Ron Hope fired the Rat Trap Fuel Altered on iconic Beale Street bringing in a large crowd

IHRA and Memphis International Raceway held a joint press conference during the afternoon to welcome the IHRA Summit World Finals back to Memphis and announce that longtime sponsor Summit Racing Equipment has signed on to bring the race and the IHRA World Championships back to Memphis for the next few years.

In recognition of the race and the fan celebration to be held at the Hard Rock Cafe on Memphis’ legendary Beale Street, Memphis Mayor A.C. Wharton has officially declared in a proclamation that Thursday, October 10 is “IHRA World Finals Day” in the city.

IHRA Top Fuel stars Clay Millican and Bruce Litton completed the day with a tour of Memphis’ top morning shows.

The 2013 IHRA Summit Racing Equipment World Finals will take place October 11-12 at Memphis International Raceway. The event will include two huge races as the Nitro Jam professional drag racing series and the Summit World Championships all collide for two huge days of racing.

   Hard Rock Cafe and Grave Digger - a match made in heaven

Nitro Jam will feature professional competition in Top Fuel Dragster, Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car, Fuel Altered and Nitro Harley plus a huge show feature Grave Digger as the world’s most recognizable race machine takes on the 30,000 horsepower Super Shockwave jet-powered ’57 Chevy. Among the highlights of this year’s race is the return of six-time IHRA Top Fuel World Champion Clay Millican who will return to the IHRA for the first time in five years to take on longtime rival Bruce Litton in a 320 mph, side-by-side Top Fuel showdown.

The Summit World Championships will feature two sportsman racing crowning 10 IHRA World Champions. The Summit Tournament of Champions and Summit SuperSeries will pit the greatest sportsman racers from around the world in March Madness-style tournament to determine the champion in 10 IHRA classes. Drivers from 25 states, five Canadian provinces and from as far away as Alaska, Hawaii and the island nation of Aruba will be in competition.

Tickets to the IHRA Summit Racing Equipment World Finals are available online at www.nitrojam.com or by calling MIR at (901) 969-7223. Don’t miss the return of Clay Millican and Nitro Jam and the crowning of IHRA’s 2013 World Champions the weekend of October 11-12 at Memphis International Raceway.