The National Hot Rod Association revealed today its 2018 Mello Mello Drag Racing Series schedule, which will once again feature 24 races from coast-to-coast, all broadcast exclusively on FOX Sports and the FOX national network.
As is tradition, the season will again begin and end at the Auto Club Dragway in Pomona, California, and while much of the schedule mirrors that of the current 2017 calendar, some jockeying has taken place during the early summer months.
The annual Route 66 Nationals in Joliet, Illinois, which currently takes place in early July, has shifted up in the schedule to the weekend of May 31- June 3. Likewise, the New England Nationals in Epping, New Hampshire, will take the place of Chicago event on July 6-8. The Englishtown, Bristol, and Norwalk events will maintain their place on the schedule before the series shifts to Epping and then on to the traditional Western Swing races in Denver, Seattle, and Sonoma, Calif.
The Countdown to the Championship will again comprise six races: Charlotte, Reading, Pa., St. Louis, Dallas, Las Vegas, and Pomona.
The events at which the Pro Stock Motorcycle category and the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series will compete at have not yet been announced, but are likely to continue their count of 16 and 12, respectively.
2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Schedule
NHRA Mello Yello Series Regular Season
Feb. 8-11 NHRA Winternationals Pomona, Calif.
Feb. 23-25 NHRA Arizona Nationals Phoenix
March 15-18 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals Gainesville, Fla.
April 6-8 DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals Las Vegas
April 20-22 NHRA SpringNationals Houston
April 27-29 NHRA Four-Wide Nationals Charlotte, N.C.
May 4-6 NHRA Southern Nationals Atlanta
May 18-20 Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals Topeka, Kan.
May 31-June 3 Route 66 NHRA Nationals Chicago
June 7-10 NHRA Summernationals Englishtown, N.J.
June 15-17 NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Bristol, Tenn.
June 21-24 Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals Norwalk, Ohio
July 6-8 NHRA New England Nationals Epping, N.H.
July 20-22 Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals Denver
July 27-29 Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals Sonoma, Calif.
Aug. 3-5 NHRA Northwest Nationals Seattle
Aug. 16-19 Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals Brainerd, Minn.
Aug. 29-Sept. 3 Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals Indianapolis
NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship
Sept. 14-16 NHRA Carolina Nationals Charlotte, N.C.
Sept. 20-23 Dodge NHRA Nationals Reading, Pa.
Sept. 28-30 AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals St. Louis
Oct. 11-14 AAA Texas NHRA Fall Nationals Dallas
Oct. 25-28 NHRA Toyota Nationals Las Vegas
Nov. 8-11 Auto Club NHRA Finals Pomona, Calif.
Photos courtesy NHRA/National Dragster