West Central Division News

The West Central Summit ET Finals, presented by Hoosier Racing Tire, is expanding in 2026, featuring an East and a West Event. Get all of the details now!

Motion Performance Raceway at Gimli Motorsports Park has joined the NHRA Member Track Network as part of the West Central Division (Division 5). Under new ownership, the revitalized facility, which is located in Gimli, Man., in Canada, has enjoyed a thrilling rebirth in 2026, recently holding a successful grand opening weekend Aug. 1-2. Over 100 cars showed up to their first event to see all the new improvements and put the track to the test, which Larry and Cale Crispe had

Featuring 75th Anniversary Stock & Super Stock Class Eliminations! Event Schedule Monday, August 10th Stacking Begins: 12pm Sportsman competitors may begin arriving at BIR. Stacking takes place on the road course in preparation for Tuesday parking. (No stacking prior to 12pm, please do not arrive before that time) Tuesday, August 11th Parking & Ticketing: 12pm-8pm Overnight stacking resumes at 8pm NHRA Racer Registration / Run Sticker Pickup | Noon – 5:00 PM (BIR Shirt Shack)

Based on feedback received from Top Dragster and Top Sportsman competitors across the country regarding field sizes, qualifying, and maximum dial-ins, NHRA will implement the following changes for the 2027 season. Field Sizes Field sizes will remain consistent with historical precedent, with each Division continuing to determine the field size for its LODRS events. For specific information regarding field sizes at individual events, please contact your Division Office or visi

July 24th-26th, 2026 The West Central National Open Series resumes the 2026 campaign in Eau Claire, Wisconsin this weekend for a Doubleheader event. Don't miss your chance to get your hands on a 75th Anniversary Wally and valuable grade points as we pass through the halfway point of the season. For more event information, please visit our Event Page

NHRA officials, alongside representatives from Summit Racing Equipment and Hoosier, have announced a unique opportunity for NHRA members across North America to earn a trip to the Summit Racing E.T. World Championship at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway by racing at their home tracks this summer, as well as an impressive $30,000 Hoosier Prize Pool bonus fund across the E.T. Finals and World Championship in Las Vegas. The 16th and final spots in each of the four categorie

As part of the NHRA Heritage Series event, July 3rd & 4th at SRCA Dragstrip, Stock/Super Stock and Top Dragster/Top Sportsman racers will have the chance to earn grade points and an NHRA 75th Anniversary Wally in two classes. In addition to Heritage Top Fuel and Funny Car exhibitions, the return to the site of the first NHRA Nationals will also feature several Nostalgia classes along with a Stock/Super Stock Combo and Top Combo. Both categories will earn NHRA grade points an

Following the completion of Qualifying and some early rounds of eliminations, the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Tri-State Raceway was postponed until September 11th-14th, due to rain. Following a great first two days to start of the West Central's LODRS season, near constant rain through the morning and early afternoon on Sunday forced the postponement of the remainder of the event. LO51 will be completed during the final LODRS event back at Tri-State Raceway in Sept

Coming off another great event in 2025, Julesburg Drag Strip set to host D5's biggest Jr Dragster event The West Central JDRL Summit ET Finals will be returning to Julesburg Drag Strip, June 26th-28th, 2026. Open to all Jr. Dragster Racers from across the division, the three-day event will feature Warm-Up races, Big Money Races, and the Main Event with NHRA Wallys and Division Championships on the line! Friday will feature Test n Tune, followed by three Warm-Up events. Entr

The West Central returns to Great Bend and SRCA Dragstrip for the Inaugural Great American Hot Rod Classic Home of the First NHRA Nationals. Racers will be permitted to stay on-site between the GAHRC and the LODRS Classes NHRA Heritage Top Fuel Rocky Mountain Nostalgia NSS/AFX *RMNDR information can be found at: https://rmnostalgia.net/ Vintage Drag Racing Association (No Box ET) -Gasser -Flathead & Inline -Nostalgic Eliminator -Hot Rod (Pre-1974) *All VDRA classes are open

The NHRA West Central Division is excited to announce a brand-new specialty race for Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competitors at Tri-State Raceway — the inaugural Stock/Super Stock Super Combo Shootout. Set to debut during the upcoming LODRS event, this exciting new program will spotlight one of the most important skills in sportsman drag racing: reaction time. During Qualifying Session #2, Stock and Super Stock competitors will have the opportunity to enter the Shootout for

THUNDER ROAD RACEWAY SET TO JOIN NHRA MEMBER TRACK NETWORK STURGIS, S.D. (May 7, 2026) – NHRA officials are excited to announce that newly-reopened Thunder Road Raceway has joined the NHRA Member Track Network in NHRA’s West Central Division (Division 5) Located in Sturgis, S.D, Thunder Road Raceway is preparing for an exciting new chapter as the historic facility, which closed in 2023, has reopened under new ownership and management, bringing 1/8-mile drag racing back to the

Check out the newest West Central Division Print to Order Amazon Merchandise!

The NHRA West Central Division is set to launch the 2026 season in a big way as racers head to Tri-State Raceway for two consecutive weekends, with the 75th Anniversary Wally on the line in Stock/Super Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street at the National Open Memorial Day Weekend, and in all classes at the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Divisional. As part of the NHRA’s 75th Anniversary celebration, the West Central Division will proudly award the first 75th Anniversa

The NHRA is proud to announce that nominations are now officially open for the “51 Legends of the Divisions” program, presented by Quarter-Max Racing, as part of the organization’s 75th Anniversary celebration in 2026. This special initiative honors the racers, track operators, and innovators who have made a lasting impact on the sport of drag racing at the divisional level. Rooted in NHRA’s founding year of 1951, each of the seven divisions will recognize 51 individuals wh

The NHRA West Central Division (Division 5) has officially released its 2026 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series (LODRS) schedule , setting the stage for another competitive and exciting season across the Midwest. With four premier events on the calendar, racers will have multiple opportunities to compete for strong payouts, divisional points, and coveted NHRA 75th Anniversary Wally trophies. 2026 Schedule: May 29 – Tri-State Raceway (Earlville, IA) July 9 – S.R.C.A. Dragstrip (Gr

𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭—𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔! Renew Your License Online: https://licenserenewal.nhradata.com/login.aspx NHRA Competition License Applications: https://www.nhraracer.com/content/general.asp... Questions? We’ve got you covered: Phone: 888-275-9375 Email: licensing@nhra.com Visit www.nhraracer.com for more info!

The start of the 2026 season is already building excitement as tires finally hit the track at Gainesville Raceway, signaling the opening of a historic year for the National Hot Rod Association. The 2026 season marks the 75th Anniversary of the NHRA, and the celebration begins with the first National Event of the season in Gainesville this weekend. Adding to that excitement, NHRA is proud to announce a brand-new marketing partnership with Quarter-Max, a highly respected man

With the recent announcement of the expansion of the Summit ET Finals, presented by Hoosier Racing Tire, we have some exciting changes coming to the West Central in 2026. Returning to the roots of the ET Finals, Division 5 will host two identical events this year. September 17th - 20th, we will be at Tri-State Raceway in Earlville, Iowa and the following weekend, September 24th - 26th, we will be in Great Bend, Kansas at SRCA Dragstrip. In addition to adding a second event,

As we begin the 75th anniversary season of the National Hot Rod Association here in the West Central Division, we do so with pride, momentum, and tremendous opportunity ahead in 2026. The future of NHRA, the West Central, and the sport of drag racing is strong. The D5 team and our Member Tracks are dedicated to leading with passion, strength, and commitment to all our racers while providing the best experience in drag racing. And now, more than ever, drag racing is about the