There was a time in drag racing when naming your race car was as crucial as putting fuel in the tank. As drag racing advanced, and sponsorships became paramount, the practice became a thing of the past.

The Professional Drag Racers Association [PDRA] believes a 200-point reward is enough to bring back the tradition.

Starting this season, any racer in their Pro Extreme, Pro Nitrous and Pro Boost divisions who clearly develops a persona for their car will be eligible to collect a hefty points bonus.

“We believe in the roots of our sport and this idea so strongly that we’re going to offer our racers a nice incentive to name their car this year," said PDRA's VP of Operations Bob Harris. "They have the first three races to get this done, and if, within that time frame, any racer in Pro Extreme, Pro Nitrous, or Pro Boost names their car, he or she will receive 200 bonus points."

Harris believes each car having a persona is important to developing a following for the popular eighth-mile series.

“I don’t care if the name is on the side of the car, the window, the roof, the wing," Harris explained. "It doesn’t have to be big; it just has to be on there. And it has to be on the tech card. Any name has to be on the car by the time it’s teched in at Darlington to receive the 200 bonus points.”

Racers who already have a name easily recognizable on their car must also have it identified on the tech card to receive the bonus points.

“We want to make sure our drivers and their hotrods are easily recognizable," Harris said. "The PDRA is simply a platform we can all use to make drivers the stars. In NASCAR people remember the number, but with drag racing, it’s always been a colorful nickname that reflects the personality of the driver or the car itself. That’s what we want to promote as we continue keeping drag racing great,” Harris added.

“Jay Cox got all kinds of notoriety from ‘The Pumpkin.' They may walk right by Jay Cox and not know who he is, but they know exactly what to look for when the announcer says, ‘The Pumpkin’s coming to the line.’ Everybody in 2016 knew who The Pumpkin was. Many of our racers already have their personas: Chris Rini, the Northern Assassin; Tommy Franklin, the Jungle Rat; Jason Scruggs, Mississippi Missile; Terry Leggett, Legbone; Stevie Fast, The Shadow; Lizzy Musi, King Kong.

"We want to make these personas famous. People connect with that. Giving fans a personality to connect to is what makes lasting memories. It helps tell our story and make stars of our drivers.”

The PDRA is considering offering incentives to other classes in the future.

This unconventional move is not the first time a race series has taken to point incentives to encourage a buck from a trend. The IHRA, in 1994, offered a substantial weight break to Pro Modified drivers to built pre-1970 doorslammers.