Route 66 Raceway Announces 2014 Drag Racing Schedule

The complete Route 66 Raceway drag strip event schedule was released recently, packed with renowned events like the O’Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals, Four Seasons Heating, Air Conditioning and Plumbing Burndown at Sundown!, Route 66Swap Meet, Nitto NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street Legal Drag Racing and the Hollywood Casino Joliet Route 66 Classic.

Test & Tunes begin on April 12 and the first of nine ET Bracket races get underway on April 27, providing local competitors with 25 opportunities to enter the Stadium of Drag Racing. Part of this season’s Test & Tune lineup will feature Friday Nights at 66, a "fun run" format open to all racers. If you’re new to racing, Route 66 Raceway’s trained staff will guide you through the process to safely race your car on the drag strip. Each of the Friday Nights at 66 events will also feature a host car club in the designated Cruise-in Car Corral, a non-competitive place to show your vehicle, watch the races and take in the sights and sounds with other car enthusiasts.

Taking place under the lights on Saturday, June 7, The Four Seasons Heating, Air Conditioning and Plumbing Burndown at Sundown! features fire-breathing jet cars being propelled to speeds approaching 300 miles per hour. The Burndown at Sundown! serves as a precursor for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by Super Start Batteries,June 26-29. Last season’s Nationals event featured four three-second Funny Car runs at Route 66, the only track to break the four-second barrier four separate times in 2013.

The Super Bowl of Street Legal Drag Racing showcases the NMRA and NMCA, July 10-13, with over 30 classes of all-door slammer drag racing.  On top of the monumental track action, check out the pristine car show cruisers and browse the manufacturer’s midway and swap meet.

On August 16, the Hollywood Casino Joliet Route 66 Classic returns to pay homage to early drag racing and hot rod culture, including a special appearance from members of the Nostalgia Drag Racing League. In the ultimate tribute to all things vintage, hundreds of classic hot rods will participate on the drag strip and in the Cruise-In Car Corral in a quarter-mile blast down memory lane.

To close the season, the Route 66 Raceway Swap Meet will return for its sixth year, inviting buyers and sellers from all over the Midwest to exchange items and display their cars in a Show ‘n Shine.

Tickets for the 2014 events at Route 66 Raceway go on sale Wednesday, Jan. 15, except for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals, and will be available by visiting www.Route66Raceway.com or by calling (888) 629-RACE.