NHRA NEWS: 2007 NHRA XPLOD SPORT COMPACT RACING SERIES SCHEDULE

2007 NHRA XPLÔD SPORT COMPACT RACING SERIES SCHEDULE FEATURES 11 RACES, TWO STOPS IN INDIANAPOLIS

GLENDORA, Calif. (Dec. 14, 2006) – NHRA announced today its 2007 NHRA Xplôd Sport Compact Racing Series schedule will be comprised of eight stand-alone NHRA Xplôd Sport Compact Series events and three tie-in events with the NHRA POWERade Series.

The 11-race schedule is highlighted by the addition of O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, as the newest stop on the series that runs from March through October. Further enhancements to the schedule include moving the sixth annual Northeast NHRA Sport Compact Nationals in Atco, N.J. from mid-May to mid-June; adding one more tie-in event with the POWERade series; and including Pro FWD to two of the POWERade series events. 

At the O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals at Topeka, Kan., the first POWERade Series companion event, only Pro RWD will be contested.  The other two POWERade Series companion events will feature both Pro RWD and Pro FWD: The prestigious Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis and the O’Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex in Dallas, the world’s fastest all-concrete quartermile.  

“The addition of O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis to the NHRA Xplôd Sport Compact Racing Series schedule is very exciting,” said Josh Peterson, general manager, NHRA Xplôd Sport Compact Racing Series.  “The prestige and history associated with the addition of O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis adds to the list of traditional world class venues that have served as the setting for some of the most memorable racing in the history of the NHRA Xplôd Sport Compact Racing Series.”

  The 2007 NHRA Xplôd season opens with the first three events being contested in facilities located along the eastern seaboard in Jupiter, Fla., Englishtown, N.J., and Dinwiddie, Va. The series then heads to the Midwest for the first POWERade Series event in Topeka, Kan., before returning to the East Coast for one race in Atco, N.J.  It is then on to the Midwest and West for four events in Las Vegas, Indianapolis, and Ennis, Texas. The 2007 season will conclude with a return to Englishtown, N.J. and then the NHRA Sport Compact World Finals at historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Southern California.

The 2007 NHRA Xplôd Sport Compact Racing Series will once again feature competition in five championship classes: Pro RWD, Pro FWD, Modified, Hot Rod and Honda Tuning Magazine All Motor. In addition, the series will continue its emphasis on developing the sportsman ranks with the continuation of the Regional Sportsman Championships for those competing in Urbanracer.com Sport FWD, Sport RWD, BFGoodrich Tires Street Stock and Quick 16 categories.

The 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 10 tracks across the country from March 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, along with more than $2.1 million in contingency payouts. 

       Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., the NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. It presents 23 national events through its NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. The NHRA has 80,000 members and 140 member tracks. The NHRA-sanctioned sportsman and bracket racing series’ provide competition opportunities for drivers of all levels. The 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 Drags presented by AAA. The NHRA also offers the O’Reilly Auto Parts Jr. Drag Racing League for youths ages 8 to 17.

 

2007 NHRA Xplôd Sport Compact Drag Racing Series Schedule
 

Fifth annual South Florida NHRA Sport Compact Nationals                                               

March 31-April 1

Moroso Motorsports Park

Jupiter, Fla.

 

Second annual         Virginia NHRA Sport Compact Nationals                                             

April 21-22

Virginia Motorsports Park

Richmond, Va.

 

Seventh annual NHRA Sport Compact Springnationals                                        

May 5-6

Old Bridge Township Raceway Park

Englishtown, N.J.

 

Third annual NHRA Sport Compact Nationals at the O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals

June 2-3

Heartland Park Topeka

Topeka, Kan.

(Pro RWD only)

 

Sixth annual Northeast NHRA Sport Compact Nationals                                     

June 9-10

Atco Raceway

Atco, N. J.

 

Fifth annual Las Vegas NHRA Sport Compact Nationals                                     

July 13-14

The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway              

Las Vegas

 

Inaugural O’Reilly Auto Parts Indianapolis ITB featuring the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Sport Compact Nationals

Aug. 18-19

O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis

Indianapolis

 

Third annual NHRA Sport Compact Nationals at the 53rd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals 

Sept. 1-3

O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis

Indianapolis

(Pro RWD/Pro FWD only)

 

Inaugural NHRA Sport Compact Nationals at the 22nd annual O’Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals

Sept. 22-23

Texas Motorplex

Ennis, Texas

(Pro RWD/Pro FWD only)

 

Sixth annual NHRA Sport Compact Fallnationals                                                 

Oct. 6-7

Old Bridge Township Raceway Park

Englishtown, N.J.

 

Seventh annual NHRA Sport Compact World Finals                                                            

Oct. 20-21

Auto Club Raceway at Pomona

Pomona, Calif.

 

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Brian Hacker

Media Relations Manager, NHRA

(626) 250-2424

(626) 428-0280, cell

(626) 914-1491, fax