The JEGS NHRA SPORTSnationals is an event NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competitors circle on their calendars each year. It’s a storied tradition in the sportsman world and drivers race for national points, prize money, and most importantly, their legacy.
 
The JEGS NHRA SPORTSnationals made its first appearance in 1974 at Beech Bend Raceway Park and quickly became a favorite among Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series racers. The sportsman-only national event hasn’t been held at the famed Kentucky track since 1986, and to celebrate its return, some familiar faces will be on site to welcome the event home.
 
The winners from the 1974 JEGS NHRA SPORTSnationals – Jimmy Scott (Pro Comp), Dick Krieger (Comp Eliminator), Paul Mercure (Modified), Bobby Warren (Super Stock) and Joe Moore (Stock Eliminator) – will return to be honored as the grand marshals for this year’s event.
 
Scott began racing in the late 1950s and early 1960s. In 1969, he teamed up with Al Weiss and the pair campaigned a Top Gas dragster, a Comp Eliminator car and finally a Pro Comp Eliminator entry, in which they reached the most success. Together, the duo won three national Pro Comp events in 1974, 90 percent of their events overall and the NHRA Pacific Division Championship. The national event wins came at the Gatornationals (Gainesville, Fla.), Springnationals (Columbus, Ohio) and SPORTSnationals. Scott went on to race a Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car before retiring in 1983. Today, Scott and his son run a Nostalgia Eliminator I blown alcohol front-engine dragster in the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series.
 
Krieger, a Las Vegas resident, began racing his 1957 Chevy at Niagara Falls Drag Strip in New York in 1964. In 1968, he moved to San Diego and built an Econo rail dragster out of an old Jr. Fuel car powered by a small block Chevy. He raced to victory in Comp Eliminator at the 1974 SPORTSnationals and also earned the track championship at Orange County International Raceway. Krieger stopped racing in 1975 but reemerged in 2002 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in a Chevy Camaro. Today, he races a ’23-T-altered, in which he has recorded more than 800 runs. Krieger, who also has wins in NHRA Super Comp, is a regular in the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series, where he won the 2010 Nostalgia Eliminator II championship.
 
Mercure’s interest in drag racing began in the 1960s. Mercure, who grew up in the Detroit area, was surrounded by multiple dragstrips within driving distance of his home. His first car was a 1960 Chevy Corvette, but before making his first trip to the NHRA Nationals in Indianapolis in 1971, Mercure made the switch to an early-model Camaro. In 1973, Mercure teamed with Mike Keener and the pair raced in the Modified class. Mercure and Keener powered to the first 10-second pass and the first nine-second pass in the first small-block-powered Modified car. Mercure is a two-time SPORTSnationals winner, the 1977 NHRA Division 2 Modified champion and the 1981 Division 3 champion. He also won the 1982 NHRA World Finals along with two other NHRA national events.
 
Warren began racing in the mid-1950s in North Carolina with a ’53 Chevy. Warren, who turned an old barn on his tobacco farm into a machine shop, powered to three NHRA world championships: the 1970 Stock Eliminator championship and a pair of Super Stock championships in 1974 and 1978. Warren won three national events in 1974, including the SPORTSnationals. He won 13 NHRA national events in his career, and his last came at the 2004 NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tenn. He was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2010 and the North Carolina Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2013.
 
Moore started racing his 1965 Chevrolet station wagon at his home track of Beech Bend Raceway Park in 1973. He and racing partner Dennis Towe earned their first win at the 1974 SPORTSnationals in Stock Eliminator and later won the 1978 Bluegrass Nationals in Lexington, Ky., and the 1982 Gatornationals, which is one of the team’s career highlights. Moore holds more than 20 titles combined from the divisional, national, open, and class ranks.
 
The 2016 JEGS NHRA SPORTSnationals boasts a guaranteed purse of nearly $99,250, an all-time SPORTSnationals record. With contingency awards in excess of $275,000 and special bonus races, the total award posting approaches $380,000 – a dramatic increase over the $50,700 posted at the inaugural SPORTSnationals in 1974.
 
Eliminations for all classes at this year’s JEGS NHRA SPORTSnationals will be held on Sunday, May 29, with national points at stake in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. Memorial Day Monday is planned as a travel day or, if needed, as a completion day.
 
The JEGS NHRA SPORTSnationals was held at Beech Bend Raceway Park from 1974 to 1981. The event was then contested at Houston International Dragway in 1982, Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis in 1983-‘84 and again at Beech Bend for the 1985-'86 seasons. The race went on hiatus until 2005 when JEGS began its sponsorship of the event. Since then the race has been held at several prominent tracks and was featured in multiple races during some seasons. Tracks that have hosted the JEGS NHRA SPORTSnationals since 2005 are National Trail Raceway near Columbus, Ohio, No Problem Raceway Park in Belle Rose, La., The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, Calif.
 
SCHEDULE:

FRIDAY, May 27 — Qualifying and time trials, 8 a.m.
TOP DRAGSTER Qualifying at 4 p.m.
TOP SPORTSMAN Qualifying at 4:30 p.m.
COMP ELIMINATOR Qualifying at 5 p.m.
JEGS RACER APPRECIATION COOKOUT / JEGS FAMILY NIGHT AT BEECH BEND at 6-9 p.m.
 
SATURDAY, May 28 -- Qualifying and time trials, 8 a.m.
STOCK / SUPER STOCK Class Eliminations at 10 a.m.
TOP DRAGSTER Qualifying at 12 and 4 p.m.
TOP SPORTSMAN Qualifying at 12:30 and 4:30 p.m.
COMP ELIMINATOR Qualifying at 1:30 and 5 p.m.
SUPER ELIMINATOR SHOOTOUTS at 2 p.m.
FAST FOUR TOP DRAGSTER / FAST FOUR TOP SPORTSMAN at 4 p.m.
FAST FOUR COMP at 5 p.m.
 
SUNDAY, May 29
FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 8 a.m.
TOP DRAGSTER / TOP SPORTSMAN round 1 begins at 11 a.m.
SPECIAL AWARDS CEREMONIES at 12:30 p.m.
COMPETITION ELIMINATOR round 1 at begins at 1 p.m.
WINNER’S CIRCLE at 7 p.m.
 
TICKETS: General admission tickets for the JEGS NHRA SPORTSnationals presented by Quick Fuel are $20 for adults.  Children 12 years old and younger are allowed free entrance with a paid adult ticket and every ticket includes a pit pass.  For information, contact Beech Bend Raceway Park at 270-781-7634 or visit www.NHRA.com or www.BeechBend.com.