Wed, 23 Oct 2024, 10:28 AM National Championships on the Line for NHRA Summit Racing Series Competitors

Courtesy of NHRA Communications At The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

LAS VEGAS - After a thrilling road to Las Vegas, 40 standout competitors are now ready to race for a NHRA Summit Racing Series National Championship as part of the upcoming Ford Performance NHRA Nationals, which takes place Oct. 31-Nov. 3 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

This annual event pits the nation's top drivers from the NHRA Summit Series, which has a list 75,000 drivers at NHRA member tracks across North America, looking for their shot at a championship in the Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman, Motorcycle and Street Legal EV categories.

The "Road to Vegas" started with racers competing in the Summit E.T. Finals across the seven NHRA divisions, with winners advancing to take part in the championship as part of the national event. It's the culmination of an impressive program that includes nearly $300,000 in annual series contingency postings up for grabs. Along with the purse, also up for grabs is a national championship Wally trophy, a championship jacket and much more.

"We're thrilled to be part of another incredible season in the NHRA Summit Series and everyone at Summit Racing Equipment is looking forward to a tremendous finish in Las Vegas and the chance to crown national champions," said Jim Greenleaf, Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Events Manager. "These racers deserve a spotlight like the one they will get in Las Vegas and it's also exciting to see some of the new special prizes and opportunities that have been added to the weekend for the competitors. There continues to be great growth and participation in the series, and we can't wait to see who becomes a NHRA Summit Racing Series National Champion."

This season, the series continued to boast incredible participation, as each of the NHRA divisions offered a multitude of new and unique items at their respective Summit E.T. Finals. An Eastern Canadian E.T. Finals also took place for the first time in NHRA history in 2024 at Napierville Dragway in Quebec. The E.T. Finals there were a championship-level event mirroring the seven NHRA Divisional E.T. Finals currently contested.

Now, it finishes with a must-see national championship in Las Vegas and a diverse group of drivers competing in many types of vehicles, including dragsters, roadsters, sedans, coupes, motorcycles, and electric cars.

On the line is ultimate bragging rights, trophies and the impressive purse. The intense racing action in Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman, Motorcycle and Street Legal EV categories will put on a memorable experience at the NHRA Summit Racing Series National Championship in Las Vegas, and it's a weekend filled with excitement for the 40 competitors.

It starts with a welcome dinner on Thursday, Oct. 31, which will also feature a chip draw for the first four positions, who will then call out the remaining drivers to set the first-round matchups.

Special prizes will also be raffled off between the 40 finalists, including NHRA suite passes for a day, experience a nitro car warmup in the pits and more. All finalists will have marquee access during Top Fuel and Funny Car qualifying sessions, as well as a parade in front of the grandstands in Vegas and introductions during the official pre-race ceremonies at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, putting the racers in front of the fans before running for a championship.

"It's been a terrific year in the NHRA Summit Series, which continues to be a great way for a driver to compete in NHRA Drag Racing. That entry-level foundation of our sportsman programs remains a vital part of the sport's growth and longevity, which makes a weekend like the one in Las Vegas so exciting," said Evan Jonat, NHRA Vice President of Live Events. "Each of the classes have enjoyed strong support in 2024 and it's great to see outstanding partners like Summit Racing Equipment see the value and importance in this series."

For more information on the NHRA Summit Racing Series, visit www.nhra.com/sportsman.

2024 NHRA SUMMIT RACING SERIES NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP COMPETITORS

Division 1   Richard Copertino	Super Pro
Division 1   Paul Northrop	Pro ET
Division 1   David Harvey III 	Sportsman
Division 1   Heather Bamound	Motorcycle
Division 1   Danny Hoff	Street Legal EV
Division 1   Jeff Kushinskie (wild card)	Super Pro

Division 2   Michael Carpenter 	Super Pro
Division 2   William Craft	Pro ET
Division 2   Bart Pangilinan	Sportsman
Division 2   Jerry Turner	Motorcycle
Division 2   Mark Horton	Street Legal EV
Division 2   Josh Carroll (wild card)	Sportsman

Division 3   Scott Sill	Super Pro
Division 3   Andrew Innes	Pro ET
Division 3   Nick Hastings	Sportsman
Division 3   Jason Drnach	Motorcycle
Division 3   Scott Sheppeard	Street Legal EV
Division 3   Steven Collier (wild card)	Street Legal EV

Division 4   Jacob "Crue" Garrett	Super Pro
Division 4   Alvie Merrill	Pro ET
Division 4   Camron Nelson	Sportsman
Division 4   Cody Couch	Motorcycle
Division 4   Camron Nelson	Street Legal EV

Division 5   Andrew Quinn	Sportsman
Division 5   Gordon Fangmeyer	Motorcycle
Division 5   Tyler Vaughn	Super Pro
Division 5   Jean Milton	Pro ET
Division 5   Jimmy Paulson (wild card)	Motorcycle
Division 5   Todd Larson	Street Legal EV

Division 6   Zach Meziere	Super Pro
Division 6   Tony Price	Pro ET
Division 6   Charles Burkeics	Sportsman
Division 6   Marty Reeves	Motorcycle
Division 6   Michael Webster	Street Legal EV

Division 7   David Myhre	Super Pro 
Division 7   Tim O'Moore	Pro ET
Division 7   CW Hoefer	Sportsman
Division 7   Dan Schneider	Motorcycle
Division 7   Omar Leon	Street Legal EV
Division 7   Noel Cuevas (wild card)	Pro ET