NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

K&N Engineering Inc. has signed a multiyear agreement to extend the company’s sponsorship of the K&N Horsepower Challenge. The K&N Horsepower Challenge is the longest-running specialty event in the NHRA.

“We are very excited to continue our relationship with K&N and bring NHRA fans more of the K&N Horsepower Challenge,” said Graham Light, NHRA senior vice president of racing operations. “The K&N Horsepower Challenge is one of the most exciting all-star bonus events of the year and a fan favorite. The best Pro Stock racers in the world compete for a $50,000 purse, and the fans have the opportunity to get directly involved with the racing by picking the eighth finalist with a fan vote.”

The 2017 K&N Horsepower Challenge will take place at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series national event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the spring. The lucrative K&N Horsepower Challenge is a special race-within-a-race bonus event showcasing the top seven Pro Stock drivers who have accumulated the most qualifying points starting at the 2016 Denso Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas and continuing through the 2017 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville. An eighth driver is added to the starting lineup via a special fan vote on NHRA.com. 

The winner of the K&N Horsepower Challenge earns $50,000, and the runner-up receives $10,000. The two semifinalists take home $3,000 each, and the four first-round finishers earn $2,500 each. In addition, the No. 1 qualifier at each NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event is awarded a $3,000 bonus.

Past winners of the event include five-time and 2016 champ Greg Anderson, 2014 and 2015 winner Erica Enders, Allen Johnson, Vincent Nobile, Warren Johnson, and Jeg Coughlin Jr.

“K&N is excited to announce our continued commitment to the NHRA Pro Stock class through the Horsepower Challenge,” said Caitlin Clement, K&N track and series support manager. “Pro Stock is an exciting class to be a part of, especially this season with the transition to the electronic-fuel-injection setup in full swing. Our team of engineers worked hand in hand with NHRA, chassis builders, and the Pro Stock teams on designing and building the new K&N Pro Stock air-induction system, and we’re proud to have each NHRA Pro Stock car continue to rely on our products.”