A LARGE SPORTSMAN PAYDAY
Thu, 2007-06-07 12:00
For an NHRA sportsman racer few things are more prestigious than winning the annual JEGS Allstars event at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill. A special event that highlights the best Lucas Oil Series racers from all over the North America, the JEGS Allstars features eight car fields of competitors in eighth NHRA classes – Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Competition Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street – and features a total payout of more than $100,000. Competitors qualify for the Allstars event by earning points at divisional events throughout the previous 12 months. Each of NHRA’s seven geographic divisions sends a field of eight drivers, one per class to compete in the event. Defending event winners are also welcomed back to round out each eight-car field. For many JEGS Allstars contestants, once is not enough
For an NHRA sportsman racer few things are more prestigious than winning the annual JEGS Allstars event at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill. A special event that highlights the best Lucas Oil Series racers from all over the North America, the JEGS Allstars features eight car fields of competitors in eighth NHRA classes – Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Competition Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street – and features a total payout of more than $100,000. Competitors qualify for the Allstars event by earning points at divisional events throughout the previous 12 months. Each of NHRA’s seven geographic divisions sends a field of eight drivers, one per class to compete in the event. Defending event winners are also welcomed back to round out each eight-car field.
For most drivers, the only thing better than winning one JEGS Allstars title is winning two, or three, or four, or even five. Over the last 23 years many drivers have had the opportunity to do just that as the event has produced 34 repeat winners including two five time champions and three four time winners.
The two racers who stand out among the crowd are ten-time NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car champion Frank Manzo and Rudy Matthews, a successful Super Street competitor from the North Central Division. Both Manzo and Matthews have won the Allstars event an incredible five times.
Manzo, who represents the Northeast Division, won his first JEGS Allstars title in 1995 and has also carded wins in 1997, 1998, 2005 and 2006. As the defending champion, he is eligible to return for this year’s event where he will attempt to claim his record-breaking sixth title. Matthews claimed his five wins during a successful six year run from 1996 through 2001.
Manzo and Matthews could have some company this year as four-time NHRA champion Jeff Taylor will be seeking his fifth Allstars title. Taylor, a champion in Super Stock in 1991 and 1992 and the Competition Eliminator winner in 2001 and 2006 will again be one of the favorites in the Comp class.
There are several other former JEGS Allstars champions who will have on opportunity to add their names to the list of repeat winners including, reigning NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster champ Bill Reichert, Southeast Division Top Alcohol Funny Car representative Jay Payne, Northeast Division Comp ace Sal Biondo, and Jerry Emmons, the South Central Division Super Stock representative.
23rd ANNUAL JEGS ALLSTARS EVENT HIGHLIGHTS TOP RACERS IN NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES
The best 63 racers in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series will square off Saturday, June 9 at Route 66 Raceway in the 2007 Jegs Allstars event during the Torco Racing Fuels Route 66 NHRA Nationals. The $100,000 race-within-a-race will pit the top points earners from NHRA’s seven geographic divisions against each other in the culmination of a yearlong points battle.
Competitors in Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street will compete for team and individual honors and a share of the $100,000 purse. Event Sponsor, Jegs High Performance, has also offered a “double-up” bonus to racers. Any Allstars representative who wins the Allstars event and goes on to win the national event will have their Allstars prize money doubled.
Defending Jegs Allstars winners include Marty Thacker (TA Dragster); Frank Manzo (TA Funny Car); Jeff Taylor (Comp Eliminator); Don Duke (Super Stock); Don Pires (Stock); Shawn Langdon (Super Comp); Rock Haas (Super Gas); and Lynn Hoosigian (Super Street). The NHRA Northeast Division won its fourth team championship in 2006. The last one came in 1995.
The team from the NHRA Southeast Division has won the Allstars team championship six times; more than any other division. The North Central and South Central Division teams each have five wins in the event’s 22-year history. The North Central Division dominated the action in the late 90s, winning four straight from 1996 to 1999. However, at the turn of the century it was a battle between the Southeast and South Central Divisions. The team from the Southeast won in 2000, 2001 and 2004 while the South Central Division team won in 2002 and 2003. In 2005, the team from the Northwest Division won its first event in 17 years.
