NHRA (LOUSIANA) - NHRA SPORTSNATIONALS HIGHLIGHTS SPORTSMAN RACING AT ITS BEST

NHRA will showcase NHRA Sportsman competitors in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series when No Problem Raceway Park hosts the fourth annual JEGS.com NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals, April 20-22.

The JEGS.com NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals will feature a guaranteed purse of more than $50,000 and competition in six NHRA Lucas Oil Series categories, including Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. Racers will earn points toward their NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series National Championship quest in all categories except Super Street. The event will also include the division'Js Top Sportsman and Top Dragster categories as well as a Pro Mod invitational race.

We are pleased to continue our support the SPORTSnationals events for our Sportsman Racers,” said Len Imbrogno, NHRA'Js director of Sportsman racing and member tracks. This is a great way to put the drivers in the spotlight who make up the foundation of NHRA. And weJre happy to partner with Jegs High Performance to offer this opportunity to so many of the men and women who make the sport what it is today.

While the focus of the event will be on competition in the core NHRA Sportsman categories, other special attractions include Super Stock and Stock Class eliminations, the Mopar Hemi Super Stock Challenge, the Top Sportsman and Top Dragster Shootout and Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street.

NHRA reintroduced the SPORTSnationals three years ago at No Problem Raceway Park to rave reviews from racers and spectators. Prior to last season NHRA had hosted the SPORTSnationals from 1974-1986 at a trio of tracks, including Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Ky.

This season NHRA will host three SPORTSnationals events, including the JEGS.com NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals; the JEGS NHRA Northern SPORTSnationals in Columbus, Ohio in September and the NHRA Pacific SPORTSnationals in Fontana, Calif. in October.

TICKETS: General admission tickets for the JEGS.com NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals are $20 each day, $50 for a three-day pass, and $35 for a two-day ticket. For ticket information, contact No Problem Raceway Park at (985) 369-3692. For additional information about the event, visit nhra.com or noproblemraceway.com.

ABOUT JEGS HIGH PERFORMANCE: In 1960, Jeg Coughlin Sr. opened JEGS High Performance in Columbus, Ohio. Jeg was a speed freak, but was limited by his Midwest location that made it difficult to find the parts he wanted. As he slowly found his parts, friends came to him to build their engines. Soon he opened a retail business. In 1988 Jeg'Js four sons, John, Troy, Mike and Jeg, Jr., purchased the operation with the assistance of their father. After several expansions at the original location, what started out as a 4,000 square-foot speed shop now encompasses a 100,000 square-foot warehouse, a chassis shop, a call center and the original retail store. Two other stores and two additional call centers are also located in the metropolitan Columbus area. In the fall of 1999 a newly built state-of-the-art distribution center and headquarters opened. There are now over 300 associates. Four members of the Coughlin family will race in this weekend'Js event: Jeg Jr., who also runs in NHRA'Js Pro Stock class in the PowerAde Series, will compete in Super Comp and Super Stock; Troy will run in the Pro Mod invitational; Mike will campaign in Top Sportsman; and John will hit the quarter-mile in Top Dragster and Super Stock.

ABOUT NHRA: 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 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. NHRA has 80,000 members nationwide and 140 member tracks. NHRA-sanctioned sportsman and bracket racing series'J provide competition opportunities for drivers of all levels. NHRA develops the stars of tomorrow by offering the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, NHRA Summit Racing Series, NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series, the NHRA Street Legal Program presented by AAA and the NHRA O'JReilly Auto Parts Jr. Drag Racing League for youths ages 8 to 17.