The 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Season was announced on June 6, 2017.

It was the 63rd season of the National Hot Rod Association's top drag racing competition. There were 24 Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock events, and 16 Pro Stock Motorcycle events.

Schedule 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series ScheduleDateRaceSiteTVWinnersTop Fuel DragsterFunny CarPro StockPS MotorcycleFeb 8–11Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.comPomona, CAFS1Doug Kalitta (1)Matt Hagan (1)Bo Butner (1)N/AFeb 23–25NHRA Arizona NationalsChandler, AZFS1*Steve Torrence (1) Courtney Force (1)Chris McGaha (1)N/AMar 15–18Amalie Motor Oil NHRA GatornationalsGainesville, FLFS1*Richie Crampton (1)Jack Beckman (1)Tanner Gray (1) Eddie Krawiec (1)Apr 6–8DENSO Auto Parts NHRA Four-Wide Nationals 4 LanesLas Vegas, NVFS1*Steve Torrence (2)J.R. Todd (1)Vincent Nobile (1)N/AApr 20–22NHRA SpringNationalsBaytown, TXFS1Brittany Force (1)J.R. Todd (2)Matt Hartford (1)N/AApr 27–29NGK Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals 4 LanesConcord, NCFS1*Steve Torrence (3)Cruz Pedregon (1)Erica Enders-Stevens (1)Jerry Savoie (1)May 4–6NHRA Southern NationalsCommerce, GAFS1*Leah Pritchett (1)Courtney Force (2)Vincent Nobile (2)Eddie Krawiec (2)May 18–21 Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals presented by MintiesTopeka, KSFS1Clay Millican (1)Courtney Force (3)Deric Kramer (1)N/AMay 31 – Jun 3JEGS Route 66 NHRA NationalsJoliet, ILFS1*Clay Millican (2)Robert Hight (1)Jeg Coughlin, Jr. (1)Matt Smith (1)Jun 8–10Virginia NHRA NationalsPetersburg, VAFS1* Steve Torrence (4) Courtney Force (4) Tanner Gray (2) L.E. Tonglet (1)Jun 15–17Fitzgerald USA NHRA Thunder Valley NationalsBristol, TNFS1*Tony Schumacher (1)Ron Capps (1)Jeg Coughlin, Jr. (2)N/AJun 21–24Summit Racing Equipment NHRA NationalsNorwalk, OHFS1*Blake Alexander (1)Matt Hagan (2)Tanner Gray (3)Eddie Krawiec (3)Jul 6–8NHRA New England NationalsEpping, NHFS1Steve Torrence (5)Matt Hagan (3)Chris McGaha (2)N/AJul 20–22Dodge Mile-High NHRA NationalsMorrison, COFoxLeah Pritchett (2)John Force (1)Greg Anderson (1)Hector Arana, Jr. (1)Jul 27–29Toyota NHRA Sonoma NationalsSonoma, CAFoxBlake Alexander (2)Robert Hight (2)Jeg Coughlin, Jr. (3)L.E. Tonglet (2)Aug 3–5CatSpot NHRA Northwest NationalsKent, WAFoxAntron Brown (1)Ron Capps (2)Tanner Gray (4)N/AAug 16–19Lucas Oil NHRA NationalsBrainerd, MNFS1Billy Torrence (1)Jack Beckman (2)Deric Kramer (2)Eddie Krawiec (4)Aug 29 – Sep 3Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals 1.5Clermont, INFoxTerry McMillen (1)J.R. Todd (3)Tanner Gray (5)L.E. Tonglet (3)Countdown to the ChampionshipSep 13–16Dodge NHRA NationalsMohnton, PAFS1*Steve Torrence (6)J.R. Todd (4)Vincent Nobile (3)Hector Arana, Jr. (2)Sep 21–23AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest NationalsMadison, ILFS1Steve Torrence (7)Robert Hight (3)Tanner Gray (6)Matt Smith (2)Oct 4–7AAA Texas NHRA FallNationalsEnnis, TXFS1Steve Torrence (8)Robert Hight (4)Tanner Gray (7)L.E. Tonglet (4)Oct 12–14NHRA Carolina Nationals presented by WIX FiltersConcord, NCFS1Steve Torrence (9)Ron Capps (3)Jason Line (1)Matt Smith (3)Oct 25–28Toyota NHRA NationalsLas Vegas, NVFS1Steve Torrence (10)J.R. Todd (5)Bo Butner (2)Hector Arana, Jr. (3)Nov 8–11Auto Club NHRA Finals 1.5Pomona, CAFS1Steve Torrence (11)J.R. Todd (6)Tanner Gray (8)Matt Smith (4)

* Finals televised on tape delay. Ennis, TX race broadcast schedule and channel changed from FS2 to FS1 because of 2018 National League Division Series presented by Doosan Game 3 start times.

