IRG Sports + Entertainment has announced that the 63rd running of the World Series of Drag Racing will be held at Memphis International Raceway, moving the race from its longtime home in Cordova, Illinois. The announcement will come as a bitter pill for those residents of the Cordova area that have been loyally supporting the event since the Eisenhower administration.
The company states that the move is being made for reasons related to growth and expansion, “The transition to MIR moves the historic event to a centralized location that can withstand the growth potential and bring in even more racers, fans, vendors, live music and much more. The new facility will serve as a fitting showcase for the world’s fastest drag racing and focus on a fan and racer friendly atmosphere.”
BangShift has provided coverage ranging from photos to live streaming video from the event and we’re friendly with many people who were loyal attendees of the race for as long as they have been in the sport of drag racing. It will be interesting to see how the event evolves and how the support for the event is in Memphis as compared to when it was in Cordova.
We’ll continue following this one as more news becomes available.
(Correction: In an earlier version of this story we stated that the seating capacity at Cordova was larger than the seating capacity at Memphis. We were corrected on this point and apologize for the misinformation.)
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World Series of Drag Racing celebrates its 63rd year in 2016
USA’s oldest drag racing event moves to a new location with new energy and support from Sunoco and the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau
Tickets go on sale Friday, March 4 at Ticketmaster.com or call (800)745-3000
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MEMPHIS, Tennessee /NEW YORK, NY (March 1, 2016) – IRG Sports + Entertainment™ (IRGSE), a TPG portfolio company, Sunoco, and the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau announced today that the World Series of Drag Racing is returning this summer, but to a new and larger facility in a major league sports market. The world’s longest continually running drag racing event will celebrate its 63rd year at the Mid-South’s premiere motorsports destination, Memphis International Raceway (MIR) August 26 – 27 with support from Sunoco and the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The transition to MIR moves the historic event to a centralized location that can withstand the growth potential and bring in even more racers, fans, vendors, live music and much more. The new facility will serve as a fitting showcase for the world’s fastest drag racing and focus on a fan and racer friendly atmosphere. The two days of nonstop drag racing action will include professional racers from around the country as well as local sportsman racers competing to become the next Champion of the World Series of Drag Racing presented by Sunoco and the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“The IRGSE Board of Directors have a vision for the World Series of Drag Racing. The event will be home to all things related to drag racing and we thank Sunoco and the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau for partnering with us and sharing this vision,” stated IRGSE Vice Chairman of the Board and CEO Chris Lencheski. “The World Series of Drag Racing is a place where fans can walk through a swap meet, find drag racing collectables or images, bring the family and go RV’ing and camping, watch two days of incredible racing, and celebrate their favorite sport. We believe that “The World Series of Drag Racing” will become a lifestyle event similar to what Comic-Con is for fans of Sci-fi/Comics in San Diego. We plan to continue the existing traditions and add some new exciting elements to drag racing’s premiere fan event,” Lencheski continued.
“We are honored to be a presenting sponsor for an event that will feature some of the fastest drag racers in the world and the fans will be able to enjoy heart pounding action in a family-friendly festival atmosphere. Of special significance to us is that the grassroots sportsman racers who have been at the core of our business model as they will be participating at a track that has been a loyal partner to our brand,” commented Sunoco’s Vice President & General Manager of Performance Products Rob Marro.
The Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and Sunoco partnered with IRGSE to become the presenting sponsors of the historic race. The CVB is a big supporter of their hometown track and has partnered with MIR on various national events throughout the years. In addition, the Sunoco name is synonymous with drag racing and a proud supporter of IRGSE-owned facilities and the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA).
“We look forward to hosting race fans from across the country as the World Series of Drag Racing continues to grow in its new home at Memphis International Raceway,” said Kevin Kane, president and CEO of the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Drag racing has a long history in Memphis, and with the city’s central location and strong racing facilities, major racing events are always an economic success for the region.”
“With IRGSE looking to grow the World Series of Drag Racing, I was very pleased Memphis got the nod to host the event,” stated Memphis International Raceway GM & VP Pam Kendrick. “The World Series of Drag Racing has a long standing tradition that matches MIR’s tradition of top notch competitive and entertaining events, it’s a perfect marriage. Our fans have been looking for this type of an event since we opened in 2012 and I can’t express how excited the team and I are about it. We’d also like to thank Sunoco and the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau for their support. Two great partners that will make an impact on the overall success of this historic event. Make your plans today, it will be an event to remember.”
