WHAT: Seventh 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 2018 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.

WHEN:
Friday through Sunday, Sept. 21-23

SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Sept. 21 – LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying
E3 SPARK PLUGS NHRA PRO MOD DRAG RACING SERIES qualifying at 3:15 p.m. and 5:45 p.m.
MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 4 and 6:15 p.m.

SATURDAY, Sept. 22 – LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations
E3 SPARK PLUGS NHRA PRO MOD DRAG RACING SERIES qualifying at 1:30 p.m. and 4:15 p.m.
MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 2:15 p.m. and 5 p.m.

SUNDAY, Sept. 23 – Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.
MELLO YELLO SERIES eliminations begin at 11 a.m.

2017 EVENT WINNERS:
Steve Torrence, Top Fuel; Ron Capps, Funny Car; Greg Anderson, Pro Stock; LE Tonglet., Pro Stock Motorcycle.

MOST VICTORIES:
Antron Brown, 5, TF; Gary Scelzi, 4, TF and FC; Ron Capps, 4, FC; John Force, 3, FC; Kurt Johnson, 3, PS; Doug Kalitta, 3, TF; Warren Johnson, 3, PS; Angelle Sampey, 3, PSM.

TRACK RECORDS:
Top Fuel – 3.631 sec. by Clay Millican, Sept. ‘17; 332.75 mph by Leah Pritchett, Sept. ‘17
Funny Car – 3.830 seconds by Robert Hight, Sept. ‘17; 338.60 mph by Hight, Sept. ‘17
Pro Stock – 6.492 sec. by Greg Anderson, Sept. ’15; 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 – 3.628 sec. by Clay Millican, Feb. ’18, Pomona, Calif.; 336.57 mph by Tony Schumacher, Feb. ‘18, Phoenix
Funny Car – 3.793 sec. by Robert Hight, Aug. ’17, Brainerd; 339.87 mph by Robert Hight, July ’17, Sonoma, Calif.
Pro Stock – 6.455 sec. by Jason Line, March ’15, Charlotte, N.C.; 215.55 mph by Erica Enders, May ’14, Englishtown N.J.
Pro Stock Motorcycle – 6.728 sec. by Andrew Hines, Oct ‘12, Reading, PA.; 201.01 mph by Hector Arana Jr., March ‘18, Gainesville, Fla.

TICKETS: For tickets call (855) RACE-TIK (722-3845). Tickets are also available at www.gatewaymsp.com.   

Race Schedule:

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

2:15 p.m. — Pro Stock Motorcycle and Pro Stock car qualifying session.

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

3:45 p.m. – First round of Factory Stock Showdown.

5 p.m. — Pro Stock Motorcycle and Pro Stock car qualifying session.

5:30 p.m. — Top Fuel Dragster and Funny Car qualifying session.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

7:30 a.m. – Parking lots open.

8 a.m. – Spectator gates open.

9 a.m. — Midway opens; NHRA guided walking tour starts at the Mello Yello display.

9:30 a.m. — Sealmaster Trackwalk.

9:45 a.m. – Race day review, pre-race ceremonies.

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

Noon – First round of Pro Stock eliminations.

12: 20 p.m. – First round of Pro Mod eliminations.

1 p.m. – Second round of Top Fuel Dragster and Funny Car eliminations.

1:15 p.m. – Second round of Pro Stock eliminations.

1:30 p.m. — Pro Mod semi-finals.

2 p.m. — Factory Stock Showdown semi-finals.

2:10 p.m. — Top Fuel Dragster and Funny Car semi-finals.

2:30 p.m. — Pro Stock semi-finals.

2:45 p.m. — Pro Mod final eliminations.

3 p.m. — Factory Stock Showdown final eliminations.

3:40 p.m. — Pro Stock final eliminations.

3:45 p.m. — Top Fuel Dragster and Funny Car final eliminations.

Schedule subject to change.