NHRA Drag Week Exhibition at New England Dragway
Competitors will return to the big stage of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, May 31 through June 2, 2024, in the Drag-and-Drive Exhibition. This special feature marks the first time that a Drag Week-style competition has taken place at the historic New England Dragway.
A special eight-car field has been assembled to showcase the unique and diverse vehicles that compete in HOT ROD Drag Week presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive. This isn’t the first time competitors have showcased their skills during an NHRA national event; last year, there was an 8.60 Street Race exhibition during the Carolina Nationals at the legendary zMax Dragway in Charlotte, North Carolina. Additionally, there was also the Peak Drag-and-Drive Exhibition at the Gerber Collision and Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals 2024.
“Growing up at New England Dragway, I had a front-row seat to see the coolest and fastest street cars in the region. This is the ultimate version of that,” said Brian Lohnes, lead broadcaster for NHRA on Fox and longtime Drag Week announcer. The competition will see well-known racers like Glenn Hunter, Frank Romano, Rick Steinke, Jeff Oppenheim, Tony Niemczyk, Jason Rousseau, Mark Sussino, and Jeff Sias himself. Lohnes added, “The racers coming to throw down at the New England Nationals represent an awesome cross-section of the drag-and-drive world.”
The selection of vehicles includes boosted and naturally aspirated engine combinations of various power levels, ranging from a modest 700 hp to over 2,000 hp. “We’re proud to have this group of racers attend and showcase their cars,” said Mike Galimi, network director of HOT ROD. “They exemplify the diversity of vehicles and the remarkable achievement of running fast on the dragstrip while also being capable of driving over 1,000 miles.”
The Drag-and-Drive Exhibition takes place during all three days of competition. The first round of qualifying kicks off on Friday evening, followed by final qualifying and round one of eliminations on Saturday. The final two rounds of the eight-car field will conclude on Sunday.
The NHRA New England Nationals will be held from May 31 through June 2 at New England Dragway in Epping, New Hampshire. Following this event, the HOT ROD Drag Week presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive 2024 competition will take place, starting and ending at National Trail Raceway in Hebron, Ohio, from September 15 to September 20. The event will also make stops at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (Indianapolis, Indiana), US 131 Motorsports Park (Martin, Michigan), and Milan Dragway (Milan, Michigan).
