NHRA Sportsman racers will have more opportunities to chase points in 2027, but they’ll also have some decisions to make about where to race and how much they’re willing to spend getting there. The newly released Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series schedule features 50 divisional events, including 16 double-divisional weekends, 24 regional events and three SPORTSnationals races.
The doubleheaders are a major selling point, giving racers two opportunities to earn points without making separate trips. For competitors already spending a small fortune on diesel fuel, entry fees and keeping their equipment competitive, getting two races out of one tow makes plenty of sense.
The Baby Gators are getting a little more racing packed into the weekend in 2027, with Gainesville hosting a double-divisional for the first time. Cordova Dragway and Qlispe Raceway Park are also back on the Lucas Oil Series calendar, with Qlispe getting two races Sept. 16-19.
The regional schedule also includes events with championship implications beyond their geographic boundaries. Indianapolis and Texas Motorplex will count toward the East, Central and West regions, while
Norwalk’s regional event will count toward the East and Central regions.
“It’s always exciting to announce the schedule for the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, which continues to grow and thrive, thanks in a big way to the amazing support from Lucas Oil and the Lucas family,” NHRA President Glen Cromwell said.
The regional season opens Feb. 18-21 at the NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, California, and concludes there Nov. 11-14 at the NHRA Finals. Divisional racing begins Feb. 27 at Orlando Speed World Dragway and wraps up Nov. 4-7 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The schedule also brings back the In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip Snyder Sportsman Classic following its debut as a stand-alone divisional race in 2026. Its return gives West Coast competitors another opportunity to race at Pomona without the usual national event surrounding it.
Double-divisional weekends are scheduled at Gainesville, Las Vegas, Maryland International Raceway, South Georgia Motorsports Park and Texas Motorplex during the opening months. Other stops include Norwalk, Woodburn, Numidia, Brainerd, Famoso, Tulsa, Qlispe, St. Louis and Rockingham, with one Northwest Division location still to be announced.
Rockingham’s Oct. 21-24 doubleheader should be particularly attractive to Southeast Division racers looking for late-season points. NHRA has also positioned several divisional events around national event weekends, including Gainesville, Dallas, Brainerd, Phoenix and Sonoma, to reduce unnecessary travel.
Three SPORTSnationals events return, beginning March 5-7 with the Laris Motorsports Insurance Cajun NHRA SPORTSnationals at No Problem Raceway in Louisiana. A divisional event March 3-4 gives competitors the opportunity to race twice during the same trip.
Beech Bend Raceway hosts the JEGS SPORTSnationals May 28-30, continuing one of the Sportsman calendar’s established traditions. Mission Raceway Park in Canada follows June 17-18 with the Canadian SPORTSnationals before hosting a divisional event June 19-20.
Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car competitors will have an unusual regional stop Aug. 6-7 at Norwalk. Their event will run alongside the facility’s Night Under Fire, putting regional championship points on the line during one of drag racing’s established specialty events.
NHRA will again stream selected Lucas Oil Series races free on its YouTube channel, with coverage planned across all seven divisions. A complete broadcast schedule is expected in the coming weeks.
For NHRA, the expanded calendar represents another opportunity to strengthen a series built around racers who often spend considerably more chasing trophies than they’ll ever collect in prize money. Cromwell pointed to the organization’s enthusiasm for 2027, citing “the variety of new opportunities, the chance to return to tracks and an impressive list of overall events next year.”
