This year’s Southern Nationals marks the return of traditional competition to the IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series. The event will feature competition in five professional classes with qualifying on Friday, April 11 and eliminations on Saturday, April 12 all under the lights at Bradenton Motorsports Park.
The professional classes will include more than 20 nitro-powered cars in Nitro Funny Car, Nitro Altered and Nitro Harley, plus the return of Mountain Motor Pro Stock and the debut of the fastest women in drag racing – the Larsen Motorsports Jet Dragster racing team. Points and big money are on the line for all of the teams in attendance as the best racers in the world travel to Florida for two days of championship drag racing. The weekend will also include two full sportsman races Saturday and Sunday as part of the IHRA Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Tour presented by AMSOIL.
The Southern Nationals is the third of 12 races on the 2014 IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series North American Tour.
WHAT: IHRA Nitro Jam Southern Nationals
PROFESSIONAL CLASSES
AMSOIL Nitro Funny Car
Nitro Harley
Nitro Altered
Mountain Motor Pro Stock
Jet Dragster
EVENT INFO: The 2014 IHRA Southern Nationals will feature the best racers from the world of drag racing in five professional categories. Each day will feature sportsman racing throughout the day and professional racing at night. Nitro Jam professional racing begins at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and 6 p.m. on Saturday.
New in 2014, the IHRA will host an all-new FanFest pit area centered around the Larsen Motorsports compound. FanFest will feature driver autographs and interviews, an interactive display showcasing how to build, design and race a jet-powered racecar in the Jet Technology Center and the exciting Hollywood Cars of the Stars collection featuring some of the most famous cars ever driven in film and television including the General Lee from Dukes of Hazzard, the DeLorean from Back to the Future, the Batmobile from the 1960s Batman television series and more. The FanFest pit area opens at 4 p.m. on Friday and 2 p.m. on Saturday.
WHEN: Friday-Saturday, April 11-12
WHERE: Bradenton Motorsports Park | 21000 SR 64, Bradenton, FL
TICKETS: Available at the gate day of show or in advance at www.nitrojam.com. Tickets are $25 on Friday and $30 on Saturday and kid’s tickets are only $10. Fans can save $5 by purchasing their tickets in advance.
CONTACT: Call Bradenton Motorsports Park at (941) 748-1320 or visit them at www.bradentonmotorsports.com For media requests contact Larry Crum at lcrum@ihra.com.
SCHEDULED TO APPEAR (subject to change)
Nitro Funny Car: Mike Halstead “Candies & Hughes,” Ronnie Young “Blue Max,” Mike McIntire Jr. “McAttack,” John Hale “Mike Burkhart Tribute,” Tim Boychuk “Forever Forward,” Jason Rupert “Black Plague,” Mark Sanders “Mr. Explosive,” Bruce Litton “US Male,” Wayne Mellinger “Candies Family Racing”
Nitro Altered: Kyle Hough “Nanook,” Ron Hope “Rat Trap,” Mike Hilsabeck “Arizona Thunder,” Ron Maroney “Blind Faith,” Don Blackshear “Bullet Bob,” Derick Snelson “Nasty Benjamin”
Nitro Harley: Jay Turner, Mike Scott, Randal Andras, Steve Dorn, Joey Sternotti, Mike Pelrine, Mike Romine, Ray Cason
Mountain Motor Pro Stock: Pete Berner, Cary Goforth, Todd Hoerner, Kevin Bealko, John DeFlorian, John Konigshofer, Brad Waddle, Scott Hintz
Jet Dragster: Elaine Larsen, Marisha Falk, Kat Moller, Dawn Perdue
2014 WINNERS
Tucson, Arizona
Nitro Funny Car – Jason Rupert over Mark Sanders
Pro Stock – Cary Goforth over Todd Hoerner
Nitro Harley – Mike Scott over Jay Turner
Nitro Altered – Mike Hilsabeck over Jim Maroney
Jet Dragster – Marisha Falk over Elaine Larsen
San Antonio, Texas
Nitro Funny Car – Jason Rupert over John Smith
Pro Stock – John DeFlorian over Cary Goforth
Nitro Harley – Randal Andras over Jay Turner
Nitro Altered – Ron Hope over Mike Hilsabeck
Jet Dragster – Elaine Larsen over Dawn Perdue
PRO POINTS (Top 5)
Nitro Funny Car: 1. Jason Rupert, 2. Mark Sanders, 3. Tim Boychuk, 4. John Smith, 5. John Hale
Nitro Altered: 1. Ron Maroney, 2. Mike Hilsabeck, 3. Ron Hope, 4. Jim Maroney, 5. Derek Snelson
Nitro Harley: 1. Randal Andras, 2. Jay Turner, 3. Mike Scott, 4. Steve Dorn, 5. Ron Gledhill
Pro Stock: 1. Cary Goforth, 2. John DeFlorian, 3. Todd Hoerner, 4. Scott Hintz, 5. Pete Berner
Jet Dragster: 1. Elaine Larsen, 2. Dawn Perdue, 3. Marisha Falk, 4. Kat Moller
SCHEDULE (subject to change; all times local)
FRIDAY : Sportsman Testing @ 1 p.m.; FanFest Opens @ 4 p.m.; Sportsman Qualifying @ 5 p.m.; Nitro Jam @ 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY : Sportsman Racing @ 9 a.m.; FanFest Opens @ 2 p.m.; Nitro Jam @ 6 p.m.
IMPORTANT LINKS
SOUTHERN NATIONALS 2014 SCHEDULE
