Saturday, Sep 23
Adam Sinclair

Adam Sinclair

Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway more than 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of traveling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week.  

Adam spent several years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.

Be sure to tune in for his sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place (almost) every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network. 

Contact Adam: Email  

  

 

Four races remain on the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship schedule, and David Ostella will use Road America as a checkpoint for the final stretch of the season.

The famous 4.048-mile, 14-turn road course in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, will provide Ostella the opportunity to once again stand on the podium and prove his development as a driver in his rookie season with Performance Tech Motorsports in the Prototype Challenge class. 

Ostella has honed his racecraft through hardship this season. Rough racing and driver error kept him from finishing at Sebring International Raceway and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and held him to a ninth-place finish at Kansas Speedway. But in the last two races, Ostella finished fourth June 29 at Watkins Glen International as part of the Tequila Patròn North American Endurance Racing Cup and fourth again July 25 at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Brickyard Grand Prix. 

Finishing so close to the podium has inspired and annoyed Ostella. 

"The goal is to get back on podium," Ostella said. "There has been a big learning curve this year with it being my first year ever in endurance racing. I think my driving style suits this type of racing, but I've learned a lot this year, too, with qualifying and how to stay better focused. It's just time to get back on podium."

Ostella has not seen Road America since 2010, when he raced in the Pro Mazda Championship presented by Cooper Tires. He will lean on teammate and Sheboygan, Wisconsin, native James French for help with data and learning the track. 

"James will be a huge help there since it's his home track," Ostella said. "He'll help when we go over data. I'll be watching a lot of video of the PC car there before we go. I'll focus on my workouts this week, too, because it's such a long track I know it will be physically demanding. 

"The goal here is to be consistent; you can't make too many mistakes without drastically slowing yourself down. It will be a good track to test my skills. I'll get a chance to see where my skill sets are at." 

Ostella will take to the track at 4:40 p.m. (CT) Friday, Aug. 8 for the first practice session. Qualifying will take place at 5:05 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, with live streaming on IMSA.com. The Continental Tire Road Race Showcase, a two-hour and 45-minute race, begins at 1:15 p.m.  Sunday, Aug. 10. Live timing will be available at imsa.com, and the race will be broadcast at 6:30 p.m. (ET) Sunday, Aug. 10 on FOX Sports 1. 

For more information or to donate to Dash from Breast Cancer, click the following link: davidostella.com/dash-from-breast-cancer/.

 

Whether it’s the sight of rarely seen cars challenging the tricky Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca road course or the chances to meet legendary drivers, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is the place to be August 14, 15, 16 and 17.
 
In addition to visiting the Maserati heritage display that celebrates the automakers centennial, here’s what’s in store for visitors:
 
Italian Festival - Friday, August 15
On Friday, Derek Hill will take time out from driving the rare Maserati Tipo 151 to help celebrate everything Italian between noon and 12:30 p.m. on Italian Island. Hill will conduct a meet and greet and sign autographs for the many car clubs and guests attending the event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
 
Additionally, guests will preview the stunning Alfa Romeo 4C, which is leading the way for the Italian automakers’ eagerly-anticipated return to the U.S. market.
 
For the truly inquisitive, there will be a Meet Revs Institute at 12:45 on the race paddock stage. This session goes into what Stanford University’s program is about and why they are measuring numerous data points on one of the entered race cars.
 
Mixing it up with a Legend - Saturday, August 16
It’s not often you can visit with a legend, and one who is knighted no less, but visitors on Saturday to the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion will have their chance to meet one. Sir Stirling Moss is one of the greatest drivers of his time - many victories having occurred in Maseratis - who competed in the golden age of motorsport.
 
Historian Murray Smith will conduct the engaging session at 12:30 in the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca marketplace where fans may bring their lunch, listen to stories and ask questions. The Saturday-only picnic is a popular activity that allows fans to engage with a driving legend, and sometimes surprise guests as well. Past participants include Dan Gurney, Sir Jackie Stewart, Bobby Unser, Bob Bondurant, Martin Brundle and Bob Tullius.
 
At 11:00, motorsports journalist and definitive author chronicling the Can-Am series, Formula One and others, Pete Lyons, will greet visitors with his new books and calendars.
 
