With an atmosphere that would rival even the best Mardi Gras soiree and a show that has proven the best in the state, State Capitol Raceway is once again gearing up for the world’s largest nitro party when the stars of Nitro Jam return to Baton Rouge for the fourth annual Mardi Gras Nitro Jam May 4-5 at SCR.

And this year that party will be taken to another level.

The 2012 Mardi Gras Nitro Jam will feature the biggest motorsports spectacle in the state when four nitro classes, jets, wheelstanders and the world’s only monster truck drag race hit the lanes at State Capitol Raceway all over two thrilling days in May. The event is all set to a Mardi Gras atmosphere with beads, a parade and enough spicy gumbo and other Louisiana specialties to last a lifetime.  



Nitro Jam show time is set for 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and the double Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am presented by AMSOIL will take place Saturday and Sunday.  

 “We go to a lot of great venues and great cities, but perhaps none is as unique as the race in Baton Rouge,” said IHRA President Aaron Polburn. “With the atmosphere, the food and the fun all combined with an exciting race, it makes for an event unlike any other. People show up at State Capitol Raceway early in the morning and stay late into the night. It isn’t as much a race as it is an experience and it is an experience that people tend to never forget.”

The 2012 Mardi Gras Nitro Jam will be run over two days in May with a full nitro show accompanying a huge sportsman race culminating with seven more drivers earning their way into the Summit Racing Equipment Tournament of Champions presented by AMSOIL.

In the professional ranks four nitro classes will fill the lanes at State Capitol Raceway highlighted by another great race in the hit AMSOIL Prostalgia™ Nitro Funny Car class. After last year’s race brought the sellout crowd to its feet, the stars return to Baton Rouge to battle for bragging rights and a huge win as defending series champion and State Capitol winner Peter Gallen in his brand new “Poverty Stricken” machine battles Mike Savage in the famous Louisiana legend “Candies & Hughes” Barracuda, Greg Jacobsmeyer in the “Allstar” Dodge and many more.


The Mardi Gras Nitro Jam will also feature the return of the 100-percent nitro-powered Pro Fuel Dragster class as 2010 Nitro Jam champion Bill Evans in “Black Pearl” battles Robin Samsel in “Predator” and Nitro Jam’s female stars Cherissa Smallwood in the “Nitro and Lace” dragster and Texas native Kristen Dennis in “Ladies First.” Both Smallwood and Dennis have visited victory lane in 2012 making for one of the most competitive starts to the class ever.

Rounding out the nitro classes at the San Antonio Nitro Jam are the stars of the out-of-control Fuel Altered class and the stars of Nitro Harley as two of the most extreme classes in drag racing return for four exciting rounds of racing. In the Fuel Altered class defending class champion Ron Maroney in the “Blind Faith” entry will battle rookie sensation Kyle Hough in “Nanook”, Tom Padilla in “Nasty Benjamin” and more. In Nitro Harley four of the fastest racers on two wheels will do battle at over 220 miles per hour from the back of a motorcycle.

The exhibition portion of the event will feature the return of the Shockwave jet semi and battle of the monster trucks in addition to the side-by-side 300 mph battle of Jet Dragsters.

The first-ever monster truck drag race will be sure to keep fans on the edge of their seat as Grave Digger driven by former Monster Jam World Champion Randy Brown battles Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle driven by Joey Parnell in a showdown featuring halftrack burnouts on towering, mammoth tires and wheel-to-wheel racing like fans have never seen before.



Wrapping up the evening will be the incredible show put on by the 30,000 horsepower Shockwave jet semi. With nearly 30-foot flames and enough power to topple a building, the Shockwave jet semi will bring the event to a close with a finale you have to see to believe.

In sportsman competition all seven IHRA classes will be featured as the stars of Top Sportsman, Top Dragster, Super Stock, Stock, Quick Rod, Super Rod and Hot Rod battle for a spot in the year-end Tournament of Champions. Last year’s TOC winners included Les Herod (TS), Clayton Nance (TD, QR), Gilbert Johnson (SS), Myron Piatek (STK), Jeff Southerland (SR) and Ray Todd (HR).

This year’s event, now featuring two Pro-Am points races in addition to a spot in the TOC being on the line, is expected to be the biggest yet for sportsman competitors.  

In addition to all the on-track action, new in 2012 will be the revamped FanFest Pit Party beginning at 6:30 p.m. both days. The FanFest Pit Party will feature driver autographs and various activities for racers and fans of all ages prior to the start of the Nitro Jam professional rounds. Racing will get underway both days at 8 p.m.

Don’t miss Louisiana’s legendary nitro extravaganza May 4-6 at State Capitol Raceway! For more information on the event, visit www.nitrojam.com for complete details.