplex                                                 Ennis, Texas

May 15-17             Tulsa Raceway Park                                            Tulsa, Okla.

June 11-13             Houston Raceway Park                                       Baytown, Texas

Sept. 17-19            No Problem Raceway                                         Belle Rose, La.

Oct. 22-24             Thunder Valley Raceway Park                             Noble, Okla.

WEST CENTRAL DIVISION

April 23-25            SRCA Dragstrip                                                  Great Bend, Kan.

May 28-30             Brainerd International Raceway                            Brainerd, Minn.

June 18-20             Bandimere Speedway                                          Morrison, Colo.

Aug. 6-7                Cordova Raceway Park                                      Cordova, Ill.

Aug. 27-29            Heartland Park Topeka                                       Topeka, Kan.

Sept. 10-12            Tri-State Raceway                                               Earlville, Iowa

NORTHWEST DIVISION

April 30-May 2      Firebird Raceway *                                             Boise, Idaho

May 28-30             Mission Raceway                                                Mission, B.C.

June 25-27             Woodburn Dragstrip                                            Woodburn, Ore.

Aug. 27-29            Pacific Raceways                                                 Seattle, Wash.

Sept. 24-26            TBA                                                                   

PACIFIC DIVISION

TBA                       Firebird International Raceway                             Chandler, Ariz.

TBA                       Southwestern International Raceway                    Tucson, Ariz.

June 11-13             Top Gun Raceway                                               Fallon, Nev.

July 23-25              Infineon Raceway                                                Sonoma, Calif.

Sept. 17-19            Auto Club Famoso Raceway                               Bakersfield, Calif.

Nov. 4-7                The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway             Las Vegas

NHRA LUCAS OIL SERIES SPECIAL EVENTS

March 19-21          JEGS NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals *             Belle Rose, La.

May 14-16             JEGS NHRA Pacific SPORTSnationals*             Fontana, Calif.

June 5                    JEGS Allstars                                                      Joliet, Ill.

Sept. 24-26            JEGS NHRA Northern SPORTSnationals *        Columbus, Ohio

* Top Alcohol classes not contested