NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

The two premier events for the NHRA Summit Jr. Drag Racing League, the wildly popular series for young NHRA racers will return to familiar surroundings for the 2019 season. The Western Conference Finals will take place at Osage Tulsa Raceway Park in Tulsa, Okla. and the Eastern Conference Finals will be held at Bristol Dragway in Tennessee.

Oklahoma’s Osage Tulsa Raceway Park hosts the event for the fourth consecutive season on June 27-28, while the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing Eastern Conference Finals returns to Eastern Tennessee’s famed Thunder Valley, July 18-20. 

“These young racers have so much talent. They truly are the future stars of NHRA drag racing,” said Eric Lotz, director of field marketing, NHRA. “Young drivers of learn skills that prepare them for the future in the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League. Both facilities continue to grow these events and make the racers and their families feel welcome during the weekend.”

Osage Tulsa Raceway Park is a member of NHRA’s Division 4, South Central Division and is outside of downtown Tulsa, Okla. The facility acquired the Western Conference Finals in 2016 and continues to grow the event each season. 

“Osage Tulsa Raceway Park is thrilled to be hosting the Western Conference Finals once again as our entire staff looks forward to hosting the kids and their families,” said Todd Martin, co-owner of Osage Tulsa Raceway Park. “We have a lot of Jr. activities planned leading up to the Western Conference Finals and would like to extend a personal invitation to all the NHRA Jr. racers.”

Bristol Dragway started hosting the Eastern Conference Finals in 2004 and hosts the very popular NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals for the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. 

“We’re looking forward to another great year of the Junior Drag Racing League’s Eastern Conference Finals at Thunder Valley,” said Julie Bennett, vice president of Bristol Dragway. “This event provides the perfect opportunity to showcase the bright future of this sport with the next generation of drivers. We’re proud to play a small role in the development of these racers as they practice their craft while learning important life lessons.”

Nearly 1,000 kids compete for individual and team honors at the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing Eastern and Western Conference Finals. Each winner will take home the NHRA Wally champion’s trophy as well as a share of the event purse. Tracks in NHRA’s divisions 1, 2 and 3 will send teams to the Eastern Conference Finals while tracks in divisions 4, 5, 6 and 7 will compete at the Western Conference Finals.

Created in 1992, the NHRA Summit Jr. Drag Racing League allows kids between the ages of 5 and 17 to experience the thrill of motorsports competition in a controlled environment at tracks in each of NHRA’s seven geographic divisions. The NHRA Summit Jr. Drag Racing League creates family involvement in drag racing at an affordable level. Many of the league’s former participants have gone on to compete in other NHRA classes. Top Fuel racer Shawn Langdon (the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Series Top Fuel world champion and a two-time Super Comp national champion in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series) and two-time NHRA Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders, are among the league’s most accomplished graduates.