NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Coming to Brainerd

BRAINERD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY RUMBLES WITH THE THUNDER AT THE LAKES

BRAINERD, Minn. – Brainerd International Raceway hosts the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series West Central Division for Thunder at the Lakes on August 13-14. 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 Jerry Haas Race Cars Top Sportsman, Fineline Graphics & Madcap Racing Top Dragster and NHRA Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley-Davidson are also in competition.

Gates at BIR open at 7 a.m. every day. Qualifying and time trials start Saturday at 9 a.m. Top Sportsman, Top Dragster and Comp Eliminator qualify Saturday at 11 a.m., 2 and 5 p.m. Eliminations start Sunday at 9 a.m.

Tickets for the Thunder at the Lakes at BIR are $25 each day. Children 12 and under are admitted free with a paid adult. For more information call the track, (866) 444-4455, or visit www.brainerdracewayandresort.com.

NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES: Fact Sheet

WHAT: NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Thunder at the Lakes, one of six events in West Central Division competition where drivers 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 Jerry Haas Race Cars Top Sportsman, Fineline Graphics & Madcap Racing Top Dragster and NHRA Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley-Davidson are also in competition.

WHERE: Brainerd International Raceway, 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.

WHEN: Saturday through Sunday, Aug. 13-14

SCHEDULE: SATURDAY, Aug. 13 – Gates open at 7 a.m. Qualifying and time trials begin at 9 a.m. Top Sportsman, Top Dragster and Comp Eliminator qualify at 11 a.m., 2 and 5 p.m.

SUNDAY, Aug. 14 – Gates open at 7 a.m. Eliminations begin at 9 a.m.

TICKETS: GENERAL ADMISSION/PIT PASS – $25 Saturday, $25 Sunday. Children 12 and under are admitted free with a paid adult. For more information please call Brainerd International Raceway, (866) 444-4455 or visit www.brainerdracewayandresort.com.

2015 EVENT

WINNERS: Doug Engles, Comp Eliminator; Abe Loewen, Super Stock; Tyler Wudarczyk, Stock Eliminator; Jordan Pratt, Super Comp; Mark McMasters, Super Gas; Tony Leonard, Super Street; Paul Pittman, Top Sportsman, J.R. Lobner, Top Dragster; Cameron Belisle, 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 2017 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 2017 Jegs Allstars to be held at the 2017 K&N Filters NHRA Route 66 Nationals. 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 2017 Jegs Allstars champion who also wins the national event will have his/her Allstars prize doubled.

AEROMOTIVE LOW QUALIFIER BONUS: A $3,000 bonus fund paid to the low qualifiers in Comp Eliminator, Super Stock and Stock Eliminator at each of the division’s six races. The best qualifying driver in Comp Eliminator and Super Stock will each get $200 per event, while the best qualifier in Stock Eliminator will get $100 per race.

JERRY HAAS RACE CARS TOP SPORTSMAN SERIES presented by Aeromotive: The Jerry Haas Race Cars Top Sportsman Series, run in conjunction with the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, is an opportunity for competitors in the West Central division’s Top Sportsman class to earn points toward divisional championships. The $2,750 champions’ purse posted by Jerry Haas Race Cars will be paid to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place points finishers.

FINELINE GRAPHICS & MADCAP RACING ENGINES TOP DRAGSTER SERIES: The West Central Division Top Dragster Series, run in conjunction with the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, is an opportunity for competitors in the West Central division’s Top Dragster class to earn points toward divisional championships. The $2,750 champions’ purse will be paid to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place points finishers.

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.