BRAINERD, Minn. – The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series prides itself on having one of the most loyal and passionate fan bases in all of motorsports, and the recent efforts from the great fans at Brainerd International Raceway (BIR) demonstrates that fact.
On Sunday, July 12, a supercell thunderstorm moved rapidly through northern Minnesota and hit the popular multi-purpose motorsports complex with straight-line winds at 60-70 mph, causing extensive damage.
The storm twisted and destroyed a set of metal grandstands along the dragstrip, ripped the roofs off of the media center and the main track shop, rolled multiple RVs over in the campground and took down dozens of signs around the facility. Track owner Jed Copham said about 1,500 trees were blown over in the storm as well.
With trash, debris, trees and timber covering the track the morning following the storm, the BIR staff and community immediately got to work. BIR called upon its fans for help, and more than 200 volunteers poured into the facility.
Thanks to their efforts, the 34th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, Aug. 20-23, will continue to provide the intense side-by-side racing that it has become known for over the years. As the penultimate race in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series regular season, drama is expected to be at an all-time high as racers are chasing valuable points in their quest to make the top 10 in their respective categories and qualify for the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship, NHRA’s six-race playoffs that begins in mid-September.
“The first week after the storm the volunteers were a tremendous help getting us up and running again,” Copham recently told the Brainerd Dispatch. “We got the critical trees cleared and critical driveways opened. That was amazing to see all those people come out on that first week. Since then we’ve had some really good people working really hard to get this place put back together.”
BIR only had to cancel one event – the Wednesday Night Street Drags on July 15. Most of the debris was removed while some remaining damaged trees are still being worked on. A new set of portable grandstands were ordered to replace the damaged section and the media center has been rebuilt.
“All of us at Brainerd International Raceway want to thank the 200-plus individuals who volunteered their time to help us clean up the track from the storm that hit us July 12,” the track staff said in a release posted on BrainerdRaceway.com. “We can’t thank you enough.”
Copham says the facility is ready to host the Lucas Oil Nationals, with very little damage from the storm still visible.
“I’d like to think (the fans) won’t notice anything, unless a tree that they happened to camp under for a number of years was a victim,” Copham told the Brainerd Dispatch. “Otherwise, the place should be in pretty good shape…Hopefully Mother Nature got that out of her system. Let’s hope we get beautiful weather for the event.”
Morgan Lucas (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Jason Line (Pro Stock) were last year’s winners of the pivotal event that will once again be televised on ESPN2. Pro Stock Motorcycle will make its return to Brainerd in 2015 after a two-year absence.
In Top Fuel, Don Schumacher Racing teammates Tony Schumacher and Antron Brown have clinched their spots in the Countdown. Schumacher, an eight-time world champion and current points leader, has three career wins at BIR while Brown, who is second in points, has one in Top Fuel and four in Pro Stock Motorcycle. Others to watch include five-time season runner-up Larry Dixon, three-time season winner and driver of the Lucas Oil dragster Richie Crampton, two-time Brainerd winner Doug Kalitta and recent Western Swing winners Steve Torrence and J.R. Todd.
In Funny Car, Capps raced to the winner’s circle at Brainerd for his second victory of the 2014 season. Capps is a five-time event winner and is pursuing his fourth consecutive victory at BIR. Jack Beckman, the 2012 Funny Car world champ, failed to make the Countdown last year but has had quite the turnaround season in his Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T, currently sitting second in points with five wins and a playoff berth in his back pocket. The rest of the star-studded class includes reigning world champion and points leader Matt Hagan, John Force, Cruz Pedregon, Tommy Johnson Jr., who won in Seattle, Tim Wilkerson, Del Worsham, and Robert Hight and Alexis DeJoria, who both hold a 73-point lead over 11th place Courtney Force for the No. 10 Countdown spot in Funny Car.
Jason Line raced his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro to the Pro Stock victory at Brainerd last year and went on to finish the season second in points behind world champ Erica Enders. His teammate Greg Anderson has won four of seven final round appearances and is the current points leader. A host of stars are looking to take home the Brainerd win, including Allen Johnson, Shane Gray, Jonathan Gray, Chris McGaha, who has won the last two races, Vincent Nobile, Drew Skillman and Larry Morgan.
Pro Stock Motorcycle hasn’t competed at Brainerd International Raceway since 2012 when Eddie Krawiec rode his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson to victory. Krawiec is the current points leader and will face off against top challengers like reigning world champion Andrew Hines, Hector Arana Jr., Karen Stoffer, local favorite Jim Underdahl and alligator farmer Jerry Savoie.
The Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals also will feature thrilling side-by-side competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.
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 the highly-skilled mechanics service their hot rods between rounds, and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.
Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying begins Friday, Aug. 21, with sessions at 3 and 5:30 p.m. The final two qualifying sessions will take place Sunday, Aug. 22, at 1 and 3:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 23.