Additional Rules for Specially Marked Races 4 Lanes: The Four-Wide Nationals in both Las Vegas and Charlotte in the spring will compete with cars on four lanes. All cars will qualify on each lane as all four lanes will be used in qualifying. Three rounds with cars using all four lanes. In Rounds One and Two, the top two drivers (of four) will advance to the next round. The pairings are set as follows: Race One: 1, 8, 9, 16 Race Two: 4, 5, 12, 13 Race Three: 2, 7, 10, 15 Race Four: 3, 6, 11, 14 Semifinal One: Top two in Race One and Race Two Semifinal Two: Top two in Race Three and Race Four Finals: Top two in Semifinal One and Semifinal Two Lane choice determined by times in previous round. In first round, lane choice determined by fastest times. Drivers who advance in Rounds One and Two will receive 20 points for each round advancement. In Round Three, the winner of the race will be declared the race winner and will collect 40 points. The runner-up will receive 20 points. Third and fourth place drivers will be credited as semifinal losers.

1.5: The U. S. Nationals and Auto Club Finals will have their race points increased by 50% . Drivers who qualify but are eliminated in the first round receive 30 points, and each round win is worth 30 points. The top four receive 10, 9, 8, and 7 points, respectively, for qualifying positions, with the 5–6 drivers receiving 6 points, 7–8 drivers receiving 5 points, 9–12 receiving 4 points, and 13–16 receiving 3 points. Also, the top four, not three, drivers after each session receive points for fastest times in each round (4-3-2-1).

Event changes On January 16, 2018, Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey ceased all drag racing operations at the facility due to ongoing safety concerns as well as rising maintenance costs. The NHRA Summernationals, already scheduled to take place there in June, was cancelled. Two weeks later, a replacement event was announced at Virginia Motorsports Park in Petersburg, Virginia.BangShift.com, Bad News: Raceway Park Will Cease Drag Racing Operations – The End Of Englishtown Appears To Be Nigh by Brian Lohnes, January 16, 2018, Retrieved Jan. 30, 2018. The last NHRA professional event at VMP had taken place in 2009.National Hot Rod Association, NHRA partners with Virginia Motorsports Park to host NHRA Virginia Nationals, NHRA.com, January 30, 2018, Retrieved Jan. 30, 2018.

Because of a series of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series date changes, the NHRA changed the dates of numerous rounds to avoid conflicts. The race in Joliet was moved to early June, as the normal date had been reassigned to the NASCAR meeting at the nearby Chicagoland Speedway, and the Countdown dates in Reading and Charlotte were swapped since the Charlotte date would have been too close to the NASCAR road course playoff race.

Final standings + Top Fuel Pos. Driver Points Points Back Chassis 1 Steve Torrence 2900 – MLR 2 Tony Schumacher 2596 −304 DSR (MG) 3 Clay Millican 2573 −327 Hadman 4 Leah Pritchett 2456 −444 DSR (MG) 5 Brittany Force 2417 −483 Force 6 Antron Brown 2378 −522 DSR (MG) 7 Mike Salinas 2308 −592 Scrappers 8 Doug Kalitta 2308 −592 Kalitta 9 Terry McMillen 2301 −599 McMillen 10 Scott Palmer 2231 −669 Thompson

+ Funny Car Pos. Driver Points Points Back Make 1 J.R. Todd 2726 – Toyota 2 Robert Hight 2532 −194 Chevrolet 3 Tommy Johnson, Jr. 2519 −207 Dodge 4 Ron Capps 2510 −216 Dodge 5 Tim Wilkerson 2418 −308 Ford 6 Courtney Force 2409 −317 Chevrolet 7 Jack Beckman 2405 −321 Dodge 8 Matt Hagan 2371 −355 Dodge 9 John Force 2356 −370 Chevrolet 10 Shawn Langdon 2285 −441 Toyota

+ Pro Stock Pos. Driver Points Points Back Make 1 Tanner Gray 2758 – Chevrolet 2 Jeg Coughlin, Jr. 2571 −187 Chevrolet 3 Drew Skillman 2559 −199 Chevrolet 4 Erica Enders-Stevens 2525 −233 Chevrolet 5 Jason Line 2472 −286 Chevrolet 6 Vincent Nobile 2452 −306 Chevrolet 7 Greg Anderson 2418 −340 Chevrolet 8 Bo Butner III 2379 −379 Chevrolet 9 Deric Kramer 2268 −490 Chevrolet 10 Chris McGaha 2184 −574 Chevrolet

+ Pro Stock Motorcycle Pos. Driver Points Points Back Make 1 Matt Smith 2666 – Buell 2 Eddie Krawiec 2627 −39 Harley-Davidson 3 Hector Arana, Jr. 2536 −130 Buell 4 L.E. Tonglet IV 2532 −134 Suzuki 5 Gerald Savoie 2464 −202 Suzuki 6 Andrew Hines 2450 −216 Harley-Davidson 7 Angelle Sampey 2349 −317 Buell 8 Angie Smith 2303 −363 Buell 9 Steve Johnson 2290 −376 Suzuki 10 Scotty Pollacheck 2258 −408 Suzuki

References

External links Official website Drag Race Central The Latest NHRA News and Analysis