Record Crowds at Summit Motorsports Park; New Ice Cream Record Set


Norwalk, Ohio, June 29, 2008 – Despite the cancellation of Friday’s professional qualifying rounds, ticket sales for all four days of the second annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals were up over the previous year, and a new record was set for the track’s famous dollar-a-pound ice cream.

“We work very hard to put on a great show for the fans, and in the face of $4 a gallon gas, a soft economy and some run-ins with Mother Nature, it’s significant that we would see an increase from last year,” said Bill Bader, Jr., president of Summit Motorsports Park. “We saw a double-digit increase and we are grateful for the support of NHRA drag racing fans.”

Attendance from Pennsylvania, New York and Canada was up significantly over last year, bringing more fans and tourism dollars to Ohio’s economy. The Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals ranks as one of Ohio’s largest sporting events.

Another track record fell over the weekend. Summit Motorsports Park served up 26,493 pounds of Toft’s ice cream, a slight increase over last year’s record of 24,994 pounds. Sean Cassidy, the track’s director of food services, reported long lines for Toft’s ice cream all weekend. “We don’t like rain delays but we had a few this weekend,” said Cassidy, “and many fans took the opportunity to get their dollar’s worth of ice cream. It’s a tradition with many fans who come here.”