Pro Stock driver Jeg Coughlin has been an Allstars representative for the North Central Division six times, winning the Super Gas class twice. Several more of today’s NHRA POWERade Series stars are past Allstars participants, including Top Fuel drivers Cory McClenathan (Top Alcohol Dragster, 1990), Rod Fuller (Super Comp, 1995, and Super Gas in 1997-99; won in ‘97) and Morgan Lucas (Top Alcohol Dragster, 2003 and 2004; won in ‘03). Funny Car drivers Tommy Johnson Jr. (Top Alcohol Funny Car, 1988), Tony Bartone (Top Alcohol Funny Car, 1993-2000; won in ’94, 96, ‘00) and Jack Beckman (Super Comp 2004 and 2005; runner-up ‘04) as well as Pro Stock driver Greg Stanfield (Super Stock, 1990-94 and Comp Eliminator, 1997) have also earned Allstars honors.
Jegs Allstars Awards Bonuses
Category Winner Runner-up
Top Alcohol Dragster $7,000 $2,000
Top Alcohol Funny Car $7,000 $2,000
Comp Eliminator $6,000 $2,000
Super Stock $6,000 $2,000
Stock $4,500 $2,000
Super Comp $4,500 $2,000
Super Gas $4,500 $2,000
Super Street $4,500 $2,000
Totals $44,000 $16,000
Team championship (shared equally among all team members): $20,000
Tow Money (share based on each racer’s percentage of total miles): $20,000
Total Jegs Allstars award bonus: $100,000.
The JEGS Allstars will take place on Saturday, June 9 during the Torco Race Fuels Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway. First round of eliminations is scheduled for 10:30 a.m.
Future drag racing stars showcased in Jegs Allstars
event
While drag racing’s current stars are battling for professional titles during this weekend’s Torco Race Fuels Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway, the stars of tomorrow will also be featured in the 23rd annual JEGS Allstars competition which is scheduled for Saturday, June 9. The JEGS Allstars race features 64 of the best sportsman competitors from each of NHRA’s seven geographic divisions. Those drivers, who have qualified for the right to attend the event by earning points during the previous 12-months, will be competing for a share of the more than $100,000 payout, including a $20,000 bonus for the overall team champions. The event will feature eight NHRA sportsman eliminators; Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Competition Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street.
In addition to the posted awards, any driver who wins Saturday’s JEGS Allstars race and returns to win the Torco Route 66 Nationals on Sunday will be eligible for a double bonus courtesy of event sponsor JEGS Mail Order. Last year, Top Alcohol Funny Car great Frank Manzo claimed the bonus while Comp ace Larry Pritchett scored a double-victory in 2004. Current Top Fuel contender Morgan Lucas is also a member of that exclusive club, having won both Top Alcohol Dragster events in 2003.
Since the inception of the Allstars race in 1985, many of the current crop of NHRA pros have competed in the Allstars event including Lucas, two-time POWERade Pro Stock champ Jeg Coughlin Jr., current Top Fuel championship contender “Hot Rod” Fuller, Funny Car ace Tony Bartone, and late Top Fuel stars Blaine Johnson and Darrell Russell.
“I’ve been fortunate to have many great moments in my professional career but no matter how long I race, I will always remember my two wins in the Jegs Allstars,” said Coughlin, who won the Allstars Super Gas title in 1991 and the Super Stock crown in 1997. “Next to competing for a championship, this race is probably the best test of skills for a sportsman racer. You are competing against the best racers in the country and every round is crucial to team success. The Allstars race is fun, but it can also be a lot of pressure.”
Before landing his current ride behind the wheel of “Big Jim” Dunn’s Lucas Oil nitro Funny Car, Bartone cemented his status as one of the best Allstars contestants with three Top Alcohol Funny Car wins in 1994, 1996 and 2000. Likewise, Fuller, who drives David Powers’ Houston based Top Fuel dragster, has had success in the Allstars event, winning the Super Gas title in 1997. Other current pros who have qualified for the JEGS Allstars race include “Fast Jack” Beckman, Greg Stanfield, Larry Morgan, and Mike Strasburg.
