Route 66 Raceway in Joliet returns; Houston, Virginia fall off the NHRA schedule for 2023.
When the subject of Pomona Raceway, the rumor mill has been working overtime.
News of the Los Angeles County Fairplex’s intention to upgrade the 487-acre facility in Pomona, Calif., that includes the NHRA-sanctioned Auto Club Raceway sparked rumors—and even a published report or two—that it was time to write off the historic track at Pomona.
Over the weekend at the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, series officials poured cold water on the rumors. On Monday, the series proved good to its word, as Pomona has retained two spots on the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series.
The NHRA has held the Winternationals event at Pomona since 1961.
The 21-race 2023 schedule includes race weekends at Pomona, March 30-April 2 and again for the NHRA Finals on Nov. 9-12.
Pomona, however, does fall from the leadoff spot in the schedule. That honor goes to Gainesville on March 9-12. The NHRA then travels to Phoenix two weeks later, and then it’s Pomona’s turn.
Gone from the schedule for next season is Houston Raceway Park, which is closing this year, and Virginia Motorsports Park at North Dinwiddle.
Pep Boys NHRA All-Star Callout races will be held in Gainesville and Indianapolis.
NHRA previously released the dates for the first four events of the 2023 season, including the opener, the 54th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway on March 9-12. The series also makes a return back to Route 66 Raceway just outside of Chicago for the Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance on May 19-21.
“We are thrilled to release our full schedule for the 2023 season, which will bring incredible racing action to tracks all across the country,” NHRA president Glen Cromwell said. “We’re proud of everyone involved who worked so hard to get Route 66 Raceway back on our schedule. Starting with what will be an incredible kickoff in Gainesville, there are lot of exciting moments to look forward to next year. We appreciate our fans, race teams, track partners and sponsors who all helped to put the 2023 plan in place.”
2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Schedule
March 9-12: 54th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, Fl. The race will also include the Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout.
March 24-26: 38th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals, Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, Phoenix
March 30-April 2: 63rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com, Pomona Raceway, Pomona, Calif.
April 14-16: 23rd annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas
April 28-30: 13th annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, zMAX Dragway, Charlotte
May 19-21: 23rd annual Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance, Route 66 Raceway, Chicago
June 2-4: 10th annual NHRA New England Nationals, New England Dragway, Epping, N.H.
June 9-11: 22nd annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, Bristol Dragway, Bristol, Tenn.
June 22-25: 17th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, Ohio
July 14-16: 43rd annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals, Bandimere Speedway, Denver
July 21-23: 34th annual Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals, Pacific Raceways, Seattle
July 28-30: 35th annual DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals, Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma, Calif.
Aug. 11-13: 34th annual Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor, Heartland Motorsports Park, Topeka, Kan.
Aug. 17-20: 41st annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd, Minn.
Aug. 30-Sept. 4: 69th annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Indianapolis. The race will also include the Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout.
COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP
Sept. 14-17: 38th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals, Maple Grove Raceway, Reading, Pa.
Sept. 22-24: 15th annual NHRA Carolina Nationals, zMAX Dragway, Charlotte.
Sept. 29-Oct. 1: 12th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals, World Wide Technology Raceway, St. Louis
Oct. 12-15: 38th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals, Texas Motorplex, Dallas
Oct. 26-29: 23rd annual NHRA Nevada Nationals, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas
Nov. 9-12: 58th annual NHRA Finals, Pomona Raceway, Pomona, Calif.
Mike Pryson Mike Pryson covered auto racing for the Jackson (Mich.) Citizen Patriot and MLive Media Group from 1991 until joining Autoweek in 2011.
Keyword: NHRA Releases 2023 Schedule, and Pomona Question Is Answered