Old Bridge Township Raceway Park will be the center of the drag racing universe this weekend.
The famed quarter-mile drag strip on Pension Road, near Englishtown, will be reverberatingwith the sounds of the most powerful drag racing machines as Raceway Park hosts the National Hot Rod Association’s (NHRA) 40th annual United Association NHRA SuperNationals from June 11-14.
Raceway Park, which opened in 1965, has had a long and rich association with the NHRA, This event is one of the seven original national events on the Full Throttle Drag Racing Series slate.
Since the race track hosted its first national event — then known as the Summer Nationals — in 1970, fans have been treated to the best of the best, the fastest cars on wheels and the sport’s finest drivers.
Through the first 10 races on the 2009 Full Throttle Series slate, the points leaders are Tony Schumacher in Top Fuel, Ron Capps in Funny Car, Jeg Coughlin Jr., in Pro Stock and Ed Krawiec in Pro Stock Motorcycle.
At last weekend’s United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals in Joliet, Ill., Spencer Massey (Top Fuel), Tony Pedregon (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) and Matt Guidera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were victorious.
Those drivers and their teams will be looking to continue their winning ways at Raceway Park this week.
Drivers will be competing in Old Bridge with a heavy heart this week as they remember the late Scott Kalitta, who lost his life in a Funny Car accident at Raceway Park in 2008.
Racing will start at 10:15 a.m. June 11 with Sportsman and Comp Eliminator qualifying.
On June 12, qualifying rounds in Funny Car and Top Fuel dragster will begin. Racing will take place from 10:15 a.m. to 9 p.m.
June 13 will see final qualifications and the beginning of elimination rounds for Sportsman and Comp Eliminator. Racing will run from 10:15 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The week’s action sets up June 14 and the final eliminations to determine the 2009 winners. Pre-race ceremonies will start at 10 a.m., with the final eliminations set to begin at 11 a.m.
Tickets may be ordered by phone at 732-446-7800. For more information, go on line to www.racewaypark.com.