The NHRA Summernationals, hosted by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), was an annual drag racing event held from 1970 to 1992, 2002 to 2017 and again in 2020, mostly at the Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in New Jersey.
History The first Summernationals was held near York, Pennsylvania in July 1970, at the York U.S. 30 Dragway. Subsequent events began to be hosted at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park outside Englishtown, New Jersey.
"Dyno" Don Nicholson secured Ford's first pro stock win in his Maverick at the 1971 Summernationals.
"Dandy" Dick Landy made his second, and last, final-round appearance at the 1972 event, where he lost to "Grumpy" Bill Jenkins.
"Jungle Jim" Liberman is notable for performing a wheelstand in his Chevrolet Vega Top Fuel Funny Car (TF/FC) in 1974 and securing his sole NHRA national event win in 1975.
The 1978 Summernationals saw Bob Glidden take the pro stock win in his Fairmont, with Denny Savage winning the TF/FC title and ''The Ace" Ed McCulloch as runner-up.
For the 1993 season, the event in Englishtown was moved from July to May and renamed the Mopar Parts Nationals. The NHRA did not hold an event bearing the Summernationals name until it returned in 2002 at Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kansas.
Summernationals events were held in Topeka until 2012; the event returned to Englishtown in 2013.
Old Bridge Township Raceway Park ceased all operations in 2018, and as a result the Summernationals event originally scheduled for 2018 was cancelled and replaced by the Virginia NHRA Nationals, hosted at Virginia Motorsports Park outside Petersburg, Virginia.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the NHRA revived the Summernationals with the Lucas Oil NHRA Summernationals at Indianapolis, which was held Jun 18–19, 2020 at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis. The final rounds of the event were postposed due to rain and completed at the 2020 U.S. Nationals event.
Winners Year Location Top FuelDragster (TF/D) Top FuelFunny Car (TF/FC) Pro Stock Pro Stock Motorcycle Source 1970 York Pete Robinson Gene Snow Dick Landy 1971Englishtown Arnie Behling Leonard Hughes Don Nicholson 1972 Jeb Allen Don Schumacher Bill Jenkins 1973 Clayton Harris Leroy Goldstein Bill Jenkins 1974 Dale Funk Al Segrini Larry Lombardo 1975 Jim Bucher Jim Liberman Wayne Gapp 1976 Richard Tharp Don Prudhomme Larry Lombardo 1977 Shirley Muldowney Don Prudhomme Larry Lombardo 1978 Jeb Allen Denny Savage Bob Glidden 1979 Jeb Allen Raymond Beadle Frank Iaconio 1980 Dick LaHaie Don Prudhomme Lee Shepherd 1981 Gary Beck Don Prudhomme Lee Shepherd 1982 Mark Oswald Don Prudhomme Warren Johnson 1983 Joe Amato Mark Oswald Frank Iaconio 1984 Frank Bradley Raymond Beadle Bob Glidden 1985 Don Garlits Kenny Bernstein Bruce Allen 1986 Darrell Gwynn Kenny Bernstein Warren Johnson 1987 Gary Ormsby Kenny Bernstein Jerry Eckman David Schultz 1988 Joe Amato Don Prudhomme Bob Glidden Russell Nyberg 1989 Dick LaHaie Kenny Bernstein Bruce Allen John Mafaro 1990 Gary Ormsby Chuck Etchells Darrell Alderman John Myers 1991 Tom McEwen Del Worsham Darrell Alderman John Myers 1992 Joe Amato Chuck Etchells Warren Johnson John Myers 2002Topeka Darrell Russell Tony Pedregon Troy Coughlin N/A 2003 Larry Dixon Tony Pedregon Greg Anderson N/A 2004 Brandon Bernstein Whit Bazemore Greg Anderson N/A 2005 David Grubnic John Force Greg Anderson N/A 2006 Doug Kalitta Ron Capps Dave Connolly N/A 2007 Brandon Bernstein Mike Ashley Greg Anderson N/A 2008 Hillary Will John Force Ron Krisher N/A 2009 Larry Dixon Ron Capps Allen Johnson N/A 2010 Tony Schumacher Robert Hight Mike Edwards N/A 2011 Spencer Massey Robert Hight Shane Gray N/A 2012 David Grubnic Jack Beckman Allen Johnson N/A 2013Englishtown Shawn Langdon Matt Hagan Mike Edwards Michael Ray 2014 Richie Crampton Cruz Pedregon Jeg Coughlin Jr. Andrew Hines 2015 Antron Brown Matt Hagan Greg Anderson Jerry Savoie 2016 Steve Torrence Ron Capps Greg Anderson Angelle Sampey 2017 Steve Torrence Jack Beckman Greg Anderson Jerry Savoie 2020 Indianapolis Justin Ashley Matt Hagan N/A N/A
References