AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals features nighttime qualifying on Friday

 The intense 10,000-horsepower, 330-mile-per-hour action from the nitro-burning machines that whips diehard fans into a frenzy will multiply exponentially as Top Fuel Dragster and Funny Car qualifying will take place under the lights with the cars’ explosive header flames in full view. Nitro qualifying will take place at 5 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. with Elaine Larsen’s Jet Dragsters and fireworks at 8:15 p.m.

Fans will witness thrilling 330-mile-per-hour passes by the world’s biggest names in professional drag racing, including 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force and three-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Antron Brown, who has captured a record four wins at GMP.

 Important inbound traffic and parking information for this weekend’s AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway Motorsports Park:

For fans who are purchasing “day-of” parking (for cars and motorcycles) — or who already have obtained one of the following parking passes: Suite/VIP parking pass, ADA parking, Orange West, Gold Key or Motorcycle Parking — please use the following instructions for the quickest and most efficient way into Gateway Motorsports Park for the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals on Friday, September 29 through Sunday, October 1.

The easiest step simply is to enter “1905 Collinsville Road, Fairmont City, IL” into your mapping app or GPS device.   (That is the physical entry point to the Gateway Dirtplex and west access road). Once you reach 1905 Collinsville Road, you will turn right at the Dirtplex and will have the quickest and most efficient route into the facility.

FROM ST. LOUIS:

Please follow I-55/70 to Exit 4 and exit right onto Illinois 203 South. You will proceed approximately 1/4-mile to Collinsville Road. Turn right onto Collinsville Road (at the BP station) and the Dirtplex entry gate is approximately 1/8-mile on the right.

FROM COLLINSVILLE/EDWARDSVILLE:

Please follow I-55 South to Exit 4A and follow Illinois 203 South to Collinsville Road. Turn right onto Collinsville Road (at the BP station) and the Dirtplex entry gate is approximately 1/8-mile on the right.

“We would like to emphasize that this route reduces front gate congestion and cross traffic from the truck stop traffic,” said Gateway Motorsports Park Executive Vice President and General Manager Chris Blair. “This route will get you into the facility quicker and into your seats faster. Gateway Motorsports Park is working closely with the Archview Meadows Development on the west side of our property line to provide improved parking and traffic for the NHRA event.

“As a reminder, there is a $20 per vehicle parking charge (cash only) and motorcycle parking is $10 in the Gateway Harley Davidson Motorcycle Parking lot.”

Spectator gates will open at 7:30 a.m. each day. Kids 12 and under are free with a paid adult and every ticket is a pit pass. Friday’s Funny Car and Top Fuel Dragster qualifying will take place under the lights.

RON CAPPS, Funny Car: 2nd place in Countdown to the Championship points; Winner in 2005 and 2007

“Gateway is the third race of the countdown and it’s important to in with some momentum. It’s gonna be a swing from here (Mohnton, Pa.) where it’s gonna be about 90 tomorrow and mid-70s next weekend. Looking at Gateway’s weather, we’re gonna see track records fall for sure. That race at Gateway, Chris Blair and his crew do a great job every year and it’s always a pivotal race in the countdown. And this year the date being swapped, after the race at Reading, Pennsylvania, we never know what the weather’s going to bring. That track will hold almost anything thrown at it with good conditions. I’m excited about going there. I’ve gotten to win there more than once.

“For me, I love the race because it’s somewhat of a home race for a lot of the race teams. It’s not too far from Indy so the crew guys get to bring their wives and kids. I don’t think we get enough of those kind of races. There’s nothing better than getting into the winner’s circle with family, especially for the crew. They work hard. They’re on the road a lot.”

BRITTANY FORCE, Top Fuel Dragster: 4th place in Countdown to the Championship points

“In the Countdown, there are only six races, and they’re all important. But St. Louis is the halfway point, so you’ve got to make sure you’re still on your game, still fighting and hanging in there to the final few. At this point, it’s anyone’s game. Each weekend, you go up, you go down. By the end of a weekend, everyone could swap places. It’s really important to hang in there, gain as many points as you can and perform well on race day. That’s what it’s all about. That’s our plan in St. Louis.”

TOMMY JOHNSON JR., Funny Car: 4th place in Countdown to the Championship points

“As the (Countdown) races run out and the closer you get to the finish it’s important to be strong and go rounds and take advantage of every situation in the Countdown. St. Louis is a good place to do that. It’s close to Indy, but it’s also close to Iowa (his home state) and my dad won at Gateway in 1976. It’s always been on my list to try to win a national event that he won. We were runner-up last year. We came so close. This year maybe we can get it done.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

6:30 a.m. — Parking lots open.

7:30 a.m. — Spectator gates open.

8:30 a.m. — Sportsman class racing begins.

Noon — Midway opens.

3:30 p.m. — Pro Mod qualifying session.

4:15 p.m. — Pro Stock Motorcycle and Pro Stock qualifying session.

5 p.m. — Funny Car and Top Fuel Dragster qualifying session.

6 p.m. — Pro Mod qualifying session.

6:30 p.m. — Pro Stock Motorcycle and Pro Stock qualifying session.

7:15 p.m. — Funny Car and Top Fuel Dragster qualifying session.

8:15 p.m. — Jet Dragsters and fireworks.

8:20 p.m. — Track closed.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

6:30 a.m. — Parking lots open.

7:30 a.m. — Spectator gates open.

8:30 a.m. — Sportsman class racing begins.

9:30 a.m. — Midway opens.

Noon — Pro Mod qualifying session.

1:15 p.m. — Pro Stock Motorcycle and Pro Stock qualifying session.

2 p.m. — Funny Car and Top Fuel Dragster qualifying session.

3 p.m. — First round of Pro Mod eliminations.

3:30 p.m. — First round of Factory Stock Showdown eliminations.

3:45 p.m. — Pro Stock Motorcycle and Pro Stock qualifying session.

4:30 p.m. — Funny Car and Top Fuel Dragster qualifying session.

7 p.m. — Track closed.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1

6:30 a.m. — Parking lots open.

7:30 a.m. — Spectator gates open.

9 a.m. — Midway opens.

10 a.m. — Pre-race ceremonies.

11 a.m. — First round of Funny Car and Top Fuel Dragster eliminations.

Noon — First round of Pro Stock Motorcycle and Pro Stock eliminations.

12:20 p.m. — Second round of Pro Mod eliminations.

12:45 p.m. — Second round of Funny Car and Top Fuel Dragster eliminations.

1:15 p.m. — Second round of Pro Stock Motorcycle and Pro Stock eliminations.

1:30 p.m. — Semi-final round of Pro Mod eliminations.

2 p.m. — Second round of Factory Stock Showdown.

2:15 p.m. — Semi-final round of Funny Car and Top Fuel Dragster eliminations.

2:33 p.m. — Semi-final round of Pro Stock Motorcycle and Pro Stock eliminations.

2:40 p.m. — Final round of Pro Mod eliminations.

3 p.m. — Final round of Factory Stock Showdown eliminations.

3:30 p.m. — Final round of Pro Stock Motorcycle and Pro Stock eliminations.

3:37 p.m. — Final round of Funny Car and Top Fuel Dragster eliminations.

3:45 p.m. — Track closed.

Schedule subject to change. Revised Sept. 17.

To purchase tickets or obtain additional information, please call (618) 215-8888 or visit www.gatewaymsp.com. Follow GMP on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram.