06/07/14
SLUGFEST FOR SUPER PRO SUPREMACY
JAGGER TAKES PRO, SCHLOMER NABS STREET
GEORGE WINS BIKE BRACKET
Coming up in a few weeks is a pair of weekends where the Super Pro victor is guaranteed to pocket $2K, a not insignificant sum to say the least. The first weekend, June 21 and 22, the purse is guaranteed by the folks at R&R Truck Maintenance, who provides sponsorship for Ralph DeBruin. And on July 5, the backing for the payout is provided by RW Performance Transmissions, or none other than Rich Wilk. Both racers have long histories at the track, for many years with enclosed race cars and now with the back-motored dragsters. What better way for this pair to prep for the big events than to work their way to the final for S/P this weekend.
Just getting that far was no easy task. DeBruin had to beat a very tough Frank Duplissis Jr in round one, then the RED entry of John Maggiulli Jr to get to the quarters, where he met and defeated the Dart powered Buick of Pete Jepson. Putting the final pin in the hinge DeBruin bested the 66 Chevy of Bryan Mirsky in the semis and made ready for Wilk. Meantime, Wilk had sent Steve Sperone to the exit and then did likewise to Todd Martin to show some real zeal for the class. Chris Hunt and his Vega felt the sting in the QF round and Wilk walked into the final with a bye in the semis. The thousand foot racers were paired with only a tenth of a second head start going to DeBruin in the title race. Leaving with almost identical reaction times this race was atossup start to finish. Wilk set off the win light when he ran a 6.27 at164 mph against his dial of 6.26, and DeBruin posted an ever so slightly under the handicap 6.358, 160.59 to break out against his 6.36 target.
You can bet this pair will be shooting to take each other’s money down the road.
The Pro racers were out in force and by the time the smoke cleared a new face was in the winner’s circle picture. Tommy Jagger and his Camaro from Dingman’s Ferry Pa parlayed some luck and some good driving to take the award over Kevin Pelanne. Jagger gunned down another strong racer in the QF when he beat Craig Sonderfan as the latter fouled out, and then had a bye run in the semifinals. Pelanne used a .001 light to end the day for Bob Dukin and then took out points leader Greg Myers in the semifinal round, 9.54, 136.63 to a 10.67 at 124.44. Jagger pickup .04 on the tree in the deciding race and with the handicap going to him he was never bested. A 10.44 at 129.84 put the top money in his hands, and left Pelanne with the second place payout at 9.55 and a speed of 138.98 mph.
In years gone by we saw a lot of Jerry Schlomer, but recently his participation has been spotty. He returned this week with a vengeance and nailed down the Street bracket honors. Schlomer sent Ron Zang packing in the QF while Doug Eberhardt was better than Bill Wackerman, Dave Nowak pushed Russ Picone under and out the door and Keith Burnham got by Bob Gay. Eberhardt faced Nowak in the semis, and while Nowak had outlasted points leader Bill Hakucsa earlier, he met his match against this Chevelle, and Eberhardt’s 12.44, 108 effort finally toned down the Jeep’s 17.01, 79.79. Schlomer was a little late in his pairing with Burnham but the Caprice went too quick and broke out at 12.41 and 1052 to advance the Firebird into the final on a 14.62, 94.24 card. Eberhardt ended the deal on the starting line with a foul light that turned his 12.36 and 108.94 into a runner-up finish while Schlomer motored to the win at 14.62 and 64.06.
Former multiple track champ and Division One victor Ken George made an appearance in Bike eliminator, and after changing mounts emerged with the trophy and the money. George and his Suzuki first grabbed a win over points leader Barry Stephens and then set aside the challenge of Jim Totaro. Final round opponent Don Hookway put the hurt on Charlie Koenig and Vinny Cianci to make it to the other lane against George. Based on RT’s the race was Hookway’s to win or lose, and while he gave a good accounting of himself, his 9.37 and 150.72 came up short to make George’s 8.63, 137.27 the winning combination.
Ron Booker drove Matt Cestra’s Nova to the top of the Trophy class, finishing off John Crowley for the cup. Booker used a 10.42 at 115.98 to complete the deal as Crowley wasted a perfect reaction time to take the loss at 12.65, 104.54.
Second chance racers in Consolation Two were headed by Rob Zetterberg and his Monte Carlo. Joe Theodore had the last shot at the big car as he waded through the competition in his fast-backed Vega. Although Theodore left a little quicker he ran too hard at the top end and ran out at a 10.08, 132.40. Zetterberg pocketed the bucks with a time of 9.66 at a speed of 138.64.