NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

The 2016 season was packed with memorable moments and amazing firsts. Here’s a look back at some of the year’s highlights and biggest stories.

TOP 5 STORIES
First year of NHRA on FOX yields ratings bonanza

NHRA launched into a new era of television programming in 2016, creating an in-house TV production team and joining the FOX family of networks, two moves that yielded impressive and historic results unlike any seen in the 65-year history of NHRA. [Read more]

New winners highlight season of many firsts

From the historic all-female final that featured a pair of drivers seeking their first victories in Phoenix in February to Aaron Strong’s surprising Seattle event win, the 2016 season was a memorable one when it came to firsts in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Four drivers broke through for their first victories, and three others advanced to the first final rounds of their careers. In addition, three competitors started No. 1 for the first time in their careers during the 2016 season. [Read more]

Pro Stock class gets a makeover for 2016

For the first time since the introduction of the 500-cid engine rules in 1982, the NHRA Pro Stock class underwent dramatic changes for the 2016 season. The primary changes included the mandatory use of electronic fuel injection, flat hoods, a 10,500-rpm engine limit, and a standardized wheelie-bar length. [Read more]

Pritchett’s roller-coaster season ends on a high note

“Have helmet, will travel” should have been the theme for Leah Pritchett’s whirlwind 2016 tour through the Top Fuel class. The former Jr. Dragster racer and NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series champ managed to qualify for the Countdown to the Championship for the first time in her career, and she even managed to post a strong seventh-place finish, but to suggest that she took the scenic route would be a huge understatement. In a series of moves that no one could have predicted in preseason, Pritchett drove four different race cars for three different teams and somehow only managed to miss just one of the 24 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series races. [Read more]

Fans embraced 50 Years of Funny Car salute

During the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season, NHRA celebrated the Funny Car class with a yearlong 50 Years of Funny Car celebration that featured fan-favorite cars, explained the evolution of the category, remembered the greatest rivalries, and put the spotlight on the legends who drove the cars in some of the most memorable side-by-side races in NHRA history. [Read more]

THE YEAR IN VIDEO

Top 5 Top Fuel Moments: From first-time winners to thrilling final rounds, the 2016 Top Fuel season of the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series had it all. Here’s a look back at five of the most memorable moments from the year.

Top 5 Funny Car moments: Record-breaking elapsed times and speeds were a regular sight during Funny Car racing during the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season, a year also highlighted by John Force’s final-round victory over daughter Courtney in Denver in front of a live national television audience on the FOX broadcast network and Ron Capps’ first career championship.

Top 5 Pro Stock Moments: From first-time winners to the domination of the KB Racing team in a new era of fuel injection, the 2016 Pro Stock season was once for the history books. Here’s a look at the top five moments in the class this season.

THE YEAR IN HEADLINES

JANUARY

Enders named 2015’s top driver by Autoweek magazine

Southland Truck & Trailer named official heavy-duty truck dealership of NHRA

Bold new NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series logo unveiled for 2016 season

NHRA to celebrate 50 years of Funny Car in 2016

Aerospace Components extends as presenting sponsor of NHRA Excellence in Engineering Award

Brad Gerber named NHRA vice president of sales, chief development officer

Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis to construct permanent Top Eliminator Club pavilion

Back-up run certification no longer required for NHRA national records

Denso Spark Plugs named title sponsor of NHRA Mello Yello Series event in Las Vegas

FEBRUARY

Torrence, Capps, Anderson win season-opening event

Walla Walla, The Big Country, GALOT Motorsports Park, and Miramichi join NHRA Member Track Network

School of Automotive Machinists & Technology named sponsor of NHRA Factory Stock Showdown

Honda Powersports division named Official ATV, Side-By-Side, and Scooter of NHRA

Pritchett wins first in Top Fuel; Wilkerson, Line also score
 

MARCH

Amalie Motor Oil extends title-rights sponsorship of prestigious NHRA Gatornationals

NHRA All-Access video streaming service debuts Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals

Brittany Force scores first in Top Fuel; Hight, Anderson, Krawiec also score in Gainesville

Lucas Oil Products extends naming rights of Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis

Fan favorite Top Fuel Harleys added to Las Vegas event

JEGS boosts SPORTSnationals purse to record amount

Coughlin earns fan-vote starting spot in K&N Horsepower Challenge

NHRA Chief Starter Mark Lyle passes

Fans vote to determine top 20 most important Funny Cars

APRIL

Lowes Foods named presenting sponsor of the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals

Horsepower Challenge history: Anderson wins No. 5

Brown, DeJoria, Line victorious in Las Vegas

NHRA viewership hits 14-year high on FOX Sports 1 telecast

NHRA to be presented with Lucas Oil Global Achievement Award

NHRA Four-Wide Nationals sells out Saturday for second straight year

Force, Wilkerson, Line, Hines take NHRA Four-Wide Nationals titles

Racing RVs named presenting sponsor of NHRA Top Dragster and Top Sportsman national championships