Field of 64 elite sportsman racers set for JEGS Allstars
For the 23rd consecutive year, a field of 64 of the best NHRA Sportsman drivers from all over North America will converge on Route 66 Raceway for the annual JEGS Allstars competition. The 64 drivers, representing each of NHRA’s seven geographic divisions, will compete for a share of more than $100,000 in cash and contingency awards.
The JEGS Allstars features sportsman racing in eight NHRA eliminators; Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Competition Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. Racers qualify to compete in the Allstar event by earning points at Lucas Oil Series races within their home divisions. Each eliminator features an eight car field, one driver from each division and the defending event champ, who is welcomed back as a blocker. Allstar contestants compete for individual and team honors. The champions in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car each $7,000 each; in Comp and Super Stock, $6,000 each; and in Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street, $4,500 each. Runner-ups in all categories receive $2,000. All contestants also earn travel money which is determined by their proximity to Joliet, Ill. In addition the overall team champion at the completion of the event will split a $20,000 bonus.
“We are involved in many different programs but the JEGS Allstars is one of the annual highlights for our company,” said John Coughlin, who operates the giant JEGS Mail Order Company along with his three brothers, Troy, Mike and Jeg Jr. “Being sportsman racers ourselves, my brothers and I understand the level of commitment it takes to become an Allstar. These racers truly are the best of the best. This is an extremely competitive event yet it also features the sort of camaraderie and team spirit that is seldom seen in other sports. It is a wonderful thing to be a part of.”
Last year, the team from the Northeast Division, led by event winners Frank Manzo (Top Alcohol Funny Car), Don Pires Jr. (Stock), and Lynn Hoosigian (Super Street) won its first overall team title since 1995. Those three drivers will return to Joliet where they will be joined by Dan Mercier (Top Alcohol Dragster), Sal Biondo (Comp), Michael Iacono (Super Stock), Russ Linke (Stock), Mike Robilotto (Super Comp), Iggie Boicesco (Super Gas), and Joe Urbino (Super Stock). Every driver on the Division 1 squad have appeared in at least one national event final and thee racers, Manzo, Biondo, and Boicesco are former series champions.
The teams from the West Central Division (Division 5) and the Pacific Division (Division 7) have never won the overall team championship but may be poised to end that draught in 2007. The Division 5 team will include former national champion Cy Chesterman (Top Alcohol Funny Car) and multi-time national event winners Clint Sallee (Comp), and Jeff Cheney (Super Comp). The Division 7 squad will rest its hopes with Chris Demke (Top Alcohol Dragster) Doug Gordon (Top Alcohol Funny Car), former national champion John Calvert (Super Stock), and last year’s Stock runner-up Tibor Kadar.
The JEGS Allstars event will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 9 with a photo session and driver introductions. The opening round of eliminations is scheduled for 10:30 a.m., semifinal rounds at 2:30 p.m., and the final rounds will take place at 4 p.m. The event concludes with an awards ceremony and racer appreciation barbecue that will take place on Saturday evening.
While drag racing’s current stars are battling for professional titles during this weekend’s Torco Race Fuels Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway, the stars of tomorrow will also be featured in the 23rd annual JEGS Allstars competition which is scheduled for Saturday, June 9. The JEGS Allstars race features 64 of the best sportsman competitors from each of NHRA’s seven geographic divisions. Those drivers, who have qualified for the right to attend the event by earning points during the previous 12-months, will be competing for a share of the more than $100,000 payout, including a $20,000 bonus for the overall team champions. The event will feature eight NHRA sportsman eliminators; Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Competition Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street.
In addition to the posted awards, any driver who wins Saturday’s JEGS Allstars race and returns to win the Torco Route 66 Nationals on Sunday will be eligible for a double bonus courtesy of event sponsor JEGS Mail Order. Last year, Top Alcohol Funny Car great Frank Manzo claimed the bonus while Comp ace Larry Pritchett scored a double-victory in 2004. Current Top Fuel contender Morgan Lucas is also a member of that exclusive club, having won both Top Alcohol Dragster events in 2003.
