There are still 10 races remaining on the 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, but that isn’t stopping the world’s premier drag racing organization from already thinking ahead to next year.
The NHRA on Wednesday announced the 2019 schedule. Other than a few minor date changes, the 24-race 2019 schedule will include all of the same venues from this year’s 24-race slate.
In addition to the annual U.S. Nationals in suburban Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend – the biggest race of the season – 2019 will also feature the 50th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Nationals at Gainesville (Florida) Raceway on March 14-17.
NHRA officials have been planning the Gainesville festivities for over a year. Among its highlights is the NHRA Legends Tour, which began this season and will culminate at Gainesville next March.
“Never before have so many NHRA Legends been gathered in one place,” an NHRA statement said. “This is a ‘can’t miss’ event for any devoted NHRA fan.”
As for the minor date changes, they are:
* The NHRA SpringNationals in suburban Houston will move up one weekend and take place April 12-14.
* The Virginia NHRA Nationals in suburban Richmond, Virginia, will also move up one week on the schedule from this year’s placement, to be held May 17-19.
* The Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals at Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kansas, will be held one week later, from June 7-9.
* Lastly, the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals near St. Louis will move back one week to Sept. 27-29.
Also, the NHRA statement said, “As in years past, the 2019 season will begin at the historic Auto Club Raceway in Pomona in Southern California at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, Feb. 7-10, and conclude at the same renowned dragstrip with the Auto Club NHRA Finals, Nov. 7-10.”
Here’s the full 2019 schedule and dates:
2019 NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES SCHEDULE
NHRA Mello Yello Series Regular Season
Feb. 7-10--Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, Pomona, Calif.
Feb. 22-24--NHRA Arizona Nationals, Phoenix
March 14-17--Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, Gainesville, Fla.
April 5-7--DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, Las Vegas
April 12-14--NHRA SpringNationals, Houston
April 26-28--NGK Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, Charlotte, N.C.
May 3-5--NHRA Southern Nationals, Atlanta
May 17-19--Virginia NHRA Nationals, Richmond, Va.
May 30-June 2--Route 66 NHRA Nationals, Chicago
June 7-9--Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals, Topeka, Kan.
June 14-16--Fitzgerald NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, Bristol, Tenn.
June 20-23--Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, Norwalk, Ohio
July 5-7--NHRA New England Nationals, Epping, N.H.
July 19-21--Dodge Mile-High NHRA Nationals, Denver
July 26-28--NHRA Sonoma Nationals, Sonoma, Calif.
Aug. 2-4--NHRA Northwest Nationals, Seattle
Aug. 15-18--Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, Brainerd, Minn.
Aug. 28-Sept. 2--Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals, Indianapolis
NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship playoffs
Sept. 12-15--Dodge NHRA Nationals, Reading, Pa.
Sept. 27-29--AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals, St. Louis
Oct. 3-6--AAA Texas NHRA Fall Nationals, Dallas
Oct. 11-13--NHRA Carolina Nationals, Charlotte
Oct. 24-27--NHRA Nevada Nationals, Las Vegas
Nov. 7-10--Auto Club NHRA Finals, Pomona, Calif.