Lyn St. James, who set the world record on a closed-course for women reaching 225.722 mph during the 1995 Indy 500 qualification weekend, will be driving in two races during the weekend and take time out to sign autographs and answer fans’ questions. She will meet visitors from 11:45 – 12:15 in the Marketplace just prior to the Sir Stirling Moss session.
 
Guests will also have the chance to hear tales from the storytellers, in a special Meet the Authors session at 11:45.
 
Art and Restoration - Sunday, August 17
Official track artist Bill Patterson will be on hand at 11:15 to sign event posters and conduct a live art demonstration that unfolds before everyone’s eyes. Patterson skillfully blends speed and art to create sensational colors.
 
Following Patterson at noon is an interview with Meet the Restorers. Learn firsthand what it takes to even begin undertaking a complete restoration from the experts.
 
The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is one of the cornerstones of the renowned Monterey Classic Car Week. International visitors descend on the community to enjoy the myriad of activities that celebrate the automobile. Together, the events make the Monterey Week unlike any other automotive festival in the world.
 
Advance general admission tickets to the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion are on sale beginning at $50 (Friday) and a three-day ticket at $130, which includes a complimentary souvenir magazine. Children 12 and under are free with a paying adult. Hospitality packages begin at $200 per person.
 
To purchase tickets or for more information, contact 800-372-7322 or visitwww.MazdaRaceway.com
 

Extreme Speed Motorsports (ESM) raced to podium finishes at the 2012 and 2013 American Le Mans Series races held at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. This year, the team looks to conquer The Kink and ride The Carousel all the way to the podium during Sunday’s Continental Tire Road Race Showcase, the ninth round of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.
 
Road America, situated halfway between Milwaukee and Green Bay, is the longest circuit on the TUDOR Championship calendar. The 4.048-mile, 14-turn permanent road course is a favorite of race car drivers, teams and road racing fans alike. One year ago, the ALMS and GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series teams shared the paddock. This year the teams will share both the paddock and the race circuit vying for the title of event champion in the first-year unified championship.
 
Looking to make another mark in team history following its 1-2 qualifying effort at Indianapolis, ESM still seeks its first double-podium of the season. The team has shown speed and performance in the last round of competition by posting some of the quickest laps of the race. With the right combination of speed, patience and strategy, that 1-2 finish is on the horizon.
 
In his last two appearances at Road America, Scott Sharp, co-driver of the No. 1 Tequila HPD has two podium finishes in the professional prototype and GT classes. In 2012, Sharp and co-driver Johannes van Overbeek earned a third-place finish in the GT class; last year, Sharp was the runner-up in the prototype class. Using that pattern, Sharp’s target for this race is that top step on the podium. Sharp has two previous wins at Road America – in 2008 and 2009 with then co-driver David Brabham in the Tequila Patrón-sponsored Acura LMP2 and LMP1 race cars.

“The entire ESM/Tequila Patrón team is very excited to get back to Road America! It’s such a thrilling track," stated Sharp.

Fresh off a Pirelli World Challenge weekend sweep at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Ryan Dalziel has winning on his mind heading into Road America. The Scotsman has six previous starts at the circuit – one in open wheel and five sports car races. He was the runner-up in 2012 GRAND-AM race and expects to see that top step with co-driver Sharp.

“Road America is one of the best race tracks in North America and has some of the best sports car fans in the world," Dalziel added. "We have been knocking on the door to victory the past couple races and we have lots of momentum after ESM swept the front row in qualifying at Indy. We were surprised by our speed at Indy, so hopefully we can surprise ourselves again. Road America may be an uphill battle for us and somewhere we don’t expect to have the lap time advantage over the DPs." 

Road America was unkind to Ed Brown and co-driver van Overbeek last year. The race ended early for the Brown/van Overbeek team with an on-board fire. Looking for a bit of redemption, the No. 2 Tequila Patrón HPD team looks to start from the front of the field and finish in that same position.

“I’m really looking forward to Road America this week," commented Brown. "It's one of the greatest tracks in North America!"

The two-hour, 45-minute TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Continental Tire Road Race Showcase on Aug 8-10 is the ninth race of 2014 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. Qualifying for prototype cars takes place at 5:25 p.m. CT on Saturday, Aug 9. Live qualifying coverage at 4:20 p.m. ET Friday on IMSA.com.
 
Green flag is 1:15 p.m. CT on Sunday, Aug 10. Television coverage of the Road Race Showcase starts at 6:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1. 

