In 2014 the IHRA will be making a few adjustments to the entry and tech inspection process for all Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Tour presented by AMSOIL events.

During the upcoming season competitors will use only one tech card for both events during a double race weekend. All competitors will be required to purchase both days car and driver entry when they arrive at the event. If a racer decides not to participate in the second event, all they will need to do is go to the tower and inform the IHRA race director and he will take care of refunds. Additionally, if any changes are needed to class or racer information, simply visit the race director and have it adjusted.

The process will be the same as in previous years, only without the second inspection card.

The 2014 IHRA Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Tour presented by AMSOIL Division 2 season gets underway January 31-February 2 at Immokalee Regional Raceway in Florida for the first of four events in the division. This race will double as a Summit Pro-Am Tour Wild Card meaning racers of all divisions can count it as an in-division claim. Racing action will get underway on Friday with a test and tune followed by two separate races Saturday and Sunday at Ralph Hester’s racer-favorite facility.

EVENT: 2014 Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Tour presented by AMSOIL

DIVISION: Division 2 Heat Wave

WHERE: Immokalee Regional Raceway | 414 New Market Road West, Immokalee, FL

WHEN: January 31-February 2

CONTACT: (800) 826-1947 | www.immraceway.com

The past few months have been an extremely busy time at the IHRA World Headquarters in Norwalk, Ohio. A new look for its professional series, an expanded schedule and a brand new president, the International Hot Rod Association that you knew at this time last year is, for the most part, a brand new animal in 2014. With that said, we sat down with new president Scott Gardner and asked him a few questions about the upcoming season and what you – the fans and racers – can expect in the year ahead.

Tell us a little bit about your background in drag racing?

Scott Gardner: I grew up in a family that was active in drag racing, so it has really been a part of me as long as I can remember. In those days it was all class racing on the local level. Once I got old enough to have my first car (1965 Mustang) I raced it at our local track in the E.T. Brackets and was fortunate enough to win seven events in one season and the championship. After college my brother and I raced a Pro Stock car at United Drag Racers Association (UDRA) events. So, I have seen many sides of being a participant.

After a three-year hiatus, the International Hot Rod Association is thrilled to welcome the return of the historical President’s Cup Nationals at Maryland International Raceway as the Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series returns to the track the of weekend of June 13-14, 2014.

In exactly two months the 2014 IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series season gets underway with a pair of events at Southwestern International Raceway and San Antonio Raceway that will be unlike anything fans have seen in recent years.

Yes the classes will be similar to the past four seasons, but the marked difference will be the return of a competitive elimination-style format for IHRA’s professional classes. That mean’s two days of non-stop, nose to the grindstone competition for the largest purses available in each of the International Hot Rod Association’s premier pro classes.

Nitro Funny Cars, Nitro Altereds, Nitro Harley, Mountain Motor Pro Stock, Jet Dragster – all will take center stage competing for championships and trophies. Each class brings something unique to the table and all are among the best at bringing fans to their feet with wild side-by-side racing all done at the true drag racing distance of a quarter-mile.

Palm Beach International Raceway, home track of the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA), hosted some of the biggest stars in the drag racing over the weekend during the PRO Winter Warm-up Friday and Saturday in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The multi-day test session, capped off with a huge show Saturday night, produced plenty of big numbers and lots of excitement at one of America’s fastest drag racing facilities.

With cooler temperatures and pristine air, top speed of the night went to Tony Schumacher in Top Fuel with a 327.27 mph haul Saturday evening in front of the packed PBIR grandstands, pulling down a 3.765-second pass in the shortened 1,000 foot distance. Antron Brown produced low ET Saturday night in a great side-by-side, three second pass against Schumacher as Brown crossed the stripe with a 3.737 pass to Schumacher’s 3.787. Former IHRA World Champion Spencer Massey also had a string of nice runs in his Don Schumacher Racing-owned ride.

With a busy season of IHRA drag racing ahead on the Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Tour presented by AMSOIL, a few tweaks are being made to the schedule including a few changes in Division 9.

Among the changes in the popular Raiders Division is the decision to move the second of two races originally scheduled to be held at Farmington Dragway in August to Rockingham Dragway during the IHRA Spring Nationals the weekend of May 16-18.

Rockingham Dragway will now host a double race weekend in conjunction with the return of IHRA’s Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series in May. The move will give racers two opportunities to take home an Ironman and claim valuable Summit Pro-Am Tour points.

Our deepest apologies to IHRA Junior Dragster racer and Division 7 Summit Team Finals Main Event runner-up Ryan Tetreault for incorrectly identifying you in Issue 23 of Drag Review Magazine.

Ryan, representing Southwestern International Raceway, made the trip from Arizona to Caprock Motorplex in Texas where he finished runner-up in the Junior Dragster runoff to Lizzie Low of Desert Thunder Raceway.

Congratulations to Ryan on a great race and a big finish to the year!

The International Hot Rod Association has announced the schedule for the Division 6 Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Tour presented by AMSOIL season.

The schedule will be comprised of six races combined into three double-headers. Points will be calculated on the best four finishes of the six race series. The racers finishing in the top three positions in points in each class at the end of the series will go on to compete in the 2014 Summit Racing Equipment Tournament of Champions presented by AMSOIL at Memphis International Raceway in October.

The 2014 International Hot Rod Association™ (IHRA) season officially kicks off later this month when the best and brightest stars of the IHRA make their annual stop at Immokalee Regional Raceway for race one of the 2014 Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Tour presented by AMSOIL.

Immokalee Regional Raceway has become home to one of the most popular racer events on the IHRA calendar as track operator Ralph Hester rolls out the red carpet for IHRA’s best racers for two full days of drag racing action. Its location in southern Florida is one major draw, but it is Hester’s hospitality that keeps the racers coming back year after year.

“We are already preparing for this great event. We are getting the big tent put up now and we welcome racers with open arms for a great weekend capped off with a huge party Saturday night,” Hester said. “We are looking forward to seeing all of our good friends and having another great race. We had a good crowd last year and we can’t wait to see everyone out again this year.”