For the fourth straight year, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park will feature a festive atmosphere in May, as the popular Cleetus and Cars Burnout Rivals event will take place on Friday and Saturday.
As part of the unique event, NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car categories will enjoy a featured spotlight, starting with a pair of qualifying rounds on Friday and eliminations on Saturday.
Several top names in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series will be racing during the special regional event, including legendary Hall of Fame driver Tony Stewart, who made his Top Fuel debut this season, former Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion Angelle Sampey and longtime nitro standout Tommy Johnson Jr.
Stewart, Sampey and Johnson will be three of the featured drivers in the talent-heavy TAD and TAFC categories this weekend at the Cleetus and Cars Burnout Rivals event, which was made popular by YouTube sensation Cleetus McFarland. The action-packed two-day event features burnouts, exotic car drag racing and a full-field Ford Crown Victoria oval race.
The pair of NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Top Alcohol classes were included during the event, for the first time last year and return in 2024, adding an even more excitement to what’s become a thrilling two-day event for fans at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
“It was really exciting to have our drivers in Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car receive a big spotlight at this huge event a year ago, and we’re looking forward to having them be a part of all the festivities again,” NHRA Vice President of Track Management and Operations Kasey Coler said. “The Cleetus and Cars Burnout Rivals events in Indy have had great crowds and an incredible atmosphere every year. It’s such a fun and unique event, and we can’t wait to have another great weekend this year.”
With a massive YouTube following of more than three million subscribers, McFarland has created an incredible atmosphere with his Cleetus and Cars Burnout Rivals events. The weekend that has garnered huge crowds in Indy the past three years. The addition of the talent-heavy Top Alcohol classes only added to the excitement, with drivers competing for championship points and a full regional event payout.
For fans experiencing the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series for the first time, they will get the chance to enjoy incredible action in both classes, with Top Alcohol Dragsters making low five-second runs at more than 270 mph and Top Alcohol Funny Cars going five seconds in the quarter-mile and more than 250 mph.
The Indianapolis event will also include the Indy 800 on Friday, a special event on the IRP oval track featuring a fleet of identically prepared Ford Crown Victoria cars. In addition to a large on-site fanbase, Cleetus and Cars Burnout Rivals events offer live streaming to fans across the world. Last year, tickets were sold to fans from 40 different U.S. states, as well as Canada and Australia, with drivers from all four regions in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competing at the event.
To purchase tickets to Cleetus and Cars Burnout Rivals and to view a full weekend schedule, fans can visit www.RaceIRP.com/Cleetus. For more information on NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.
GENERAL SCHEDULE
Friday, May 3
9:00 AM – Parking Lot and Pit Gate Opens
1:00 PM – Spectator Gates Open
On-Track: Indy 800 presented by Heat Wave Visual, plus Top Alcohol Qualifying and YouTuber meet and greets.
Saturday, May 4
8:00 AM – Parking Lot and Pit Gate Opens
11:00 AM – Spectator Gates Open
On-Track: Burnout Rivals and Pro Burnout Competition; Streetcar Shootout, Top Alcohol Eliminations, grudge racing and YouTuber meet and greets.
This story was originally published on May 3, 2024. 
