Saturday, May 25, 2013
ET Series Race #4 - May 25, 2013
VP Racing Fuels Super 32
W: Randy Estridge ('07 Adkins) - 5.734, 85.74 (4.77 dial).
R/U: Kenny Snopps ('94 Cavalier) - foul.
Semi's: Dale Foss; Richard Fritsche.
RCD RV Super Pro
W: Winnings split with 6 left.
Faslube Pro
W: Jason Wheatcraft ('67 Barracuda) - 9.939, 130.82 (9.92 dial).
R/U: Shaun Bemiller ('33 Roadster) - 9.798, 131.96 (9.79 dial).
Semi's: Tom Casto; Pat McFadden.
Leghorns Sportsman
W: Shawn Pitts ('00 Camaro) - 12.158, 103.44 (12.10 dial).
R/U: Jim Kincaid II ('74 Duster) - 12.071, 110.40 (12.00 dial).
Semi's: Terry McGee; Chuck Tyack.
Super Pro Motorcycle
W: Bruce Sauer ('76 Kawasaki) - 9.182, 134.63 (9.14 dial).
R/U: Bob Nugent ('82 Kawasaki) - 9.747, 128.51 (9.70 dial).
Semi's: Sean Robson; Bob Burt.
Street Motorcycle
W: Roger Burt ('00 Honda) - 11.187, 117.19 (11.20 dial).
R/U: Jason Meddles ('06 Suzuki) - 9.724, 131.65 (9.79 dial).
Semi's: Dustin Burchett.
JEGS.com Junior Dragster 1
W: Caleb Burns ('00 Bos) - 13.120, 49.15 (13.23 dial).
R/U: Cody Hoberg ('96 Jegster) - 13.064, 49.43 (13.25 dial).
Semi's: Clay Coughlin.
JEGS.com Junior Dragster 2
W: Nathan Altenbach ('12 Halfscale) - 9.064, 71.98 (8.96 dial).
R/U: Myah Gross ('10 Halfscale) - 9.039, 72.43 (9.03 dial).
Semi's: Jacob Oiler; Destiny Taylor.
JEGS.com Junior Dragster 3
W: Andrew Valentino ('06 KCS) - 7.906, 81.09 (7.90 dial).
R/U: Mason Gross ('10 Halfscale) - 7.905, 82.67 (7.91 dial).
Semi's: Nathan Flowers.
ET Series Race #3 - May 5, 2013
It was quite a difference that greated the racers of the JEGS ET - Summit Series here at National Trail Raceway from the first weekend of racing competition. The cold and windy weather from April was replaced with great overcast warmth that made the action on the track just as fantastic. It was a couple of weeks since the first two events and several new drivers scored wins for the first time in 2013. For Shawn Pitts, the race results in Leghorns Sportsman was a repeat as he scored his second straight win in the category. Other winners today were Brett Spring (RCD RV Super Pro), Doug Baker (Faslube Pro), Marshall Hutchinson Jr. (Super Pro Motorcycle), Bob Burt (Street Motorcycle), Clay Coughlin (JEGS.com Junior Dragster 1), Alexis Tanner (JEGS.com Junior Dragster 2), Nick Isenhower (JEGS.com Junior Dragster 3), and Maggie Turley (JEGS Quick 330 Shootout)
The Super Pro final round was quite intriguing from the outside as Spring and his 1969 Dart from Newark, Ohio went up against the S & W dragster of Austin Kardules from Pataskala, Ohio. Spring, who ran the Dart in both Super Pro and Pro, had advaned through the tough field with no electronics to go up against Kardules. Spring got a handicapped head start in the final round, and the nearly two second edge on the 1/8 mile distance might have played into the -.010 reaction time by Kardules lighting the red bulb. Spring got the win running a 7.276 on his 7.25 dial in. A third round finish today by incoming points leader Fred Krakora kept him ahead of Dale Foss by 50 points.
