The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, where the future stars of NHRA Drag Racing are born, will be showcased in 16 races throughout the season on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) and FOX Sports 2 (FS2), it was announced today by NHRA officials.
FS2 will televise a one hour program of select 2016 Lucas Oil Series events in primetime from 9-10 p.m. on the Thursday following each national event. In addition, FS1 will re-air the one hour telecasts within three days of the original FS2 Thursday broadcast.
Lucas Oil Series races also will appear in Canada and the Caribbean through FOX Sports Racing, as well as being available through FOX Sports GO, the critically acclaimed app that provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content at home or on the go and now is available to 86 million subscribers.
“The Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series is an important developmental series in NHRA Drag Racing and we are thrilled to showcase those great racers in action on the FOX Sports Networks,” said Peter Clifford, NHRA president. “It is important for our fans to connect with the Sportsman level of competition and we know that our new telecasts will succeed in that goal.”
The Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series is NHRA’s marquee Sportsman series. Racing categories include Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car, Competition Eliminator and Super Stock, among others. Prominent graduates of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series who have gone on to successful careers in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series include Morgan Lucas, Brandon Bernstein, Shawn Langdon, Courtney Force, Erica Enders, Brittany Force, Alexis DeJoria, and Jeg Coughlin.
The first Lucas Oil Series telecast will air from the season-opening Circle K NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, Calif. (Feb. 18, 9-10 p.m.) on FS2 with a rebroadcast on FS1 (Feb. 19, 10-11 a.m.). FS1 will air a second rebroadcast of the season opener on Thursday, Feb. 25 from 8-9 p.m.
The season’s premiere event, the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, will be telecast on Sept. 8 from 9-10 p.m. on FS2 with a re-air on FS1 on Sept. 11 from 3-4 p.m. The season-finale Auto Club NHRA Finals at Pomona will air on FS2 on Nov. 17 from 9-10 p.m. with FS1’s rebroadcast on Nov. 18 from 3-4 p.m.
Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 23 national events featuring the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and the NHRA Drags: Street Legal Style presented by AAA. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League for youth ages 5 to 17. In addition, NHRA owns and operates five racing facilities: Atlanta Dragway in Georgia; Gainesville Raceway in Florida; National Trail Raceway in Ohio; Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis; and Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Southern California. For more information, log on to NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
2016 NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES TELEVISION SCHEDULE
All times ET. Schedule is subject to change. Please check local listings.
Event Air Date, Time
Circle K NHRA Winternationals Thurs., Feb. 18, 9-10 p.m. (FS2)
Pomona, Calif. Fri., Feb. 19, 10-11 a.m. (FS1)
Thurs. Feb. 25, 8-9 p.m. (FS1)
Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals Thurs., March 24, 9-10 p.m. (FS2)
Gainesville, Fla. Sat., March 26, 3-4 p.m. (FS1)
NHRA Silver State Nationals Thurs., April 7, 9-10 p.m. (FS2)
Las Vegas Fri., April 8, 10:30-11:30 a.m. (FS1)
NHRA Four-Wide Nationals Thurs., April 28, 9-10 p.m. (FS2)
Charlotte, N.C. Fri., April 29, 10:30-11:30 a.m. (FS1)
NHRA SpringNationals Thurs., May 5, 9-10 p.m. (FS2)
Houston Fri., May 6, 11-Noon (FS1)
NHRA Kansas Nationals Thurs., May 26, 9-10 p.m. (FS2)
Topeka, Kan. Fri., May 28, 9-10 a.m. (FS1)
Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals Thurs., June 30, 9-10 p.m. (FS2)
Norwalk, Ohio Sat., July 2, Noon-1 p.m. (FS1)
Route 66 NHRA Nationals Thurs., July 14, 9-10 p.m. (FS2)
Chicago Sun., July 17, 1-2 p.m. (FS1)
NHRA Northwest Nationals Thurs., Aug. 11, 9-10 p.m. (FS2)
Seattle Sat., Aug. 13, 11 a.m.-Noon (FS1)
Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals Thurs., Aug. 25, 9-10 p.m. (FS2)
Brainerd, Minn. Sat., Aug. 27, 1-2 p.m. (FS1)
Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals Thurs., Sept. 8, 9-10 p.m. (FS2)
Indianapolis Sun., Sept. 11, 3-4 p.m. (FS1)
NHRA Carolina Nationals Thurs., Sept. 22, 9-10 p.m. (FS2)
Charlotte, N.C. Sat., Sept. 24, 9-10 a.m. (FS1)
NHRA Keystone Nationals Thurs., Oct. 6, 9-10 p.m. (FS2)
Reading, Pa. Sun., Oct. 9, 1-2 p.m. (FS1)
AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals Thurs., Oct. 20, 9-10 p.m. (FS2)
Dallas Fri., Oct. 21, 10-11 a.m. (FS1)
NHRA Toyota Nationals Thurs., Nov. 3, 9-10 p.m. (FS2)
Las Vegas Fri., Nov. 4, 3-4 p.m. (FS1)
Auto Club NHRA Finals Thurs., Nov. 17, 9-10 p.m. (FS2)
Pomona, Calif. Fri., Nov. 18, 3-4 p.m. (FS1)