One of the most coveted and rare pieces of hardware in drag racing -- the JEGS Crown -- will be up for grabs Oct. 3-5 during the JEGS NHRA Pacific SPORTSnationals at Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, Calif.

Since its inception in 2004, only one racer has managed to earn the beautiful trophy, which signifies that the recipient has won two of the JEGS SPORTSnationals events in a single season. Mike Ashley pulled off the feat in 2004 by taking the Pro Mod title at both the JEGS Cajun SPORTSnationals at No Problem Raceway in Belle Rose, La., and the JEGS Northern SPORTSnationals at National Trail Raceway in Hebron, Ohio.

Now, 16 talented racers will try to join Ashley in the elite JEGS Crown club by scoring big wins in Southern California. But it won't be easy, as the sportsman-only races tend to draw the best racers in the country and the upcoming JEGS Pacific SPORTSnationals is no exception. One of the most coveted and rare pieces of hardware in drag racing -- the JEGS Crown -- will be up for grabs Oct. 3-5 during the JEGS NHRA Pacific SPORTSnationals at Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, Calif.

Since its inception in 2004, only one racer has managed to earn the beautiful trophy, which signifies that the recipient has won two of the JEGS SPORTSnationals events in a single season. Mike Ashley pulled off the feat in 2004 by taking the Pro Mod title at both the JEGS Cajun SPORTSnationals at No Problem Raceway in Belle Rose, La., and the JEGS Northern SPORTSnationals at National Trail Raceway in Hebron, Ohio.

Now, 16 talented racers will try to join Ashley in the elite JEGS Crown club by scoring big wins in Southern California. But it won't be easy, as the sportsman-only races tend to draw the best racers in the country and the upcoming JEGS Pacific SPORTSnationals is no exception.

"The JEGS Crown was the talk of the pits last weekend at National Trail," said John Coughlin, one of the four racing Coughlin brothers that run the mail order parts giant that sponsors the award. "It's become a sort of 'Holy Grail' of sportsman racing, especially since so many people have come close to winning it but only one has so far.

"I'd love to see us add to that total in Fontana and there's a good chance it could happen. I've looked over the list of winners from this year's Cajun and the Northern SPORTSnationals and I see a lot of heavy hitters. I wish them all the best of luck."

This year's winners from Belle Rose include Kevin Self in Competition Eliminator, Kevin Helms in Super Stock, Jeff Strickland in Stock, Charles Roth in Super Comp, Craig Anderson in Super Gas, Trevor Land in Super Street, Stan Leerkamp in Top Dragster, and Keith Raferty in Top Sportsman.

In Hebron, Robert Bailey reigned in Competition Eliminator, Jeff Taylor in Super Stock, Katie Sepanek in Stock, Don Trasin in Super Comp, Gary Linkhorn in Super Gas, Don Moyer in Super Street, Bill Webb in Top Dragster, and Ronnie Davis in Top Sportsman.

Dan Dreisbach, the owner of Naked Sculpture of Baltimore, Ohio, created the JEGS Crown trophy. A fabricator at Rahal-Letterman Racing, Dreisbach has created trophies and sculptures for a wide variety of clients over the years. He utilizes steel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, brass, all hardwoods, carbon fiber, and titanium in his work.