What's at Stake this Weekend at MIR
(8/21/2014)
The 2014 Summit Bracket Series presented by COMP Cams regular season wraps up this Saturday at Memphis International Raceway (MIR) and a lot is still up for grabs before moving into the IHRA Team Finals in October. Local sportsman racers are vying for the Ironman in all four classes, the track championship, the Summit SuperSeries championship as well as final spots on the team final rosters.
Defending Rick's Powder Coating Super Pro track champion, Rusty Ashmore, is leading the way this year as he has a 43-point lead over second-place driver, Cody Graham. Ashmore has competed in all 13 races this season and has garnered two wins (June 21 and July 12). Cody Graham, Tyler Roach, Brad Barclay and T.J. Tracey round out the top-five in the point standings.
The B&B Towing Footbrake class has the tightest point's battle heading into the season finale. 2013 track champion, David Ciarloni is holding a four-point lead over Matt Anderson. This is familiar territory for the duo as the same scenario played out in last year's battle for the title. Ciarloni has two wins (April 19 and July 26) this season. The top-five are only separated by 51 points and include T.J. Tracey, Cody Graham and David Elam.
David Elam claimed his first track championship two weekends ago in the R.T. Turbines D.O.T. Street class. The Covington, Tenn. driver is 128 points ahead of Billy Foster Sr. going into the finale. Elam has a season high five wins (March 15, April 19, July 12, July 27 and Aug. 9) and finished in the runner-up spot three times. 2013 track champion, Cliff Hubbard, Greg Johnson and Jimmy Ray hold the final three spots in the top-five.
In the R.T. Turbines Jr. Dragster class, brothers Tyler and Justin Poindexter go into the finals one-two, respectively. Tyler is looking to grab his second title in three years from last year's track champion, Justin. The duo went up against each other in the final round four times this year and Tyler holds an 81-point lead over his brother. Also in the top-five are Drew Mann Tracey, Devin Johnson and Tara Taylor.
In addition to crowning the 2014 track champions, the Ironman is up for grabs in all four classes Saturday night. Once a year, sportsman racers have a chance to walk away with the prestigious Ironman trophy in the MIR winner's circle.
And if all that wasn't enough, the final event will also determine who will represent MIR in the IHRA Team Finals Summit SuperSeries (SSS) Run Off by being crowned the SSS champion at MIR. Three of the four classes are eligible to participate in the Run Offs - Rick's Powder Coating Super Pro, B&B Towing Footbrake and R.T. Turbines Jr. Dragster. In 2013, Rusty Ashmore, Matt Anderson and Justin Poindexter were victorious in the season long run with Justin Poindexter going on to claim the World Championship in Jr. Dragsters.
The IHRA Team Finals are next up on the schedule for the Summit Bracket Series presented by COMP Cams drivers after this weekend. 60 drivers from this season are vying for the chance to represent their hometown track in the finals on Oct. 3 - 5, 2014 at MIR, on one of two teams that will enter. This group of racers will compete with the best of the best from other IHRA member tracks from across the country. Team MIR is the two-time defending champions of the main event at the IHRA Summit Racing Equipment World Finals and they look to keep that streak alive.
The Summit Bracket Series presented by COMP Cams season finale and Racer Appreciation Day is this Saturday, August 23. MIR is thanking our local racers and sponsor, R.T. Turbines, by offering free entry into the R.T. Turbines D.O.T. Street class. Gates open at 4 p.m. and time trials begin at 5 p.m. Entry fees are based on class, excluding the D.O.T. Street class, and spectator/crew admission is $10. Children 12 and under are FREE. For more information, please visit www.racemir.com or call (901)WOW-Race.
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This article posted by Memphis International Raceway. Click here for more track information.
