b'AT THESTARTING LINEPublication A Message from Skooter PeacoIgnite2XManaging EditorRyan PerezluhaPhotography SUMMIT SUPERSERIES, SPECTACULARS AND ALL BME Photography THINGS SPORTSMANArt/Creative The second year of IHRAs all sportsman format is in Ignite2X the books and Im happy to report we took big steps forward in not lighting money on fire and improving the opportunities for the member track bracket racing community. All the prognosticators and social media experts calling the death of IHRA seem to be pretty silent the last few years as IHRA changed platforms from being in the national event business to actually being in the sanctioning body business. Trust me, we get a good laugh out of the people that think they have us all figured out. Facebook seems to be filled with examples of industry experts that know everything and it still entertains us to no end. The Sportsman Spectacular events saw a 36% jump in attendance in 2019 and we were able to bring some really cool benefits to events that are usually only offered to the 5% of the bracket community that run the big money/big entry events. In 2020 we will be expanding the number of events and getting to some new locations we have not been able to get to in the past. The Summit Team Finals series of events saw the second highest number of participants since 2016 and the Summit SuperSeries World Finals in Memphis IRGSE President & CEO hosted the second highest percentage of eligible competitors in that same time Lou Partenza frame. The total number of Summit SuperSeries competitors was also at its Vice President second highest level since 2016 as well. We took a big hit from losing the tracks Skooter Peaco that were attached to the National event series a few years ago but we continue Senior Director of Corporate Partnershipsto be encouraged by our programs that are reaching more and more bracket& Industry Relationsracers in our member track network. Dana LandryWhile none of this information is ever going to make internet headlines it is a Director of Public Relations good measuring stick on not only IHRAs progress but the health of the sport Ryan Perezluhain general. Ive got news for all the racers who think their class or their style Corporate Marketing Manager of racing is the only one that matters. If the bracket racing community isnt Mason Sheen showing up to support the local tracks or the sanctioning bodies are not Director of Creative Marketing providing appealing platforms for the bracket community to compete in then Stacey Killmaier the tracks close up and the domino effect of our sport going extinct begins. Membership Coordinator Speaking as a person who has been a bracket racer, a class racer, the decision Tamie Defranzo maker for a multi-million dollar drag racing sponsor and a motorsports Senior Director of Competition executive.it really is that simple. and Racing OperationsMike Baker I wish that more outlets for drag racing informationDivisional Directors would get on the sportsman racing train. Josh Peake, Jon ONeal & Frank KohutekIt isnt high profile or in most cases what they think their readers want to see but The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) is owned andit is meaningful for the health of the sport. If IHRA is going to be the one that operated by IRG Sports + Entertainment. The IHRA promotescontinues to champion the sportsman racer (on more than just a few occasions) professional and sportsman racing for drivers of all levels.then so be it. The men, women and kids out there bracket racing every weekend The IHRA sanctions nearly 100 motorsport facilities in theat ALL sanctioned tracks deserve it.United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Bahamas and welcomes 80,000 racers annually to their IHRA-sanctioned facilities. The IHRA oversees multiple Sportsman racing programs including the Summit Racing Equipment SuperSeries and the Sportsman Spectacular.'