Field set for Tournament of Champions

Words and photos by Larry Crum

Following a thrilling finish to the Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am tour season this past weekend in South Carolina and Texas, dozens of drivers have emerged as champions including one driver who continued his reign of terror in the sportsman ranks by winning divisional championships in two different classes.

Defending Super Rod World Champion Cameron Manuel once again had a tremendous year to win his way back into the Summit Racing Equipment Tournament of Champions (TOC) in October in not one, but two different classes. Manuel won the Top Dragster crown over Michael Ferraro in the Heat Wave Division and repeated as Super Rod champion over Bo Upton. Manuel also added a pair of TOC qualifying victories in both classes to his resume along with a runner-up finish in the Moser Axle-Mania Sportsman Showdown at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in August.

Overall Manuel has set himself up nicely for a repeat bid next month at the Summit Racing Equipment World Finals presented by RacingJunk.com at Virginia Motorsports Park.

“Once again we saw another great year of racing from our great competitors on the Summit Pro-Am Tour,” said IHRA VP of Race Operations Skooter Peaco. “Every year the bar is set even higher in the divisional ranks and we saw that once again this year. Congratulations to all of our divisional champions and we certainly look forward to seeing them next month in Virginia.”

Manuel was one of over 40 drivers to claim a divisional championship in 2011 during a season that began in early February at Immokalee Regional Raceway in south Florida and ended with a bevy of activity at Darlington Dragway in South Carolina and San Antonio Raceway in Texas.

Div. 1 Super Stock champ Anthony Bertozzi