Officials from NHRA today announced the 2016 NHRA Harley-Davidson Drag Racing Series schedule. The popular series, highlighted by the Top Fuel and Pro Fuel classes, brings high-energy motorcycle racing to fans nationwide.
The NHRA Harley-Davidson Drag Racing Series will compete at tracks across the country. The majority of the events will take place in conjunction with NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series events with competition in Top Fuel Harley once again being featured at four NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series events with two new stops, at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park near Phoenix and New England Dragway in Epping, N.H. The Top Fuel Harleys will return to the Circle K NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Southern California and the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol (Tenn.) Dragway.
These two-wheeled rockets will race at three new tracks in the Lucas Oil Series as they visit Royal Purple Raceway near Houston, Cecil County Dragway in Rising Sun, Maryland and Rockingham Dragway in North Carolina.
Tommy Grimes has already secured the 2015 championship in the Top Fuel Harley category as he holds a 221 point lead over second place Len Darnell Jr. with one race remaining. A close battle between Dennis Fisher and Janette Thornley will be decided in Pro Fuel Harley. Fisher leads Thornley by five points.
The racers will vie for an exclusive NHRA Wally® Trophy awarded to winners in each category during winner’s circle activities. The season-ending champion in Top Fuel and Pro Fuel will receive a specially-designed Wally Trophy as well as a year-end bonus. The best seven of 10 races will count for points toward the year-end championship.
Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 23 national events featuring the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and J&A Service NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and the NHRA Drags: Street Legal Style presented by AAA. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League for youth ages 5 to 17. In addition, NHRA owns and operates five racing facilities: Atlanta Dragway in Georgia; Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville in Florida; National Trail Raceway in Ohio; Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis; and Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Southern California. For more information, log on to NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
2016 NHRA Harley-Davidson Drag Racing Series Schedule
Feb. 11-14 Auto Club Raceway at Pomona (Top Fuel only) Pomona, Calif.
Feb 26-28 Wild Horse Pass (Top Fuel only) Phoenix
Feb 26-28 Royal Purple Raceway (Non-Top Fuel Event) Baytown, Texas
April 29-May 1 Virginia Motorsports Park (Non Top Fuel Event) Petersburg, Va.
May 20-22 Summit Motorsports Park Norwalk, Ohio
June 3-5 New England Dragway (Top Fuel only) Epping, N.H.
June 3-5 Route 66 Raceway (Non Top Fuel Event) Joliet, Ill.
June 10-12 Osage Casino Tulsa Raceway Park Tulsa, Okla.
June 17-19 Bristol Dragway (Top Fuel only) Bristol, Tenn.
June 17-19 Bandimere Speedway (Non Top Fuel Event) Denver
July 22-24 Sonoma Raceway Sonoma, Calif.
Aug. 19-21 Cecil County Dragway Rising Sun, Md.
Oct. 28-30 Rockingham Dragway Rockingham, N.C.
Nov. 5-8 The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas