One of the largest specialty retailers of aftermarket automotive parts has been named title-rights sponsor of the Northwest’s premier motorsports event: the newly-named O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals.

The event, scheduled for Aug. 5-7 at Pacific Raceways in Kent, is the 14th stop in the 22-race NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

“It is an honor to have O’Reilly as title sponsor of the Northwest Nationals,” said Jason Fiorito, president of Pacific Raceways. “O’Reilly is such a strong brand in the auto parts industry and like our race track was a family-founded business.”

In addition to its Northwest Nationals sponsorship announcement, O’Reilly also inked a deal to sponsor the NHRA Route 66 Nationals near Chicago on July 7-10.

“We’re excited and happy to have O’Reilly Auto Parts as the title sponsor for two very important races in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series,” said Tony Driscoll, NHRA vice president, sales and business development.

The date for the Seattle race has moved to the first full weekend in August and will position the event at the end of the “NHRA Western Swing,” a punishing three races in three consecutive weekends that starts in Denver, moves to Sonoma, Calif., before ending at Pacific Raceways. The Aug. 5-7 date will put the NHRA’s premier series in the Seattle area during Seafair weekend, something that hasn’t occurred in a number of years, and placing Kent as the center of speed with Top Fuel Dragsters reaching speeds over 300 mph in the quarter mile. The event will also have same-day coverage on ESPN2.

“The Northwest has always been a hotbed of speed,” Fiorito said. “Jerry ‘The King’ Ruth, Herm Petersen, Ed ‘The Ace’ McCulloch, Gordy Bonin, Jim Green, Dick Kalivoda…the list of great Northwest drivers who have raced at big events at Pacific Raceways is really endless. We are proud of our drag race heritage and the connection we have with race fans throughout the Northwest and Western Canada.”

Tickets for the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals are available by contacting NHRA at www.nhratix.com or by calling 800-884-NHRA.