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IHRA

A LETTER FROM THE NEW IHRA OWNER

Dear IHRA Members,

As the new owners of the International Hot Rod Association, we want to emphasize again to all our valued IHRA member tracks, racers, and partners that we are as committed as ever to grassroots, Sportsman drag racing.

We are currently adding to our team and are working hard to ensure both the current and future success of the sanctioning body through the IHRA Summit SuperSeries programs and the IHRA Sportsman Spectacular presented by Hagerty and Moser Engineering events.

We will have representatives at each of the IHRA Summit SuperSeries Team Finals and the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals and look forward to seeing you there. We appreciate your support as we know the grassroots racers are the backbone of the sport.

As always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

Larry Jeffers
IHRA President and CEO
LJeffers@ihra.com
Text / Call : 636-262-3382

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Summit Racing Equipment Renews Commitment to IHRA Summit SuperSeries for 2022

WEST PALM BEACH, FL — The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) and Summit Racing Equipment will continue the longest series partnership in drag racing with the IHRA Summit SuperSeries, Summit Team Finals and IHRA Summit World Finals in 2022.
This past season was the 20th anniversary of the IHRA Summit SuperSeries. In effect since 2002, the IHRA Summit SuperSeries is the most prestigious sportsman-oriented drag racing series in the world.

The $200,000 program is the World Championship for over 12,000 IHRA member-track racers each season, held at IHRA-sanctioned member tracks across North America.

“The Summit SuperSeries, Summit Team Finals and Summit World Finals continue the IHRA and Summit Racing Equipment legacy and commitment to sportsman racers,” said IHRA Vice President Skooter Peaco. “We are coming off a huge 50th anniversary for IHRA and 20th anniversary for our Summit-backed sportsman events. We saw near-record participation levels last year and are excited to present the 21st edition of these best-in-class programs in 2022.”

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Charles Myers Joins Coastal Plains Raceway Park as Dragway Manager 

JACKSONVILLE, NC – Coastal Plains Dragway, an IHRA-sanctioned eighth-mile dragstrip in eastern North Carolina, has hired Charles Myers to serve as its dragway manager for the 2022 season. Myers is a North Carolina native who got his start in racing at Coastal Plains as a racer before going on to manage multiple tracks across the country.

“I’m excited about Charles joining our team at Coastal Plains Dragway,” said Ronnie Humphrey, whose family has owned Coastal Plains Dragway since 1972. “With Charles being the team leader for Coastal Plains Dragway, I foresee our bracket race program enhancing and I foresee our street-legal drag program growing as well. Plus, we’re going to add venues with the small-tire, heads-up program. He has a full schedule ahead of him.”

Myers, 29, earned his first Jr. Dragster win at Coastal Plains in 2001. He sees the new opportunity as a homecoming of sorts, as he’s returning to North Carolina after holding various management roles at different racetracks and racing-related businesses in California and Texas over the last several years.

“This is a chance for me to go home and give back to the people who helped me as I was getting started,” Myers said. “I’ve learned a lot from some incredible mentors and friends over the years, and I want to use what I’ve learned to help Coastal Plains achieve their goals. It’s already a great facility – I loved racing there as a kid – but there’s always room for improvement, and I want to be a part of that.”

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Crownhart Enters Agreement to Acquire Cordova International Raceway

Cordova, IL – An agreement has been reached between the International Race Group (IRG) and Dan and Shelly Crownhart’s 1320 Promotions to acquire the historic Cordova Dragstrip. Closing is expected to occur before the end of 2021.

The Crownhart family has been involved in drag racing for generations on many levels.  Dan, a native of Sterling, Illinois has experience on the track, racing both alcohol and jet funny cars, and will be taking over the day to day management of the race facility. “Cordova has always been a special place for racers and fans.  We all have fond memories of our time at the track.  I am confident we can celebrate the long history of Cordova and create a bright future simultaneously.”

“In the spirit of past major events of the UDRA and IHRA being held in June, we are excited to announce that Funny Car Chaos will be a part of the return of the Summer Nationals contested  June 17 & 18. We are expecting more than 30 supercharged nitro and alcohol funny cars to compete in a no-holds barred format that will surely become a premier annual event here at Cordova” Crownhart added.

The Crownharts are finalizing plans for facility upgrades, new events, and the sportsman racing series among other items. There will also be a ‘meet and greet’ for racers and fans planned for early 2022.

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Royce Miller Enters Agreement to Reacquire Maryland International Raceway

Budds Creek, MD – The Miller family owned and operated Maryland International Raceway for 25 years, from 1990 to 2014, and then sold the facility to IRG Sports & Entertainment in 2015. Royce stayed on with IRG for the last seven years as the Chief Operating Officer, with duties and guidance for all the IRG owned tracks as well as GM at Maryland International Raceway. The transaction is expected to close at the end of this year.

When IRG decided to sell the facility, Lou Partenza, CEO of IRG, gave Royce the first option to purchase it.

“At 67, I probably should have my head examined for buying the track back, but the deal made financial sense and I still have a little gas left in the tank,” Royce stated. “One thing is for sure: I would not have considered buying it back if it wasn’t for the great staff I have here at MIR, both full-time and part-time, of which I will be depending on more than ever.”

When asked about Chris and Jason Miller, Royce’s two sons, he said, “They have their own successful promotions company that includes the Haltech World Cup Finals presented by Wiseco, XDA series, and others. The two of them will also be adding a supporting role with me at MIR.”

