The NHRA Summernationals , hosted by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), was an annual drag racing event held from 1970 to 1992, 2002 to 2017 and again in 2020, mostly at the Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in New Jersey .
History
The first Summernationals was held near York , Pennsylvania in July 1970, at the York U.S. 30 Dragway.[ 1] Subsequent events began to be hosted at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park outside Englishtown , New Jersey.
"Dyno" Don Nicholson secured Ford's first pro stock win in his Maverick at the 1971 Summernationals.[ 2]
"Dandy" Dick Landy made his second, and last, final-round appearance at the 1972 event, where he lost to "Grumpy" Bill Jenkins .[ 1]
"Jungle Jim" Liberman is notable for performing a wheelstand in his Chevrolet Vega Top Fuel Funny Car (TF/FC) in 1974 and securing his sole NHRA national event win in 1975.[ 3]
The 1978 Summernationals saw Bob Glidden take the pro stock win in his Fairmont ,[ 4] with Denny Savage winning the TF/FC title and ''The Ace" Ed McCulloch as runner-up.[ 5]
For the 1993 season, the event in Englishtown was moved from July to May and renamed the Mopar Parts Nationals. [ 6] The NHRA did not hold an event bearing the Summernationals name until it returned in 2002 at Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kansas.[ 6]
Summernationals events were held in Topeka until 2012; the event returned to Englishtown in 2013. [ 6]
Old Bridge Township Raceway Park ceased all operations in 2018, and as a result the Summernationals event originally scheduled for 2018 was cancelled and replaced by the Virginia NHRA Nationals, hosted at Virginia Motorsports Park outside Petersburg , Virginia .[ 7]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the NHRA revived the Summernationals with the Lucas Oil NHRA Summernationals at Indianapolis, which was held Jun 18-19, 2020 at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis .[ 6] The final rounds of the event were postposed due to rain and completed at the 2020 U.S. Nationals event.[ 8]
Winners
Year
Location
Top Fuel Dragster (TF/D)
Top FuelFunny Car (TF/FC)
Pro Stock
Pro Stock Motorcycle
Source
1970
York
Pete Robinson
Gene Snow
Dick Landy
[ 9]
1971
Englishtown
Arnie Behling
Leonard Hughes
Don Nicholson
[ 10]
1972
Jeb Allen
Don Schumacher
Bill Jenkins
[ 10]
1973
Clayton Harris
Leroy Goldstein
Bill Jenkins
[ 10]
1974
Dale Funk
Al Segrini
Larry Lombardo
[ 10]
1975
Jim Bucher
Jim Liberman
Wayne Gapp
[ 10]
1976
Richard Tharp
Don Prudhomme
Larry Lombardo
[ 10]
1977
Shirley Muldowney
Don Prudhomme
Larry Lombardo
[ 10]
1978
Jeb Allen
Denny Savage
Bob Glidden
[ 10]
1979
Jeb Allen
Raymond Beadle
Frank Iaconio
[ 10]
1980
Dick LaHaie
Don Prudhomme
Lee Shepherd
[ 10]
1981
Gary Beck
Don Prudhomme
Lee Shepherd
[ 10]
1982
Mark Oswald
Don Prudhomme
Warren Johnson
[ 10]
1983
Joe Amato
Mark Oswald
Frank Iaconio
[ 10]
1984
Frank Bradley
Raymond Beadle
Bob Glidden
[ 10]
1985
Don Garlits
Kenny Bernstein
Bruce Allen
[ 10]
1986
Darrell Gwynn
Kenny Bernstein
Warren Johnson
[ 10]
1987
Gary Ormsby
Kenny Bernstein
Jerry Eckman
David Schultz
[ 11]
1988
Joe Amato
Don Prudhomme
Bob Glidden
Russell Nyberg
[ 12]
1989
Dick LaHaie
Kenny Bernstein
Bruce Allen
[ 13]
1990
Gary Ormsby
Chuck Etchells
Darrell Alderman
[ 14]
1991
Tom McEwen
Del Worsham
Darrell Alderman
[ 15]
1992
Joe Amato
Chuck Etchells
Warren Johnson
[ 16] [ 17] [ 18]
2002
Topeka
Darrell Russell
Tony Pedregon
Troy Coughlin
N/A
[ 19]
2003
Larry Dixon
Tony Pedregon
Greg Anderson
N/A
[ 20]
2004
Brandon Bernstein
Whit Bazemore
Greg Anderson
N/A
[ 21]
2005
David Grubnic
John Force
Greg Anderson
N/A
[ 22]
2006
Doug Kalitta
Ron Capps
Dave Connolly
N/A
[ 22]
2007
Brandon Bernstein
Mike Ashley
Greg Anderson
N/A
[ 22]
2008
Hillary Will
John Force
Ron Krisher
N/A
[ 22]
2009
Larry Dixon
Ron Capps
Allen Johnson
N/A
[ 22]
2010
Tony Schumacher
Robert Hight
Mike Edwards
N/A
[ 22]
2011
Spencer Massey
Robert Hight
Shane Gray
N/A
[ 22]
2012
David Grubnic
Jack Beckman
Allen Johnson
N/A
[ 22]
2013
Englishtown
Shawn Langdon
Matt Hagan
Mike Edwards
Michael Ray
[ 10]
2014
Richie Crampton
Cruz Pedregon
Jeg Coughlin Jr.