Since the inception of the Allstars race in 1985, many of the current crop of NHRA pros have competed in the Allstars event including Lucas, two-time POWERade Pro Stock champ Jeg Coughlin Jr., current Top Fuel championship contender “Hot Rod” Fuller, Funny Car ace Tony Bartone, and late Top Fuel stars Blaine Johnson and Darrell Russell.
“I’ve been fortunate to have many great moments in my professional career but no matter how long I race, I will always remember my two wins in the Jegs Allstars,” said Coughlin, who won the Allstars Super Gas title in 1991 and the Super Stock crown in 1997. “Next to competing for a championship, this race is probably the best test of skills for a sportsman racer. You are competing against the best racers in the country and every round is crucial to team success. The Allstars race is fun, but it can also be a lot of pressure.”
Before landing his current ride behind the wheel of “Big Jim” Dunn’s Lucas Oil nitro Funny Car, Bartone cemented his status as one of the best Allstars contestants with three Top Alcohol Funny Car wins in 1994, 1996 and 2000. Likewise, Fuller, who drives David Powers’ Houston based Top Fuel dragster, has had success in the Allstars event, winning the Super Gas title in 1997. Other current pros who have qualified for the JEGS Allstars race include “Fast Jack” Beckman, Greg Stanfield, Larry Morgan, and Mike Strasburg.
Field of 64 elite sportsman racers set for JEGS Allstars
For the 23rd consecutive year, a field of 64 of the best NHRA Sportsman drivers from all over North America will converge on Route 66 Raceway for the annual JEGS Allstars competition. The 64 drivers, representing each of NHRA’s seven geographic divisions, will compete for a share of more than $100,000 in cash and contingency awards.
The JEGS Allstars features sportsman racing in eight NHRA eliminators; Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Competition Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. Racers qualify to compete in the Allstar event by earning points at Lucas Oil Series races within their home divisions. Each eliminator features an eight car field, one driver from each division and the defending event champ, who is welcomed back as a blocker. Allstar contestants compete for individual and team honors. The champions in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car each $7,000 each; in Comp and Super Stock, $6,000 each; and in Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street, $4,500 each. Runner-ups in all categories receive $2,000. All contestants also earn travel money which is determined by their proximity to Joliet, Ill. In addition the overall team champion at the completion of the event will split a $20,000 bonus.
“We are involved in many different programs but the JEGS Allstars is one of the annual highlights for our company,” said John Coughlin, who operates the giant JEGS Mail Order Company along with his three brothers, Troy, Mike and Jeg Jr. “Being sportsman racers ourselves, my brothers and I understand the level of commitment it takes to become an Allstar. These racers truly are the best of the best. This is an extremely competitive event yet it also features the sort of camaraderie and team spirit that is seldom seen in other sports. It is a wonderful thing to be a part of.”
Last year, the team from the Northeast Division, led by event winners Frank Manzo (Top Alcohol Funny Car), Don Pires Jr. (Stock), and Lynn Hoosigian (Super Street) won its first overall team title since 1995. Those three drivers will return to Joliet where they will be joined by Dan Mercier (Top Alcohol Dragster), Sal Biondo (Comp), Michael Iacono (Super Stock), Russ Linke (Stock), Mike Robilotto (Super Comp), Iggie Boicesco (Super Gas), and Joe Urbino (Super Stock). Every driver on the Division 1 squad have appeared in at least one national event final and thee racers, Manzo, Biondo, and Boicesco are former series champions.
The teams from the West Central Division (Division 5) and the Pacific Division (Division 7) have never won the overall team championship but may be poised to end that draught in 2007. The Division 5 team will include former national champion Cy Chesterman (Top Alcohol Funny Car) and multi-time national event winners Clint Sallee (Comp), and Jeff Cheney (Super Comp). The Division 7 squad will rest its hopes with Chris Demke (Top Alcohol Dragster) Doug Gordon (Top Alcohol Funny Car), former national champion John Calvert (Super Stock), and last year’s Stock runner-up Tibor Kadar.
The JEGS Allstars event will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 9 with a photo session and driver introductions. The opening round of eliminations is scheduled for 10:30 a.m., semifinal rounds at 2:30 p.m., and the final rounds will take place at 4 p.m. The event concludes with an awards ceremony and racer appreciation barbecue that will take place on Saturday evening.
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