The inaugural Funny Car Throwback Showdown was a rousing success two years ago. The virtual reality drag race was so much fun; we've decided to do it again over the course of the next few weeks.

We've tweaked the format, added a few names and entries to the program to make the event greater than ever. 

The Funny Car Throwback Showdown II, presented by Strange Engineering, will kick off on December 27, 2017, with qualifying to seed the 16-car field.

"The inaugural event was introduced as a means to fill the void of the War Stories Showdown, which had run its course," CompetitionPlus.com Publisher/Editor Bobby Bennett said. "The inaugural event had a reach well over One Million drag racing fans via the magazine and our social media channels. The event was so much fun the first time, we decided we'd try it a second time."

Strange Engineering, a name built on a solid reputation of quality and performance, immediately signed on to be a part of meshing drag racing's history with modern drag racing. 

The Throwback Showdown presented by Strange Engineering, is a fan-driven competition featuring twenty 1970s Funny Car schemes applied to modern day bodies. 

"I believe a fundamental understanding of our history is essential to understanding our sport “today” and gives insight to where we can take it," said Strange's Jeffrey Stange. "Everyone pulls something different from the past. I like to look at the past mechanical innovations and failures- as well as the logic used to make those decisions at the time. However, it’s nice just to look back and appreciate how cool the funny cars of the 70’s looked- in my opinion, unmatched visually."

CompetitionPlus.com's official artist Greg Russell, of Greg Russell Designs [GRD], was commissioned to craft a rendering of each car. 

"I am so glad this event has come back again," Russell said. "I'm excited to be a part of this program again."

The way the competition works is the event opens with a qualifying vote for three days starting on December 27, 2017.  The Top 15 will automatically be seeded into FINAL ELIMINATIONS. 

The bottom eight vote-getters will have an eight-car shootout to earn the final spot in the final qualified field. This eight-car shootout will be contested on the CompetitionPlus.com page, while Final Eliminations the Throwback Showdown II event presented by Strange will be on the CompetitionPlus.com Facebook Page Only. 

The No. 1 vote earner will be the low qualifier and will meet the No. 16, and the rest of the field will be seeded according to an NHRA national event ladder.

For the following four weeks, the event will eliminate until there is a final round. 

Qualifying and race winners are determined by fan vote.

"There's a great sense of passion when drag racing fans speak of this era in drag racing," Bennett said of the 1970s Funny Cars. "I sincerely hope the racers and NHRA could devise a program which could make this kind of an event a reality and not just in virtual reality. NASCAR pulled it off, and I know for sure the NHRA could.

"For a month, we have the opportunity to showcase how popular this can be."

EVENT SCHEDULE

ELIMINATIONS - first rd   -  January 8 - 10, 2018  (No. 1 vs No. 16, No. 8 vs No. 9; No. 2 vs. No. 15; No. 7 vs. no. 10) (A-SIDE)
January 10 - 12, 2018   (No. 4 vs No. 13),  No. 5 vs No. 12); No. 3
vs. No. 14, No. 6 vs. No. 11) (B-SIDE)

QUARTERFINALS - January 15 - 17 - A side  
January 18 - 20, 2018 - B-side

SEMI FINALS - January 22 - 24 - A -SIDE Ladder      
January 25 - 27, 2018 - B-side

FINALS -  February 3 - 5, 2018

WINNER CROWNED - February 5, 2018 - 10 PM, EST - Winner Crowned