Final eliminations are underway at the U.S. Street Nationals presented by M&M Transmission at Bradenton Motorsports Park. Two of the headlining divisions, the Outlaw Pro Mods and Limited Drag Radial, were able to get two rounds in before Saturday’s racing was completed.
 
“We’ve got two rounds of eliminations done in some of our classes and one round of eliminations in the rest of the classes,” said Victor Alvarez, track owner and promoter. “We’ll have eight cars left in all of the classes tomorrow to finish this race out. We have a little weather in the morning that we are hoping doesn’t come, but if it does, we’re prepared to still finish the race on time. 

The love of driving a nitro Funny Car is what continues to fuel Jim Campbell.

That’s why he’s returning to the NHRA circuit to drive a limited schedule in 2024.

“I’m stoked to be driving the 2024 season with Mark Herzhauser’s car, and Mark is a super cool dude, and his team is so fun to work with,” Campbell said. “And I just love driving a Funny Car.”

Lucas Oil is coming back as part of a multi-year agreement with NHRA to back sportsman drag racing. The deal solidifies Lucas Oil’s continued sponsorship of the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and its position as the “Official Oil of NHRA.” T

“Lucas Oil has been an integral part of the NHRA for nearly a quarter of a century, and I am proud to announce a new, long-term extension with this remarkable organization,” said Brandon Bernstein, Director of Partnership Marketing for Lucas Oil. “This has always been one of our most cherished motorsports relationships because of the NHRA’s amazing history and its remarkable fanbase. Our sponsorship of the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Antron Brown, and at other levels throughout the NHRA reflects our deep dedication to drag racing and the entire motorsports community. We have witnessed some incredible growth in this sport, and I firmly believe 2024 will be one of the most exciting seasons in NHRA’s history.”

The longstanding sponsorship covers various facets, including the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, involvement with three-time Top Fuel world champion Antron Brown, and title rights for major events like the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals.

It isn’t how one starts but how one finishes that makes the most difference. For veteran doorslammer racer Mark Micke, he started out qualifying at the U.S. Street Nationals presented by M&M Transmission on top. He fell out of the top spot but, with one last attempt, reclaimed the top spot with a 3.579-second pass at 221.02 MPH in his twin-turbocharged ’69 Camaro, an improvement of five-hundredths of a second on his Thursday night effort. 

Final elimination rounds were moved up a day with the threat of rain hitting on Sunday. Racers will get one more qualifying session on Saturday. Headlining qualifying in the top tier divisions were Mark Woodruff (Pro 275) and Eric LaFerriere (X275).  

Outlaw Pro Modified became a matter of who wanted the top spot the most. Micke was in the top spot until the final session when Derek Ward drove around him by .002 (3.604) of a second. Micke saved his best for the session’s final run, leapfrogging him with a 3.579 at 221.02. 

When Mother Nature announces an impending visit, a wise promoter plans ahead. Sunday’s weather forecast for Bradenton, Florida, is for bad weather moving in on Sunday, with expectations it would disrupt the final eliminations schedule. 

Therefore, race officials at the U.S. Street Nationals presented by M&M Transmission became proactive by starting qualifying a day early with one session on Thursday evening at Bradenton Motorsports Park. 

Mark Micke, the driving force behind M&M Transmissions, was ready as he drove his twin-turbocharged ’69 Camaro to the provisional No. 1 spot with a 3.628-second pass at 220.08 MPH to lead a field of more than 32 entries in PJS Racing Outlaw Pro Mod presented by FuelTech. 

The Outlaw Pro Mod, Pro 275, X275, Limited Drag Radial, and various other outlaw drag racing classes are set to return to Bradenton Motorsports Park this weekend, Jan. 25-28, for the U.S. Street Nationals presented by M&M Transmission. This event marks the first major Outlaw Pro Mod race of 2024 and serves as the season opener for the FuelTech Radial Outlaws Racing Series, offering substantial payouts across different categories.

Track owner and promoter Victor Alvarez expressed anticipation for the event. 

“It’s always exciting to get everyone back to Bradenton to kick off the season at the U.S. Street Nationals," Alvarez said. "Many of these teams were just here a couple of months ago for the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals, but they’ve had time to get things refreshed for the 2024 season. You’ll see new cars, new engine combinations, and new parts getting put through the paces this weekend. Fans of Pro Mod, radial racing, and more are in for a show.”

Louisiana-native Angelle Sampey will make her 2024 debut in the NHRA Lucas Oil Series Division 4 season with the backing of Range, an authorized Case IH and Kubota dealership in Donaldsonville. Sampey, a three-time NHRA world champion on two wheels, will take the wheel of the Range Racing dragster, owned by Michalek Brothers Racing (MBR), from Feb. 23-25 at No Problem Raceway in Belle Rose, Louisiana.

The seasoned racer transitioned from bikes to a Top Alcohol Dragster last summer, making her national event debut at the NHRA FallNationals near Dallas and achieving a semifinal finish. Strong performances followed, including a No. 1 qualifying spot at the Las Vegas race and a runner-up finish at the NHRA Division 7 race at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Congruity HR, specializing in HR support, benefits administration, payroll processing, and risk management for small to mid-sized businesses, has been announced as the title sponsor for the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, according to Finish Line Consultants and NHRA officials.

The 10-race Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series kicks off its season on March 7-10 at the 55th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. This partnership marks Congruity 
HR’s introduction as a new sponsor for both NHRA and NHRA Pro Mod.
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Congruity HR differentiates itself from larger providers by offering personalized services and assigning each business its HR dream team. 

Kalitta Motorsports recently announced motorsports industry veteran Chuck Spicer as its new Business Development Manager. The announcement comes ahead of the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, commencing on March 8-10, 2024, with the Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.

Spicer’s role will encompass the establishment and cultivation of corporate partnerships, acquisition of new sponsorships, and a commitment to contributing to Team Kalitta’s overall growth and success. His extensive experience in motorsports, particularly in NASCAR with STP Racing, Richard Childress Racing, and Iowa Speedway, coupled with his recent corporate involvement in directing multiple motorsports sponsorships, positions Spicer as a valuable addition to Team Kalitta.

 
 Veteran nitro Funny Car driver Matt Hagan acknowledged that NHRA’s lack of an offseason does wear on him.
 
However, Hagan, who won his fourth world championship in 2023, knows exactly what he has signed up for.
 
“The offseason has been nonstop, and I have just been trying to slow it down, and it will not slow down,” Hagan said. “I feel like I have had a hard time getting into a rhythm. With all the Christmas party stuff and all the PRI stuff and with this PRO race coming up, it just hasn’t stopped. We have a couple of weeks, and we go right back racing again.”