Nicole Briscoe has agreed to a new contract with ESPN and will become a SportsCenter anchor as well as taking on additional new assignments after her current role as host of ESPN NASCAR Countdown concludes. Briscoe, who joined ESPN in 2008 and has served in various positions on ESPN’s NASCAR coverage, will assume her new duties in January. In addition to SportsCenter, she also will be part of a variety of other ESPN studio shows. 

“I’m very happy with the opportunities that have been presented to me,” said Briscoe, who will be relocating to the company’s Bristol, Ct., headquarters. “ESPN is where I want to be, and I’m excited about starting the next chapter of my career as well as a new adventure for my family. But first, we still have 15 weeks of NASCAR to go and champions to crown.” 

NASCAR Countdown, which Briscoe has hosted since 2011, airs prior to all NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series telecasts on ESPN. The program originates from the ESPN Pit Studio at the racetrack with Briscoe and analysts Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty. Briscoe was a host and reporter for ESPN’s former NASCAR Now program and has reported on NASCAR for SportsCenter and other ESPN news platforms. ESPN is in its final season of televising live NASCAR racing. 

She joined ESPN as Nicole Manske, prior to her 2009 marriage to IndyCar Series driver Ryan Briscoe. She worked for two years as co-host of a motorsports news program on the former SPEED Channel and previously was a sports reporter in Indianapolis. She started her TV career in Rockford, Ill., near her hometown of Roscoe, Ill., while still in college in 1999 at Northern Illinois University, and later worked in Fort Wayne, Ind., before moving to Indianapolis in 2004.

 In a move to broaden the scope and quality of historic and vintage automobile racing across the United States, General Racing Ltd. will merge with Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA), effective immediately.  

Tony Parella, CEO of SVRA, the premier and only national vintage racing organization in the U.S., has put forth a major effort to re-organize  SVRA after taking over the reins two years ago. In a relatively short time, Parella has taken SVRA events to some of the most important race tracks in the country, including Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sebring (Fla.), Road America (Wis.), Watkins Glen (N.Y.), Pocono (Pa.), Raceway, Auto Club Speedway (Ca.),  Virginia International Raceway,  the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, where the rapidly-growing organization hosted the first U.S. Vintage Racing National Championships in 2013. 

 “I am thrilled to have Steve Earle join our team,” said Parella, “Steve shares our vision and focus on developing national vintage racing. He has shown himself to be an extraordinary leader throughout his career, and has a proven track record in identifying, encouraging and celebrating authentically prepared cars. His view of vintage racing cars and events is a perfect match for the goals of SVRA.” 

  After Steve Earle founded General Racing Ltd. in 1970, his vision forever changed the vintage racing landscape. In 1974, with the support of Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance organizers, he launched the inaugural Monterey (Calif.) Historic Automobile Races at Laguna Seca Raceway. It was a huge success and sparked the interest for what would become the world’s premier historic auto race. That spawned additional General Racing events, including the Portland (Ore.) Historic Automobile Races, the Coronado (Calif.) Speed Festival, special events at the Long Beach (Calif.) Grand Prix and the Kansas City Historic Grand Prix, as well as the Wine Country Classic at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, which celebrated its 28th season in 2014, the fifth under the banner of the Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival. 

 “I am excited to join the SVRA team," said Earle, "I have been involved in vintage racing at all levels for over 40 years. I look forward to lending my experience and knowledge to help and support the growth of SVRA through the Gold Medallion Program, which will benefit the individual vintage racer, and the community as a whole. There is a recognized need for car period-authenticity and preparation as well as events that embrace it," added Earle. "I've been impressed with Tony Parella's vision and determination to open the doors for those who share similar interests in the historic significance of the cars they and their competitors enjoy owning and racing." 

 With the merger, Earle will act as an advisor to the SVRA on the organization of its national historic and vintage events throughout the U.S., including the Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival, which will continue under the aegis of SVRA, on May 28-31, 2015. Initially, he will focus his attention on SVRA's Gold Medallion Program as a member of SVRA's executive team. 

 The Gold Medallion Program is intended to identify and reward owners who prepare their vintage race cars “as originally raced,” reflecting the configuration the car would have raced when new.  This program reflects SVRA’s commitment to quality and historical accuracy, principles the organization considers essential to the vintage racing experience and growing the sport of vintage racing. 

