ENNIS, Texas – Texas Motorplex host the NHRA South Central Division on April 22-24. The event is one of 45 scheduled across the country where drivers in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series earn points leading to divisional and national championships as well as a chance at a share of the year-end purse of more than $519,000. Categories include Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The division’s Sunset Performance Top Sportsman Series, KPE Top Dragster Series and NHRA Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley-Davidson will also be run in conjunction with the event.
Saturday’s action will be highlighted by the NHRA Moser Sportsman Shootout with racers from seven different classes battling it out for a posted purse of $15,000. Defending South Central Division Moser Sportsman Shootout Champion Slate Cummings has once again qualified for the 16-car field and is eager to defend his title. Former national champion Austin Williams is qualified in both Stock and Super Comp and is looking to dethrone Cummings.
Gates at Texas Motorplex open at 8 a.m. each day. Top Dragster, Comp Eliminator and Top Sportsman qualify at noon and 3:30 p.m. Friday and noon and 4 p.m. on Saturday. Eliminations start Sunday at 9 a.m.
Tickets for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Texas Motorplex are $15 Friday, $15 Saturday and $15 Sunday. Children 6 to 15 years old are $5 each day and children 5 and under are admitted free with a paid adult. For more information contact Texas Motorplex at (972) 878-2641 or visit www.texasmotorplex.com.
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES: Fact Sheet
WHAT: NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, one of six events in South Central Division competition where drivers earn points leading to divisional, regional and national championships as well as a chance at a share of the year-end purse of more than $519,000. Categories include Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The division’s Sunset Performance Top Sportsman Series, KPE Top Dragster Series and NHRA Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley-Davidson will also be run in conjunction with the event.
WHERE: Texas Motorplex, Ennis, Texas. Track is located on Hwy. 287, two miles west of Ennis, between Interstates 35 and 45. From Dallas, take I-45 to Hwy. 287 west to the track, or take I-35E to Hwy. 287 east to the track. From Fort Worth, take Hwy. 287 east to Waxahachie toward the track.
WHEN: Friday through Sunday, April 22-24
SCHEDULE: FRIDAY, April 22 – Gates open at 8 a.m. Qualifying and time Trials start at 9 a.m. Top Dragster, Comp Eliminator and Top Sportsman qualify at noon and 3:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, April 23 – Gates open at 8 a.m. Qualifying and time Trials continue at 9 a.m. Top Dragster, Comp Eliminator and Top Sportsman qualify at noon and 4 p.m. South Central Division NHRA Moser Sportsman Shootout eliminations are scheduled for Saturday afternoon.
SUNDAY, April 24 – Gates open at 8 a.m. Eliminations start at 9 a.m.
TICKETS: GENERAL ADMISSION/PIT PASS – $15 Friday, $15 Saturday, $15 Sunday. Children 6 to 15 years old are $5 Friday, $5 Saturday, $5 Sunday. Children 5 and under are admitted free with a paid adult. For more information please call Texas Motorplex, (972) 878-2641, or visit www.TexasMotorplex.com.
2015 EVENT
WINNERS: Michael Manners, Top Alcohol Dragster; Kris Hool, Top Alcohol Funny Car; Don Thomas, Comp Eliminator; Harvey Emmons, Super Stock; Jimmy Hidalgo, Stock Eliminator; Trene Cressonie, Super Comp; Tommy Phillips, Super Gas; Frank Kohutek, Super Street, Vince Hoda, Top Sportsman; Danny Nelson, Top Dragster; Robert Bennett, Sportsman Motorcycle
BONUS
PROGRAMS: NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES POINTS FUND: a $519,000 point fund from Lucas Oil, which will be shared by 2016 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series divisional, regional and national champions. Regional awards include $10,000 each to the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car champions with Divisional awards of $3,000 to the champions in both Competition and Super Stock; $2,000 each to the champions in Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The seven national champions will share a bonus of $135,000.
JEGS ALLSTARS: The best of the best from each of NHRA’s seven divisions will compete for a share of the $124,000 point fund from Jegs High Performance. The 2016 Jegs Allstars event will culminate a year-long points battle between drivers in each of NHRA’s Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series’ eight classes as well as Top Sportsman and Top Dragster. The top points earner in each category will qualify to represent his/her division at the 2016 Jegs Allstars. Points are based on in-division races only.
The winning division and regional teams will share $25,000 and individual awards include $7,000 each to the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car champions, $6,000 to champions in Comp Eliminator and Super Stock, $5,000 to Top Sportsman and Top Dragster champions, and $4,500 to the Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street champions. Runners-up in all categories will earn $2,000 apiece. Each Allstars competitor will also receive a share of a $25,000 towing fund to get to the event.
Event sponsor, Jegs High Performance, is offering a “double up” bonus to Jegs Allstars participants. Any 2016 Jegs Allstars champion who also wins the national event will have his/her Allstars prize doubled.
Sunset Performance Top Sportsman Series: Run in conjunction with the Lucas Oil Series, competitors in the Top Sportsman class are vying for division championships. The top points finisher will earn a year-end bonus of $1,500, the runner-up will get $1000 and the third place finisher will receive $500. Top Sportsman racers may run the six South Central Division Lucas Oil events as well as three Lucas Oil Series races in the other NHRA divisions.
KPE TOP DRAGSTER SERIES: Run in conjunction with the Lucas Oil Series, competitors in the Top Dragster class are vying for division championships. The top points finisher will earn a year-end bonus of $1,500, the runner-up will get $1000 and the third place finisher will receive $500.
MOSER SPORTSMAN SHOOTOUT: Drivers who compete in seven NHRA sportsman classes will be eligible to participate in the Moser Sportsman Shootout. Moser Engineering Sportsman Shootout qualifying points will be earned by competitors in Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street, Top Dragster and Top Sportsman at each South Central Division NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event. The top points earners from 2015 will face off at the Moser Sportsman Shootout at Texas Motorplex, April 23 with a posted purse of $15,000, with the winner taking home up to $5,000.
NHRA SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE SERIES presented by HARLEY-DAVIDSON: The NHRA Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley-Davidson, run in conjunction with the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, is an opportunity for competitors in NHRA’s Sportsman Motorcycle class to earn points toward divisional championships. The $14,000 champions’ purse posted by Harley-Davidson will be paid to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place points finishers in NHRA divisions that host Sportsman Motorcycles.