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IHRA Hall of Fame Inductee: Scotty Cannon

West Palm, FL – Scotty Cannon is one of the most colorful and successful drivers ever to race in the International Hot Rod Association.  The six-time IHRA Pro Modified champion, famous for his mohawk haircut and fast machines, is the first Pro driver named to the IHRA Hall of Fame. The South Carolina driver, who began his career in 1979, won two races in the Top Sportsman ranks a decade later before scoring his first Pro Mod win at Bristol Dragway at the 1991 Spring Nationals.

He went on to set records with 28 victories and 45 final-round appearances. He received a tremendous honor in 1999 when the readers of Drag Review magazine voted Cannon the IHRA Professional Racer of the Year. In February, he was inducted in the latest class of the North Carolina Drag Racing Hall of Fame.

He also captured two IHRA Top Fuel victories and finished third in the 2007 points standings. However, his favorite IHRA moment came in 1989, a year before he turned pro.

“I remember at Gateway, winning the Quick 8 shootout on Saturday night and then I won the bracket race for Top Sportsman on Sunday,” Cannon said. “To do that on the same weekend, that sticks out.”

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IHRA Announces 2021 Sportsman Spectacular Schedule

Hagerty Insurance and Moser Engineering Return as Sponsors

WEST PALM BEACH, FL —  The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA), the premier grassroots drag racing sanctioning body in North America, announce the 2021 schedule for the IHRA Sportsman Spectacular presented by Hagerty and Moser Engineering.  The Sportsman Spectacular series will feature an expanded 15-race schedule this season that will make stops at new venues along the way.

Top (Box), Mod (No Box / Footbrake) and Junior Dragster competitors who are members of IHRA will have the opportunity to compete for the prestigious IHRA Ironman at each event as well as the coveted oversized championship checks.  This season’s iconic IHRA Ironman will be the special edition 50th Anniversary model.  IHRA members will also be in the running for the limited-edition Sportsman Spectacular commemorative medals and round prizes from IHRA sponsors Sunoco Race Fuels, Moser Engineering and Summit Racing Equipment in addition to their winnings.

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IHRA, Sunoco Race Fuels Announce Multi-Year Partnership

WEST PALM BEACH, FL – The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) and Sunoco Race Fuels announce a multi-year partnership renewal that will see Sunoco Race Fuels continue as the official fuel of the IHRA.

For decades, Sunoco Race Fuels have been associated with racing excellence. As the largest manufacturer of racing gasolines in the world, Sunoco Race Fuels has a 40-year track record of winning performances. With an expanded product line, Sunoco Race Fuels of­fers drivers more choices than ever before. For the performance your engine is designed to deliver, con­sistently choose Sunoco Race Fuels.

“We appreciate the opportunity to continue our partnership with Sunoco Race Fuels, a company that has set the standard in the race fuel industry,” said Dana Landry, senior director of corporate partnerships, IRG Sports + Entertainment. “Sunoco Race Fuels offers many high-quality fuels used by IHRA racers helping them achieve peak performance on and off track.”

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Summit Racing Equipment Renews Commitment to IHRA Summit SuperSeries

Summit SuperSeries Celebrates 20th Anniversary in 2021

WEST PALM BEACH, FL — The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) and Summit Racing Equipment will continue the longest series partnership in drag racing with the IHRA Summit SuperSeries, Summit Team Finals and IHRA Summit World Finals in 2021.

The 2021 season marks the 20th Anniversary of the IHRA Summit SuperSeries, the most prestigious drag racing series that began in 2002.

The $200,000 program is the World Championship for over 12,000 IHRA member-track racers each season and held at nearly 100 IHRA-sanctioned member tracks.

IHRA Summit SuperSeries track champions from 28 states and international competitors from Canada, and Aruba are represented in Top (Box), Mod (No Box), Sportsman and Junior divisions, at the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals at Memphis International Raceway October 14-16, 2021. In addition, qualifying Summit Team Final champions from seven IHRA regions are also competing at Memphis, making it the most illustrious championship event in bracket drag racing.

“The Summit SuperSeries, Summit Team Finals and Summit World Finals continue to be successful programs that have withstood the test of time,” IHRA Vice President Skooter Peaco said. “We are extremely proud of the success the Summit SupersSeries has seen in the last 19 years thanks to our great IHRA member tracks that care for and administer this program during the season and the team at Summit Racing Equipment who have championed our Sportsman racers for so long.

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Bunker Hill Dragstrip Renews Commitment to IHRA

WEST PALM BEACH, FL — Bunker Hill Dragstrip, the oldest continuously running dragway in the Hoosier State, has renewed its commitment to the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) through a new multi-year sanctioning agreement.

Located in Bunker Hill, Indiana, there is a rich history dating back to 1956. The facility features an 1/8-mile drag strip. In 2018, Bunker Hill was named the IHRA Division 5 (Thunder) Track of the Year.

Under the new ownership of Mark Cregier the track has plans for improvements to the facility over the course of the off-season. Improvements includes the timing system, track prep equipment, guardrails and safety equipment.

“The enthusiasm that Mark has shown in the last few months of the 2020 season has shown that he’s putting his heart into this place,” said IHRA Division 1,3, and 5 Director Jon O’Neal. “From driving to Memphis for the IHRA Summit World Finals to learn about the Summit SuperSeries to installing new guardrail in the clutches of Indiana winter, Mark is not pulling any punches.”

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