Friday, December 02, 2011

IHRA announces 2012 Summit Team Finals schedule




NORWALK, Ohio (December 2, 2011) – Following another record season for the popular Summit SuperSeries grassroots program, the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) is pleased to announce its Summit Team Finals schedule for the 2012 racing season.

Designed to give local racers an opportunity to compete on a national stage, the Summit SuperSeries and the Summit Team Finals events have grown each year since its inception in 2002. Today, thousands of racers from all across North America compete at their local track for an opportunity to advance to the Summit Team Finals for a fun weekend of racing with dozens of awards on the line including a chance to advance to the Summit SuperSeries World Championships at the end of the year.


"Over the past decade the Summit SuperSeries and the Summit Team Finals has grown into the preeminent grassroots racing program," said IHRA President Aaron Polburn. "It has been very exciting watching this series grow like it has to include tracks and racers from all corners of North America. Overall the Summit Team Finals is a fun event for the racers and a great way to give them the spotlight that they deserve.

"We look forward to another great year of Summit SuperSeries racing at our great facilities across the nation."

Each year tracks all across North America advance a team of racers to their local Summit Team Finals event to compete for individual and team prizes. Awards are given out in multiple categories including the Summit SuperSeries championship race. Each Summit Team Finals event advances a set number of racers in both the Top and Mod classes to the Summit SuperSeries World Championships at the end of the year with over $200,000 in cash and prizes on the line.

This year's Summit Team Finals schedule spans seven states and one Canadian province beginning in late August and running through early October. The IHRA season will culminate with the IHRA Summit Racing Equipment World Finals October 12-14 at Memphis International Raceway.

The 2012 Summit Team Finals will get underway at Castrol Raceway in Alberta with the Division 6 Border Bandits competition the weekend of August 24-26. The Division 5 Thunder competition will take place the weekend of September 14-16 at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Michigan.

The racing season will really pick up the weekend of September 21-23 with a trio of Summit Team Finals events including the Division 2 East finals at Carolina Dragway in South Carolina, the Division 3 North Stars finals at Pittsburgh Raceway Park in Pennsylvania and the Division 9 Raiders finals at Piedmont Dragway in North Carolina.

Two more races will bring September to a close as the Division 1 Patriots finals at Richmond Dragway in Virginia and the Division 4 Renegades finals at Thunder Road Raceway Park in Louisiana take place the weekend of September 28-30.

The 2012 Summit Team Finals season will wrap up at the newly renovated Memphis International Raceway the weekend of October 5-7 with the Division 2 West finals.

More details about each individual Summit Team Finals event will be released soon, including special races, rule packages and a complete schedule of events. Check back with IHRA.com often for more information.

2012 SUMMIT TEAM FINALS SCHEDULE

DIVISION 1 PATRIOTS
Richmond Dragway – September 28-30

DIVISION 2 HEAT WAVE EAST
Carolina Dragway – September 21-23

DIVISION 2 HEAT WAVE WEST
Memphis International Raceway – October 5-7

DIVISION 3 NORTH STARS
Pittsburgh Raceway Park – September 21-23

DIVISION 4 RENEGADES
Thunder Road Raceway Park – September 28-30

DIVISION 5 THUNDER
U.S. 131 Motorsports Park – September 14-16

DIVISION 6 BORDER BANDITS
Castrol Raceway – August 24-26

DIVISION 9 RAIDERS
Piedmont Dragway – September 21-23