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The NHRA 2020 season is nearly here and the wait is almost over for the competition’s 65th season to begin. The 2020 season, sponsored by Mello Yello, will see 24 Top Fuel and Funny Car events, 22 Pro Stock events, and 16 Pro Stock Motorcycle events. Fans of motorsports are anticipating a big year of racing and they can wager on the races and drivers they believe will win the season’s elite events or use Michigan Lottery promo code if they prefer to test their luck in another way.
The NHRA will kick off the 2020 season in Pomona, California on February 6th with the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals. The Winternationals enter their 60th year as the traditional season opener for the NHRA. The season will continue until August 27nd when the Chevrolet Performance US Nationals taking place in Brownsburg, Indiana.
From there, the Countdown to the Championship begins with six events starting in mid-September and carrying onto mid-November.
Countdown to Championship Points System change
One of the big changes to this season was announced in mid-January as the NHRA has adjusted the Countdown to the Championship Points System. The Countdown to the Championship is the NHRA’s playoff system that was added to the racing calendar to provide extra excitement for motorsports fans.
The Countdown to the Championship covers the final six events of the NHRA calendar. The new points system will give more drivers from the Top Fuel and Funny Car divisions the chance to make the postseason. The new system will allow any driver who makes a run in two qualifying sessions at each event the chance to compete in the Countdown to the Championship.
The NHRA has stated it will make a points adjustment before the postseason and after the US Nationals competition in August. According to the NHRA’s website, if the new points system “rule had been in effect in 2019, 12 drivers in Top Fuel and 12 drivers in Funny Car would have been part of the Countdown”.
The NHRA 2020 season to bring excitement
While the NHRA has altered its Countdown to the Championship, it will still continue its traditional way for drivers to make the postseason. The top 10 drivers in the NHRA Drag Racing Series categories at the at the end of the NHRA US Nationals will qualify for the Countdown to the Championship.
So why the NHRA made changes to the Countdown to the Championship has points system? Race officials altered the points system to reward driver endurance. In addition, the change is to encourage participation in regular season events by drivers and teams.
One of the competitors that fans will be excited to see this season is Alexis DeJoria, who has returned to racing in the Funny Car series. DeJoria sat out the last two years of racing and returns in a 11,000-horsepower nitro ROKiT Toyota Camry Funny Car.
Experts will have an eye on veteran Top Fuel racer Doug Kalitta. The long-time racer finished second in 2019 standings. It was his fifth championship runner-up finish, but he is still looking for a long overdue first-ever championship. Will he get it in 2020 with the new Countdown to the Championship points system?
