Fri, 7 Dec 2001, 02:52 PM Holley Sportsman Championship Series Takes On A New Name

Courtesy of IHRA Communication A New Look, And A New Division!

NORWALK, Ohio -- The Holley Sportsman Championship Series has experienced steady growth since its inception, thanks to great support from the racers, sponsors, and the facilities that host the events. With that growth comes the evolution of the "HSC" series into the Holley Pro-Am Tour. The competitors that travel, chasing Divisional and National points, need to be recognized for what they are: Professionals. Along with the name change, IHRA announces the introduction of a new division, and a reduction in the number of races that competitors need to attend, all aimed at making it easier to vie for Divisional and World Championships.

Divisional Map

In 2002, IHRA's Holley Pro-Am Tour will be contested in six divisions, encompassing much the same area as the 2001 series. The existing Raiders (Division 1) and North Stars (Division 3) have been realigned to create a new division in the Northeast. The end result is smaller divisions, making travel easier for the Holley Pro-Am competitors.

The new Northeast division will be the Division 1 Snowbirds, encompassing Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, and up through the New England states and Canada. The Northeast has a very high concentration of racers, and IHRA is excited to offer five Holley Pro-Am events in the region. The racers in that area of the country now have their own division, so they do not need to travel into Ohio or the Carolinas to chase in-division points.

The Division 3 North Stars continue to shine, with the addition of Milan Dragway to the family, with their first Holley Pro-Am Tour event. The North Stars remain at six events, even with the Division 1 Snowbirds offshoot. The new division provides some close out-of-division races for racers in the eastern part of the North Stars Division.

The Heart of IHRA Remains On Cloud Nine

The core of the Carolinas is more solid than ever, with six Holley Pro-Am Tour events in the division within easy driving distance. The Raiders take on Division 9 for 2002 and the years to come. The label Division 9 may seem out of place at first, but it allows for IHRA's westward expansion without reassigning different numbers each year. The Raiders in the Carolinas are unique to IHRA, and are now on cloud nine for good!

With the map now set up for ease of expansion, IHRA has divisions closely parallel to NHRA's, making it easier for "crossover" racers to keep their competition number, whenever possible.

Points Chasing Made Easy

Another way that IHRA is making travel easier on Holley Pro-Am racers is the reduction in the number of races at which they can earn points. For 2002, racers tally points toward a Divisional championship at their best five of seven events. The seven events must include all in-division races, and the first completed race(s) out-of-division. World championships are determined by adding the driver's Divisional score to the best four of the driver's first six National events. That's a maximum of thirteen events that a driver must attend to chase a World championship! It's never been easier.

To help the Holley Pro-Am Tour participants in Division 5, Dakota Flat Track, in Minot, N.D., will hold a wild card Holley Pro-Am event in 2002. This event may count toward a competitor's out-of-division races. This wild card race will provide an option for racers who might otherwise have to travel a much greater distance to a race in another division.

IHRA looks forward to a fun and successful 2002 Holley Pro-Am Tour!

2002 Holley Pro-Am Tour Schedule

DATE           LOCATION

Division 9 Raiders 
March 16-17  Farmington Dragway             Farmington, NC
April 6-7    Mooresville Dragway            Mooresville, NC
May 4-5      Fayetteville Motorsports Park  Fayetteville, NC
May 25-26    Kinston Dragway                Kinston, NC
June 15-16   Piedmont Dragway               Greensboro, NC
July 20-21   Rockingham Dragway             Rockingham, NC

Division 1 Snowbirds 
April 13-14       Maryland International Raceway  Budds Creek, MD
TBA               Lancaster Motorsports Park      Lancaster, NY
June 29-30        Beaver Springs Dragway          Beaver Springs, PA
Aug 31 - Sept 1   Virginia Motorsports Park       Petersburg, VA
TBA               TBA

Division 2 Heat Wave 
February 9-10     Southern Dragway            Douglas, GA
February 16-17    Hub City Dragway            Hattiesburg, MS
March 2-3         Carolina Dragway            Jackson, SC
April 27-28       Emerald Coast Dragway       Holt, FL
May 15-16         U.S. 43 Drag Raceway        Ethridge, TN
September 21-22   Bradenton Motorsports Park  Bradenton, FL

Division 3 North Stars 
May 11-12      Tri-State Dragway           Hamilton, OH
May 25-26      Milan Dragway               Norwalk, OH
June 29-30     Mountain Parkway Motorplex  Clay City, KY
July 20-21     Kanawha Valley Dragway      Pleasant, WV
August 3-4     Quaker City Raceway         Salem, OH
August 17-18   Dragway 42                  West Salem, OH

Division 4 Renegades 
February 23-24   River City Raceway      Marion, TX
March 16-17      West Texas Raceway      Odessa, TX
April 6-7        Red River Raceway       Gilliam, LA
April 27-28      Redline Raceway         Caddo Mills, TX
June 1-2         Lone Star Raceway Park  Sealy, TX
August 17-18     Red River Raceway       Gilliam, LA

Division 5 Thunder
June 15-16        Cordova Dragway Park    Cordova, IL
July 6-7          Thunder Valley Raceway  Tea, SD
July 20-21        Cedar Falls Raceway     Cedar Falls, IA
August 3-4        Eddyville Raceway Park  Eddyville, IA
September 14-15   Great Lakes Dragaway    Union Grove, WI
TBA               TBA

Wild Card Event 
June 21-23   Dakota Flat Track    Minot, ND

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