The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series event in Chicago, the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals, will feature the Drag and Drive exhibition for the second year. This showcase will include drivers Alex Taylor and Tom Bailey and an array of high-performance street cars running in the 6-second range at speeds exceeding 200 mph, promising an exciting experience for fans at Route 66 Raceway.
The Drag and Drive exhibition will complement the main NHRA event, featuring Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle categories.
Brian Bohlander, Director of Sports Marketing for Old World Industries, has expressed enthusiasm for the inclusion of this exhibition at Route 66 Raceway, noting its positive impact on engaging new participants and fans within the sport.
“The addition of the Drag and Drive exhibition adds to an already great event at Route 66 Raceway,” states Brian Bohlander, Director of Sports Marketing for Old World Industries (parent company of the PEAK and BlueDEF brands). “As our brands have gotten more involved in this movement with Alex Taylor and Tom Bailey, we’ve seen how it’s opened up the sport to not only new participants but also an entirely new fan base. This is great for the NHRA fans to get to learn more about the Drag and Drive movement, while bringing out fans of Alex and Tom to the event.”
Alex Taylor, popular in this arena of drag racing, will return to Route 66 Raceway to showcase her skills with her ’55 Chevy 210. Taylor, known for consistent 6-second runs at over 200 mph, is eager to participate in the exhibition and provide NHRA fans with an insight into the fast-paced world of drag and drive
“After having the chance to be a part of the NHRA National Event at Route 66 Raceway last year for the Peak Street Car Shootout, we couldn’t wait to bring our ‘55 Chevy back again this year,” Taylor said. “The NHRA team, the fans, and event environment were all top-notch and made for an unforgettable experience. We’ve had the chance to assemble a really great group of competitive drivers and cars that will give NHRA fans a glimpse of what our drag and drive world looks like – quick and fast street-legal cars!”
Tom Bailey, the owner of the quickest street car in the world, Sick Seconds 2.0, also looks forward to impressing fans at Route 66 Raceway with thrilling runs in his ’69 Camaro.
“It was such an awesome opportunity to be at the reopening of Route 66 Dragway last year!” Bailey said. We put on an amazing show and were so appreciative of all the fan support. We are coming back with a group of great racers, and we have our sights set on showing all the fans what our street cars can do. I am personally looking to show everyone a 5-second quarter-mile pass in a car that I drive to the track to race.”
The Drag and Drive exhibition promises to offer a show for fans attending the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series event at Route 66 Raceway. Evan Jonat, NHRA Vice President of Live Events, anticipates a significant draw for fans as the event continues to showcase the impressive speed and excitement of high-performance street cars on the track.
Other special events during the weekend include the GETTRX Pro Stock All-Star Callout on Saturday, a specialty race featuring eight top drivers in the Pro Stock ranks, as well as the #2Fast2Tasty Mission NHRA Challenge in both nitro classes and Pro Stock Motorcycle. That all leads into eliminations on Sunday, where stars in all four professional categories will look to earn an early-season victory at the sixth of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
“It’s a huge thrill to host these awesome Drag and Drive competitors back in Chicago this year,” said Evan Jonat, NHRA Vice President of Live Events. “I think last year opened a lot of eyes with many of our fans with just how cool and how fast and exciting these cars are, and it’s going to be a huge incentive for them to come back to Route 66 Raceway this year. Drivers like Alex and Tom have a tremendous fanbase, so it’s a great opportunity to bring their fanbase to an NHRA national event and introduce people to the spectacular show they provide on the track as well.”
