The 2013 IHRA Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Tour presented by AMSOIL Division 9 season comes to a close August 9-11 at Farmington Dragway in North Carolina for the first true Raiders Division doubleheader in history. The two-race 1/8 mile format will feature a full racing weekend with a test and tune on Friday and two separate races on Saturday and Sunday.

EVENT: 2013 Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Tour presented by AMSOIL

DIVISION: Division 9 Raiders

WHERE: Farmington Dragway | 2992 HWY 801 North, Farmington, NC

WHEN: August 9-11

CONTACT: (336) 998-3443 | www.farmingtondragway.com  

IRG Sports + Entertainment™ (IRG) announced today that it has acquired Southwestern International Raceway™ (SWIR), formerly Merle’s SIR Dragway, located in Tucson, Arizona. SWIR is a 110-acre venue located at the Pima County Fairgrounds, 10 miles from downtown Tucson. The track features a dedicated quarter-mile Drag Strip and first opened in August 1997.

“Southwestern International Raceway was a natural fit for IRG’s portfolio of tracks and companies. The acquisition at this time is right in line with our growth strategy for 2013, since January’s purchase of the International Hot Rod Association by IRG. With our Nitro Jam series already being hosted at this facility, the Raceway will continue to be a key stop on the Nitro Jam schedule with additional IHRA events being held there,” said Jason Rittenberry, CFE, the chief executive officer of IRG.

IRG acquired the track from former owner operators Jon Bradford and Tom Koenan. Over the last 16 years, SWIR has hosted such premier events as the International Hot Rod Association’s Nitro Jam and Thunder Jam, Pro Nitro Warm-Up, Super Chevy Show, Pacific Street Car Association (PSCA), Import Face-Off, and Tucson Dragway Reunion. With one of the largest shut-down areas in the country at almost three-quarters of a mile, SIR has run some of the fastest race cars in the world. Driving schools, professional testing sessions, private rentals, and corporate team-building events are also held at SWIR year-round.

Palm Beach International Raceway™ (PBIR) was honored as one of the top 3 finalists in the stadium category at the 2013 Venue Excellence Awards luncheon held at the International Association of Venue Managers Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Jason Rittenberry, CFE, the chief executive officer for PBIR attended the conference to represent PBIR.

"On behalf of my entire staff in South Florida, I am truly honored to have Palm Beach International Raceway named among the best venues in the country; I congratulate all the finalists and winners," said Rittenberry.

Get ready Carolina fans, because Thunder Jam is back and bigger than ever!

After rain forced the postponement of the original Thunder Jam date at Carolina Dragway, Thunder Jam and track officials have got together and come up with an even bigger and better show on a brand new date, Saturday, September 28 beginning at 7 p.m.

For years Thunder Jam has wowed audiences in South Carolina and Georgia at the famed Carolina Dragway with many of the fastest racing classes in the sport. From Pro Mods to jet cars, the Carolina Thunder Jam has grown each year and has quickly become one of the most popular stops on the schedule.

And to celebrate that incredible achievement, Thunder Jam will be taking its event at Carolina Dragway to a whole new level with the addition to nitro drag racing to the lineup making for the biggest show in the history of the event! The 2013 Carolina Thunder Jam will feature two nitro-burning racing classes plus all of the jet-powered firepower that fans have come to expect during Thunder Jam’s biggest night of racing on September 28.

The International Hot Rod Association is pleased to announce that Perry Harley-Davidson, based in Portage, Michigan, will be the presenting sponsor for the 2013 CarSafe Northern Nitro Jam at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park the weekend of August 9-10.

Founded in 1925 by L.J. Perry, father of present owner Richard Perry, Perry Harley-Davidson is the oldest Harley dealership in Michigan and one of the oldest Harley-Davidson franchised dealerships in the United States in continual operation by the same family. The dealership features a 24,000 sq. ft. facility with many great Harley-Davidson motorcycles and products to choose from and will be a great partner with IHRA’s unique brand of thrilling motorsports entertainment including the stars of Nitro Jam’s Nitro Harley class.

There are certain things you just don’t drive past. You don’t drive past a McDonald’s during Monopoly, even if you just ate dinner. You don’t drive past a nice car for sale on the side of the road when you’re looking for one.

Adding to that list, you don’t drive past U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan – at least not August 9-11. The track is hosting the 32nd annual CarSafe Northern Nitro Jam presented by Perry Harley-Davidson.

Spread over three days, the United States’s northernmost Nitro Jam offers a lineup unlike any other, highlighted by the return of Mountain Motor Pro Stock to IHRA competition. Also included will be Top Fuel, AMSOIL Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car, Nitro Harley, Fuel Altered, Battle of the Jet Trains, the Super Shockwave Jet Truck, Chevy Rebellion Wheelstander, fireworks, three full days of sportsman racing and much more Aug. 9-11 just off U.S. 131.

Following a week off, plenty of rest and some car much needed car tune-ups the racers of the International Hot Rod Association’s Division 4 were back in action at Dallas Raceway with the conclusion of the Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Tour presented by AMSOIL event in Crandall, Texas.

With rain washing out the first attempt at concluding the Renegades season, racers returned for a second shot exactly one week later and wrapped the season with an exciting race full of surprises.

Jacob Pitt and Mike Frederick Sr. highlighted the week-delayed doubleheader as Frederick won both Hot Rod races and Pitt reached the finals three times in two different classes during the busy weekend.

Other winners during the final race of the Division 4 season were Trent Wilson (Top Sportsman), David Johns (Top Dragster), Tony Cowell (Super Stock), Jimmy Hidalgo Jr. (Stock), Jake Levatino (Quick Rod), Laramie Reid (Super Rod) and Frederick (Hot Rod). Junior Dragster winners were Regan Jordan (Master), Aaron Jordan (Advanced) and William Medina (Beginner).

Prior to this weekend’s IHRA national event at the Grand Bend Motorplex neither Tracy Kile nor Ike Maier had ever won an IHRA Ironman in their respective class.

That all changed over the weekend.

During a thrilling three days of racing at the famed Grand Bend Motorplex in western Ontario Maier, piloting the “Nitro Warrior” Top Fuel Dragster, and Kile, driving a Jay Turner powered Nitro Harley, both claimed their first and second career Ironmen in exciting fashion during championship Sunday at the Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals presented by Parts Canada.

It seems nothing can slow down IHRA Funny Car pilot Peter Gallen.

Not delays, not valve issues, not really much of anything, seems to be able to slow down the Broomall, Pennsylvania native as he continues to rack up win after win, record after record with nothing but clean, solid passes down the quarter-mile in the incredibly popular nostalgia Funny Car class.

And Saturday night that trend continued as Gallen, following a lengthy delay between rounds and a few motor issues, drove to his sixth win of 2013 in quite simply one of the best side-by-side drag races you will ever see all in front of a packed house at the IHRA Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals presented by Parts Canada at the Grand Bend Motorplex.

No one has enjoyed a busier week during the lead-up to Ontario’s biggest drag race than Super Stock racer Jory Elliott.

The London, Ontario native has appeared on television shows, been featured in newspaper articles and even displayed his car at a few local schools throughout the region all during a busy week leading up to the 14th annual Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals presented by Parts Canada. So what has led to Elliott’s sudden burst of fame?

For one Elliott is the 2012 winner of the Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals at the Grand Bend Motorplex. The win was his first national event victory and it earned him a spot in the IHRA’s Summit Tournament of Champions in Memphis, Tennessee and a chance to race for a world championship.

But Elliott’s win at his home track last season is only part of equation.