NHRA NEWS: NHRA XPLOD SPORT COMPACT RACING SERIES
HEADLINES A WEEKEND OF DRAG, DRIFTING AND ENTERTAINMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: NHRA Communications Dept., (626) 914-4761
NHRA XPLOD SPORT COMPACT RACING SERIES HEADLINES
A WEEKEND OF DRAG, DRIFTING AND ENTERTAINMENT
LAS VEGAS – The NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series returns to the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on July 14-15. This year’s Las Vegas NHRA Sport Compact Nationals promises to be action packed with D1 Grand Prix and Extreme Autofest invited to provide fans with the greatest sport compact motorsports show on earth.
The Las Vegas NHRA Sport Compact Nationals will mark the first time in history NHRA has invited a professional drifting sanctioning body to an NHRA sport compact drag racing event. D1 Grand Prix will be shipping 16 professional drift teams from Japan and inviting 10 professional drift teams from the United States to compete for prize money and awards on a specially constructed track in the pit area of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway behind the stands of the drag strip.
“NHRA is excited to invite the premier drift sanctioning body, D1 Grand Prix, and a longtime partner, Extreme Autofest, to our event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway,” said Josh Peterson, general manager of the NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series. “The Las Vegas NHRA Sport Compact Nationals will provide fans with the fastest sport compact drag racing action on the strip, side-by-side drifting, the best looking show cars, and a manufacturer’s midway filled with vendors.”
While the quickest side-by-side sport compact racing in the world is happening on the track, fans will have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of activities in the pit and the entertainment area. The NHRA Xplôd Stylefest presented by Extreme Autofest will provide fans with the chance to view the NHRA Tuner Car Show, which offers the best sport compact show cars, Q Power NHRA Dyno Challenge, NHRA Sound Challenge presented by Sony Xplôd, the Modified Magazine Bikini Xhibition presented by Pioneer Pro DJ, DJ Battle and live entertainment.
Tickets for the Las Vegas NHRA Sport Compact Nationals and D1 Grand Prix may be purchased in advance by calling (702) 644-4444, online at www.LVMS.com <http://www.lvms.com/> , or at the gate the day of the event. In addition, pre-entry for the NHRA Tuner Car Show presented by Extreme Autofest is now open at www.extremeautofest.com <http://www.extremeautofest.com/> .
The Las Vegas NHRA Sport Compact Nationals is the seventh race in the 11-race, $2.5 million NHRA Xplôd Sport Compact Racing Series. There will be more than $27,000 in purse at stake for the racers in each of the five championship categories (Pro RWD, Pro FWD, Modified, Hot Rod and Honda Tuning All Motor), and it is the second race for the Western Regional NHRA Sportsman Championship. Defending race winners include Brad Personett (Pro RWD), Ed Bergenholtz (Pro FWD), Justin Humphreys (Modified), Ron Lummus (Hot Rod), and Jeremy Lookofsky (Honda Tuning All Motor).
The Las Vegas NHRA Sport Compact Nationals and D1 Grand Prix also is the seventh competition for Pro RWD teams to earn a spot at the NHRA Sport Compact Nationals at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals. The top 10 drivers in the Pro RWD class of the NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Series will be eligible to compete at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis.
After six events this year Brad Personett has dominated the Pro RWD class with five event wins (Jupiter, Fla., Englishtown, N.J, Atco, N.J., Topeka, Kan. and Morrison, Colo.). Matt Scranton won the other race at Dinwiddie, Va.
Heading into the Las Vegas NHRA Sport Compact Nationals and D1 Grand Prix Pro FWD, Modified, Hot Rod and Honda Tuning All Motor have competed at five events during the 2006 NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series season.
The Pro FWD class has become competitive as several teams are challenging Ed Bergenholtz’s domination. Bergenholtz started out the year by winning the first two events (Jupiter, Fla. and Dinwiddie, Va.). Jason Hunt came along and challenged Bergenholtz by winning in Englishtown, N.J., and Bryan Jimenez won at Atco, N.J. Recently, new team owner Marty Ladwig came up with a win in Morrison, Colo.
In the Modified class there have been four different winners: Justin Humphreys (Jupiter, Fla.); Paul Efantis (Dinwiddie, Va.); Jorge Lazcano (Englishtown, N.J. and Atco, N.J.) and Dee Karagiannis (Morrison, Colo.). This has made the points race extremely tight.
In Hot Rod, Ron Lummus has won three races this year (Dinwiddie, Va., Englishtown, N.J, and Atco, N.J.). Stephanie Eggum won the first race of the year at Jupiter, Fla. Newcomer Chuck Seitsinger came away with the win in Morrison, Colo.
The Honda Tuning All Motor class has seen teammates dominate the category. Saul Salceda started out with wins at Jupiter, Fla. and Dinwiddie, Va. His teammate Norris Prayoonto has won the last two races at Englishtown, N.J. and Atco, N.J. Jeremy Lookofsky was able to increase his points lead with his first win in 2006 at Morrison, Colo.
Following a very successful 2005 season, which saw increases in both participation by drivers and fans, the Xplôd series is looking to continue that growth in 2006. There will be new drivers to see on the track and new activities to view and participate in off the track or in the pits, which will provide fans with the opportunity to have a full day of fun.
NHRA is the premier sanctioning body for sport compact drag racing. It is presenting the 11-race, $2.5 million NHRA Xplôd Sport Compact Racing Series at nine tracks across the country from April through October. The series features the largest guaranteed sport compact event purse of more than $27,000 paid out per event. In addition, the series offers a year-end championship fund of $144,000, bonus program payouts near $20,000, along with the most lucrative contingency payout program in the sport at more than $2.1 million.
The series is highlighted by its five championship classes (Pro RWD, Pro FWD, Modified, Hot Rod and Honda Tuning All Motor). In addition, and at all nine of the stand-alone NHRA Xplôd Sport Compact Racing Series events, the NHRA Xplôd Stylefest showcases a compliment of the lifestyle and entertainment elements synonymous with today’s sport compact scene. More information is available at nhrasportcompact.com.
Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. It presents 23 national events through its POWERade Drag Racing Series. NHRA has 80,000 members and 140 member tracks. NHRA-sanctioned sportsman and bracket racing series’ provide competition opportunities for drivers of all levels. NHRA develops the stars of tomorrow by offering the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, NHRA Xplôd Sport Compact Racing Series, NHRA Summit Racing Series and the NHRA Street Legal Program presented by AAA. NHRA also offers the O’Reilly Auto Parts Jr. Drag Racing League for youth ages 8 to 17.
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Brian Hacker
NHRA, Media Relations Manager
O - 626-250-2424
C - 626-428-0280
