Two-time NHRA World Champion Luke Bogacki checked another accomplishment off of the short list of career goals that the 33-year-old is yet to accomplish behind the wheel of NHRA sportsman drag racing vehicles at last weekend’s NHRA Division 3 Cavalcade of Stars in Norwalk, OH.  

There, despite falling in the second round of competition in both his K&N Filters-backed Super Comp dragster and his Racing RV’s-backed Super Gas Corvette, Bogacki clinched a berth in the prestigious JEGS All-Stars event, to be held in conjunction with the NHRA Route 66 Nationals near Chicago, IL July 9-12.     In addition to competing in Super Comp and Super Gas in the national event, he will represent the North Central Division in the Super Gas category of the JEGS All-Stars. 

The JEGS All-Stars is a unique event in which the highest points earners in each sportsman category from all seven of NHRA’s geographic divisions (plus the defending event champion) converge to compete against one another for top honors.  In addition to the individual prizes, every participant will also be representing their home division, as a team championship is also rewarded.     

Despite having won 5 previous division titles in addition to his two recent national championship crowns, this will mark Bogacki’s first appearance in the JEGS All-Stars competition. 

“I’ve watched the JEGS All-Stars event as a spectator in years past,” said Bogacki.  “It’s an awesome event – only the best of the best are invited. Plus I’ve seen the way that the folks at JEGS treat the participants; the All-Stars are pros for the weekend.  Being a part of the event has always been a goal of mine, and I’m extremely honored to participate and to represent the North Central Division.” 

Bogacki will be joined on the Division 3 team by a talent laiden roster that includes Marty Thacker (TAD), Jared Dreher (TAD), Andy Bohl (TAFC), Chris Foster (TAFC), David Billingsley (Comp), Brina Splingaire (S/Stk), Steven Dziorny (Stock), Ray Connolly (S/C), Scotty Reinschield (S/St), Lester Johnson (T/S), Christopher Carrico (T/D) and blockers Greg Kamplain (Comp) and Jerry Albert (T/S). 

The fact that the JEGS All-Stars event will be contested at Route 66 Raceway has to excite Bogacki as well, as that facility has been the source of great success for his team in recent years.   In 2013, he won the Super Comp category at the Division 3 LODRS, then followed with a Super Gas LODRS win in 2014 before earning top honors in the same category at last year’s NHRA Route 66 Nationals. 

“Chicago has been good to us lately, but there’s no ‘home track’ advantage to be had in a setting like the JEGS All-Stars.  Take a look at the qualifiers – there’s so much experience and success in the field – I don’t think there’s any way you can say that anything would give one racer an advantage over that crowd.  It’s going to be a great race, and if we ran it 8 different times, we’d probably have 8 different winners.  It’s a huge accomplishment just to qualify for the JEGS All-Stars, and I’m excited to be a part of the Division 3 team.”