Baker brought his wheelstanding 1987 Mustang all the way to the Pro final round. The Newark, Ohio runner was matched up with John Patterson Jr. from Whitehall, Ohio driving Brian Webster's Buick Regal. Baker, who in back to back rounds of competition ran right on his dial for the Armor Paving and Sealing Dead on the Dial Award, used a .022 reaction time to get the edge off the starting line on Patterson. Baker then was able to drive around the Regal for the event win. Baker ran a 9.483 on the 9.46 dial in to win over the 10.649 on a 10.57 for Patterson. Jim Kincaid's late round finish allowed him to move to within three points of leader Brian Cireddu in the standings.
After getting his first win in Sportsman at the last ET event, Pitts and his 2000 Camaro from London, Ohio seems to have decided to make a habit of getting back to the winner circle this season. In the final round, it was the always tough Chuck Tyack and his 1991 Mustang from Pataskala, Ohio. Right from the start, Pitts began to cut into the head start given to Tyack by getting the better reaction time. Pitts then used a 12.277 on a 12.27 dial in to win for the second time in a row. Tyack was very close but brokeout with a 14.339 on a 14.34 dial in. Both drivers are in the top two spots in the standings, with Pitts ahead by 13 markers.
A pair of Kawasakis matched up against one another for the final round matchup in Super Pro Motorcycle. Hutchinson Jr. brought his 1980 version from Columbus, Ohio to the line to go up against the 2004 version of Mike James from Etna, Ohio. The final round was a great matchup as Hutchinson Jr. got a very slight .032 to .034 edge out of the gate. Hutchinson Jr. then was able to keep a wheel out in front at the quarter mile for the win. His 9.521 on a 9.52 closed out the 9.040 on a 9.02 from James. The win moved Hutchinson Jr. into the third spot in the points, 30 points behind leader Phil Freeland.
Street Motorcycle found defending champion Burt, having to go through the buyback path to put his Orient, Ohio based 2000 Honda in the final round, going up against the 2006 Suzuki of Marshall Hutchinson Jr. in a chance for a double up. However, it was Burt's psych .011 reaction time that would prove to be way too much for Hutchinson Jr. to overcome at the finish line. A 10.680 on a 10.59 for Burt was enough to win over the closer 9.879 on a 9.86 for Hutchinson Jr. Despite losing in the final round, Hutchinson Jr. was able to take the lead in the points away from Burt due to earning all of his points without a buyback.
The Junior Dragster 1 final found two racers looking for their first win of the season as Coughlin and his 2011 American dragster from Delaware, Ohio was matched up with the 2000 Bos entry of Caleb Burns from Fredericktown, Ohio. Both drivers were also looking towards making up ground on early points leader Hunter Wolfe after his early round exit. Coughlin had the better reaction time in the final round and won in a double breakout affair. Coughlin ran a 12.864 on his 12.90 to win over the 12.825 on a 12.95 for Burns. The win puts Coughlin 11 points behind Wolfe in the standings.
Moving up to the 10-12 year old division this season, Tanner and her 2006 Halfscale dragster based in Rensselaer, Indiana went up against Michael Ruark and his 2008 Halfscale dragster from Galena, Ohio. Ruark, going for his second win of the year, had a great .011 reaction time in the final round but was not able to run close enough to the dial in. Tanner ran a 8.940 on a 8.90 to win the race over the 9.006 on a 8.90 for Ruark. With this runner up finish, Ruark moves 22 points ahead of Grace Rowe and Ryan Dovenbarger.
Two drivers not new to final rounds went head to head in the final round of Junior Dragster 3 for their first win here at NTR in 2013. Isenhower and his Halfscale dragster from Lebanon, Indiana was up against Mark Miller and his dragster from Boardman, Ohio. Isenhower was the quicker car on the track, and on the reaction time as well with a great .002 reaction time for the edge. Isenhower then drove around Miller and won the final round on the holeshot. A 7.939 on a 7.91 for Isenhower put him in the winner circle over the 8.282 on a 8.27 for Miller. Early round losses by those at the top of the standings makes the points race close, but Adam Duche still leads by 12 over Kenny Carson.
