Print this page

Bigger Than Ever: 2013 Summit World Finals has something for everyone

Thursday, 29 August 2013

Championships, checks, cars and competition – the 2013 IHRA Summit Racing Equipment World Finals at Memphis International Raceway has a little something for everyone.

From 10 drivers walking away as newly minted IHRA World Champions, to the return of Top Fuel legend Clay Millican to the IHRA quarter-mile, the IHRA Summit World Finals is shaping up to be one of the biggest events in IHRA history and it will all take place October 11-12 at Memphis International Raceway in Millington, Tennessee.

“Memphis International Raceway is a world-class facility and we are proud to have them as our host track for the World Finals,” said Aaron Polburn, President of IHRA Motorsports. “When you combine the incredible sportsman championships with a Nitro Jam that includes Clay (Millican), Grave Digger and our incredible nitro line, you have a show that may just be one of our biggest yet. We are so excited to crown our world champions on a stage worthy of their accomplishments, in front of a huge crowd all on the biggest night in IHRA racing. I can’t wait.”

WF 6

    Nitro Jam makes its debut at Memphis International Raceway October 11-12

Highlighting the 2013 IHRA Summit World Finals will be IHRA’s two sportsman championship races – the Summit Tournament of Champions and the Summit SuperSeries World Championships.

Both races will feature the best-of-the-best from the 2013 season racing against one another in a March Madness-style tournament to determine the world champions in 10 classes – Top Sportsman, Top Dragster, Super Stock, Stock, Quick Rod, Super Rod, Hot Rod, Top ET, Mod ET and Junior Dragster.

The two-day event will also feature the return of Nitro Jam to the mix as the International Hot Rod Association brings in its jam-packed nitro show to accompany the sportsman world championships. And all 10 championship races will take place Saturday night in front of the huge Memphis crowd followed by a trackside awards ceremony and celebration for all of the 2013 IHRA World Champions.

Nitro Jam will make its debut at Memphis International Raceway Friday and Saturday night with nitro-powered show featuring Top Fuel Dragster, AMSOIL Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car, Fuel Altered and Nitro Harley plus the return of Grave Digger to the dragstrip as the world’s most famous monster truck takes on the 30,000 horsepower Super Shockwave jet-powered ’57 Chevy.

WF 2

    6-time IHRA World Champion Clay Millican and 2-time Top Fuel champion Bruce Litton (pictured) will battle in Memphis

Highlighting Nitro Jam will be the return of six-time IHRA Top Fuel World Champion Clay Millican to the IHRA as he battles longtime rival Bruce Litton.

Millican won six consecutive IHRA Top Fuel championships from 2001-2006, winning 52 races and visiting more than 60 finals during that span. He won 68 percent of the races during his six-year reign atop the IHRA Top Fuel world including recording an amazing 21 wins in 24 races in a two year span. He also set both ends of the IHRA Top Fuel world record and was the very first IHRA driver to dip into the 4.40s on the quarter-mile.

And the man that was runner-up during nearly all of those Millican wins was Bruce Litton. Litton is IHRA’s second most decorated Top Fuel competitor with one championship coming in 2007 and the fifth most wins in IHRA history under the previous IHRA format. Under the new Nitro Jam system Litton has added even more wins to his resume.

From 2002 to 2004 Millican and Litton met in the finals of Top Fuel 17 times, including nine meetings in 12 races in 2002 alone.

But that isn’t all. The 2013 IHRA Summit World Finals will feature one of the most exciting nostalgia funny car races of the season as four of the top competitors in the country do battle in Memphis.

WF 4

   Funny Car fans will be in for a treat as rising star Mike Minick (pictured) battles defending champion Peter Gallen

IHRA’s winningest Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car competitor Peter Gallen and the “Poverty Stricken” team will make their Memphis debut alongside Mike Minick in the “Chi-Town Hustler,” Greg Jacobsmeyer in the “All-Star Dodge” and the world famous “Candies & Hughes” team.

Rounding out the nitro portion of the schedule are two of the most famous and out-of-control nostalgia Fuel Altereds in the world headed by defending Nitro Jam World Champion Kyle Hough in the “Nanook” machine and Ron Hope in “Rat Trap”. Daredevil Jay Turner and the “big pig” Nitro Harley will also be in action in a battle of side-by-side 220 mph motorcycles.

The 30,000 horsepower Super Shockwave jet-powered truck will bring the evening to a close as the flame-throwing machines goes head-to-head with the most recognizable name in all of motorsports – Grave Digger.

Fireworks and an incredible pyrotechnics display will close the evening.

Tickets to the IHRA Summit World Finals are $30 for adults and $10 for children. Adults can save $5 if they purchase their tickets in advance at www.nitrojam.com.

Showtime is scheduled for 7 p.m. with two rounds of Nitro Jam. Sportsman racing will take place throughout the day.

For more information on the 2013 IHRA Summit World Finals visit www.ihra.com.

WF 5