The NHRA has released a revised schedule for the remainder of the 2020 Mello Mello Drag Racing Series tour and it is one that includes some significant changes. Interrupted by the COVID-19 virus outbreak like all other motorsports, the series will consist of a total of 19 events starting with the 51st Amalie Oil Gatornationals June 5-7, 2020 in Gainesville, Florida.
Events that will not be contested in 2020 are:
Las Vegas 4-wide nationals
Charlotte 2-wide race – The 4-wide nationals will be run in September
Atlanta
Virginia
Epping
Changes have been made to the format of a half dozen events, reducing them to two-day affairs in an effort to lessen racer costs and take the burden off of logistics. Events like Houston and Topeka have been moved in the schedule to best fit the traveling nature of the tour.
As there will be no points-reset after the US Nationals, the NHRA will have an old-school points chase to the end of the 2020 season, an interesting development that will make every single round, from here on out, count. This is a signifiant story and we’ll continue to update you with information as it comes.
Here is the full statement from the National Hot Rod Association –
In consideration of the COVID-19 global pandemic, NHRA officials have announced revisions to the 2020 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. The series is tentatively planned to resume June 5-7 with the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. The season will conclude with the crowning of the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series champions November 13-15 at the Auto Club Finals at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona.
The revised schedule will consist of 19 total events, with 17 of those events being contested when the series resumes in June. Six of these events will be condensed to two-day competition schedules for the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series classes due to economic and logistical factors. As a result of the compressed schedule, points will not be reset after the U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway. NHRA has held two make-up dates on the calendar in case there are further delays.
UPDATED: Frequently Asked Questions about the current suspension of NHRA racing
Tentative schedule announcements for the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Series, Mickey Thompson Tires NHRA Top Fuel Harley Series and Samtech.edu NHRA Factory Stock Showdown Series will be announced soon. All NHRA-sanctioned drag racing series competition is still suspended until further notice.
| REVISED 2020 NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES SCHEDULE | ||
| June 5-7 | Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals (PSC/PSM) | Gainesville, Fla. |
| June 12-14 | Mopar Express Lane NHRA SpringNationals* (PSC/PSM) | Houston |
| June 19-21 | NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals* (PSC/PSM) | Bristol, Tenn. |
| June 26-28 | Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals* (PSC/PSM) | Norwalk, Ohio |
| July 9-12 | Route 66 NHRA Nationals | Chicago |
| July 17-19 | Dodge Mile-High NHRA Nationals (PSM) | Denver |
| July 24-26 | NHRA Sonoma Nationals (PSC/PSM) | Sonoma, Calif. |
| July 31-Aug. 2 | NHRA Northwest Nationals* (PSC/PSM) | Seattle |
| Aug. 13-16 | Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals | Brainerd, Minn. |
| Aug. 21-23 | Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals* (PSC) | Topeka, Kan. |
| Sept. 3-7 | NHRA U.S. Nationals (PSC/PSM) | Indianapolis |
| Sept. 11-13 | Mopar Express Lane NHRA Nationals* (PSC/PSM) | Reading, Pa. |
| Sept. 18-20 | NGK Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals (PSC/PSM) | Charlotte |
| Sept. 25-27 | Make Up Date If Needed | Gainesville, Fla. |
| Oct. 2-4 | AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals (PSC/PSM) | St. Louis |
| Oct. 9-11 | Make Up Date If Needed | Houston |
| Oct. 15-18 | AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals (PSC/PSM) | Dallas |
| Oct. 29-Nov. 1 | Dodge NHRA Nationals (PSC/PSM) | Las Vegas |
| Nov. 12-15 | Auto Club NHRA Finals (PSC/PSM) | Pomona, Calif. |
*Mello Yello Drag Racing Series on Saturday and Sunday only
PSC = Pro Stock will be contested at this event
PSM = Pro Stock Motorcycle will be contested at this event
It sucks, really looking forward to New England Nationals, I\’ve been going to Englishtown since I was a kid. Now trying to set up weekend trip to Maple Grove. Can\’t wait for the old school season championship race. Keep the points and a half for US Nationals and Finals.
Hopefully more people will enjoy a REAL season battle for the championship.
This seems premature, if not optimistically irresponsible. We could be living (or not) in an entirely different world by early June.
I think they are the doing the best they can with the uncertainty of this world shutdown. I hope it is indeed over long before June. I look forward to seeing them run again soon.
They can take away Baseball and Football too. Cancel out Television and the Inter Nets through “But don’t fuck with the Drags”!