Finally in the Quick 330 series, 15 races went after the 8 spots on the ladder for the opening round of eliminations. Leading the way was the low qualifying efforts of Devin Isenhower with a 4.297 pass. The field was anchored by Mark Miller with a 4.606 pass. Like it was at the first event of the season, it would be the top two qualifiers going head to head in the final round. Isenhower and his Halfscale dragster from Lebanon, Indiana was looking to join his brother in the winner circle for the day as he went up against Turley and her Halfscale entry from Baltimore, Ohio. All of the excitement however, was cured off the starting line as Isenhower left the red light glowing in his lane and gave the win to Turley. She ran a 4.488 on her 4.49 to win the race. The event win by Turley moved her past Kenny Carson and into the lead by 9 points.
The next JEGS ET - Summit Series events are scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend. Those events on May 25th and 26th will feature the beginning two events of the VP Racing Fuels Super 32 and the third JEGS Quick 330 Shootout on Sunday.
ET Series Race #2 - April 14, 2013
The conclusion of a long and winding weekend came late in the evening on this day, but the competition on the track was just as intense for the second of 12 JEGS ET - Summit Series events here at NTR. A lot of great racing filled the mid April day and several great racers found their way into the winner circle. Hunter Wolfe started off his season with a perfect two event wins in two races as he won in the JEGS.com Junior Dragster 1, while Kenny Carson doubled up for the day winning in JEGS.com Junior Dragster 3 and the JEGS Quick 330 Shootout. Also winning was Dale Foss (RCD RV Super Pro), Brian Cireddu (Faslube Pro), Shawn Pitts (Leghorns Sportsman), Phil Freeland (Super Pro Motorcycle), Marshall Hutchinson Jr. (Street Motorcycle), and Courtney Grisez (JEGS.com Junior Dragster 2).
Two black dragsters brought the event to its conclusion as Foss and his 2000 Worthy entry from South Euclid, Ohio went up against the 2002 Mullis dragster of Pataskala, Ohio's Paula Holman. Both drivers had done a great job running close to the dial in all day long and reaction time would prove to be vital in the final matchup. Foss got the edge with a .020 reaction time and used every bit of it to stay out in front of Holman at the stripe. Foss posted a 5.083 on his 5.06 dial in to win over the 5.038 on a 5.03 for Holman. The win moved Foss into second place in the points behind opening race winner Fred Krakora
Cirredu was running his Brunswick, Ohio based 1967 Camaro in both the Super Pro and Pro divisions here this weekend, and advanced to the final round in the latter to go up against the 1970 Skylark of East Rochester, Ohio's Fred Underwood. The final matchup would test slightly the patience of Cirredu as Underwood got a sizeable handicapped head start. That patience was rewarded with the better of the two lights off the start. Cirredu then drove around the Skylark to pick up the win. His 6.526 on a 6.51 predicted time scored over the 8.121 on a 8.10 for Underwood. With the victory, Cirredu moved around points race #1 winner Doug Thompson by 20 points for the lead.
Throughout his 2012 National Trail Raceway Rookie of the Year campaign, Pitts and his 2000 Camaro from London, Ohio would get to the final round only to come up short. Tonight, it was Pitts getting that elusive first win in Sportsman as he defeated the 1972 Nova of Phil Hurst from Milan, Ohio. Both cars were dialed very even for the final round race and that might have led to the unfortunate red light that was found glowing on the side of Hurst. Pitts won with a 7.735 on his 7.72 dial in, while Hurst finished with a 7.702 on his 7.73 posted time. The win by Pitts helped him move into the second spot in the points, 19 tallies behind James Ring.
After a couple of years off of the points trail here at NTR due to business, Freeland and his 2007 Kawasaki from Pleasantville, Ohio is back in the title chase and few riders of Super Pro Motorcycle are happy about that. The talented rider went up against the defending champion Bruce Sauer and his Kawasaki from Reynoldsburg, Ohio in the final matchup tonight. Sauer was great off the line, with a .012 reaction time, but Freeland showed he hasn't forgotten how to ride with an even better .007 bulb. Freeland then held off Sauer at the finish line for the win. Running a 5.847 on a 5.80 dial in, Freeland took care of the 5.793 on a 5.75 from Sauer. The win and third round finish from the first event puts Freeland into a tie with Dave Hill for the top spot of the points ladder.
