TOPEKA, Kan. --
NHRA West Central division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competitors will get on-track May 5-7 at Heartland Park Topeka. The Heartland Spring Shootout presented by Good Year is the first of six races on the division calendar and the first of two scheduled at the facility.
Racers in eight categories, including the 250 mph Top Alcohol Dragsters (TAD) and Top Alcohol Funny Cars (TAFC) will be on hand vying for points leading to divisional and national championships. It is also racers' last opportunity to earn points toward a berth on the team that will represent the division at the 2006 Jeg's Allstars event in June. The division's Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley Davidson will also run in conjunction with the Lucas Oil race.
Although it is the first race of the season in the West Central division, some drivers, such as defending division TAD champion Randy Meyer, have taken an opportunity to get a jump in the point standings by attending out-of-division races. Meyer, a Spring Hill, Kan., resident, went to a South Central division event in Memphis, Tenn., where he scored the win, giving him the points lead. Last year the two-time division champ made five final-round appearances on the division level, earning four wins.
None of the division's TAFC racers has been to a divisional race but it's likely that defending champion Cy Chesterman will be the man to beat in 2006. The Sioux City, Iowa, driver claimed his third straight divisional crown, and fourth overall, last year after scoring wins at Brainerd (Minn.) Int'l Raceway and (Scribner) Nebraska Motorplex. He was also runner-up at Denver's Bandimere Speedway and at Tri-State Raceway in Earlville, Iowa.
Multi-talented racer and engine builder Gary Stinnett will have three titles to defend this season. The Emporia, Kan., resident is the reigning Super Comp national champion as well as the current division titlist in Super Comp and Super Stock. It is the second time in his career that Stinnett has earned three titles in a season.
Gates at Heartland Park Topeka will open at 7 a.m. each day. Qualifying and time trials will start Friday at 8 a.m. and continue Saturday morning at 8, and eliminations will start Sunday at 8 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragsters and Top Alcohol Funny Cars will have one qualifying run on Friday, at 4 p.m., and two on Saturday, at 1 and 4 p.m. They are scheduled to run first round of eliminations Sunday at noon.
Tickets for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event are $10 Friday, $15 Saturday and $15 Sunday. Children 6 to 12 are $5 each day and kids 5 and under are admitted free. Military personnel with a valid ID are also admitted free.
Heartland Park Topeka is located off U.S. Highway 75, four miles south of Topeka. From I-470, take Forbes Field exit and proceed on U.S. Highway 75 to Gary Ormsby Drive. For more information call the track, (800) 43-RACES, or visit
www.hpt.com.
NHRA West Central division racers will continue the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series season June 2-4 at Brainerd Int'l Raceway.
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES FACT SHEET
WHAT: The Heartland Spring Shootout presented by Good Year, a round of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, where drivers earn points leading to divisional and national championships. Categories include Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The division's Sportsman Motorcycle class will also run in conjunction with the event. The event is the first of six in West Central Division competition and the first of two scheduled at Heartland Park Topeka. The second one is slated for August.
WHERE: Heartland Park Topeka, Topeka, Kan. Track is located off U.S. Highway 75, four miles south of Topeka. From Interstate 470, take Forbes Field exit and proceed on U.S. Highway 75 to Gary Ormsby Drive.
WHEN: Friday through Sunday, May 5-7, 2006
SCHEDULE: Time trials and qualifying schedule for the Heartland Spring Shootout presented by Good Year:
FRIDAY, May 5 -- Gates open at 7 a.m. Qualifying and time trials begin at 9 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car qualifying sessions are scheduled at 4 p.m.
SATURDAY, May 6 -- Gates open at 7 a.m. Final qualifying and time trials are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car qualifying sessions are scheduled at 1 and 4 p.m.
SUNDAY, May 7 -- Gates open at 7 a.m. Eliminations begin at 8 a.m. Eliminations for Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car begin at noon.
TICKETS:
GENERAL ADMISSION/PIT PASS -- $10 Friday, $15 Saturday, $15 Sunday. Children, 6 to 12, are $5 each day and kids 5 and under are admitted free. Military personnel with valid ID are admitted free. For more information please call Heartland Park Topeka, (800) 43-RACES.
PURSE: The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competitors will vie for cash and contingency awards of $149,200, as well as a chance at a share of the year-end purse of more than $560,000.
2005 EVENT WINNERS: This is the first year Heartland Park Topeka has hosted an NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event in the Spring.
BONUS PROGRAMS: NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES POINTS FUND: a $561,000 point fund from Lucas Oil, which will be shared by 2006 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series divisional champions and national champions. Divisional awards include $8,500 each to the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car champions; $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.
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.
JEG'S ALLSTARS: The best of the best from each of NHRA's seven divisions will compete for a share of the $100,000 point fund from Jeg's High Performance. The 2006 Jeg's Allstars event will culminate a year-long points battle between drivers in each of NHRA's Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series' eight classes. The top points earner in each category will qualify to represent his/her division at the 2006 Jeg's Allstars. Points are based on in-division races only.
The winning division's team will share $20,000 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, 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 $20,000 towing fund to get to the event.
This year, event sponsor, Jeg's High Performance, is offering a "double up" bonus to Jeg's Allstars participants. Any 2006 Jeg's Allstars champion who also wins the national event will have his/her Allstars prize doubled
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.
West Central Division Opens 2006 Lucas Oil Campaign in Topeka
West Central Division Opens 2006 Lucas Oil Campaign in Topeka
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