CELEBRATION OF AMERICANA AND SPEED AT SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT MOTORSPORTS PARK NHRA EVENT JULY 5-8
NORWALK, Ohio -- NHRA and the team at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park have come up with the perfect way to extend your July Fourth celebrations this year.
NHRA fans are in for a real treat with great action on and off the track all weekend when the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals returns to Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park July 5-8.
On track, all four NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series categories will be in competition as well as the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by ProCare Rx and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series for sportsman racers. In addition, NHRA fans will be treated to the K&N Horsepower Challenge, a specialty race featuring top Pro Stock racers. Off the track, visitors to one of the most family-friendly venues in motorsports and entertainment can take part in numerous events to celebrate America's 236th birthday that are free with their race ticket.
Upon arrival, spectators will be immersed in a Fourth of July celebration as they drive into the historic raceway, as American flags will adorn routes 18 and 601. Upon entering Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park, guests will be greeted by patriotic features at the main entrances along with red, white and blue bunting and other patriotic decor facility wide.
Throughout the grounds, groups of roving entertainers will help to make the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals a family-friendly festival. Balloon clowns and magicians plus fife and drum performers will roam the immaculate facility all weekend, and fans should keep their eyes open for ice-cream carts with free novelties.
Live music will be performed by numerous bands each evening at both the party pavilion and the campgrounds. Forest & the Evergreens, Yellow No. 5, Breakfast Club and other bands will entertain the crowds long into the night.
After watching the 7,000-horsepower Top Fuel cars thunder down the track on Friday night, fans will be treated to a signature Fourth of July fireworks show presented by Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park. Long known as one of the best fireworks shows on the NHRA circuit, this Fourth of July celebration will be sure to thrill fans and keep them talking until the next Fourth of July. Just before the fireworks, Bob Motz, in his jet Kenworth, and jet dragster pilots Ernie Bogue and Jill Canuso will close the on-track action for the night.
Saturday will include the K&N Horsepower Challenge, the winner of which will receive $50,000 and wear the crown of top Pro Stock racer for the following year, and a special unveiling of John Force's Funny Car featuring an American pride paint scheme that will be run during the Night of Fire at the track Aug. 11.
Following racing on Saturday, fans are invited to stay in their seats and witness the union of Nancy Miller and T.J. Moffitt as they become husband and wife. The couple met at the inaugural NHRA event at the track and found it fitting to get married at this special facility.
Championship pre-race activities will kick off at 9 a.m. on Sunday, July 8, with a thrilling concert by Phil Dirt and the Dozers followed by driver introductions at 10 a.m. The weekend will come to a crescendo with eliminations taking place at 11 a.m., highlighted by a flyover of four T-6 Texan, or SNJ, airplanes that flew in World War II and the Korean War; the planes will be piloted by members of the Cleveland Wing of the Commemorative Air Force. Following the flyover, 4,000 red, white and blue balloons will be released immediately before the first pair of Top Fuel cars comes to life.
* SCHEDULE: NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series qualifying sessions are scheduled for 4 and 6:30 p.m. on Friday, July 6, and 11:40 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. on Saturday, July 7. Final eliminations will begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday, July 8.
* TICKETS: For tickets for the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, please call Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park at (419) 668-5555 or log on to www.summitmotorsportspark.tix.com.
* ON TV: ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise 90 minutes of qualifying coverage at 6 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, July 7, and three hours of eliminations coverage at 8 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, July 8.
* LUCAS OIL SERIES: The Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals will feature competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, where the future stars of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series are born. Lucas Oil Series qualifying begins at 9 a.m. on July 5; eliminations begin at 8 a.m. on July 6 and continue through July 8.
* ON THE WEB: Get live timing, scoring, multimedia and the latest news updates from every NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event on the Internet at www.nhra.com. Visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT NHRA NATIONALS FACT SHEET
WHAT: Sixth annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, the 12th of 23 events in the 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Drivers in four categories - Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle - earn points leading to 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series world championships.
WHERE: Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park, Norwalk, Ohio. The track is located at 1300 State Route 18, half way between Cleveland and Toledo; just an hour and a half north of Columbus. The Ohio Turnpike is less than 10 minutes away. www.summitemotorsportspark.com
WHEN: Thursday through Sunday, July 5-8.
