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New IHRA race category to hit the track in 1998BRISTOL, Tenn. -- International Hot Rod Association officials announced Wednesday the creation of the new Super Eliminator category for the 1998 season. The category will exist as an independently supported eliminator through a variety of sponsors, and not as part of the 12-division Snap-on Tools Drag Racing Series. In the past, the category competed as Top Dragster Quick-8, a sportsman shootout division of the Top Dragster class. Nationally recognized as the quickest and fastest sportsman eliminator division in all of drag racing, Super Eliminator will feature a championship points fund up for grabs among drivers who compete at all points-earning races on the 1998 IHRA circuit. Unlike the eight Snap-on Series sportsman categories, Super Eliminator will compete on a professional-style, 'heads-up' basis using a pro tree. "In an effort to further position IHRA’s sportsman categories as the quickest and fastest, coupled with the tremendous desire from sponsors and racers, we felt it absolutely necessary to make Super Eliminator a reality for all concerned," said Don Gillespie, IHRA Marketing and Special Projects Director. "From a promotional standpoint, the category is on the verge of breaking one of the last great barriers in the sport, the five-second zone for gasoline-powered vehicles. I think there's going to be great interest in the category from sponsors, racers and the media." The category will feature a mix of six-second, 220 mile per hour ‘mountain motor’ nitrous and supercharged rear-engine dragsters, and short wheelbase, nostalgia-bodied open cockpit blown and injected altereds. "The announcement of the new Super Eliminator by IHRA marks the beginning of a unique relationship between racers, sponsors and the sanctioning body," said Super Eliminator category spokesman Stan Ray. "The fastest sportsman cars in the world will be racing in a program that began as a joint effort to meet the goals and needs of all three groups." The new and exciting category will offer IHRA sportsman drivers a valuable steppingstone to Top Fuel, the top level in professional drag racing. Several current IHRA Top Fuel stars have progressed to Top Fuel from this class, including Danny Dunn, Bruce Litton and Steve Smith. "I can't emphasize how positive this experience has been," said IHRA Administrative General Manager Gary Schuetz. "There was a lot of quality energy exchanged between all involved to make Super Eliminator a reality. I'm confident that the class will be a huge success and that will be a direct compliment to the hard work put forth by those who developed the concept for IHRA's newest race category."
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