Butler, Kay, Johnson win Summit SuperSeries titles
Big checks, big prizes awarded to winners of drag racing's best grassroots racers
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (October 13, 2012) – The real excitement behind the Summit SuperSeries program is that anyone, anywhere can win it.
Drivers
from the United States, Canada and even a few additional nations have
the opportunity to race for a track championship and, with a little luck
and a lot of skill, make it all the way from their local track to the
big stage at the IHRA Summit Racing Equipment World Finals at Memphis
International Raceway compete for a world championship.
And that is exactly the tale told by Tim Butler, Shane Kay and Austin Johnson.
Summit SuperSeries champions Shane Kay, Austin Johnson and Tim Butler
All
three drivers won at their local tracks, advanced further at the Team
Finals level and eventually found themselves walking in Memphis along
with 48 other drivers going after a championship. With drivers traveling
from as far away as Alaska to compete this weekend, at the end of the
day those three drivers were left standing as the 2012 class of the IHRA
Summit SuperSeries presented by AMSOIL and Moser Engineering as Butler
(Sarasota, Fla.) took the title in Top ET, Kay (Ragland, Ala.) claimed
the Mod ET championship and Johnson (Pearisburg, Va.) won the very first
Junior Dragster world championship.
"It
is a dream come true. To be the first ever winner of this is amazing. I
don't think it has even hit me yet what this means," Johnson said.
Johnson
will forever be remembered as the very first winner of the Junior
Dragster Summit SuperSeries championship as he traveled all the way from
his home track of Motor Mile Dragway in Pearisburg, Va. to compete in
Memphis this weekend.
Just
excited to be a part of the program, Johnson never thought when he
started racing Junior Dragsters just two years ago that he would ever
have such a monumental opportunity at just 14 years of age. And it
showed as Johnson sat in the lanes preparing to run in the final.
"I
was a little nervous, but the day went pretty smooth. It was a great
day, the car ran good and I kept getting more and more excited as the
day went on," Johnson said. "I love the Junior Dragster program and
hopefully one day I can race a rail like all of these nice cars out here
this weekend. This whole experience has been unbelievable."
With
nerves of steel Johnson went up against Cory Tankersley from Texas in
the inaugural Junior Dragster championship and made easy worth of the
matchup, hammering the three with a .024 light and running a 7.941/82.32
on a 7.93 dial to take the win. Tankersley, representing his home track
of Lonestar Motorsports Park, ran a tad too quick with a 7.866/84.34
pass on a 7.90 dial.
Austin Johnson recorded the very first Junior Dragster World Championship
Johnson also recorded wins over Dylan Kiser, Robert Vogler and Josh Jones on his way to the win.
With
the win Johnson claims a $3,000 prize, a brand new Junior Dragster
built by Vic Puglia with an engine courtesy of Steve Waller, a
championship trophy, diamond ring and more. Johnson earned his way to
the World Finals via a runner-up finish at the Division 1 Summit Team
Finals event at Richmond Dragway earlier this month.
While
Johnson will go down in history as the very first winner of the new
SuperSeries Junior program, Mod ET winner Shane Kay will be remembered
for a different reason.
Kay
honestly should not have even been in Memphis after an untimely break
put his machine out of commission just one week prior. But through the
kind act of his home track Alabama International Raceway and owner Jason
Collins, Kay was able to borrow a car to compete at the World Finals
and is now $10,000 richer because of it.
"It
has been a long season. I won the track championship for the third year
in a row, but we had some breaks including last weekend," Kay said. "I
came into last weekend for the bracket finals running the best I have
run all year and the first round after the main event I blew an engine
and was in a bit of trouble.
"Within
no time Jason Collins had a car lined up for me and on Wednesday we had
it loaded and we were here on Thursday. I had never spent a second in
this car until Friday."
Kay won the Division 2 West Summit Team Finals at Memphis International
Raceway just one week prior, but had to make an unscheduled trip back
home to get his new ride. And after a long week and four big wins Kay
was able to drive his borrowed '69 Camaro to the winners circle and
collect the IHRA World Championship in Mod ET.
"This
is the greatest feeling in the world. I have raced for years, won six
track championships, but I have never won an Ironman," Kay said. "You
can't imagine what this feels like. This trophy is just beautiful. But I
couldn't have done it without Jason Collins for letting me use his car.
We borrowed it on Wednesday and won the world three days later."
Tim Butler took the big win in Top ET
Kay
collected wins over Mark Gubinski, Randy Biddle and Tim O'Moore before
meeting Texas native Jay Robinson in the final. With the win on the line
both drivers had identical .006 reaction times and both drivers ran
superb numbers with Kay hitting a dead on with a zero 9.520/142.07 to
get the win over Robinson's equally impressive 11.409/117.35 on an
11.40 dial.
With
the win Kay claims a $10,000 prize courtesy of Summit Racing Equipment,
a brand new Pace trailer, custom Golf Cart, championship trophy,
diamond ring, a trip to Aruba and more.
Tim
Butler wrapped up the Summit SuperSeries champions with the longest
haul of the three winners. Butler, representing Immokalee Regional
Raceway, traveled nearly 1,000 miles to be in Memphis with one of the
fastest cars in the competition.
Advancing
to the World Finals via a win at the Division 2 East Summit Team Finals
at Carolina Dragway last month, Butler put together a tremendous day
with four big wins, a championship and a brand new dragster all going
back home with him to Florida for the year.
"This
is just awesome. I have been racing since I was 17 and I am 54 now. I
have had some pretty big wins and I have been so blessed over the years,
but this is right up there with all of them," Butler said.
Butler
went four rounds on Saturday, eliminating Chris Dean, Ken LaBoe, Alan
Glatt and eventually Jonathan Robin from State Capitol Raceway for the
win. In the final Butler had the better light – a .007 to a .016 – but
the race quickly turned into a breakout battle as Butler ran over by
.004 with a 7.766/169.76 in his very quick dragster while Robin ran a
7.641/171.62 on a 7.65 dial.
Shane Kay won the Mod ET championship in a borrowed car
With
the win Butler claims a $10,000 prize courtesy of Summit Racing
Equipment, a brand new dragster built by American Race Cars with a Trick
Flow engine and major components from Moser Engineering, Abruzzi
Transmissions and Converters and many more, a championship trophy,
diamond ring, a trip to Aruba and more.
"This
is such a great deal. It is a great program Summit puts on with
American Race Cars, with Trick Flow, Moser, AMSOIL and all of the
people, this is just fantastic," Butler said.
The
2012 Summit SuperSeries presented by AMSOIL and Moser Engineering
featured drivers from over a dozen states and provinces with drivers
hauling from as far away as Alaska, western Canada and Arizona to be on
hand.
SUMMIT SUPERSERIES TOP
Tim Butler, Sarasota, Fla., dragster, 7.766, 169.76 def. Jonathan Robin, Luling, La., '94 Camaro, 7.641, 171.62.
SUMMIT SUPERSERIES MOD
Shane Kay, Ragland, Ala., '69 Camaro, 9.520, 142.07 def. Jay Robinson, Santa Fe, Texas, '73 Nova, 11.409, 117.35.
SUMMIT SUPERSERIES JUNIOR DRAGSTER
Austin Johnson, Pearisburg, Va., dragster, 7.941, 82.32 def. Cory Tankersley, Conroe, Texas, dragster, 7.866, 84.34.
