NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

It began as a simple idea by Vinny Napp to give his son, David, an opportunity to participate in the sport he loved, and it has grown into a racing series in which thousands of youngsters participate in points programs and more each season and develop skills that can turn them into race- and championship-winning drivers at the highest level of the sport. It is the NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League, the subject of this edition of the Heart of NHRA video series.

David and family friend Jill Caliendo made the first official Jr. Dragster passes at the 1992 Englishtown event, and in the years since, thousands of racers have gone through the program, learning drag racing skills, making friends, and having fun. Most of NHRA’s member tracks hold Jr. Dragster events as part of their weekly programs, and each season, racers from throughout the country attend the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing Western and Eastern Conference Finals, national-level events that award Wallys like the Pros win each week.

While the primary objective of the Jr. Drag Racing League has always been to give kids a fun place to learn more about drag racing, it has also become a great training ground for future stars in the sport. Former Top Fuel world champion Shawn Langdon and two-time reigning Pro Stock world champ Erica Enders both got their start behind the wheel of a Jr. Dragster. In addition to those three Pro championships, former Jr. pilots have won 11 national titles in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. In terms of national event wins, former Jr. Dragster racers have tallied nearly 300, beginning with Gina Mundt’s victory at the 1998 Memphis, Tenn., event through Langdon’s recent win at the Bristol event. Check out the July 1 issue of NHRA National Dragster magazine for more on the success of former Jr. racers in the "big car" ranks.