ENNIS, TEXAS (October 23, 2011) – Highlighted by the debut of two renowned tracks and a return to two other premier tracks, the American Drag Racing League (ADRL) unveiled its highly anticipated 2012 ADRL Tour schedule on Sunday at its Annual Racer Appreciation and Awards Gala.
ADRL will make its inaugural appearance at both Bristol Dragway in Bristol, Tenn., and zMAX Dragway on the grounds of Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
"It's a perfect fit – one of the ADRL's biggest events at the world's greatest drag strip," said Christian Byrd, general manager of zMAX Dragway. "Hosting the best eighth-mile drag racers in the world for Dragstock IX is a tremendous addition to Charlotte Motor Speedway's Fall Season of Speed and zMAX Dragway's ever-expanding 2012 schedule."
The eighth ADRL campaign will also feature returns to Gateway Motorsports Park in St. Louis, and Memphis International Raceway, both of which were previous popular stops for the ADRL.
The world's premier eighth-mile drag racing league will also return to a 10-race schedule in 2012, visiting a number of major markets during a season that will once again span from March through October.
"This 2012 schedule is a tremendous step for the ADRL. Not only are we are going to the greatest drag strips and best markets in the world but we have also had such tremendous support from the track operators in preparing the schedule and developing our plans for 2012," ADRL Executive Vice President Jeff Fortune said.
The 2012 ADRL Tour will begin at its traditional season-opening venue, Royal Purple Raceway, for ADRL Dragpalooza VIII on March 30-31 in Houston.
In April, the ADRL will make its debut appearance at historic and nationally-renowned Bristol Dragway for the Spring Drags III. That event, sure to be highly-anticipated, will take place on April 20-21 and is another signal of the ADRL's growth on a national level.
In May, the ADRL will make its second trip to Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa. A year after a successful debut, the Northeast Drags II will take place on May 4-5 at one of the most scenic stops on the ADRL Tour.
June will mark the first of two double-race months on the 2012 slate, as well as the return of racing at the ADRL's home track, Gateway Motorsports Park in St. Louis. With a new ownership group in place, GMP will host the ADRL and the Gateway Drags IV on June 1-2.
From there, the ADRL will return to one of its hotspots, as the U.S. Drags V at Virginia Motorsports Park in Richmond, Va. will move to an early-summer date on June 22-23. The race has always drawn big crowds and VMP was also named the 2011 ADRL Track of the Year.
After a great fan response in 2011, the Summer Drags will keep its July spot, as the race will take place on July 13-14 at the popular U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Mich.
The ADRL will then make its debut at the state-of-the-art zMAX Dragway a month later, as the ADRL's most historic race, Dragstock, will move to the Charlotte market for the first time.
The annual Dragstock race has become the preeminent event on the ADRL tour, and will look to gain even more prominence in 2012 at the popular zMAX Dragway.
September will mark the second two-race month, as well as the return of Memphis International Raceway to the schedule. The Memphis Drags III will take place at the track on Sept. 7-8, setting the stage for a dramatic finish to the 2012 ADRL season.
With its customary late-September placement, the Summit Racing Equipment Ohio Drags VI will take place on Sept. 28-29 at Summit Motorsports Park, which is widely considered one of the best tracks in the nation.
The 2012 season will conclude in its usual October slot with the ADRL World Finals VIII, which will take place at the Texas Motorplex in Dallas on Oct. 19-21.
"A fantastic season starts with a great schedule. I think everyone can look forward to the biggest and most exciting year ever from the ADRL in 2012," Fortune said.
2012 ADRL TOUR
- March 30-31: ADRL Dragpalooza VIII; Royal Purple Raceway, Houston
- April 20-21: ADRL Spring Drags III; Bristol Dragway, Bristol, Tenn.
- May 4-5: ADRL Northeast Drags II; Maple Grove Raceway, Reading, Pa.
- June 1-2: ADRL Gateway Drags IV; Gateway International Raceway, St. Louis
- June 22-23: ADRL U.S. Drags V; Virginia Motorsports Park, Richmond, Va
- July 13-14: ADRL Summer Drags VIII; U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, Martin, Mich.
- Aug. 3-4: ADRL Dragstock IX; zMAX Dragway, Charlotte, N.C.
- Sept. 7-8: ADRL Memphis Drags III; Memphis International Raceway, Memphis, Tenn.
- Sept. 28-29: ADRL Summit Racing Equipment Ohio Drags VI; Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, Ohio
- Oct. 19-21: ADRL World Finals VIII; Texas Motorplex, Dallas.