MAY

Kalitta, C. Force, Anderson collect victories at NHRA SpringNationals

Mike Gittings named official NHRA chief starter

Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals sold out Saturday

Kalitta, Hagan, Line, Krawiec collect Atlanta victories

Kennedy named NHRA director of multimedia content

NHRA viewership sets another high mark on FOX Sports 1 telecast

Kalitta, Hagan, Line take Topeka titles

JEGS NHRA SPORTSnationals returns to Kentucky

K&N Filters extends sponsorship of K&N Horsepower Challenge through 2018

JUNE

Brown, Capps, Anderson earn delayed Epping titles

NHRA announces 2017 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule

NHRA eliminates oildown fines during qualifying and time trials

DeJoria appears on FOXNews.com Live

Torrence, Capps, Anderson win again; Sampey breaks victory drought in E-town

Protect the Harvest named title sponsor of Seattle event

Holley Hot Rod Reunion races to conclusion

Langdon, Johnson, Line earn Bristol titles

FOX Sports Australia to televise NHRA Mello Yello Series events

NHRA partners with Lightmaker for total revamp of NHRA.com

Enders nominated for 2016 ESPY award

Familiar faces in Norwalk winner’s circle as Langdon, Capps, Line, Krawiec score again

“Big Chief” makes NHRA public service announcement

K&N Filters to sponsor Route 66 NHRA Nationals

JULY

Pro Stock veteran Gaines announces retirement

K&N named Official Filter and Air Intake of NHRA

Division 5 claims JEGS Allstars team title

Brown, Beckman, Anderson, Hines get their kicks on Route 66 with big victories

Drag racing pioneer and icon Chrisman passes away

Coler named NHRA vice president of marketing and brand strategy

Denver scene of first live national network TV broadcast in NHRA history

Schumacher, Force, A.J., Hines win on live national stage in Denver

Hines grabs sixth Pro Bike Battle title

Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals features sellout crowd on Sunday

Force keeps Western Swing sweep hopes alive at Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals

AUGUST

Smith named NHRA director of media relations

Final rounds in Seattle rained out; event completion in Brainerd, Indy

Brown, Capps win delayed Seattle nitro finals in Brainerd

Force, Worsham, Skillman, Hines collect big victories at Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals

NHRA opens new Wally Parks NHRA Studio

Force, McMillen claim lottery starting spots in NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout

Reality TV star Justin “Big Chief” Shearer makes NHRA debut at Indy

SEPTEMBER

Mello Yello debuts special-edition paint scheme to run in Funny Car at Indy

NHRA announces official sponsorship agreement with Old World Industries

Strong wins Seattle Pro Stock conclusion at Indy

Schumacher, C. Force wins Traxxas Shootouts

Schumacher collects record 10th Indy win; Hagan, McGaha, Hines also score at Big Go

Brown, Force, Line, Ellis start Countdown on high note in Charlotte

Four Southeast tracks join NHRA Member Track Network

Dodge named title-rights sponsor of Mello Yello Series event at Maple Grove Raceway

Langdon, Beckman, Laughlin, Savoie collect victories in St. Louis

Paris Drag Strip to join NHRA Member Track Network

OCTOBER

Brown, Johnson, Nobile, Krawiec collect wins at Dodge NHRA Nationals

Brown takes commanding points lead; Hagan, Skillman, Krawiec also shine in Dallas

Champions crowned at California Hot Rod Reunion

Cedar Falls Motorsports Park joins NHRA Member Track Network

JEGS signs multiyear extension for Allstars

NHRA, LVMS announce Saturday sellout at NHRA Toyota Nationals

Smith clinches third Pro Mod championship

Brown wins third Top Fuel world championship

Force, Torrence, Gray, Savoie hit the jackpot with big weekends in Las Vegas

J&A Service extends sponsorship of Pro Mod Drag Racing Series

NOVEMBER

Union County Dragway joins NHRA Member Track Network

Live broadcast streamed from NHRA booth at SEMA Show

50 Years of Funny Cars celebrated at NHRA SEMA Breakfast

JEGS signs multiyear renewal for sponsorship of NHRA SPORTSnationals

Castrol Raceway joins NHRA Member Track Network

Capps clinches first Funny Car championship

Liberman Vega voted top Funny Car of all time

Savoie claims dramatic Pro Stock Motorcycle title

Line dominates for third Pro Stock crown

Kalitta, Johnson, Anderson collect wins at season finale

Summit Series national champs crowned

Brown, Capps, Line, Savoie honored as 2016 world champions

Kalitta honored with first NHRA Lifetime Achievement Award

Reed named Auto Club Road to the Future Award winner

DECEMBER

Dates set for 2017 Hot Rod Reunion events

New NHRA Pro Stock Camaro SS unveiled at PRI Show

Tulsa, Bristol to host 2017 Jr. Conference Finals events

Lucas Oil shows see dramatic uptick in viewership

SealMaster extends sponsorship with NHRA

Bradenton Motorsports Park joins NHRA Member Track Network

Mopar announces initiatives to support NHRA racers in 2017

Pro Mod TV ratings soared during 2016 season