The 2021 season of NHRA drag racing is set to be one that looks different from the norm, but we mean that in a good way this time. See, it all started back in 2020, when a global pandemic…… well, you know. Let’s just say that the snow globe was shaken for everyone. Not much about life is ‘normal’ anymore, but there are emerging elements that have the potential to brighten things up a bit – particularly if you’re a fan of Sportsman racing.
Here’s the good stuff: Streaming of select Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series events will be available for (drumroll, please) absolutely free. Horsepower-hungry viewers will find the cure right there on the NHRA.tv platform, and to get the ball rolling on unlocking access to this free content, one will simply need to create an NHRA.tv account.
Thanks to the support of longtime NHRA partner Strange Engineering, the first opportunity to take advantage of this complimentary service is just around the corner. The Lucas Oil divisional event is scheduled to take place Feb. 4-6 with the “Winter Warm-Up” at Orlando Speed World Dragway, and three more races are slated to quickly follow: Feb. 18-20 at South Georgia Motorsports Park; Feb. 26-27 at No Problem Raceway; and March 4-6 at Gainesville Raceway, where the popular “Baby Gators” will take place.
Expressing eagerness for the opportunity to showcase Sportsman racing on the in-house streaming platform, NHRA Vice President of Broadcasting Steve Reintjes emphasized, “NHRA Sportsman drag racing is the backbone of our sport, and we want to highlight their intense competition.”
A continuation of Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series national event television coverage was included in the announcement of a multi-year extension of NHRA’s contract with FOX last September, and over the past few years, NHRA has intensified their focus and presentation of Sportsman racing across the digital world with content such as YouTube features (please tell us you’ve watched “Attention in the Pits!”), Facebook Live streaming from the staging lanes and finish line, and Skype interviews on NHRA.com (not just with winners and champs, friends).
Free streaming of select Sportsman events on NHRA.tv and an ongoing commitment to the inclusion of grassroots members of the sport equate to one inarguable fact: A concerted effort is being made to present an accurate portrait of the depth of NHRA drag racing.
The snow globe may not be done shaking, but we’re starting to see the sunshine. Let’s go racing!
Scroll down for a little bit of TV trivia!
The relevance and value of Sportsman racing was stated boldly in 2020 on raceday at the most prestigious, historic race on the NHRA tour, the U.S. Nationals. NHRA on FOX was live on network television on Sunday, and their plentiful coverage – delivered right into the homes of thousands of NHRA fans – included a surprisingly generous chunk of Sportsman competition. The presentation pulled back the curtain and allowed casual fans a glimpse into a segment of the drag racing world they might not have otherwise realized existed.
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