IHRA announces major changes to Tournament of Champions
Summit TOC field narrowed to include only the year's best drivers
NORWALK, Ohio (December 27, 2012)
– Only the best of the best will participate in the 2013 Summit Racing
Equipment Tournament of Champions presented by AMSOIL. That is because
beginning next season the IHRA will be narrowing the field to only
include the top drivers on the prestigious Summit Pro-Am Tour making the
tournament field a true cross-section of the best IHRA racers from
across North America.
While
past versions of the IHRA's year-end championship tournament have
included a collection of special event and big race winners in addition
to Summit Pro-Am Tour regulars, beginning in 2013 the Summit Tournament
of Champions will only be made up of drivers competing on the Pro-Am
Tour recognizing year-round success at a multitude of different tracks.
And
the entire program will be highlighted by a renewed commitment to
sportsman drag racing as sponsor Summit Racing Equipment recently signed
a multiyear deal to return as sponsor of the program.
Beginning
next season the only way a driver can earn a spot in the Tournament of
Champions is by finishing in the top three in their respective division
on the Summit Pro-Am Tour. Single race winners will no longer earn an
automatic tournament bid, instead focusing all championship aspirations
on those racers that chase points on the Pro-Am Tour and enjoy
season-long success.
To
further reward drivers that compete on the Summit Pro-Am Tour, Pro-Am
champions will receive an increased payout and payouts will be expanded
to include drivers that finish in third place in their respective
division.
While
automatic, one race bids have been eliminated, competition at Nitro
Jams will continue to be an important part of the formula as most all
Nitro Jams in 2013 will double as a Summit Pro-Am weekend. But instead
of one race qualifiers, essentially all Pro-Am races will act as a
chance to qualify for the Tournament of Champions. Sportsman competitors
that win on the final night of Nitro Jam will also receive an increased
payout, contingency and a national event Ironman.
The
narrowed tournament field, which determines the World Champion through
10th place in each of the IHRA's seven touring classes, will award
$10,000 to the World Champion in addition to a special edition Ironman
and more and will be contested at the Summit Racing Equipment World
Finals at Memphis International Raceway. Championship runners-up through
fifth place will continue to receive a cash prize, while drivers
finishing sixth through 10th in the world will receive a gift card
courtesy of Summit Racing Equipment. Visit www.ihra.com for complete
Tournament of Champions payout information.
The
new Tournament of Champions structure will continue to generate a first
round ladder based on drivers that show up to compete at the IHRA World
Finals and each class ladder will be generated via reaction time from
the final qualifying time prior to the race.
A
driver may compete in the Summit Tournament of Champions in a maximum
of two different classes, but may not drive the same car in two classes
during the race.
Once
the field is set the best drivers in Top Sportsman, Top Dragster, Super
Stock, Stock, Quick Rod, Super Rod and Hot Rod will go head-to-head
against their peers with the final seven drivers left standing being
named an IHRA World Champion.
"When
we first designed the Tournament of Champions the idea was to reward
all those drivers that had a good year by giving everyone, from the
traveling pro to the guy that can only race regionally, an equal
opportunity to chase a World Championship," said IHRA President Aaron
Polburn. "While the TOC has served that function well by giving us a
diverse group of champions each year, we wanted to take it a step
further in 2013 by limiting the field to only those that compete on the
Pro-Am Tour.
"In
researching the tournament field over the past few years we found that
most drivers that qualify for the tournament are chasing Pro-Am points
anyway, so we took the next logical step by narrowing the field to only
include those that do well throughout the season as oppose to someone
who does well at one race.
"With
this new format we are rewarding those that compete throughout the year
on the Pro-Am Tour while still giving those drivers that can't travel
an equal shot at competing for a championship."
All
other Tournament of Champions rules and guidelines will continue to be
in effect. For more information on the 2013 Summit Racing Equipment
Tournament of Champions presented by AMSOIL visit www.ihra.com/TournamentofChampions.
