JEGS Allstars set to battle at Route 66 Raceway
For 32 years, the JEGS Allstars has brought together the top racers in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series to face off in a battle of the “Best of the Best.” The 2016 JEGS Allstars event will take place on Saturday, July 9, at Route 66 Raceway during the Route 66 NHRA Nationals. The $124,000 race-within-a-race will pit the top points earners from NHRA’s seven geographic divisions and four Top Alcohol regions against each other in the culmination of a yearlong points battle.
Competitors in Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street, Top Dragster, and Top Sportsman will compete for team and individual honors and a share of the $124,000 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.
The JEGS Allstars Top Alcohol Regional Team Championship was introduced three years ago with the best Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car drivers from each of the four regions going head to head as the Central Region took home the championship in 2015. They were joined by the Southeast Division team who scored its seventh win in the JEGS Allstars team championship competition, tying them with the North Central and Northeast divisions.
There are three drivers pulling double duty for their team this year. The South Central Division has Austin Williams looking to take home a title in Stock and Super Comp. While the West Central Division brought Trevor Larson, who doubled up as the points leader in Super Comp and Super Gas. Mike Shannon, from the Northwest Division, is holding a spot in Super Comp and Super Gas.
Defending JEGS Allstars winners are Joey Severance (Top Alcohol Dragster), John Lombardo Jr. (Top Alcohol Funny Car), Jeff Lane (Comp), Phil Unruh (Super Stock), Anthony Fetch (Stock), Kevin Brannon (Super Comp), Luke Bogacki (Super Gas), Scotty Reinschield (Super Street), and Jeffrey Barker (Top Sportsman).
Pro Stock driver Jeg Coughlin Jr. has been an Allstars representative for the North Central Division six times, winning the Super Gas class twice. Several of today’s NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series stars are past Allstars participants, including Top Fuel drivers Morgan Lucas (Top Alcohol Dragster, 2003 and 2004; won in 2003) and Shawn Langdon (Super Comp, 2005-07; won in 2005 and 2006) as well as Funny Car drivers Tim Wilkerson (Top Alcohol Funny Car, 1995), and Jack Beckman (Super Comp 2004 and 2005; runner-up in 2004).
Team championship (shared between the members of the divisional and regional teams): $25,000
Tow money (share based on each racer’s percentage of total miles): $25,000
Total JEGS Allstars award bonus: $124,000.