 

Multiple race-team owner Chip Ganassi on Thursday will receive the inaugural Cameron R. Argetsinger Award for his outstanding contributions to motorsports. The award will be given by the International Motor Racing Research Center at the 2014 IMRRC Award Dinner honoring Chip Ganassi presented by NASCAR, International Speedway Corporation and Watkins Glen International.

 Some of racing’s top figures, including NASCAR President Mike Helton, will be honoring Ganassi, who fields teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Verizon INDYCAR and TUDOR United SportsCar Championship series. 

The event will be held on Aug. 7 at the Corning Museum of Glass, One Museum Way, Corning, N.Y. 14830.

 Ganassi Racing driver Jamie McMurray, who will be competing in the weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen International, also will take a turn at the podium, as will Brian Barnhart, INDYCAR senior vice president, competition, and SCCA president and CEO, Lisa Noble.

 ESPN commentator Dr. Jerry Punch will be the master of ceremonies, and 1986 Indy 500 champion Bobby Rahal will speak as chairman of the IMRRC Governing Council.

 The proceeds of the dinner will benefit the IMRRC, an archival library dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of motorsports, covering all series and all venues, through its collections of books, periodicals, films, photographs, fine art and other materials. The IMRRC is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

 The Cameron R. Argetsinger Award is named for the man who is often referred to as the father of American road racing. Argetsinger was a visionary who, in 1948, conceived, organized, and drove in the first post-war road race in America through the roads of Watkins Glen. He brought Formula One to Watkins Glen International in 1961, and the circuit hosted the United States Grand Prix for 20 years. 

 “It is significant that Chip Ganassi, as the first recipient of this award, has demonstrated the same type of determination and commitment to excellence,” IMRRC President J.C. Argetsinger said. 

 Cameron Argetsinger was president of the IMRRC for five years, until his death in 2008.

 The Paul Revere-style, glass-bowl trophy created for the Cameron Argetsinger Award is reminiscent of the sterling silver bowls Argetsinger would present to winners decades ago. The trophy was designed and created by Daniel Sherlock of Hawke + Axel in Corning, N.Y. The permanent trophy will be displayed at the IMRRC.

 Motorsports artist Bob Gillespie was commissioned by the IMRCC for a painting depicting Ganassi’s career. The piece, named “Crimson Cloud,” will be auctioned at the dinner.

 To date, Ganassi's teams have won 17 championships in his 24 years of ownership, including four Indy 500 titles. In 2012, the Duquesne University graduate and former part owner of his hometown Pittsburgh Pirates, was named one of the “50 most influential people in the Auto Industry” by Complex Magazine.

 For information about availability of tickets for the IMMRC Award Dinner and the Racing Research Center’s work and its programs, visit www.racingarchives.org or call (607) 535-9044. The Center also is on Facebook at International Motor Racing Research Center.

 Much of the support for the 2014 IMRRC Award Dinner comes from NASCAR, International Speedway Corp., Watkins Glen International, Sahlen Packing Co. Inc., Corning Incorporated, Benjamin F. Edwards & Co., Chevrolet, SCCA, Welliver, Elmira Savings Bank, Glenora Wine Cellars, and others.

 When the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge field gets the green flag at Road America on Saturday, August 9, it will be the debut professional race for 16-year-old Britt Casey, Jr. Casey will be co-driving the No. 27 Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5 with Mark White. Most recently, Casey finished second in the Spec Miata Cup Championship with an impressive 11 podiums, seven wins and two poles. His competitors voted him “Most Improved Driver” for two consecutive seasons.

 With such an auspicious start in a Mazda, choosing to join forces with Freedom Autosport was natural. The Inverness, Illinois, resident tested with the team at both Road Atlanta and Virginia International Raceway, clicking right away with the crew and drivers. 

“I am very excited to be part of the Freedom Autosport team and to be driving with such a well-established driver as Mark White,” said Casey. “I have tested with Mark and I really appreciate his coaching and driving style. This is really a dream come true to be racing at this level in my fourth year of competitive driving. I started testing with Freedom Autosport early this year, and things have been going extremely well. I’m excited to be part of such a successful team along with my sponsors: ClothingShop Online, Dent Recon, EMCO Gears and Keeley Construction.” 

