Summit Racing
Over 7,000 IHRA competitors will challenge for the 2016 Summit SuperSeries World Championship
NORWALK, OH – The 2016 edition of the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) Summit SuperSeries is off and 
running at many of the Southern based IHRA member tracks. This season will feature familiar names supporting the series but a brand new format that has competitors and tracks buzzing with anticipation.
As in year’s past, every IHRA participating track will crown a Summit SuperSeries track champion. The big difference in 2016, as compared to previous years, is that each champion will no longer run-off at their Summit Team Finals event but rather be invited directly to the Summit World Finals in Memphis. This will be the single largest gathering of championship contenders the sport of drag racing has ever seen competing head-to-head for the IHRA National Championship.
“We’ve received a lot of positive feedback from competitors and IHRA member tracks on this new format and we are looking forward to seeing the largest championship race in history unfold during the Summit World Finals in Memphis” said Summit Racing Motorsports & Events Manager Jim Greenleaf. “At the end of the day, we recognize it is a big trip to Memphis for a lot of competitors. We have been hosting competitors from Alaska, Western Canada, Aruba and Newfoundland over the course of this program, so we think that taking a shot at the biggest sportsman National Championship in the country is worth the trip”.
This Weekend’s IHRA Summit Racing Pro-Am Series event at State Capitol Raceway Postponed To June 5-7 Due To Weather
Norwalk, OH – The International Hot Rod Association™ (IHRA) has postponed this weekend’s Summit Racing Pro-
Am event at State Capitol Raceway in Port Allen, Louisiana, due to weather.
The new date for the Summit Racing Pro-Am event at State Capitol Raceway June 5-7.
“The weekend weather forecast for the Baton Rouge area calls for thunderstorms over the entire weekend,” said President Scott Gardner. “We are postponing the event now to save our sportsman racers a trip to the track for an event that has a very good chance of raining out. We also do not want to inconvenience our loyal fans. By postponing the event, racers and fans alike will save money and be able to enjoy the Summit Racing Pro-Am Series racing under better conditions.”
Summit Racing Equipment Expands IHRA Tournament Of Champions To Include Junior Dragster
Norwalk, OH – The International Hot Rod Association™ (IHRA) is proud to announce its Master and Advanced Jr. 
Dragster classes have been added to the annual Summit Racing Equipment Tournament of Champions presented by AMSOIL – held during the World Finals in Memphis, Tennessee – and will be will be sponsored by longtime series partner Summit Racing Equipment.
“The JR Race Car Jr. Dragster racers are the future of our sport and this announcement is exciting news for them,” said IHRA President Scott Gardner. “We would like to thank Summit Racing Equipment, our valued and longtime partner, for adding their support to this class by including them in the Summit Tournament of Champions and posting a most generous purse.”
The $100,000 Summit Racing Equipment Tournament of Champions presented by AMSOIL debuted in 2009 and is the sport’s first nationwide head-to-head tournament to determine the champions in each of the premier sportsman classes in IHRA competition. This revolutionary format not only reduces costs financially for IHRA racers, but it rewards all drivers who have had a successful year with a level playing field where location and finances are not a factor in determining the world champions.
IHRA ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO SUMMIT SUPERSERIES CHAMPIONSHIP PROGRAM CHANGES MADE TO QUALIFICATION GUIDELINES, RACE DISTANCE
NORWALK, OH – The International Hot Rod Association™ (IHRA) announced today a number of changes designed 
to improve the Summit Racing Equipment SuperSeries presented by AMSOIL World Championship program in 2015.
Among those changes, the IHRA announced that the Summit SuperSeries World Championship held at Memphis International Raceway will be contested on the eighth-mile for the first time in program history. IHRA also announced a change to the qualifying guidelines used to determine the field of participants at the Summit SuperSeries World Championship race held at the end of the year.
With more and more divisions switching to eighth-mile competition at their Summit Team Finals events, IHRA decided to make the switch to reflect that trend. Currently, seven of the nine divisions that compete in the Summit SuperSeries program run on the eighth-mile, and the IHRA wanted the World Championship to reflect the trends at the divisional level.
Summit Pro-Am Tour event at Farmington Dragway postponed to August 22-24
With a forecast calling for heavy rains throughout the weekend, the Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Tour presented by AMSOIL 
race at Farmington Dragway scheduled for this weekend has been postponed.
The Raiders Division competition has been rescheduled for the weekend of August 22-24 and will follow the current schedule. The new date will feature a Division 9 points meet on Saturday, August 23 followed by a makeup race from earlier in the year on Sunday, August 24.
