2006 SPORTSnationals gets West Coast date

INAUGURAL NHRA SPORTSNATIONALS TO BE HELD AT AUTO CLUB DRAGWAY AT CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY

Facility also to host NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Divisional Event

FONTANA, Calif. (Nov. 14, 2005) -- At a press conference today at California Speedway, NHRA announced that the newly named Auto Club Dragway at California Speedway, which will be relocated to the north side of the multi-purpose facility, will host an NHRA SPORTSnationals event, Sept. 29 - Oct.1, 2006. In addition, Auto Club Dragway will once again host an NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series divisional event, June 23-25, 2006.

"Preserving the right to race, particularly in Southern California, is very important to NHRA," said Tom Compton, president, NHRA. "The decision by California Speedway to relocate Auto Club Dragway at California Speedway from its current location in Lot 1 to the back part of the property in Lot 6 and Lot 8 is great news for sportsman racers throughout the Southland."

The NHRA SPORTSnationals event at Auto Club Dragway at California Speedway will be the first on the West Coast since the re-introduction of the event in 2004. Currently, there are two Jeg's NHRA SPORTSnationals staged in the United States, one at No Problem Raceway in Belle Rose, La., and the other at National Trail Raceway near Columbus, Ohio. The Jeg's NHRA SPORTSnationals events are NHRA national events designed to exclusively highlight select NHRA sportsman categories. Competitors in Comp Eliminator, Stock, Super Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street categories compete at these SPORTSnational events. Drivers in each category, except Super Street, will earn NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series national event points by competing at the NHRA SPORTSnationals at Auto Club Dragway.

Last year, Auto Club Dragway at California Speedway hosted its first NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series divisional event. Auto Club Dragway has enjoyed great success since its opening in 2001, receiving ongoing support from the racing community for the facility's NHRA Street Legal Program presented by AAA, NHRA O'Reilly Auto Parts Jr. Drag Racing League, and club racing.

Construction on the relocation of the Auto Club Dragway at California Speedway will begin next month and the 2006 season will officially kick-off in May

Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., the NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. It presents 23 national events through its NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. The NHRA has 80,000 members and 140 member tracks. The NHRA-sanctioned sportsman and bracket racing series' provide competition opportunities for drivers of all levels. The NHRA develops the stars of tomorrow by offering the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series, NHRA Summit Racing Series and the NHRA Street Legal Program. The NHRA also offers the NHRA O'Reilly Auto Parts Jr. Drag Racing League for youths ages 8 to 17.

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