Race Info:
WHAT: Fourth annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals, the 20th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and the second of six races in the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Drivers in four categories – Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle – earn points leading to 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world championships.
WHERE: Gateway Motorsports Park, Madison, Ill. – located five minutes from downtown St. Louis at the intersection of Interstates 55/70 and Ill. Route 203 (Exit 4).
COURSE: Championship drag strip; Track elevation is 445 feet above sea level; Track direction is south to north.
SCHEDULE:
SATURDAY, Sept. 26 – LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations
NHRA J&A SERVICE PRO MOD SERIES qualifying at 1 p.m.; first round of eliminations at 3:45 p.m.
MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 1:45 p.m. and 4:15 p.m.
SUNDAY, Sept. 27 – Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.
MELLO YELLO SERIES eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:Â Â
Sunday, Sept. 27, ESPN2 will televise 90 minutes of qualifying coverage at 3 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Sept. 27, ESPN2 will re-air one hour of qualifying coverage at 2 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Sept. 27, ESPN2 will televise three hours and 30 minutes of elimination coverage starting at 8:30 p.m. (ET).
2014 EVENT WINNERS: Antron Brown, Top Fuel; Courtney Force, Funny Car; Dave Connolly, Pro Stock; Jerry Savoie, Pro Stock Motorcycle.
MOST VICTORIES: Antron Brown, 4, TF; Gary Scelzi, 4, TF and FC; Doug Kalitta, 3, TF; Ron Capps, 3, FC; John Force, 3, FC; Kurt Johnson, 3, PS; Warren Johnson, 3, PS; Angelle Sampey, 3, PSM.
TRACK RECORDS:
Top Fuel – 3.737 sec. by Antron Brown, Sept. ‘12; 327.74 mph by Tony Schumacher, Sept. ‘13
Funny Car – 4.001 sec. and 320.20 mph by Matt Hagan, Sept. ‘13
Pro Stock – 6.496 sec. and 213.47 mph by Jason Line, Sept. ‘12
PS Motorcycle – 6.769 sec. and 198.58 mph by Hector Arana, Sept. ‘13
NATIONAL RECORDS:
Top Fuel – 3.680 sec. by Antron Brown, Aug. ‘15, Brainerd, Minn.; 332.75 mph by Spencer Massey, Aug. ‘15, Brainerd, Minn.
Funny Car – 3.901 sec. by Jack Beckman, Aug. ‘15, Brainerd, Minn.; 329.58 mph by Matt Hagan, Aug. ‘15, Brainerd, Minn.
Pro Stock – 6.455 sec. by Jason Line, March ’15, Charlotte, N.C.; 215.55 mph by Erica Enders-Stevens, May ‘14, Englishtown, N.J.
PS Motorcycle – 6.728 sec. by Andrew Hines, Oct. ’12, Reading, Pa.; 199.88 mph by Hector Arana Jr., March ’15, Charlotte, N.C.
TICKETS: For tickets call Gateway Motorsports Park at (855) RACE-TIK (722-3845), or visitwww.gatewaymsp.com