This has been a mixed year of racing for me.
Some good and a bunch of close losses.

But this weekend it was official at Maryland International Raceway, in Budds Creek MD.
I won the Summit Super Series track championship in the MOD ET class.
The next step is to run in the IHRA Raiders Divisional event at Rockingham, NC the weekend of Oct 1 (during the team bracket finals). Then the winner and runner-up in each division will advance to the IHRA World Championship at Virginia Motorsports Park the weekend of Oct 15.

http://www.ihra.com/SummitSuperSeries/

Although this is my 2nd time with this honor, it was not as sweet as the first. Due to the change in local track points system and the fact that two racers above me in track points didn't register with IHRA for this series (and run an "X" number), I am not the track points champion, but did earn the Summit Super Series track champoinship (toward the IHRA World Finals).

I am still proud to have earned this, even though this wasn't a great year of racing for me. But obviously, it was still pretty good.

Congrats Jim... some times you gotta take what they
give ya... good luck with the rest of the series

Nothing wrong with your year IMHO..I think you've done pretty well.Just keep doing what you have been doing this year.
Good luck in Rockingham,and hopefully you'll head to Virginia.

Well done,Jim!! And best of luck to you!!

Nothing to sneeze at....Congrats that's awesome

Rickster

Previously, only the winner from each division went to the World finals (8 car field). But this year IHRA expanded it, ie winner and runner-up from each divisional runoff:

Quote:

---

IHRA has announced that it will be expanding the program in 2011 from eight car fields in the Box and No Box classes at the IHRA World Finals to 16 car fields in each category.

---

There are 12 tracks in the Raiders Division, so it looks like I will be in a 12 car field at the division race.

Quote:

---

TRACK CODES FOR THE 2011 TEAMS -
TRACK NAME CODE
1. Maryland International MR
2. Greer Dragway GR
3. Piedmont Dragway PD
4. Virginia Motorsports Park VM
5. Rockingham Dragway RM
6. Dunn Benson Dragstrip DB
7. Coastal Plains CP
8. Fayetteville Motorsports Park FY
9. Richmond Dragway RD
10. Northeast Dragway ND
11. Outer Banks Speedway OU
12. New London Dragstrip NL

---

Must be Monday 'cuz I'm a little confused. Is the Summit Series a "series w/in a series" that was running combined w/ the MIR track championship? So you didn't win the MIR series again, but won the Summit-specific deal?

Either way, congrats and good luck w/ the upcoming races!

so I take it the people above you in points that had not registered with IHRA are not eligible to run at the bracket finals.....

The track points system is too complicated.
They have a 1/8 mile series and 1/4 mile series.
All racers are in the "track" points, but if they didn't register with IHRA and run an assigned "X" number, they don't count for the SSS, but do count for track standing (bracket finals, etc.).

The SSS standing was finished this weekend. I was the 1/4 mile qualifier, and I beat the 1/8 mile qualifier for the SSS track champion in a runoff this weekend. But the track continues to count "track points" after the bracket team finals and SSS divisional. So the winner of that is not yet decided.

The bracket finals team is separate from the SSS.
It just happens the divisional SSS run off is at the same time as the bracket finals. You still have to be an IHRA member (and licensed if ET requires it), and be in the track points to run in the bracket team finals, but you don't need to be in the SSS and have an "X" number.

Complicated system(s) now, unlike 2 years ago when I won it all under one system (no separate 1/8, 1/4, all were SSS etc.)
If you want to see the MIR track part of it, see their web site under "ET Central"... http://www.mirdrag.com

Congrats on both your on track performance and being intelligent enough to decipher the points system

Congrats, on winning the SSS deal, good luck
when you go to Rockingham, check with them when
you get there as to how they are going to ladder
the cars, with 12 cars involved in the run-off
deal there is going to be a bye the 3rd rd, you
want to be on the side of the ladder that the bye
comes from, if at all possible, or if they go by
reacts the rd before, that throws another stick in
the mix.

Take it from someone who has been there and done that,
you want to try and make it come out on your end, every
rd, don't try to over think it, and don't try to go
and do something you have not or are not comfortable doing,
there is no better feeling in the world when that win
light comes on and you are on your way to Virginia, to
run for the World Championship, don't let yourself get
caught up in all the hype, and bs from being in this
deal, go there with the intention of winning the SSS
deal, everything else is 2nd hand other than that.

Enuff said GOOD LUCK

Dave

Good job Jim and you are one of the best bracket racers on here for sure.

Good job Jim , I enjoy reading about your racing .

Good luck

Good Job Jim!

I want to give Mod a try if I can ever stop footbraking.

I won the track championship in Pro at Mason Dixon last weekend so the injected Big Block Darts will be representing at the NHRA and IHRA bracket finals!

Congrats Jim. I am sure it is well deserved as you are one of the best racers I have seen. Ron