HARRISBURG, N.C. - The INEX Race to the Top Challenge will reward one Thunder Roadster competitor a chance to compete in a 2008 Auto Racing Club of America (ARCA) ReMax Series event in a fully-funded entry.
The recipient will be the winner of the invitation-only Top Challenge Thunder Cup race at Elko (Minn.) Speedway during the 17th RACEceiver Legends and Thunder Roadster Asphalt Nationals, Oct. 2-4.
Twelve Thunder Roadster competitors will receive invitations to the event through competition in their regional Race to the Top Thunder Roadster Series. There will be six regions with two drivers from each region receiving invitations to compete in the Top Challenge. The regions will be North Carolina, Georgia, Indiana, Texas, Nevada and Northern California.
"Every driver is looking for a chance to prove themselves in the higher ranks of motorsports," said Darrel Krentz, executive director of INEX. "This opportunity will offer our best Thunder Roadster driver that chance. It really is a chance of a lifetime."
The regional points champion will receive an automatic invitation, and the other regional invitation will be chosen from the remaining racers who have competed in every race of Race to the Top event in their region.
Up to 12 events will be scheduled in each region. The exact format will be determined by the local dealer/promoter and INEX. It may consist of races scheduled at multiple tracks or designated races at individual tracks. Schedules will be released soon.
The ARCA ReMax Series is a proven training ground for future NASCAR competitors including recent NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers David Ragan, Reed Sorenson and Kyle Busch. The Race to the Top entry is tentatively scheduled to take place at the Oct. 12 ARCA RE/MAX Series event at Toledo (Ohio) Speedway.
The program has been endorsed by 600 Racing founder and Lowe's Motor Speedway president, H.A. Humpy Wheeler. The drivers receiving invitations to the Top Challenge race will be announced in early September.
A new body style for the Thunder Roadster car will also be available in the coming months.
More information and schedules will be released soon at www.600racing.com.
INEX is the international sanctioning body of the RACEceiver Legends Car, Bandolero and Thunder Cup cars, and a division of 600 Racing, Inc. 600 Racing, Inc., the exclusive manufacturer of RACEceiver Legends, Bandoleros and Thunder Cup cars, is a subsidiary of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (NYSE: TRK), a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States.
The North Carolina Race to the Top Schedule
March 22 - Concord (N.C.) Motorsport Park
March 30 - Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway
April 19 - Concord Motorsport Park
April 26 - Caraway Speedway, Asheboro, N.C.
May 3 - Rockingham (N.C.) Raceway Park
May 10 - Concord Motorsport Park
June 13 - Tri-County Motor Speedway, Hudson, N.C.
June 21 - Caraway Speedway
July 12 - Lanier National Speedway, Braselton, Ga.
Aug. 8 - Caraway Speedway
Aug. 15 - Tri-County Motor Speedway
Aug. 30 - Concord Motorsport Park