NHRA MANUFACTURERS CUP PROMISES TO BE A YEAR-LONG BATTLE

The coveted title has been a fixture of NHRA since 1964

The NHRA Competition Department announced the current points in the battle for the 2011 NHRA Manufacturers Cup today, and the standings include point totals through the recently completed JEGS NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals in Belle Rose, La.

Dodge sits well ahead of the pack with 180 points, followed by both Ford and Toyota, each with 40 points. Given no points from divisional events have been awarded yet in 2011, Dodge is in the lead thanks to strong performances at the first two NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series events.         

The NHRA Manufacturers Cup was established in 1964 with Ford Motor Company taking the honors in both 1964 and 1965. From there, the cup has been dominated by General Motors brands. Since 1966, a GM brand has hoisted the NHRA Manufacturers Cup every year except 1982. Last year, Chevrolet won for the fourth consecutive year.          

With its win in 2010, Chevrolet has won the award 19 times, the most in the history of the program. Oldsmobile trails Chevrolet with 14 wins, including a record 12 years in a row and spanning two decades from 1984 to 1995. Pontiac won the award 10 times, Ford three times and Plymouth once, in 1970.    

The NHRA Manufacturers Cup is awarded to the automobile manufacturer whose current year models earn the most points for qualifying and category victories at NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series national events, NHRA Lucas Oil Series divisional events and the three JEGS NHRA SPORTSnationals events in Belle Rose, La., Fontana, Calif., and Columbus, Ohio.  Points are awarded to entries in Pro Stock, Super Stock, Stock and, beginning in 2011, the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Funny Car class.   Manufacturers earn 60 points for an eliminator victory, 40 points for an eliminator runner-up and 20 points for an eliminator qualification. Adding the Funny Car class to this year’s program is designed to incentivize and reward manufacturers that have expanded their involvement in the category.  Currently, Ford, Dodge and Toyota all field teams in Funny Car using one of its 2011 brands.

Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., NHRA is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2011.  As the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States, NHRA presents 22 national events featuring the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and the NHRA Drags: Street Legal Style presented by AAA.  NHRA also offers the Jr. Drag Racing League for youth ages 8 to 17.  In addition, NHRA owns and operates five racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Atlanta Dragway in Georgia; National Trail Raceway in Ohio; Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis; and Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Southern California. For more information, log on to NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.