The 2015 NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League’s Western Conference Finals and Eastern Conference Finals will return to Rocky Mountain Raceways near Salt Lake City and Bristol Dragway in Tennessee, respectively.
The NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League Western Conference Finals will visit Utah’s scenic Rocky Mountain Raceways for the second straight season, July 16-18, and the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League Eastern Conference Finals will return to eastern Tennessee’s famed Thunder Valley, July 23-25.
“The Western and Eastern Conference Finals are where the future stars of NHRA Drag Racing will be showcased,” said Eric Lotz, NHRA director of field marketing. “We are pleased that Rocky Mountain Raceways and Bristol Dragway are back again this year to provide a significant and critical platform.”
In 2015, both tracks will also host activities and events throughout each of their race weekends in addition to the racing action that will occur on the track. Both will also host events earlier in the week leading up to the Conference Finals events.
“We are proud that the Jr. Drag Racing League Eastern Conference Finals once again will take place in Thunder Valley,” said Julie Bennett, vice president of Bristol Dragway. “Imagine the excitement of these kids knowing their first national event win could take place at a track with the history and tradition of Bristol Dragway. These drivers are our future, and we can’t wait to show them a good time here in Bristol.”
Bristol Dragway has played host to the Eastern Conference Finals since 2004, and Rocky Mountain Raceways acquired the Western Conference Finals from Denver’s Bandimere Speedway last season.
“All of us here at Rocky Mountain Raceways are looking forward to hosting the Western Conference Finals again in 2015,” said Mike Eames, general manager of Rocky Mountain Raceways. “It is such a privilege hosting the racers and their families that are the future of our great sport. We learned a lot in our first year hosting the event and will continue to make it better.”
Nearly 1,000 kids compete for individual and team honors at the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League Eastern and Western Conference Finals. Each winner will take home the NHRA Wally champion’s trophy as well as a share of the event purse.
Created in 1992, the NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League allows kids between the ages of 5 and 17 to experience the thrill of motorsports competition in a controlled environment at tracks in each of NHRA’s seven geographic divisions. The NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League creates family involvement in drag racing at an affordable level. Many of the league’s former participants have gone on to compete in other NHRA classes. Top Fuel racers Shawn Langdon (the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel world champion and a two-time Super Comp national champion in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series) and 2014 NHRA Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders-Stevens are among the league’s most accomplished graduates, and 2011 NHRA Lucas Oil Stock national champion Joe Santangelo II and 2010 Lucas Oil Super Stock national champion Ryan McClanahan are both former Conference Finals champions.