To purchase tickets, call 218-824-RACE (7223) or visit www.brainerdraceway.com. For more information about the NHRA visit www.NHRA.com.
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LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS FACT SHEET
WHAT: 34th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, the 17th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Drivers in four categories – Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle – earn points leading to 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world championships.
WHERE: Brainerd International Raceway and Resort, Brainerd, Minn. Track is located a few miles north of the Brainerd area off Highway 371. The track is located on the east side of the highway.
COURSE: Championship drag strip; Track elevation is 1,200 feet above sea level; Track direction is west to east.
WHEN: Friday through Sunday, Aug. 20-23
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Aug. 21 – LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying
MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 3 and 5:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Aug. 22 – LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations
MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 1 and 3:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Aug. 23 – Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.
MELLO YELLO SERIES eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Aug. 22, ESPN2 will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 11 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Aug. 23, ESPN2 will televise three hours of eliminations coverage starting at 9 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Digital HD feed):
Saturday, Aug. 22, 7 – 7:30 p.m. (ET), SES 1/Transponder 05C
Sunday, Aug. 23, 7 – 7:30 p.m. (ET), SES 1/ Transponder 05C
(3800 MHz, vertical; Data Rate: 40.46147055 Mbp; Symbol Rate: 29.27 Ms; FEC: ¾; Bandwidth: 36 Mhz)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.
2014 EVENT WINNERS: Morgan Lucas, Top Fuel; Ron Capps, Funny Car; Jason Line, Pro Stock.
MOST VICTORIES: John Force, 11, FC; Joe Amato, 6, TF; Kenny Bernstein, 5, FC/TF; Antron Brown, 5, TF/PSM; Ron Capps, 4, FC; Jeg Coughlin, 4, PS;.
TRACK RECORDS:
Top Fuel – 3.722 sec. by Doug Kalitta, Aug. ’14; 328.54 mph by Richie Crampton, Aug. ’14.
Funny Car – 3.998 sec. by Alexis DeJoria, Aug. ’14; 320.89 mph by John Force, Aug. ’14.
Pro Stock – 6.542 sec. by Erica Enders, Aug. ’12; 210.87 mph by Allen Johnson, Aug. ’12.
Pro Stock Motorcycle – 6.865 sec. by Andrew Hines, Aug. ’12; 196.82 mph by Andrew Hines, Aug. ’05.
NATIONAL RECORDS:
Top Fuel – 3.701 sec. by Antron Brown, Oct. ‘12, Reading, Pa.; 332.51 mph by Larry Dixon, June ’15, Norwalk, Ohio.
Funny Car – 3.921 sec. by Jack Beckman, Aug. ’15, Sonoma, Calif.; 325.06 mph by Courtney Force, May ’15, Topeka, Kan.
Pro Stock – 6.455 sec. by Jason Line, March ’15, Charlotte, N.C.; 215.55 mph by Erica Enders, May ‘14, Englishtown N.J.
PS Motorcycle – 6.728 sec. by Andrew Hines, Oct. ’12, Reading, Pa.; 199.88mph by Hector Arana Jr., April ’15, Charlotte, N.C.
TICKETS: Order tickets by phone at (218) 824-RACE (7223). Tickets also are available online at www.brainerdraceway.com.
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NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS
GLENDORA, Calif. — Point standings (top 10) following the the 16th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series –
Top Fuel: 1. Tony Schumacher, 1,289*; 2. Antron Brown, 1,202*; 3. Larry Dixon, 1,034; 4. Richie Crampton, 969; 5. Doug Kalitta, 944; 6. J.R. Todd, 896; 7. Shawn Langdon, 872; 8. Spencer Massey, 855; 9. Brittany Force, 851; 10. Steve Torrence, 835.
Funny Car: 1. Matt Hagan, 1,177*; 2. Jack Beckman, 1,172*; 3. Tommy Johnson Jr., 1,063; 4. John Force, 1,025; 5. Del Worsham, 1,004; 6. Ron Capps, 988; 7. Cruz Pedregon, 872; 8. Tim Wilkerson, 870; 9. (tie) Alexis DeJoria, 819; Robert Hight, 819.
Pro Stock: 1. Greg Anderson, 1,322*; 2. Erica Enders, 1,271*; 3. Chris McGaha, 1,175*; 4. Jason Line, 1,102*; 5. Allen Johnson, 951; 6. Larry Morgan, 906; 7. Shane Gray, 834; 8. Jonathan Gray, 823; 9. Vincent Nobile, 787; 10. Drew Skillman, 779.
Pro Stock Motorcycle: 1. Eddie Krawiec, 702; 2. Hector Arana Jr, 596; 3. Andrew Hines, 546; 4. Karen Stoffer, 468; 5. Jim Underdahl, 459; 6. Jerry Savoie, 429; 7. Hector Arana, 417; 8. Matt Smith, 389; 9. Scotty Pollacheck, 376; 10. Angelle Sampey, 336.
* Secured a berth in Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship, NHRA’s six-race playoffs.
