Thought I'd throw this out there in case anyone was interested. I've sat in the stands at the Pro Am, and have heard a lot of confused people when they see the Rod/throttle stop classes. I'll be there as a spectator this weekend. I enjoy seeing Stock, Super Stock (wheelstands!), and Top Sportsman (fast door cars on nitrous!) most, and the Rod classes have grown on me some, except for Super Rod. All those 8.90 dragsters, zzzzzzzzzz. It's good stuff.

Stock: This class offers economical racing machines in an incredibly competitive forum, with everything from 130 mph classic muscle cars to 75 mph family sedans. All demand original production equipment with which the car was marketed to the public, and is limited to a 9” wide tire. Cars run on a handicapped start (dial ins, bracket racing style), but each must run under their sub-category’s National Index, determined by a power to weight ratio. Two cars from the same sub-category/class facing each other run heads up, first to the finish line wins, no breakout penalty.
Super Stock: As the arena for factory muscle car showdowns for decades, this class spotlights some of the most powerful production vehicles ever built, with no tire size limitation. Cars run on a handicapped start (dial ins, bracket racing style), but each must run under their sub-category’s National Index, determined by a power to weight ratio. In addition to traditional Super Stockers, there are also sub-categories for GT entries, front wheel drive conversions, trucks, and Super Stock production entries. Two cars from the same sub-category/class facing each other run heads up, first to the finish line wins, no breakout penalty. Lots of wheelstands in this class!
Rod classes: The index (class dial in for all competitors) is set, and drivers tune their cars to the index by using a throttle stop. In these classes, you will see the cars launch together, heads up, and then slow, only to take off again. That slow period is the time the car is on the throttle stop, a device which takes the car from wide open throttle to idle, back to wide open. In all the Rod classes, the object is to beat the other driver to the finish line, without going under the index.
Hot Rod: 10.90 index in the ¼, 7.00 in the 1/8, full bodied cars only.
Super Rod:Full bodied cars and vintage roadsters also competing on an even start. Vehicles are permitted virtually any engine modification. Races are run on a 9.90 Class Index, or 6.40 for the 1/8th mile.
Quick Rod:The fastest of the “Rod” categories, Quick Rod offers dragsters, altered, vintage roadsters, coupes, and passenger cars racing with a heads up start. 8.90-second Class Index, or 5.70 in the 1/8th mile.
Top Sportsman: Along with Top Dragster, the quickest and fastest bracket class in racing. Door cars only, Top Sportsman racers are not encumbered by displacement limitations or customizing rules, offering some of the most radical visual and mechanical thrills in drag racing. You will see lots of nitrous in this class! Pro Am – 7.99 and quicker all run. Pittsburgh Thunder – quickest 32 cars qualify
Top Dragster: Top Dragster is also renowned as one of the most innovative classes in IHRA. Same rules as TS. Combining dragsters and altered vintage roadsters, you will see lots of nitrous here too, along with some blowers! In both TS and TD, drivers set their own dial in; first one to the finish line without going under their dial wins.
About The Summit Pro-Am Tour Presented By Mr. Gasket
Designed to offer semi-professional drag racers the opportunity to chase a championship without extended travel, the Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Tour presented by Mr. Gasket consists of races held in various regions throughout the country. Drivers earn points towards Pro-Am championships, as well as IHRA National Event Drag Racing Series championships. PRP is in the Patriots Division for the Pro Am level.
Sportsman racers in Top Sportsman, Top Dragster, Super Stock, Stock, Quick Rod, Super Rod and Hot Rod will compete for both divisional and national points. These drivers make up the backbone of IHRA drag racing with their competitiveness and skills. Racers can claim their best five of eight Pro-Am events and win a Divisional Championship. The new “Doubles” format of having two events in one weekend at the same track will allow drivers to achieve championship status and earn prize money while minimizing travel. The 2008 Pro-Am points system has been adjusted to reward those racers winning rounds at Pro-Am events at a greater rate than at National events. Every round won at the Pro-Am level will be worth additional points compared to the same round at a National event and will now score the best five (5) of first eight (8) Pro-Am events attended.
Pro-Am Champions in each class will receive $1,500, an IHRA Ironman and a Gold Card. Runner ups will receive $500 each. All of this is over and above the IHRA National points fund and other bonus programs. All seven categories are contested at the national level where racers can add the best three of their six events to their points total for the chance to be crowned IHRA World Champion. Sign up sheets are available at the IHRA tech trailer.
In Pittsburgh, the “doubles” races are the two Pro Am point’s races on Friday, July 11, and Saturday, July 12. The Sunday, July 13 race, the Pittsburgh Thunder Nationals, is an added race due to the cancellation of the IHRA national event in Toronto. The event features national event points, payouts, and contingency money.