Photo courtesy NHRA/National Dragster

The National Hot Rod Association today announced its revised schedule and plan of attack in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The series, halted two weekends ago prior to the annual Gatornationals, will remain so until June 7, when the Mello Mello Drag Racing Series will return to Gainesville, Florida to complete the traditional East coast opener three months after it began.

In rearranging its schedule, the NHRA cancelled the spring Las Vegas race, moved the Charlotte Four-Wide event to the fall to replace the traditional two-wide Countdown race, along with Atlanta, Virginia, and Epping. The Mello Mello series will conduct two four-race stints to re-open the season. As well, six of the events will now feature the professional eliminators on Saturday and Sunday only, including Houston. Bristol, Norwalk, Seattle, Topeka, and Reading.

Perhaps most notably, given the reduction in total events from 24 to 19 and the overall scenario, the NHRA will forgo the six-race Countdown to the Championship in favor of a traditional total-points-amassed formula to decide its professional champions.

Official Statement on. behalf of the NHRA:

In consideration of the COVID-19 global pandemic, NHRA officials announced today revisions to the 2020 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. The series is tentatively planned to resume June 5-7 with the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. The season will conclude with the crowning of the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series champions November 13-15 at the Auto Club Finals at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona.

The revised schedule will consist of 19 total events, with 17 of those events being contested when the series resumes in June. Six of these events will be condensed to two-day competition schedules for the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series classes due to economic and logistical factors. As a result of the compressed schedule points will not be reset after the U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway. NHRA has held two make-up dates on the calendar in case there are further delays.

Tentative schedule announcements for the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Series, Mickey Thompson Tires NHRA Top Fuel Harley Series and Samtech.edu NHRA Factory Stock Showdown Series will be announced soon. All NHRA-sanctioned drag racing series competition is still suspended until further notice.

June 5-7
Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals PSC/PSM Gainesville, Fla.
June 12-14
*Mopar Express Lane NHRA SpringNationals PSC/PSM Houston
June 19-21
*NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals PSC/PSM Bristol, Tenn.
June 26-28
*Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals PSC/PSM Norwalk, Ohio

July 9-12
Route 66 NHRA Nationals Chicago
July 17-19
Dodge Mile-High NHRA Nationals PSM Denver
July 24-26
NHRA Sonoma Nationals PSC/PSM Sonoma, Calif.
July 31-Aug. 2
*NHRA Northwest Nationals PSC/PSM Seattle

Aug. 13-16
Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals Brainerd, Minn.
Aug. 21-23
*Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals PSC Topeka, Kan.

Sept. 3-7
NHRA U.S. Nationals PSC/PSM Indianapolis
Sept. 11-13
*Mopar Express Lane NHRA Nationals PSC/PSM Reading, Pa.
Sept. 18-20
NGK Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals PSC/PSM Charlotte
Sept. 25-27
Make Up Date If Needed Gainesville, Fla.

Oct. 2-4
AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals PSC/PSM St. Louis
Oct. 9-11
Make Up Date If Needed Houston
Oct. 15-18
AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals PSC/PSM Dallas

Oct. 29-Nov. 1
Dodge NHRA Nationals PSC/PSM Las Vegas
Nov. 12-15
Auto Club NHRA Finals PSC/PSM Pomona, Calif.

*Mello Yello Drag Racing Series on Saturday and Sunday only
PSC = Pro Stock will be contested at this event
PSM = Pro Stock Motorcycle will be contested at this event