GLENDORA, Calif. – NHRA officials announced a 22-race schedule for the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season on Wednesday.
Details on Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying days, as well as special exhibitions and specialty series that compete at national events, will be announced in the coming weeks.
NHRA enters 2021 with a new sponsor on its premier professional series – Camping World, the nation’s largest retailer of recreational vehicles, RV accessories, and RV-related services – and an extended partnership with FOX Sports, including amped-up coverage.
All 22 NHRA national events will be aired on FOX Sports, with select events on the FOX broadcast network.
In 2021, NHRA will celebrate its 70th anniversary. Fans will experience special treats and features along the tour to commemorate this important milestone and honor the NHRA’s vast history.
“We are grateful to the loyal NHRA fans and other members of the racing community who have stuck with us during the trying times of the 2020 season,” said NHRA President Glen Cromwell. “We’re looking forward to an exciting season of championship drag racing with fans in 2021. Thank you to our fans, racers, track operators, and partners for your continued support and cooperation.”
For the first time, the NHRA season will kick off on the east coast with the 52nd annual Amalie Motor Oil Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, March 12-14.
The traditional series opener, the 61st annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, will move to April 9-11 in 2021, starting a unique three-week spring stretch on the West Coast.
The Winternationals will be followed by the DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas, the first of two four-wide events during the 2021 campaign, and the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Ariz., April 23-25.
NHRA’s famed Western Swing, a popular three-race summer tradition, includes thrilling events at Bandimere Speedway near Denver, Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., and Pacific Raceways near Seattle over consecutive weeks.
The sport’s biggest race, the historic NHRA U.S. Nationals, will stay in its traditional place over Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 1-5, at Lucas Oil Raceway near Indianapolis.
NHRA’s Countdown to the Championship playoff system, with the top 10 racers in each professional category competing for a championship over the final six races, will lead into the 2021 season finale, the 56th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals.
The Finals are slated for Nov. 12-14 at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, Calif.
One facility, Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill., is not holding any drag racing events at its facility in 2021, so it is not included on the schedule.
2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Schedule
Date – Venue – Location
March 12-14 – Gainesville Raceway – Gainesville, Fla.
March 26-28 – Atlanta Dragway – Commerce, Ga.
April 9-11- Auto Club Raceway at Pomona – Pomona, Calif.
April 16-18 – The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – Las Vegas, Nev. (four-wide event)
April 23-25 – Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park – Chandler, Ariz.
May 14-16 – zMAX Dragway – Concord, N.C. (four-wide event)
May 21-23 – Houston Raceway – Baytown, Texas
June 4-6 – Virginia Motorsports Park – Petersburg, Va.
June 11-13 – New England Dragway – Epping, N.H.
June 24-27 – Summit Motorsports Park – Norwalk, Ohio
July 16-18 – Bandimere Speedway – Morrison, Colo.
July 23-25 – Sonoma Dragway – Sonoma, Calif.
July 30-Aug. 1 – Pacific Raceways – Kent, Wash.
Aug. 13-15 – Heartland Park Topeka – Topeka, Kan.
Aug. 19-22 – Brainerd Int’l Raceway – Brainerd, Minn.
Sept. 1-5 – Lucas Oil Raceway – Clermont, Ind.
Sept. 10-12 – Maple Grove Raceway – Reading, Pa.
Sept. 17-19 – zMAX Dragway – Concord, N.C
Sept. 24-26 – World Wide Technology Raceway – Madison, Ill.
Oct. 7-10 – Texas Motorplex – Ennis, Texas
Oct. 29-31 – The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – Las Vegas, Nev.
Nov. 12-14 – Auto Club Raceway at Pomona – Pomona, Calif.