Palm Beach, The Rock have history with Super Chevy Show

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Nov. 23, 2010)  -- The Super Chevy Show will return to its roots when it begins its 31st season next spring. The national touring series, which is increasing its schedule to 12 events in 2011, including four new venues, will return to a pair of Southeast markets, opening the season at Palm Beach International Raceway in Jupiter, Fla. on April 8-10 and taking a visit to Tobacco Road when it visits famed Rockingham Dragway in North Carolina on Oct. 21-23. Both have hosted Super Chevy Show events in the past, and both track operators -- Palm Beach's Jason Rittenberry and Rockingham's Steve Earwood -- have experience putting on Super Chevy Show events. Palm Beach International Raceway hosted some of the first Super Chevy Show events during the 1980s and welcomes the return of the series after a long hiatus. "Not only are we bringing the Super Chevy Show back to Palm Beach International Raceway, but we're bringing it back as the season opener," Rittenberry said. "It really doesn't get any better than that. The show has been a huge hit in this region in the past and it's been a while since we've had it here at PBIR, so I can't think of a better way to start the Super Chevy Show season. "We're pretty good at kicking off seasons; we have had great success doing that with our IHRA event. That's what this region is good for. We've got loyal drag and car show fans in this area and we've already received great feedback on bringing the show back." PBIR features a state-of-the-art quartermile dragstrip sanctioned by the IHRA, a 2-mile road course and kart track. It hosts several events during the season, including the IHRA Nitro Jam and the Thunder Jam presented by Taco Bell. It's also hosted TV shows PINKS and Pass Time, and this past January hosted a test session featuring some of the top teams and drivers from the NHRA Full Throttle Series. Rittenberry also has experience hosting a Super Chevy Show event. He was general manager and track operator at Memphis Motorsports Park, which annually put on one of the top events of the series. "With my many years of experience at Memphis Motorsports park, there's a lot of knowledge and ideas that I have that can apply to the event here at Palm Beach," Rittenberry said. "Annually, the Memphis show was one of the biggest events on the tour. I'm really proud of that. "I'm excited to bring the Autocross aspect here on top of the traditional car show, drag race, car corral and swap meet categories. One thing I know from Super Chevy Show events is that it's an event anyone can come to and enjoy. I'm ready for PBIR to set the bar for the 2011 Super Chevy Show season." Rockingham also has a storied history hosting drag racing events, including two IHRA events each season. It also is the site for the IHRA Pro-Am Series, the IHRA Bracket Finals and two events in the All-Harley Drag Racing Association series for motorcycles. It will be hosting its first Super Chevy Show since 2001. "We had been looking for another national series we could bring to Rockingham Dragway and the Super Chevy Show was the perfect fit, especially since it's a known commodity," said Earwood, who purchased "The Rock" in 1991. "I have a long history with the Super Chevy Show. I was fortunate enough to have promoted the inaugural Super Chevy Show events at six different racetracks -- The Rock, Indianapolis (O'Reilly Raceway Park), Maple Grove (Reading, Pa.), Texas Motorplex (Ennis, Texas), Atlanta Dragway and West Palm Beach (Palm Beach International Raceway)." The Super Chevy Show is a solid addition to Rockingham's fall calendar, which includes the 20th annual All Harley Drag Racing Nitro Nationals, the Lee's Performance Fall Bike Nationals and the ADRL's record-breaking Dragstock event, which features Pro Mods and Mountain Motor Pro Stock cars. "We plan to establish the Super Chevy event as one of the anchors in our 90-event calendar," Earwood said. "We feel confident that by bringing the Super Chevy Show back, Rockingham Dragway will continue to be recognized as one of the premier drag racing facilities in the country." The event will also be a welcome sight for racing and Chevy fans in the region. "The Super Chevy Show series not only will provide an additional major market motorsports event to which North Carolina fans can relate," Earwood said, "it also will attract new customers from among the millions of brand-loyal Chevrolet drivers and fans across the country."