ROCKINGHAM — Rockingham Dragway owner Steve Earwood has opted to celebrate 2018 as “the Year of the Bracket Racer.”

In announcing a 2018 schedule anchored by such standards as the Original Super Chevy Show, MOPARS at the Rock, the AMRA Nitro Harley World Finals, the NHRA’s Lucas Oil Series, the ManCup national motorcycle series and the Rugged Maniacs Series, Earwood revealed that more than $1.5 million in cash has been posted for bracket racing in the Top Eliminator, No Box and Footbrake classes.

In fact, if a single driver was to sweep the biggest races of the year at Rockingham, his or her share alone would exceed $500,000.

In addition to the already established Hoosier Tires Carolina Coalition Series, the Big John Memorial Weekend Bracket Championship and the events promoted by Tony Saraceni’s 1320 productions (the ATI Performance Products Top ET Challenge, Top Bulb Shootout, Third Amber Showdown and Powerfest), Earwood has opted to add a third race to the Rock’s Tri-5s series.

Nevertheless, the biggest monetary impact will come from two new events produced by SFG Promotions.

The SFG Super Bowl of Drag Racing will make its Rockingham debut July 20-22 with a daily winner’s purse of $100,000. It will be followed by SFG’s Racer Appreciation event (Oct. 5-7) which will pay one winner $50,000 each day.

“Right now, bracket racing is a really hot across the country and these big-money races are the attractions,” Earwood said. “We’ve always prided ourselves on being cutting edge, so here we are. It should make for an interesting year.”

Also returning for 2018 will be the Mass Acceleration Motorsports street drags series (starting Feb. 10), the Smokeout Bike Rally (June 14-16), ManCup Motorcycle Series (June 1-3), ADRL’s Dragstock Pro Mod race (Sept. 21-22) and — on the 132-foot track — the International Model Drag Racing Association Eastern Nationals (June 8-10) and World Finals (Oct. 4-7).

New to the schedule, in addition to the SFG events, will be a pair of Jr. Dragster races in the Protect the Harvest Jr. Dragster Super Series (April 20-22) — which will be televised nationally on MAVTV — and the Holiday Jr. Jam (Nov. 23-25).

A full breakdown of the 2018 Rockingham Dragway schedule:

SPECIAL EVENTS

March 4 — Blood, Sweat and Gears

March 31 — 27th annual MOPARS at the Rock featuring Bob Reed Memorial Hemi Shootout

April 8 — Import Faceoff

May 4-5 — Modern Hemi Shootout

May 19 — Rugged Maniacs obstacle-course event

September 16 — Southeastern Volkswagen Association car show and race

September 21-22 — ADRL Dragstock Pro Mods and Jets

September 28-29 — Super Chevy Show

October 19-21 — NHRA Lucas Oil Series event and National Open

BRACKETS

Feb. 10, 24; March 3, 9, 30; April 7; June 9; July 7, 14, 28; Aug. 11, 18; Sept. 15; Nov. 10, 17. — Mass Acceleration Motorsports Street Drags

March 16-18 — Rock Racers Appreciation track points 1 and 2

March 22-25 — ATI Top ET Challenge

May 25-27 — Big John Memorial and track points 3, 4 and 5

April 20-22; August 3-5; Nov. 2-5 — Rock Tri-5s

June 22-24 — Elite Top Bulb Shootout

July 19-22 — SFG World Series of Drag Racing

August 24-26 — Carolina Powerfest feature the Blue Light Special

September 8-9 — Hoosier Tires Carolina Coalition Series and track points 6 and 7

October 4-7 — SFG Racer Appreciation Weekend

October 26-28 — Third Amber Throwdown

MOTORCYCLES

June 1-3 — ManCup National Series

June 14-16 — Smokeout Rally

September 2 — Grudgefest IX

October 11-14 — AMRA All-Harley Nitro World Finals featuring the Ray Price Top Fuel Challenge

JR. DRAGSTERS

April 14-15 — Protect the Harvest Super Series (televised on MAVTV)

November 23-25 — Holiday Jr. Jam

SCALE MODEL DRAG RACING

June 8-10 — IMDRA Eastern Nationals

October 4-7 — IMDRA World Finals

Daily Journal file photo Rockingham Dragway’s 2018 schedule, which was recently released by track owner Steve Earwood, will feature the Original Super Chevy Show, MOPARS at the Rock, the AMRA Nitro Harley World Finals and more. Earwood has dubbed 2018 as “the Year of the Bracket Racer.”
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/web1_wilkins-1.jpgDaily Journal file photo Rockingham Dragway’s 2018 schedule, which was recently released by track owner Steve Earwood, will feature the Original Super Chevy Show, MOPARS at the Rock, the AMRA Nitro Harley World Finals and more. Earwood has dubbed 2018 as “the Year of the Bracket Racer.”
More than $1.5 million for grabs in Top Eliminator, Footbrake

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