Hutchinson Jr. has been a mainstay at the top of the Street Motorcycle field for the past several years, and his quest for the 2013 title got a great start with his win here tonight. In the final round, it was the 2006 Suzuki of Hutchinson Jr. going up against the 2006 Suzuki of fellow Columbus, Ohio rider Jason Meddles. In a race that is very had to do with electronics, let alone on a Street Motorcycle both riders left the line with identical .000 perfect reaction times. Meddles tried to stay ahead of the quicker Hutchinson Jr. but took too much stripe and broke out. A 6.431 on a 6.26 for Hutchinson Jr. was good enough over the tough 6.481 on a 6.49 for Meddles. Hutchinson Jr.'s two final round and one win puts him 22 points ahead of Bob Burt in the points.
Wolfe and his 1997 Jegster dragster from Lancaster, Ohio remains the only undefeated car through two points races here at NTR. The Junior Dragster 1 competitor went up against a third generation of the Coughlin family as Clay Coughlin was the opponent in his 2011 American from Delaware, Ohio. Wolfe got the edge off the start with a very nice .069 reaction time and scored the win when Coughlin broke out at the stripe. A 13.077 on a 12.90 dial in won for Wolfe over the too quick 12.977 on a 13.00 for Coughlin. The win puts Wolfe 44 points ahead of three drivers; Coughlin, Caleb Burns, and Cody Hoberg, in the points.
Girl power dominated the final round of Junior Dragster 2 as Grisez and her team from Vermillon, Ohio went up against the 2011 Gage dragster of Kaitlyn Curtis from Ann Arbor, Michigan. The two young ladies went into the final round evenly matched through their earlier runs and were looking to get the final win light. Grisez got a two hundreths of a second advantage off the line and scored the win in a virtual dead head finish. Grisez ran a 9.043 on the 8.95 dial in to win over the 8.993 on a 8.92 for Curtis. The total margin of victory at the finish line was a scant six ten thousandths of a second. Grace Rowe and Michael Ruark are tied atop the points standings after two events.
Adam Duche and his Halfscale dragster from West Mifflin, Pennsylvania was trying to match Hunter Wolfe in two straight wins to begin the season, but would end up on the wrong side in the final round of Junior Dragster 3 against Carson and his new 2013 Halfscale from Lebanon, Ohio. Duche gained one hundredth of a second off the line with his quicker reaction time, but it was the power of Carson that got him not only his first win of the year here at NTR, but the chance to double up later in the day. Carson's 7.927 on a 7.90 won over the 7.942 on a 7.90 for Duche. With the two final round appearances, Duche leads Carson and the field by 32 points.
The first Quick 330 event found defending points champion Carson sitting on top of the 8 car field with a 4.525, one thousandth ahead of second qualifier Maggie Turley's 4.526. The bump was occupied by Sonsee Trubach with a 4.809. The final round matched the top two qualifiers as Carson brought the same 2013 Halfscale dragster to the line against Turley's 2006 Halfscale entry. Turley had gotten quicker throughout the night and was dialed in quicker then Carson in the final round, but the red cherry illuminating in her lane spelled the end of her night. Carson completed the double with a 4.556 on his 4.54 dial. Turley stopped the clocks with a 4.497 on her 4.50 dial.
The next scheduled JEGS ET - Summit Series event is set for Sunday, May 5th. It will also include the second of five JEGS Quick 330 Shootout events for 2013 here at National Trail Raceway.
ET Series Race #1 - April 13, 2013
The first of twelve races in the 2013 JEGS ET - Summit Series kicked off on a cool and windy Saturday here at NTR. The racing action was delayed as the track crew worked on getting the track temperature ready for competition. However, the race was unable to finish on Saturday as the cooling track brought an end to the racing action midway through the second round. Undaunted, the racers returned the following day and concluded the first race of the season on Sunday. Winners for the opening race in the season included Fred Krakora (RCD RV Super Pro), Doug Thompson (Faslube Pro), Steve Layton (Leghorns Sportsman), Dave Hill (Super Pro Motorcycle), Bob Burt (Street Motorcycle), Hunter Wolfe (JEGS.com Junior Dragster 1), Michael Ruark (JEGS.com Junior Dragster 2), and Adam Duche (JEGS.com Junior Dragster 3).
