Courtesy NHRA Communications
JOLIET, Ill. (April 16, 2024) – After a successful debut last year during NHRA’s return to Route 66 Raceway in Chicago, officials announced today the special Drag and Drive exhibition will again be part of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series event in Chicago, the 24th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance on May 17-19.
With star drivers like Alex Taylor and Tom Bailey on hand, plus a “Mob of Sick Drag & Drivers,” this exhibition offers an all-star cast of drivers and something unique for the fan-favorite event at Route 66 Raceway. The standout street cars set to be featured all weekend in Chicago run in the 6-second range and quicker at speeds of more than 200 mph, offering a thrilling spectacle for all race fans.
Along with the stars of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle, this Drag and Drive exhibition will showcase some of the quickest street cars in the world. They are set to entertain fans with runs throughout the weekend, crowing a winner during eliminations on Sunday.
“The addition of the Drag and Drive exhibition adds to an already great event at Route 66 Raceway,” states Brian Bohlander, Director of Sports Marketing for Old World Industries (parent company of the PEAK and BlueDEF brands). “As our brands have gotten more involved in this movement with Alex Taylor and Tom Bailey, we’ve seen how it’s opened up the sport to not only new participants but also an entirely new fan base. This is great for the NHRA fans to get to learn more about the Drag and Drive movement, while bringing out fans of Alex and Tom to the event.”
Taylor has quickly become one of the biggest stars in drag racing. The host of MotorTrend’s “Hot Rod Garage,” Taylor is an accomplished racer on the track, consistently making 6-second runs at more than 200 mph in her full-chassis ’55 Chevy 210. Her NHRA debut came last year in Chicago as she thrilled fans all weekend, and she’s excited to return this year as one of the exhibition headliners.
“After having the chance to be a part of the NHRA National Event at Route 66 Raceway last year for the Peak Street Car Shootout, we couldn’t wait to bring our ‘55 Chevy back again this year,” Taylor said. “The NHRA team, the fans, and event environment were all top-notch and made for an unforgettable experience. We’ve had the chance to assemble a really great group of competitive drivers and cars that will give NHRA fans a glimpse of what our drag and drive world looks like – quick and fast street legal cars!”
Bailey is another established name in the drag and driver world. The owner of Sick Seconds 2.0, the ’69 Camaro is the quickest street car in the world, with Bailey going quick as 5.77-seconds. It makes for a wildly-entertain show and Bailey can’t wait to again provide some incredible action at Route 66 Raceway.
“It was such an awesome opportunity to be at the reopening of Route 66 Dragway last year!” Bailey said. “We put on an amazing show and we were so appreciative of all the fan support. We are coming back with a group of great racers and we have our sights set on showing all the fans what our street cars can do. I am personally looking to show everyone a 5-second quarter-mile pass in a car that I drive to the track to race!”
For more information on the Drag and Drive exhibition, please visit www.nhra.com/draganddrive. It’s also part of another huge weekend in Chicago when the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to the famed facility. Last season’s race was the first in four years at Route 66 Raceway, and the memorable weekend helped prompt a return trip in 2024.
Clay Millican (Top Fuel), Tim Wilkerson, (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won last year and this season’s race will again be broadcast on FS1.
Other special events during the weekend include the GETTRX Pro Stock All-Star Callout on Saturday, a specialty race featuring eight top drivers in the Pro Stock ranks, as well as the #2Fast2Tasty Mission NHRA Challenge in both nitro classes and Pro Stock Motorcycle. That all leads into eliminations on Sunday, where stars in all four professional categories will look to earn an early-season victory at the sixth of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
“It’s a huge thrill to host these awesome Drag and Drive competitors back in Chicago this year,” said Evan Jonat, NHRA Vice President of Live Events. “I think last year opened a lot of eyes with many of our fans with just how cool and how fast and exciting these cars are, and it’s going to be a huge incentive for them to come back to Route 66 Raceway this year. Drivers like Alex and Tom have a tremendous fanbase, so it’s a great opportunity to bring their fanbase to a NHRA national event and introduce people to the spectacular show they provide on the track as well.”
To purchase tickets to the 24th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance on May 17-19, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. All children 12 and under will be admitted free in the general admission area with a paid adult. For more information about NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.
