Summit Motorsports Park

{{Infobox motorsport venue

| name = Summit Motorsports Park

| Time = UTC−5

| location = Norwalk, Ohio, United States

| logo = Summit_Motorsports_Park_Logo.png

| image = File:3 Can Ams at Norwalk 30th Anniv.JPG

| image_caption = A Pontiac Can Am at the 2007 Pontiac Nationals, held at the park

| coordinates = {{coord|41.2352778|-82.5427778|format=dms|display=inline,title|type:landmark_region:US-OH}}

| address = 1300 State Route 18

| opened = 1963

| capacity = 40,000 {{cite web |last1=Don |first1=Gary |title=Summit Motorsports Park 47th Annual Night Under Fire Results |url=https://dragchamp.com/2024/nhra/summit-motorsports-park-47th-annual-night-under-fire-results/ |website=DragChamp.com |date=6 August 2024}}

| owner = Bill Bader

| former_names = Norwalk Raceway Park

| events = NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series
Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals

| Layout1 = Drag Strip

| surface = Concrete

| miles_first = true

| length_mi = 0.25

| Length_km = 0.402

| embedded =

| website = {{URL|https://www.summitmotorsportspark.com/}}

}}

Summit Motorsports Park, formerly Norwalk Raceway Park and Norwalk Dragway, is a drag racing facility located at 1300 State Route 18 near Norwalk, Ohio. It has been a National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) sanctioned facility since 2007 and annually hosts the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals an NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Event and the Cavalcade of Stars, an NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Regional Event. As well as the national events, the facility holds regular local competition throughout the season.

History

Norwalk Dragway opened to the public in 1963 but lay dormant for much of the first ten years of its existence. Goodyear briefly used the track for tire testing up to 1973 when the track was sold to a joint venture between Wayne Sergeant and Bill Bader. Sergeant pulled out of the deal the following year and Bader continued as the sole owner. The track was reopened on April 28, 1974.{{cite web |title=2018 NHRA Media Guide |url=http://media.nhra.com/2018/mediaguide/2018%20Media%20Guide.pdf |accessdate=27 June 2020 |ref=pg 259}}

In 1981, Norwalk hosted the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) World Nationals for the first time. It continued to host this event up to the 2006 season and had become the IHRA's flagship drag racing facility by this time.

In 2007, Ohio-based automotive parts company Summit Racing Equipment purchased the naming rights to the facility. The Pontiac Performance NHRA Nationals, held at National Trail Raceway in Hebron, Ohio between 1972 and 2006, found its new home at Summit Motorsports Park in 2007. In preparation for the facility's NHRA debut, millions of dollars were spent in upgrades and renovations.

In 2008, the last NHRA national event to run the nitromethane classes to 1320' was held here. Since this race, nitromethane classes have only been contested to 1000' to allow for more braking distance at national events.

In 2020, track owner Bill Bader initially refused to shut down the track as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web |date=2020-04-16 |title='We are starving': Summit Motorsports Park says they're opening for the 2020 season no matter what |url=https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/summit-motorsports-opening-for-2020-season-no-matter-waht/95-b00f86c2-aed4-45a9-b585-96f65301fb5c |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241024055854/https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/summit-motorsports-opening-for-2020-season-no-matter-waht/95-b00f86c2-aed4-45a9-b585-96f65301fb5c |archive-date=2024-10-24 |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=wkyc.com |language=en-US}} However, the track was eventually shuttered for the entire 2020 season, with plans to reopen in 2021.{{cite web |title=Summit Motorsports Park cancels entire 2020 season |url=https://sanduskyregister.com/news/247264/summit-motorsports-park-cancels-entire-2020-season/ |website=sanduskyregister.com |accessdate=27 June 2020 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Summit Motorsports Park Not Opening In 2020 |url=https://www.dragzine.com/news/summit-motorsports-park-reportedly-not-opening-in-2020/ |website=Dragzine |accessdate=27 June 2020 |date=1 June 2020}}{{cite web |title=Summit Motorsports Park cancels 2020 season |url=https://norwalkreflector.com/news/247229/summit-motorsports-park-cancels-2020-season/ |website=norwalkreflector.com |accessdate=27 June 2020 |language=en}}

Current Track Records

class="wikitable" !Category!!E.T.!!Speed!!Driver!!Event!!Ref
rowspan="2"\|Top Fuel	3.666	bgcolor="black"\|	Brittany Force	2022 Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals	rowspan="8"\|{{cite web \|title=Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals Sunday preview \|url=https://www.nhra.com/news/2025/summit-racing-equipment-nhra-nationals-sunday-preview \|website=NHRA \|access-date=30 June 2025 \|language=en}}
bgcolor="black"\|	{{convert\|337.15 \|mi/h\|km/h\|abbr=on}}	Doug Kalitta	2024 Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals
rowspan="2"\|Funny Car	3.853	bgcolor="black"\|	Austin Prock	2024 Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals
bgcolor="black"\|	{{convert\|336.82\|mi/h\|km/h\|abbr=on}}	Bob Tasca III	2024 Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals
rowspan="2"\|Pro Stock	6.523	bgcolor="black"\|	Erica Enders	2014 Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals
bgcolor="black"\|	{{convert\|212.63\|mi/h\|km/h\|abbr=on}}	Erica Enders	2014 Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals
rowspan="2"\|Pro Stock Motorcycle	6.627	bgcolor="black"\|	Gaige Herrera	2024 Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals
bgcolor="black"\|	{{convert\|205.04\|mi/h\|km/h\|abbr=on}}	Matt Smith	2021 Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals

References

External links

[https://www.summitmotorsportspark.com Summit Motorsports Park official website]

Category:NHRA Division 3 drag racing venues

Category:Motorsport venues in Ohio

Category:Buildings and structures in Huron County, Ohio

Category:Tourist attractions in Huron County, Ohio

Category:1963 establishments in Ohio

Category:Sports venues completed in 1963