Track and divisional champions representing nearly 100 IHRA-sanctioned tracks gathered in Memphis, traveling hundreds and in some cases thousands of miles in pursuit of the most prestigious bracket racing championship in drag racing.
IHRA Summit SuperSeries champions were crowned in Top (Box), Mod (No Box), Sportsman, and Junior Dragster. The $200,000 program, in its 20th year, is the championship competition for over 8,000 IHRA member racers who compete in the program annually.
George Simpson from Knoxville, Tenn., captured the Top (Box) championship. Tim Pace from Iuka, Miss., was the Mod (No Box) champion. David Bigham from Tunnel Hill, Ga., bested the Sportsman field and Keaton Hudson from Mt. Airy, N.C., earned the Junior Dragster championship.
Simpson, representing Knoxville Dragstrip, went down the track in 5.289 seconds at 133.08 mph against a 5.29 dial-in paired with a .027 reaction time to win the final round. Runner-up Kevin Pass from Dallas, Ga., representing Brainerd Motorsports Park, ran a 4.696 at 146.83 mph against a 4.70 dial-in with a .010 reaction time.
Simpson’s championship package included $20,000 from Summit Racing Equipment, a seven-night/eight-day vacation for two on the island of Aruba courtesy of Around Aruba Tours, a world championship diamond ring, a world championship Ironman Trophy, and an IHRA Gold Card.
Pace, representing Holly Springs Motorsports, was fast at the light with a .019 reaction time and finished with a 6.255 elapsed time at 103.99 mph against a 6.23 dial-in. Runner-up Zach Livingston, a Norwalk, Ohio racer who earned his way to Memphis through the IHRA Midwest Summit Team Finals, went 5.453 at 126.68 mph against a 5.42 dial-in with a .027 reaction time.
The championship package for Pace also included $20,000 from Summit Racing Equipment, a seven-night/eight-day vacation for two on the island of Aruba courtesy of Around Aruba Tours, a world championship diamond ring, a world championship Ironman Trophy, and an IHRA Gold Card.
Bingham, from Crossville Dragway, drove off with the Sportsman title when final-round opponent Jimmie Barrett from Havana, Ill., fouled at the start. With a .027 reaction time, Bigham posted a solid 7.582 elapsed time at 90.67 mph against a 7.57 dial-in. Barrett, a driver with Central Illinois Dragway, went ahead and made a 7.546-second pass at 89.88 mph against a 7.54 dial-in.
Todd Payne made it all the way to the semi-finals in his electric vehicle.
Bingham’s prize package included $7,000 from Summit Racing Equipment, a seven-night/eight-day vacation for two on the island of Aruba, a world championship diamond ring, a world championship Ironman trophy, and an IHRA Gold Card.
A perfect start by Hudson, representing Elk Creek Dragway, led to his holeshot victory in the Junior Dragster final. He made it down the track in 7.735 seconds at 80.94 mph against a 7.67 dial-in. Chance Thurman, a Thorndale, Texas driver representing Little River Dragway, posted a 7.586-second run at 85.15 mph against a 7.57 dial-in, paired with a .073 reaction time.
Hudson took home the big check for $10,000 from Summit Racing Equipment, a seven-night/eight-day vacation for two on the island of Aruba, a world championship diamond ring, a world championship Ironman trophy, and an IHRA Gold Card.