The battle between dragsters and door cars got an early start in 2013 as Krakora and his 2011 Diamond dragster out of Grafton, Ohio went up against the 1976 Pontiac Astre of Ron Baisden from Columbus, Ohio. Baisden, who had joined the Armor Paving and Sealing Perfect Package group here at NTR with a 6.040 on a 6.04 dial in pass in the quarterfinals, found himself behind off the line in the final round matchup. Krakora was able to drive around Baisden for the win with a 4.771 on his 4.73 dial in. Baisden ran a 6.083 on his 6.04 dial. After the finish line, Baisden's car crossed over the track and impacted the wall. He was okay after the incident.
It was modern versus classic in the Faslube Pro final round as Thompson and his 2000 Trans Am from Columbus, Ohio went up against Mark Tanzillo and his Pataskala, Ohio based 1979 Trans Am. Both racers had success on the track in 2012 and were looking to keep that momentum rolling right from the start this season. Tanzillo gained the edge off the starting line, but was too quick at the finish line and broke out. Thompson won with a 8.837 on his 8.76 dial in, while Tanzillo stopped the clocks with a 6.966 on his 6.99 predicted time.
A couple of new faces to NTR, but great racers rose to the front in the opening race of Sportsman as Layton and his 1994 Trans Am from South Vienna, Ohio went up against the 1972 Nova of James Ring from Sandusky, Ohio. The race had the makings of a great matchup, but it was over right from the start as Ring left the red light glowing when he started his chase of Layton in the final. His 7.502 on a 7.52 was closer than the 8.481 on a 8.50 for Layton but it was all for not.
The Super Pro Motorcycle final round found two of the best racers on two wheels here at NTR going head to head for the win. Hill and his 1984 Suzuki from Mount Vernon, Ohio squared off with defending NTR Track Champion Bruce Sauer and his Kawasaki from Reynoldsburg, Ohio. With two great riders in the final round, it proved to be what everyone expected. Hill got the edge off the line with a .003 to Sauer's .019 light and used every bit of it to get the holeshot win. Hill's 5.207 on a 5.19 was enough to hold off the 5.724 on a 5.72 by Sauer.
Like the Super Pro Motorcycle final, the defending track champion in Street Motorcycle also found his way to the finals. Burt and his 2000 Honda was more successful in his encounter with Marshall Hutchinson Jr. and his 2006 Suzuki from Columbus, Ohio than Sauer was in his. Burt, from Orient, Ohio, was behind off the starting line but had the bike to stay ahead for the win. Burt ran a 6.736 on a 6.72 to win over the 6.376 on a 6.25 for Hutchinson Jr.
With all of the defending champions in the Junior Dragster classes either moving up or out of the classes they won in 2012, the 2013 season is wide open for points titles. The Junior Dragster 1 class saw a battle of Jegster chassis as Wolfe and his 1997 model from Lancaster, Ohio went up against Cody Hoberg and the 1996 Jegster entry from Newark, Ohio. Hoberg, in his first race ever on this day got a little too anxious in the final round and fouled out right off the line. Wolfe got the win with a 12.919 on his 12.90 dial in. Hoberg ran a 13.162 on his 12.96 dial in on the final pass.
Two of the veterans of the Junior Dragster 2 class went against one another in the first final round of the year as Ruark and his 2008 Halfscale dragster from Galena, Ohio was matched up against the 1997 Strickland dragster of Marengo, Ohio native Grace Rowe. Rowe, who was celebrating a birthday on Saturday was looking to give herself a present with the win, but like Hoberg found herself looking at the red light as she went past the tree. Ruark got the early start in the points with a 8.884 on his 8.90 dial in.
The Junior Dragster 3 class was dominated by the Halfscale dragster in the final round as Duche and his West Mifflin, Pennsylvania based 2008 version squared off against the 2009 version of Christopher Dovenbarger from Caldwell, Ohio. Both racers had been the best all day on the track with their dial ins and reaction times and it showed in the final round as well. Duche got the edge off the start and was able to force Dovenbarger to run too quick to stay ahead in the lights. His 7.940 on a 7.92 dial in scored the opening win over the breakout 7.962 on a 7.99 of Dovenbarger.
