"As a competitor, I am extremely excited with the prospects of NHRA and Summit Racing Equipment teaming up to form a series that promises guaranteed payouts and a professional, well-orchestrated event like we've never seen in the sport," said Adam Saruwatari of the world famous A&L Racing team. "What makes it even more thrilling, speaking as a racer, is that we get to compete in some of the most hallowed and tradition-rich drag racing facilities in the world for a coveted NHRA championship trophy."
"Grassroots racing is what we do at NHRA and this is yet another example of it in the form of import drag racing," said Compton. "Much like NHRA's origins 50 years ago, we have a responsibility to take this form of racing off the street and into safe, controlled environments. This, we believe, will be the start of a long and expanded commitment to the sport of import drag racing."
Summit Racing Equipment, the industry's largest direct marketer of performance automotive and truck equipment, is based in Tallmadge, Ohio, with warehouses in Tallmadge and Sparks, Nev. Founded in 1968, Summit Racing markets products through mail order catalogs and the Internet at SummitRacing.com.
With headquarters in Glendora, Calif., the NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. It presents 24 national events through its NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series. The NHRA has more than 80,000 members nationwide and more than 140 member tracks. The NHRA-sanctioned sportsman and bracket racing series' provide competition opportunities for drivers of all levels. The NHRA develops the stars of tomorrow by offering the NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series, NHRA Summit Racing Series and the NHRA Street Legal Program. The NHRA also offers the NHRA Castrol GTX Jr. Drag Racing League for youths ages 8 to 17.
NHRA SUMMIT
IMPORT DRAG RACING SERIES
2001 EVENT SCHEDULE |
| APRIL 28-29 |
| Texas Motorplex | Ennis, Texas |
| MAY 19-20 |
| Gainesville Raceway | Gainesville, Fla. |
| JUNE 16-17 |
| Old Bridge Township Raceway Park | Englishtown, N.J. |
| AUG. 11-12 |
| Sacramento Raceway Park | Sacramento, Calif. |
| SEPT. 8-9 |
| Houston Raceway Park | Baytown, Texas |
| SEPT. 29-30 |
| Pomona Raceway | Pomona, Calif. |
NHRA SummitImport Drag Racing Series Classes and DesignationsDial Your Own ET Bracket Classes5 (five-tenths) countdown tree
Heads Up ClassesHeads upQualified fieldsFour-tenths (.4) professional treeNo breakouts
All MotorNo power addersFour or six cylinder enginesEight-car qualified fields
Street TireD.O.T. tiresStock floorpanMaximum two power addersFour, six or eight cylinder or rotary enginesEight-car qualified field
Hot RodStock floorplanFront wheel drive onlyBolt on suspension modsMaximum two power addersFour or six cylinder or rotary engines16-car qualified field
ModifiedRear wheel drive or all-wheel drive back half permittedFront wheel drive full tube permittedMaximum two power addersFour, six or rotary engineEight-car qualified field
ProFull tube chassisMaximum two power addersAny import engine (including V8)Eight-car qualified field