NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

As a result of inclement weather, racing in the Lucas Oil Series sportsman classes and the FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown were not completed as scheduled during the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.

“After consultation with the remaining racers in each category, the decision was made to move the rest of final eliminations to separate venues in order to complete the event,” said Jason Galvin, NHRA Sportsman Manager. “Once it became apparent that the event could not be completed as scheduled, NHRA officials worked closely with all remaining competitors in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series to find events that matched the planned schedules in each category.

Galvin continued, “While the circumstances were unfortunate, the efforts of Southeast Division Director Cody Savage and his team to work with racers from across the country and find agreeable options represent the continued efforts to communicate and collaborate with sportsman racers, in order find mutually agreeable solutions whenever a race does not play out as planned.”

The following is an overview of each Lucas Oil Series category and the amended schedule.

The Top Alcohol Funny Car final featuring Chip Beverett and low qualifier Sean Bellemeur will now be completed during upcoming the 4-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway.

In Comp Eliminator, there are 12 racers remaining, and the decision was made to move final eliminations to the NHRA Carolina Nationals in Charlotte in September.

There are nine drivers remaining in Super Stock; Brenda Grubbs, Troy Huntzberry, Kevin Helms, Ronald Huntzberry, Cliff Hynson, Pete D’Agnolo, Joe Santangelo, Michael Howard, and Anthony Bertozzi. They have agreed to finish their final eliminations during the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk.

The 4-Wide Nationals in Charlotte will also be the site of final eliminations in Stock which feature semifinalists Shane Oakes, John Gray, and Cody Phillips.

There are 16 drivers remaining in Super Comp including Ken Farrell, Robert Houston, Wayne Landry, Kent Hanley, Kyle Anderson, Kevin Brannon, Rusty Cook, Kathleen Smulligan, John Theofelis, Sherman Adcock Jr., Ray Miller, Christopher Cepelka, Colby Fuller, Hugh Meeks, Lauren Freer, and Jock Lisenby. They will complete the final four rounds of eliminations at the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway.

The semifinalists in Super Gas, Jason McCandless, JJ Brock, Jason Dewitt, and Robert Fuller also reached a consensus to finish their final eliminations at Bristol Dragway during the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.

Bristol Dragway will also host the final rounds of the Right Trailers Top Dragster and Right Trailers Top Sportsman classes. There are nine drivers remaining in Top Dragster while 15 drivers remain after the opening round of Top Sportsman eliminations.

The FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown was also delayed by weather. The four drivers remaining; Lee Hartman, Jason Dietsch, Lenny Lottig, and Doug Hamp, will race during the Gerber Collision and Glass NHRA Route 66 Nationals presented by Peak Performance at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet.

Finally, schedule for the Top Alcohol Dragster class has yet to be announced. The field has been whittled to the semifinals with Jackie Fricke, Jamie Noonan, and Matthew Cummings left in competition.

NHRA officials have also announced that racers remaining in competition still have the option to withdraw from the event and it will not count towards their season points total. Racers unable to make it to the rescheduled completion also have the option to claim points up to their current round and can do so by contacting their home division director, or Mike Rice, NHRA Sr. Director of Competition.