Beginning with the 2007 season, a winner will be crowned after the night qualifying sessions at each IHRA Nitro Jam™ Drag Racing Series event in the professional categories. Announcing the “Last Man Standing” program, IHRA will ensure fans an entertaining day at the races by giving drivers an extra incentive to perform well, all while creating on-track excitement.

Competitors will be attempting to qualify for Sunday’s eliminations during the Friday and Saturday night sessions. The traditional qualifying process will still be utilized to set the field. However, those qualifying sessions will have an immediate outcome for all the fans in attendance that evening.

“We’ve found that fans want to see a conclusion, but someone that comes to the race Friday or Saturday isn’t always there on Sunday,” IHRA vice president of racing operations Skooter Peaco said. “The excitement and drama we create by determining a winning driver Friday and Saturday, in addition to Sunday’s eliminations gives fans the chance to leave a night of IHRA qualifying feeling that they saw the day’s activities conclude by crowning a winner for that day.”

Each pair of cars during the Friday night and Saturday night pro qualifying sessions will have a winner. The winner of each pair will be the car that crosses the finish line first using normal elimination rules. Foul starts and other on-track penalties will deem the run a loss for that driver.

Once the qualifying session is over, the quickest winners from that session will be crowned “Last Man Standing.” This will be done only during the Friday and Saturday night session. 

The qualifying order and elimination ladder will continue to be generated based solely on elapsed time and will not be influenced by winning or losing runs during the Friday or Saturday night sessions.

Winning drivers receive five bonus points each night. A driver is eligible to win bonus points from both sessions. This program will result in winners from Top Fuel, Nitro Funny Car, Pro Modified, Alcohol Funny Car and Pro Stock.