Gateway Motorsports Park recently released the NHRA-sanctioned Dragplex in Madison, Illinois racing calendar for 2017.

The main event of the 2017 season is the annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals for the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. The event draws the world’s biggest names in professional drag racing and will be held September 29 to October 1.

A number of high-profile special events are on tap for 2017, including the signature throwback meet known as the St. Louis Nostalgia Rendezvous. The May 12-13 Rendezvous will feature many classes of nostalgia drag racing (including Gassers and Super Stocks), a traditional car show, DJs, rockabilly bands and a pin-up girl contest.

The prestigious Protect the Harvest Midwest Junior Super Series presented by Lucas Oil for Jr. Dragsters will make its way twice to GMP in 2017, on April 7-9 and October 6-8. The long-running United Black Drag Racers Association meet — a St. Louis drag racing tradition — takes place September 8-10.

The Mid-America Super Chevy Show — the annual celebration of all things Chevrolet — will converge on the Dragplex October 13-14.

GMP’s Dragplex also will host to an unprecedented five 5k running events in 2017.
 
MARCH
4          DriftSTL
10        Midnight Madness (street-legal-only special edition)
18        Test ‘n’ Tune
19        NASA Autocross (pit area)
24        Midnight Madness
25        Test ‘n’ Tune
26        SCCA Solo (pit area)
 
APRIL
1          Bracket points race No. 1, Jr. Dragster points race No. 1
2          Bracket points race No. 2, Jr. Dragster points race No. 2, Heads-Up Street Cars
7-9       Protect the Harvest Midwest Junior Super Series presented by Lucas Oil
14        Midnight Madness
15        Color Vibe 5k
21        JEGS Super Quick Test ‘n’ Tune (noon-5 p.m.)
21        PSCA Heads-Up Hootenanny qualifying (5-11 p.m.)
22        JEGS Super Quick qualifying, Bracket points race No. 3, Jr. Dragster points race No. 3
22        PSCA Heads-Up Hootenanny eliminations (5-11 p.m.)
23        JEGS Super Quick, Bracket points race No. 4, Jr. Dragster points race No. 4
26        Wide Open Wednesday
29        Bracket points race No. 5, Jr. Dragster points race No. 5
30        Import Face-off
 
MAY
3          Wide Open Wednesday
5          Midnight Madness
6          Bubble Run 5k (8 a.m.-2 p.m.)
6          Model T Swap Meet (move-in and set-up, 2-10 p.m.)
7          Model T Swap Meet
10        Wide Open Wednesday
12        St. Louis Nostalgia Rendezvous qualifying and time trials
13        St. Louis Nostalgia Rendezvous (nostalgia drag racing, bands, DJs, traditional car show, pin-up contest) and Brew Bash
17        Wide Open Wednesday
19        Midnight Madness
20        Black Light Slide
21        SCCA Solo (pit area)
24        Wide Open Wednesday
27        Street Car Takeover
 
JUNE
1          ADRL Test ‘n’ Tune
2-3       ADRL
4          Bracket points race No. 6, Jr. Dragster points race No. 6, Heads-Up Street Cars
7          Wide Open Wednesday
9-11     NHDRO Motorcycle Drags (track rental)
18        SCCA Solo (pit area)
21        Wide Open Wednesday
23        Midnight Madness
24        National Hot Rod Diesel Association (NHRDA)
25        BimmerFest: Drags, Heads-Up Street Cars, drifting and car show
28        Wide Open Wednesday
30        Bracket points race No. 7: Holiday weekend late-night special
 
JULY
1          Bracket points race No. 8, Jr. Dragster points race No. 7
5          Wide Open Wednesday
7          Friday Night Gambler and Fun Ford time trials
8          Fun Ford event and Jr. Dragster points race No. 8 (8 a.m.-3 p.m.)
8          Bracket points race No. 9 (begins at 3 p.m.)
9          SCCA Solo (pit area)
12        Wide Open Wednesday
14        Midnight Madness
15        Night Nation 5k
16        SCCA Solo (pit area)
19        Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series (LODRS) move-in and set-up
20        Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Test ‘n’ Tune
21        Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series qualifying
22        Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series: Hot Rod Showdown (Admission: $20 per car load)
26        Wide Open Wednesday
28        Friday Night Gambler, Heads-Up Shootout
29        Bracket points race No. 10, Street Driven Tour drags
30        SCCA Solo (pit area)
 
AUGUST
3          Nostalgia and Street Car Super Nationals Test ‘n’ Tune
4          Nostalgia time trials and qualifying (1-6 p.m.)
4          Street Car Super Nationals qualifying (6 p.m.-1 a.m.)
5          Cavalcade of Speed Spectacular, Nostalgia eliminations (11 a.m.-6 p.m.)
5          Street Car Super Nationals Eliminations (6 p.m.-1 a.m.)
9          Wide Open Wednesday
11        Midnight Madness
12        Doug Foley Racing Experience (8 a.m.-4 p.m.)
12        Bracket points race No. 11: Late-night special (4 p.m.-1 a.m.)
13        DriftSTL
16        Wide Open Wednesday
19        Go STL 5k
20        NASA Autocross (pit area)
28-30   NHRA testing
30        Wide Open Wednesday
 
SEPTEMBER
1          Midnight Madness End-of-Summer Special
2          Bracket points race No. 12: NHRA King of the Track Qualifier, Late-night special
3          Final Bracket points race, Final Jr. Dragster points race, NHRA King of  the Track Eliminations
 6           Wide Open Wednesday
 8           UBDRA Test ‘n’ Tune
 9-10      United Black Drag Racers Association (UBDRA)
 13         Wide Open Wednesday
 16          Optic 5k
17        Import Face-off
20        Wide Open Wednesday
22        Midnight Madness
29-Oct 1 AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals – NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series national event
 
 OCTOBER 
 2           Professional team testing
 4           Wide Open Wednesday
 6-8        Protect the Harvest Midwest Junior Super Series presented by Lucas Oil
 11         Wide Open Wednesday
 13         Mid-America Chevy Dealers Super Chevy Show Test ‘n’ Tune (noon-5 p.m.)
 13         Box and No-box Bracket Shootout (5-10 p.m.)
 14         Mid-America Chevy Dealers Super Chevy Show
 15         National Dragster Challenge bracket race, Street Heads-Up championship
 18         Wide Open Wednesday
 20         Friday night grudge racing and Test ‘n’ Tune
 21         Great American Truck Rally: drags, show, pull (8 a.m.-4 p.m.)
21        SloptoberFest mud bogs and truck obstacles at the Gateway Dirtplex
21        Concert in the Corn at the Dragplex (4 p.m.-10 p.m.)
 22         SCCA Solo (pit area).
 2 7         Midnight Madness.
29        SCCA Solo (pit area).
 
NOVEMBER
2          ADRL Dragstock test session.
3-4       ADRL Dragstock.
10        Midnight Madness street-legal special.
19        NASA Autocross.

Please note: Schedule is subject to change. Please visit here for updates and additions.