History of the NHRA JDRL

History of the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League

It all started with a man and a dream for his kids

When Vince Napp (right), an NHRA member-track owner with a passion for drag racing, built a half-scale dragster for his kids in 1991, he never dreamed that his invention would launch an exciting new sport for thousands of young people across North America. But that’s exactly what happened.

Napp showed his Jr. Dragster to NHRA officials in early 1992, a timely presentation considering that NHRA had already been planning a publication for its younger drag racing fans. The Jr. Dragster became a catalyst for the NHRA to start a whole new league: the Jr. Drag Racing League (JDRL).

NHRA unveiled the Jr. Dragsters July 9, 1992, during the 23rd annual Mopar Parts Nationals at Napp’s Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J. The capacity crowd witnessed the first Jr. Dragster exhibition race by Jill Caliendo and Napp’s son, David.

July 9, 1992: David Napp, near lane, and Jill Caliendo

Two more dragsters were built, and an exhibition tour continued at the remaining 10 national events of the 1992 season. At each site, an information tent was used to determine interest and solicit information sign-ups. The response was overwhelmingly positive. NHRA member tracks began adding JDRL programs, and dozens of builders began filling orders for Jr. Dragsters. Racers began competing at local tracks in 1993 as the League grew at an astounding rate. Jr. DRAGSTER, the official publication of the JDRL, debuted in September of that year.

In 1994, NHRA sponsored the first Jr. Drag Racing League National Championships at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis in Indianapolis, Ind., which drew more than 500 young drivers.

Each season, the JDRL continues to achieve new levels of success. More than 15 years after the first exhibition run, the JDRL has approximately 4,500 participants, who compete at about 130 tracks across the country. The NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League Eastern and Western Conference Finals are the premier events of the JDRL season, each awarding Wallys and close to $100,000 in savings bonds every year.

The League has produced a number of the strong drivers who have gone on to achieve great success in a number of NHRA’s “big car” programs. From the Summit Racing Series programs at NHRA’s 140 member tracks to the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing and Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, former Jr. racers are using the skills they learned in the Jr. Drag Racing League to compete and win in “big cars.” “Big car” standouts who got their start in the Jr. Drag Racing League include Top Fuel racers Del Cox Jr., Shawn Langdon (a two-time Super Comp national champion), Morgan Lucas, Spencer Massey, and J.R. Todd; Pro Stock drivers Erica Enders, Danny Gruninger, Rickie Jones, and Richie Stevens Jr.; Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Katie Sullivan; 2010 Super Stock national champion Ryan McClanahan; 10-time national event winner Brad Plourd; and eight-time national event winner Justin Lamb.