Summit Racing Equipment inks multi-year deal to return as sponsor of IHRA’s SuperSeries program
NORWALK, OH – The International Hot Rod Association is excited to announce that Summit Racing Equipment, the nation’s leading 
provider of high performance racing parts, has signed a multi-year agreement to return as sponsor of the hugely popular IHRA SuperSeries program.
From its beginnings in 2002, the Summit SuperSeries has grown into the preeminent program for grassroots drag racing. Designed to give racers an opportunity to compete for a world championship on the big stage at the IHRA Summit Racing Equipment World Finals through a multi-stage, yearlong competition, the SuperSeries has blossomed from a small, one class championship in 2002 to a three class competition in 2013 with well over 5,000 participants throughout the United States, Canada and beyond.
Remembering Jon Knapp
Courtesy of Summit Racing Equipment
Jon Knapp of J2 Racing—friend of Summit Racing Equipment and a personal friend of Team Summit drivers and crew—passed away Monday, October 22.
Jon and Joanne began working with Summit Racing and the KB Racing Pro Stock team in 2009. If you read something about Team Summit, saw Greg Anderson, Jason Line, Rob Downing, team owner Ken Black, and crew members on ESPN, or heard them on the radio, Jon and Joanne likely had a hand in it. They made things look so easy, and passed on their enthusiasm to everyone they worked with.
Jon had been in the motorsports marketing profession for 16 years. He and his wife Joanne founded their motorsports public relations company, J2 Racing, in 1996, and quickly became one of the most respected public relations teams in drag racing. They worked for many teams including Tom Martino (NHRA Pro Stock) Chuck Etchells, Whit Bazemore, and Jim Epler (NHRA Funny Car), Warren and Kurt Johnson (NHRA Pro Stock), Tommy Hammonds (NHRA Pro Stock), and Angelle Sampey (NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle). Jon and Joanne have been associated with Mike Geylin and KGPR Public Relations since 2011.
Jon’s impact on the motorsports community is reflected in the comments from the people who worked with him:
Winners crowned on championship Sunday at inaugural Summit Racing Sportsman Spectacular
Courtesy of IHRA
BUDDS CREEK, MD – Over the past 40 years thousands of different drivers from all corners of North America have h
oisted trophies and celebrated victory with the International Hot Rod Association.
None, however, have done it more than Anthony Bertozzi.
Bertozzi, a native of the small town of Ashland located in the heart of Virginia, has compiled an impressive resume during his lengthy drag racing career that includes a record 16 IHRA championships and over 60 national event victories, all of which sweeter than the last.
So when the IHRA decided to celebrate the past four decades with a special race held over the weekend in southern Maryland featuring a record payout and other prizes just a few hours from Bertozzi’s home, it was only fitting that the winningest driver in IHRA history participate.
And even more fitting, win. Bertozzi was one of nearly half a dozen winners from the inaugural Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Spectacular held at Maryland International Raceway over the weekend, winning the Super Stock class and pocketing a cool $5,000 in the process awarded to class winners at MIR.
Fields set following huge opening day at Summit Racing Sportsman Spectacular
Courtesy of IHRA
BUDDS CREEK, MD – It was billed as the biggest and grandest sportsman drag race in the 40 year history of the International Hot Rod Association.
And so far, after just one day of competition, it looks like the Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Spectacular is living up to that hype.
A massive contingent of championship race teams filled the grounds at Maryland International Raceway on Saturday as the opening rounds of qualifying and first round of eliminations wrapped up day one at the inaugural Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Spectacular at MIR.
In addition to the $5,000 awaiting class winners on Sunday, Summit Racing Equipment also added a $100 bonus to top qualifiers on Saturday leading to some fierce competition to grab the top spot in each class. And leading their respective fields after a busy Saturday at MIR are Alan O’Brien (Top Dragster), Todd Fontana (Top Sportsman), Roy Hill (Super Stock), Jim Marshall (Stock), Mike Daymude (Quick Rod), Jay Bradford (Super Rod) and Matthew Robinson (Hot Rod).
Inaugural Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Spectacular this Weekend at MIR
Courtesy of IHRA
BUDDS CREEK, MD – It is the biggest sportsman drag race in IHRA history. And the racing world is starting to take notice.
“This is going to be a great event. It has a very good schedule, a very good format and the purse is just great. The IHRA did a wonderful job with this event,” said 16-time IHRA World Champion Anthony Bertozzi. “I think there will be a ton of cars out this weekend and I look forward to going up against some of the best out there.”
Many of the best drivers from across North America will be making the pilgrimage to Budds Creek, Md. this weekend for the inaugural Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Spectacular at Maryland International Raceway for the biggest sportsman class race in the 40 year history of the International Hot Rod Association.