The World Series of Drag Racing attracts sportsman and professional racers from around the country to compete against each other. The top names in drag racing participate in exhibition runs, match racing, and competitive eliminator action in front of capacity crowds. Notable participants in past World Series of Drag Racing events include: IHRA President Mike Dunn, hometown favorite Clay Millican, ‘Big Daddy’ Don Garlits, Shirley Muldowney, T.J. Zizzo, Cruz Pedregon, Tony Pedregon, Tim Wilkerson, Bruce Litton, Chris “The Greek” Karamesines, Warren Johnson, Larry Morgan, Dom Lagana, and many more.
The World Series of Drag Racing has a storied history with the first-ever event taking place in Lawrenceville, Illinois in 1953 and later transitioning to IRGSE-owned Cordova International Raceway (CIR). Since its conception, the event has featured the world’s best drag racing in a family friendly environment with vendors, good food and open access to the pit area for autographs and to meet the drivers. The tradition will continue at MIR with additional events and a star studded driver line-up.
Tickets go on sale this Friday, March 4 at Ticketmaster or call (800)745-3000. Additional announcements will be made in the coming months regarding the professional driver line-up, live performances during the event and much more. Please check RaceMIR.com for pricing and schedule updates regarding the World Series of Drag Racing presented by Sunoco and the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau on August 26 – 27.
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Over 60 years of history, stolen.
Sooo…Why doesn’t Cordova hold a race on the same weekend as before and call it a drag race and people will come anywhay and whoever shows up to race gets to race fuel cars down to moms car?
IHRA owns both tracks. They won’t dare so that.
The whole thing sucks but Cordova can’t do shit , Cordova has to OK everything with IRG and personally i think IRG whats to ruin the track and close it .
Just what Dunn would do, turn it into a Top Fuel race. Great idea dummy. Of course, what would he know about running anything?Yes, they stole it !! It is the same as moving the Kentucky Derby to Denver !! People came there because it belonged at a smaller nostalgic venue. What a shame.
Mike Dunn had nothing to do with the decision to move the World Series. The move was made by IRGSE Vice Chairman of the Board and CEO Chris Lencheski. Mike Dunn can not do anything about the move, that decision was made before they even hired him.
Your so right Dick…what a great event new ruined
That’s like moving Indy to ‘Anywhere-else’.
The NHRA has been ruining their organization for years with decisions made by corporate mentalities, looks like the IHRA is following in their footsteps…
I hope this isn’t a sign of what’s to come for Cordova. We don’t need another track disappearing.
shame. Cordova has a long history of firsts. First where the east met west racing, Don Garlits, Ernie Beswick, many, many others. One of the first track in the nation to have a concrete starting pad, if not the first. Garlits even spoke that one of his kids were made by one tree by the track after winning.
Lot of history soon to be gone without the Summer Nationals or the World Series both being pulled from the track.
One huge reason the World Series ws so well supported here in the Quad Cities was that locals know the history of the event. Not likely too many in Memphis do. None of the World Series firsts/records happened in Memphis. Unfortunately it’ll probably end up dieing a long slow death, and possibly my home track of Cordova as well, though I hope not.
Complete bullshit! IHRA and IRG will never get another penny of my money.
Long and short of it… I have my World series of drag racing onesie from the year i was born 30 years ago, Cordova is the home of the World Series it can never be someplace else. If the people who made this move had a chance to talk to the guys the originally opened Cordova dragway or any of the racers that scrambled on the last few days before the series just to race during the series they would know that all there doing is moving the name to make more money. I hope it does great down there and they set bunches of fake records at the new “series” so the people that have raced the series can be like heh thats cute try it in the sand when the dews settling for the night, come on up here if you think you can drive.
don’t take it you want too kill cordova and all the drag races so let it be
I actually got a response from IHRA on this. Not much different than the article but here ya go.Re:
I completely understand. Our parent company (the people that own ihra and also own the track) think they can make the event bigger and add more elements to it at a bigger track in a bigger market.
I do understand the emotional connection to the event and that is the hardest part about all of this.
Skooter
Roughly translates to screw tradition and history for a bigger pay check. This is not the direction drag racing needs to go.