Hot Rod Heritage tour adds classes, venues for 2009

Two new venues and an extra event are among the highlights for the 2009 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series schedule.
 
The 2009 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series will feature eight points-earning events and four non-points affiliate events. In 2009, the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series will crown year-end points champions in 14 categories. The Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series year-end points champions in each of the 14 classes will receive a gold Wally trophy; Champion’s jacket and hat; and a cash award. In a set back for the AA/FC racers only four of the seven West Coast races will include those cars. The Las Vegas date, which included AA/FC last year, has dropped that class for 2009 and will run Top Fuel only. The rumored reason for the Las Vegas management’s decision to do that is the attempted boycott of that event by an AA/FC association of racers.

The NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series will also include races in the Midwest at St. Louis, Kansas City and the Quad Cities (Cordova Dragway) where AA/FC will be featured. Those tracks in the Midwest are developing its own Championship points program that would include cash payout to the racers.

Two new venues that have been added to the schedule include Speedworld Dragstrip in the Phoenix area and Sacramento Raceway, in northern California.

In all, there will be eight independently produced events, each with different featured classes. Nostalgia Top Fuel Dragster will compete at five of the events and Nostalgia Funny Car will compete at four of the events.

2009 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series Schedule*      
March 6-8: March Meet, Bakersfield, Calif.   TF, FC & Groups 1 & 2
April 3-5: Nostalgia Sportsman Shootout, Fontana, Calif. Groups 1 & 2

May 15-17: Las Vegas Speed Spectacular, Las Vegas   TF & Groups 1 & 2

June 12-14: Arizona Fuel & Gas Nationals, Wittmann, Ariz.   Group 2
July 10-11: WCTA Fremont Reunion, Sacramento, Calif.   Groups 1 & 2
Aug. 13-16: Pepsi NightFire Nationals, Boise, Idaho   TF & FC   
Sept. 11-13: So Cal Shootout, Fontana, Calif.   TF, FC & Groups 1 & 2**

Oct. 16-18: California Hot Rod Reunion, Bakersfield, Calif.   TF, FC, and Group 1   
      
* Schedule and categories subject to change
** Tentative event due to local noise ordinance issues

Following are the current list of NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series Affiliate Events. Affiliate events are affiliated with the Series but they will not count as points-earning events toward the 2009 championships. The host affiliate tracks develop their own classes and rules.
 
May 29-31: Muscle Car Reunion and Nostalgia Drags, Madison, Ill.
June 19-21: Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion, Bowling Green, Ky.
June 26-27: NostalgiaFest presented by RM Distributing, Cordova, Ill.
Sept. 11-13: Muscle Car Reunion and Nostalgia Drags, Kansas City, Mo. [1/7/2009]