05/05/18
WHAT GIVES WITH THIS WEATHER THING
There are a number of things that you can’t do. You can’t wish that ace on the last card to complete a royal flush. You can’t charm a junk yard dog with a Milk Bone. You can’t move faster than the speed of light. And you can’t predict the weather with any degree of accuracy. Oh yeah, you can’t run a drag race in the rain.
This weekend looked like a winner for Saturday with moderate temps and a cloud cover that promised good times and great racing. The forecast, for what it was worth, said rain later in the night but that didn’t seem to create a problem with completing the event. But like a used car salesman, be careful what you believe. After four rounds of competition and geared up for the semis, it began to drizzle, and then shortly afterward, here came the rain, again. There were some classes completed, but the main brackets were left with semifinal rounds never to be finished. A money split for those still in contention helped somewhat, and the round points earned were added to the year’s totals.
Super Pro had five still alive after Rich Williams beat George Foster in round 3 along with a victory by George Miller over Barry Luyster. Todd Martin easily won over Matt Bonocore , who fouled out, and Roy Kinslow was better than Andrew Bracuto in a battle of the Firebirds. Jim Young fell into a bye run. And that was the end of the deal.
Pro eliminator got down to three racers when the rains came. Joe Dukin ran a 9.06 time to defeat a red lighting Mike Franek. Brian Davison used a better light and a 10.52 to take down Andrew Bracuto’s double duty Pontiac at a closer to the dial 10.27. John Hedenburg advanced the only Ford left when he hit a fine 10/14 lap to oust Jim Young’s 10.42 effort.
Patty Franek rolled into the QF in Street and knocked off Bill Doczi, 11.62 against a fouling 11.896. Connie Wackermann gunned down Ed Franks Jr when both ran 11.66 seconds on identical 11.63 dials, but the Camaro from Stewartsville caught the better green. Anthony Capirose got by Tony Golonka 12.66 versus a 16.39. And Reggie Whitson ran unopposed.
Bike Eliminator was almost complete, lacking only enough time for the final. Barry Stephens was better than Joe DiPiazza in the quarters as Ken Thiedemann sent Chris Miele to the trailer. Harris Gold ran solo. Gold outraced Stephens in a SF match via a superior launch and a 9.09, 147 run to a too little and too late 9.54 at 130. Thiedemann tuned up for the title dash that never came with a 14.52.
In Trophy, Mark Bogusat came up short of his three straight cups when Vinnie Yannone ticketed a12.56, 111.94 that was better than the Nova’s 10.09 and 131.33. Adam Skippy ran alone in his Vega but was unable to show for the final and Yannone carded a 12.51, 112.12 on the single.
J/D fell to Alexis Sanseverino when she outlasted Michael Bassista. Sanseverino’s Half-Scale mount went right on the dial at 8.90 and 74.40 for the win light. Bassista made it close with his time of 7.91 at 81.58, reflecting a margin of victory of .002 seconds. J/ST belonged to Michael Franks who drove his Mustang past the Blazer of Saige Embley. Franks turned a 10.33 at 66.83 that stood up to a runner-up effort of 9.44 and 71.67.
For the first time this season the consolation races were held, but as one might expect, they were not completed either.
And so, we continue to wait for the pattern to change and allow a full weekend of racing. Oh that we could only hope.