SCHEDULE:
THURSDAY, July 5 - LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying at 9 a.m.
FRIDAY, July 6 - LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations begin at 8 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, July 7 -- LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations continue at 8 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 11:40 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.
K&N HORSEPOWER CHALLENGE at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 6:15 p.m.
SUNDAY, July 8 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, July 7, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise 90 minutes of qualifying coverage at 6 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 8, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours of eliminations coverage starting at 8 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Digital HD feed):
Friday, July 6, 9:30 - 10 p.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 14C
Saturday, July 7, 6:30 - 7 a.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 14C
Sunday, July 8, 7- 7:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 14C
(3980 MHz, vertical; Data Rate: 40.461470554 Mbp; Symbol Rate: 29.27 Ms; FEC: ¾; Bandwidth: 36 Mhz)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners' interviews on Sunday.
2011 WINNERS: Del Worsham, Top Fuel; Mike Neff, Funny Car; Vincent Nobile, Pro Stock; Eddie Krawiec, Pro Stock Motorcycle.
MOST VICTORIES: Larry Dixon, 2, TF; Greg Anderson, 2, PS; Andrew Hines, 2, PSM.
TRACK RECORDS:
Top Fuel -- 3.780 seconds by Larry Dixon, June '10; 320.43 mph by Dixon, June '10.
Funny Car -- 4.032 seconds by Ashley Force Hood, June '10; 313.15 mph by Del Worsham, June '10.
Pro Stock -- 6.583 seconds by Ron Krisher, June '11; 209.36 mph by Krisher, June '11.
PS Motorcycle -- 6.887 seconds by Hector Arana Jr., June '11; 194.49 mph by Andrew Hines, June '10.
NATIONAL RECORDS:
Top Fuel - 3.735 sec. by Del Worsham, Oct. '11, Reading, Pa.; 332.18 mph by Spencer Massey, April '12, Charlotte, N.C.
Funny Car - 3.995 sec. by Matt Hagan, Sept. '11, Charlotte, N.C.; 318.99 mph by Jack Beckman, Sept. '11, Charlotte, N.C.
Pro Stock - 6.477 sec. by Jason Line, Oct. '11, Reading, Pa.; 213.91 mph by Jason Line, April '12, Charlotte, N.C.
PS Motorcycle - 6.750 sec. by Eddie Krawiec, March '12, Gainesville, Fla.; 199.26 mph by Eddie Krawiec, March '11, Gainesville, Fla.
TICKETS: For tickets, call (419) 668-5555 or purchase online at www.summitmotorsportspark.tix.com.
NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS
GLENDORA, Calif. -- Point standings (top 10) following the 11th of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series -
Top Fuel: 1. Tony Schumacher, 879; 2. Antron Brown, 876; 3. Spencer Massey, 868; 4. Steve Torrence, 775; 5. Morgan Lucas, 698; 6. Doug Kalitta, 656; 7. Shawn Langdon, 616; 8. Brandon Bernstein, 536; 9. David Grubnic, 521; 10. Clay Millican, 490.
Funny Car: 1. Robert Hight, 950; 2. Ron Capps, 854; 3. Jack Beckman, 701; 4. Johnny Gray, 687; 5. Mike Neff, 686; 6. Jeff Arend, 556; 7. Courtney Force, 554; 8. Bob Tasca III, 549; 9. Cruz Pedregon, 545; 10. John Force, 536.
Pro Stock: 1. Greg Anderson, 995; 2. Jason Line, 893; 3. Allen Johnson, 888; 4. Mike Edwards, 783; 5. Erica Enders, 695; 6. Vincent Nobile, 694; 7. Ronnie Humphrey, 519; 8. Rodger Brogdon, 461; 9. Shane Gray, 427; 10. Larry Morgan, 403.
Pro Stock Motorcycle: 1. Eddie Krawiec, 522; 2. Andrew Hines, 447; 3. Hector Arana, 383; 4. Hector Arana Jr, 381; 5. LE Tonglet, 292; 6. Michael Ray, 270; 7. Karen Stoffer, 267; 8. Matt Smith, 243; 9. Scotty Pollacheck, 225; 10. Shawn Gann, 222.
