In news that verges on the epic, today the ADRL announced the formation of a new class called the SuperCar Showdown that will pit the drag package entries from Ford, GM, and Chrysler against one another in a heads up eighth mile format. The class was developed with strong input from guys like Bret Kepner and Jeff Teuton so it is far more than something to fill a splashy press release. Both of those guys are the real deal. Kepner in the historical /analytic sense and Teuton in the decades of class racing sense. This could finally be the spark that reignites the Pro Stock category into something other than cartoon characters of factory cars.

The NHRA Pro Stock class began in 1970 under similar auspices as this ADRL category. It was a way to unleash the true potential in combinations that the major manufacturers were offering (in different forms) to the general public. Like in today’s world, a guy could not walk into a Chevy dealer and buy a Camaro that ran as hard as Grumpy Jenkins’ machine, but he damn well could buy a big block Camaro with a four speed and act like da Grump at every stoplight. The same DIRECT comparison can be made to the guy who sees Carl Tasca haul ass in his Cobra Jet and gets inspired to waltz into a Ford dealer and buy himself a Mustang GT. This is a big deal and it is hella cool that the ADRL is leading the way on it and that some thought by guys who have spent their lives in this sport went into developing the idea.

Congrats to the ADRL on a huge announcement and kudos to Kepner and Teuton for creating the frame work for a class that lots of us have hoped would exist for years!

Here is the full release from the ADRL:

O’FALLON, MO (January 13, 2012) – In the midst of one of the greatest eras of high-performance passenger cars, the American Drag Racing League on Friday unveiled a completely new category of drag racing which will feature the world’s most powerful production automobiles in head-to-head competition.

The new division, named the SuperCar Showdown, will present an arena for the latest factory-produced, dealership-available models to meet in a true drag racing contest. With no handicap starts or performance restrictions, the quickest and fastest current offerings from every major auto manufacturer will be free to show their true potential. The SuperCar Showdown Series will unite the automakers, the public market and the ADRL to present drag racing at its most meaningful level.

The SuperCar Showdown will debut at the season-opening ADRL Dragpalooza VIII at Royal Purple Raceway in Houston on March 30-31, and will be a part of all 10 2012 ADRL Tour stops, which feature many of the nation’s most prestigious tracks.

The series concept, conceived by ADRL broadcast personality Bret Kepner, ADRL President Tim McAmis and drag racing veteran Jeff Teuton, was finalized in early January after months of exhaustive research. While ADRL fans will be the first to experience the thrill of spectacular competition between the SuperCars, the basis of the program reaches far beyond entertainment for spectators at ADRL events.

“The SuperCar Showdown was designed to benefit everybody involved with our sport,” said Kepner just prior to the announcement of the series. “The manufacturers are currently producing the most powerful cars ever made available to the public because that’s what the market wants. The fans dream of seeing these cars race head-to-head and the winner of the event will earn the respect of potential buyers.

“The automakers build these cars to sell them through their dealerships. The SuperCar Showdown will once again bring those ingredients together at the dragstrip. The manufacturers will now be able to present their best product, the fans will now be able to see the competition among those models and the dealerships will now be able to sell those cars to an audience which truly cares about high-performance machines.”

For ADRL President McAmis, the program marks a major achievement by the racing association.

“The ADRL has always been unique in its ability to operate without politics,” McAmis explained. “We have grasped the opportunity to present what is truly twenty-first century drag racing on a National Championship level. The ADRL has always maintained close relationships with the major automobile manufacturers and we have worked hard to be able to help them achieve their goals with the SuperCar Showdown while creating an entirely new era in drag racing.”

McAmis was quick to add the benefits to the ADRL Championship series, noting the SuperCar program will be a tremendous addition to the classes already offered at ADRL events.

“From our Extreme Pro Stock division to our supercharged Pro Extreme category, we already offer an incredible array of machinery. However, the SuperCars will be totally different than anything else on our menu and it will be an exciting feature to which the fans can honestly relate,” McAmis said.

With the anticipated involvement of the Ford Motor Company’s new Mustang, the Dodge Challenger of the Chrysler Corporation and Chevrolet’s new concept COPO Camaro, it was imperative Kepner and McAmis seek the advice of one familiar with the new SuperCars being produced and the goals of their manufacturers.

Jeff Teuton, a veteran of 50 years of drag racing competition who earned the 2011 NHRA U.S. Nationals Stock Eliminator championship at the wheel of a 2009 Dodge Challenger, also owns and operates the Southland Dodge dealership in Houma, Louisiana. Teuton understood the benefits of the SuperCar Showdown from every angle.

“It’s what we racers have always wanted,” Teuton said. “It will be the first real ‘heads-up’ racing we’ve been able to do with these cars and we’ll give the fans a heck of a show. This kind of racing will be the perfect sales opportunity to reach the market audience who want to buy these amazing cars.”

While the ADRL will soon release complete details surrounding the new category, the SuperCar Showdown will be presented during the prime audience hours at ADRL events. Racing will be conducted with late-model production machines in factory stock trim, using a “Professional” starting system without handicaps over the ADRL’s standard one eighth-mile distance. Parity will be achieved by weight restrictions rather than horsepower ratings. There will be no performance parameters or “breakout” restrictions enforced.

Visit www.ADRL.us for more information to be released soon about drag racing‘s most exciting new division.