When it comes to Florida and racing perhaps no state does it better.

With dozens of tracks and multiple national events spread throughout the year Florida ranks right near the top of nearly everyone’s motorsports list.

Now Palm Beach International Raceway can add its name to the mix.

PBIR, one of the premier motorsports facilities in the country, features an Indy Racing League sanctioned road course and an IHRA sanctioned quarter-mile drag strip and both are getting the praise of motorsports experts throughout the country.

When it comes to Florida and racing perhaps no state does it better.

With dozens of tracks and multiple national events spread throughout the year Florida ranks right near the top of nearly everyone’s motorsports list.

Now Palm Beach International Raceway can add its name to the mix.

PBIR, one of the premier motorsports facilities in the country, features an Indy Racing League sanctioned road course and an IHRA sanctioned quarter-mile drag strip and both are getting the praise of motorsports experts throughout the country.

And in just a few short weeks Palm Beach International Raceway will finally get a chance to showcase what it has to offer on the national stage.

After years of preparation PBIR will host its first major drag race when Nitro Jam comes to town January 29-30 for the first race of the 2010 season and the first IHRA race in the state since 1999 at the inaugural Nitro Jam at West Palm Beach.

This one of a kind event will feature 20 nitro-burning dragsters and funny cars in Top Fuel, Pro Fuel and Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car, the first ever jet truck showdown between the 60,000 horsepower Shockwave and Super Shockwave, the world’s only wheelstanding school bus the “Cool Bus” and over $50,000 worth of fireworks – all of which will be featured twice each night.

Without a doubt this unique event will go down as one of the biggest drag racing entertainment events in Florida history and at the center of it all is the beautiful Palm Beach International Raceway.

“This is literally one of the best tracks I have ever seen. We go to some world class facilities, but there is just something special about this place that is sure to make it a top destination for the IHRA and its different brands for years to come,” said IHRA President Aaron Polburn.

PBIR is located on the site of the old Moroso Motorsports Park and is run by President and CEO Jason Rittenberry. The newly re-branded and re-designed state-of-the-art venue is rapidly becoming one of the most popular raceways in the country and Rittenberry is more than excited about its potential.

“I am thrilled to have been asked to join the team at one of the finest new motorsports facilities in the country,” Rittenberry said moments after taking over as president back in October. “I appreciate the confidence shown in my by the new ownership group and I look forward to helping PBIR achieve its vast potential in the years to come.”

It has been over a decade since Nitro Jam last visited the Sunshine State, although the International Hot Rod Association’s sportsman drivers are regular visitors to the state as PBIR marks the fourth IHRA sanctioned track in Florida.

The inaugural Palm Beach Nitro Jam is scheduled for Friday and Saturday with a new race each night. Spectator tickets range from just $25 and all tickets include free parking, a free pit pass and admission to Fan Fest, a designated time prior to each race where the fans can get autographs, see the cars and witness the “Nitro Earthquake” as all 20 nitro cars warm up at the same time.

Showtime is scheduled for 7 p.m. each night.

From Daytona to Gainesville, to Homestead and now Palm Beach, racing has become a regular part of the Florida culture and January’s Nitro Jam event at Palm Beach International Raceway will only help elevate the state to a new level in the motorsports world.

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