NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series will roar back into action at famed Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, July 11-12, with Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle competition in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series plus two special companion events.

The event is the first NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event since the COVID-19 pandemic and will be the third of 19 events that make up the 2020 schedule. The event also will be the first this season for the Pro Stock Motorcycle class, which was originally scheduled to begin competition at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals in mid-March before all racing was halted.

The event, the first of two consecutive weekend events at the historic venue, will be covered on the NHRA on FOX family of channels including a live FOX national broadcast network for Sunday’s final eliminations and qualifying Saturday on FS1.

Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle competitors will get two qualifying passes on Saturday, July 11, with final eliminations slated for Sunday, July 12. Pro Stock qualifying launches at 11:45 a.m. Central on Saturday followed by Funny Car and Top Fuel at 12:30 p.m. Final eliminations Sunday will begin early, at 9 a.m.

A limited number of tickets for the July 11-12 and July 18-19 events have been offered to NHRA members and to Denso Spark Plugs NHRA U.S. Nationals ticket holders. If you are in either of these groups and are interested in attending but have not received an email offer, please call 800-884-NHRA.

The race will also mark the resumption of competition for the Mickey Thompson Tires Pro Bike Battle, a special event-within-an-event for top Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifiers with a $25,000 payday that will take place when the NHRA returns to Indianapolis for the Denso Spark Plugs NHRA U.S. Nationals in late August. Matt Smith is the current points leader in the Battle standings with 1,265, leading a pack that also includes Andrew Hines (1,210), Jerry Savoie (1,185), Eddie Krawiec  (1,120), Karen Stoffer (1,100), Angelle Sampey (1090), Steve Johnson  (1,060), and Hector Arana Jr.  (1,010).

Two special companion races will also be held during the event, featuring the eighth-mile JEGS Super Quick Series and the Oakley Top Dragster and Oakley Top Sportsman classes from the North Central Division National Open series. 

On  July 18-19, Lucas Oil Raceway again will host Top Fuel and Funny Car competition along with the 2020 season debuts of the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Series and the SAMTech.edu NHRA Factory Stock Showdown and the resumption of the Mickey Thompson Tires Top Fuel Harley Series that competed at the season’s first two events. That event will also air on the FOX broadcast network and will also include the track’s Summit Racing Series bracket cars and Jr. Dragsters.