Some new faces were all smiles in the IHRA Sooner Nationals winner's circle at Tulsa Raceway Park last weekend.  The realization had set in for a select few sportsman champions that they were now going to Rockingham to compete in the Tournament Of Champions program at the IHRA World Finals.

Allen Firestone (TS), Jacky King (TD), Allan Patterson (SS), Mike Cotton (ST), Jimmy Stookey (QR), Shawn Carter (SR) and Jay Bunce (HR) won the Sooner Nationals class championships and a birth in the Tournament Of Champions. 

Bunce, who originally qualified for the Tournament Of Champions by winning the Hot Rod class at the Mardi Gras Nationals earlier this season, became the third repeat qualifier of the year.  Chris Gulitti and Todd Thompson won qualifying events earlier in the year and also won the Summit AllStar event in Rockingham.  Bunce is the first to win two Nitro Jam national events this season. 

While a driver can only qualify once in a given class for the Tournament Of Champions, it is great to see that even though already qualified, many racers are still out competing at other IHRA events throughout the season.

The next chance to qualify for the Tournament Of Champions comes this weekend at the Byron and Pine Valley Champion Systems Sportsman Nationals presented by VP Racing Fuels events that are being held as a part of the Summit Pro Am weekend of races at those tracks.

For more information on the Tournament of Champions, click on

http://www.ihra.com/nitrojam/programs/tournament_of_champions.php