Andrew Hines
[ 10]
2015
Antron Brown
Matt Hagan
Greg Anderson
Jerry Savoie
[ 10]
2016
Steve Torrence
Ron Capps
Greg Anderson
Angelle Sampey
[ 10]
2017
Steve Torrence
Jack Beckman
Greg Anderson
Jerry Savoie
[ 10]
2020 [ a]
Indianapolis
Justin Ashley
Matt Hagan
N/A
N/A
[ 23]
^ The final rounds of the event were postposed due to rain and completed at the 2020 U.S. Nationals event.[ 8]
Notes
^ a b Burgess, Phil (2011-02-08). "Fan Fotos: 1970 Summernationals" . National Hot Rod Association . Retrieved 2020-03-15 .
^ Voegelin, Rick (2001-07-21). "NHRA 50 Years, Top 50 Drivers: No. 18 Don Nicholson" . National Hot Rod Association . Retrieved 2020-03-15 .
^ Jodauga, John (2001-07-21). "NHRA 50 Years, Top 50 Drivers: No. 17 "Jungle Jim" Liberman" . National Hot Rod Association . Retrieved 2020-03-15 .
^ Waldron, Steve (2001-07-21). "NHRA 50 Years, Top 50 Drivers: No. 4 Bob Glidden" . National Hot Rod Association . Retrieved 2020-03-15 .
^ Dillashaw, Bruce (2001-07-21). "NHRA's 50 Greatest Drivers: No. 19, Ed 'The Ace' McCulloch" . Motorsport . Retrieved 2020-03-15 .
^ a b c d Burgess, Phil; Editor, NHRA National Dragster. "The history of the Summernationals" . NHRA . Retrieved 10 April 2024 .
^ Lohnes, Brian (2018-01-16). "Bad News: Raceway Park Will Cease Drag Racing Operations – The End Of Englishtown Appears To Be Nigh" . BangShift . Retrieved 2020-03-15 .
^ a b McKenna, Kevin; Editor, NHRA National Dragster Senior. "Lucas Oil NHRA Summernationals final rounds delayed by rain; moved to U.S. Nationals" . NHRA . Retrieved 10 April 2024 .
^ "www.ultimateracinghistory.com" . www.ultimateracinghistory.com . Retrieved 10 April 2024 .
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u "www.ultimateracinghistory.com" . www.ultimateracinghistory.com . Retrieved 10 April 2024 .
^ "Racing Results;NEWLN:$869,150 NHRA Budweiser Summernationals at Old Bridge Township N.J., July 12 - UPI Archives" . UPI . Retrieved 10 April 2024 .
^ "Auto Racing Results;NEWLN:$843,150 NHRA Budweiser Summer nationals at Englishtown, N.J. July 17 - UPI Archives" . UPI . Retrieved 10 April 2024 .
^ "Bernstein wins Summernationals - UPI Archives" . UPI . Retrieved 10 April 2024 .
^ "ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. -- Defending Winston champion Gary Ormsby, Chuck... - UPI Archives" . UPI . Retrieved 10 April 2024 .
^ "McEwan earns first Top Fuel win - UPI Archives" . UPI . Retrieved 10 April 2024 .
^ Archives, L. A. Times (13 July 1992). "Joe Amato of Old Forge, Pa., won..." Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 10 April 2024 .
^ "Former Funny Car driver Etchells passes" . NHRA . Retrieved 10 April 2024 .
^ "The Warren Report" . www.dragracecentral.com . Retrieved 10 April 2024 .
^ "Drag Racing Story of the Day - 2002 NHRA Topeka Final Results" . www.draglist.com . Retrieved 10 April 2024 .
^ "Drag Racing Story of the Day - 2003 NHRA Topeka Final Results" . www.draglist.com . Retrieved 10 April 2024 .
^ "Topeka: Final round-by-round results" . us.motorsport.com . 1 June 2004. Retrieved 10 April 2024 .
^ a b c d e f g h "www.ultimateracinghistory.com" . www.ultimateracinghistory.com . Retrieved 10 April 2024 .
^ Burgess, Phil; Editor, NHRA National Dragster. "Justin Ashley's first Top Fuel win, victories by Hagan, Green, and Andras wrap up rain-delayed Summernationals event" . NHRA . Retrieved 10 April 2024 .