NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series heads back to one of the most picturesque dragstrips on the 24-race circuit to host the 16th annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, June 17-19, at Bristol Dragway. The race is the 11th event of the 2016 season.

The unmistakable sights and sounds found only at famed Thunder Valley have brought fans together throughout the years during the important Father’s Day weekend as they cheer on their favorite drivers in Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock. Richie Crampton (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) are the defending winners of the event that will for the first time be telecast on FOX Sports 1.

Bristol Dragway, located in scenic northeast Tennessee and carved into one of the valleys in the majestic Appalachian Mountains, opened in 1965 and operated under NHRA sanction until 1967. After a 32-year hiatus, Bristol Dragway was reintroduced to NHRA competition in 1999 and the Mello Yello Series circuit in 2001. The NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals has given fans in the area unparalleled access to some of racing’s biggest stars. The event moved to Father’s Day weekend in 2010, and the race has evolved into one of drag racing’s most popular events, leading to Bristol Dragway gaining the reputation as an ultimate fan destination with its unique surroundings and colorful history.

In Top Fuel last year, Crampton claimed his third victory of the 2015 season at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals by defeating Larry Dixon in the final round. The Australia native went on to win two more races in his Lucas Oil dragster to finish the season with a career-high five wins and a third-place points finish. This season, Crampton is off to a bit of a slow start but hopes to turn his fortunes around by defending his Bristol title, but the tough Top Fuel field won’t take it easy on him.

Funny Car's Hagan won for the first time at Bristol Dragway last year, racing past Don Schumacher Racing teammate Ron Capps in the 2015 final. One of the most famous fathers in drag racing history currently holds the Funny Car record for most wins at Bristol Dragway. The 16-time world champion, John Force, has four victories at Thunder Valley and aims to make it five in an all-new Peak Antifreeze Chevy Camaro SS. His last win in Bristol came in 2013. Force, who raced to a runner-up finish in Phoenix, is eighth in points.

Enders, the back-to-back and defending Pro Stock world champ, raced to her fourth victory of the 2015 season in Bristol en route to the championship crown. Enders beat fellow Texan Chris McGaha in the final round to earn her second consecutive victory at Bristol Dragway. Last year, she raced to a category-best and career-high nine victories, the most of any female driver in a single season in NHRA history. The story has been a little different this year as Ken Black Racing teammates Jason Line and Greg Anderson have raced one of their Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaros to victory at every Pro Stock event so far this season.

The NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series returns for its fifth race of the 2016 season in Bristol. Veteran racer Troy Coughlin of Ohio, a two-time and reigning national champion of the class, won at the most recent event in Englishtown. Rickie Smith raced to victory at the 2016 season opener in Gainesville and Atlanta, and Jim Whiteley earned his first victory at the second event in Houston.

The NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, where the future stars of the sport earn their racing stripes.

As always, fans will have the opportunity to interact with their favorite drivers as they’re granted an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. This unique opportunity in motorsports gives fans direct access to the teams, allowing them to see firsthand how the highly skilled mechanics service their hot rods between rounds and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.

As part of NHRA’s ongoing celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Funny Car class, one legendary Funny Car driver will be honored during the pre-race ceremony. Bristol Dragway will also add a personality from the sport into its prestigious Legends of Thunder Valley. 

Fans also will want to visit NHRA’s popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create a carnival atmosphere with interactive displays, simulated competitions, merchandise, food, and fun for the entire family.

Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 5 and 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 17, and the final two rounds of qualifying Saturday, June 18, at 1 and 4 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for noon Sunday, June 19.

To purchase reserved seats, call Bristol Dragway, 423-989-6900, or log on to www.bristoldragway.com.