In addition to Casey and White in the No. 27 Mazda, Freedom Autosport’s Road America entries include Mark and Mat Pombo in the No. 25 and Randy Pobst and Andrew Carbonell in the No. 26 Mazda MX-5. The Pombo brothers finished fourth at Indianapolis Motor Speedway two weeks ago, and they are hoping to carry that forward momentum into Road America.

 Fans can see Casey’s IMSA debut and the rest of the Freedom Autosport lineup on Saturday, August 9, at 12:15 p.m. ET. The race will also be broadcast on Fox Sports 1, with coverage beginning at noon on August 17.

 

John Force earned his third win of the season by racing to the Funny Car victory Sunday at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways. Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Jason Line (Pro Stock) also were winners in their respective categories at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event near Seattle.

 Force defeated former teammate Gary Densham in the final round for his 141st career win. Force registered a run of 4.173 seconds at 302.48 mph in his Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang to defeat Densham’s trailing Chevy Impala, which lost traction early in the run and finished in 5.808 at 120.44. Force has raced to four consecutive finals and has won twice in that stretch.

 “I want to win, that is what it is all about,” Force said. “But we were having so much down there in the staging lanes. I know you are supposed to be serious because it is race day but you are racing a friend. He comes up here on a budget. Look how good he does. Steps up and races with these guys after only being out a few times all year and gets in the finals. I always say ‘If I lose to my teammates I didn’t lose’ and if I had lost to Gary Densham I would not have lost.” 

 With Sunday’s win, John Force Racing swept the daunting Western Swing with its Funny Car teams winning all three events. Robert Hight took home the title in Denver while Courtney Force won in Sonoma.

 Kalitta recorded his second win of the season in Top Fuel, defeating Antron Brown when he powered his Mac Tools dragster to a winning pass of 3.844 at 318.84 to the 3.887 at 311.70 for Brown’s . This is the 35th career win for Kalitta, which ties him with Don Garlits for fifth on the all-time Top Fuel wins list.  

 “I’m real proud of [crew chief] Jim [Oberhofer] and my crew; they’ve given me a consistent car and I just try to do the best I can do,” said Kalitta who also has six runner-up finishes this season.  “The competition out here is tough; it’s really something to even make it to a final. We’ve been banging on the door trying to get another win. Beating Antron for this one was big for us. We’ve just been trying to win rounds but Antron’s been winning a lot, too. He’s got five wins this year, so I’m glad we were able to get another one here today. We’ve got some momentum going into the next few races.”

 Tony Schumacher, who qualified No. 1 was defeated in the semifinals by teammate Brown, but was able to secure his berth in the Countdown to the Championship. He was the only Top Fuel driver to clinch a position in the playoffs at the event.

 In Pro Stock, Line ousted teammate Greg Anderson in the finals to claim his third career win at Seattle. Line, in his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro, defeated Anderson on a holeshot with a run of 6.611 at 210.67 to Anderson’s losing effort of 6.608 at 210.54. Anderson, on the strength of his runner-up finish moved into the Top 10 in the Countdown to the Championship point standings for the first time this season. Anderson missed the first five events of 2014 recuperating from open heart surgery.

 “It was a very good day for KB Racing,” Line said. “We got both cars to the final and Greg got in the top 10. He’s not going to look back from there. He’s got a great car. I was good when I needed to be today. The car wasn’t great, but it was good enough. I guess the racing gods owed me one today. It feels good to get another win. I’ve never won three races in a row though, so we’ll see what happens at Brainerd.”

 Pro Stock drivers Shane Gray and Vincent Nobile also secured positions in the Countdown during the event.

Below is the final finish order (1-16) at the 27th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals presented by Super Start Batteries at Pacific Raceways.  The race is the 16th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

 

TOP FUEL:

1.  Doug Kalitta; 2.  Antron Brown; 3.  Tony Schumacher; 4.  Shawn Langdon; 5.  Steve Torrence; 6.  Troy Buff; 7.  Khalid alBalooshi; 8.  Richie Crampton; 9.  Brittany Force; 10.  Clay Millican; 11.  Spencer Massey; 12.  Terry McMillen; 13.  Mike Salinas; 14.  J.R. Todd; 15.  Bob Vandergriff; 16.  Jenna Haddock.

 

FUNNY CAR:

1.  John Force; 2.  Gary Densham; 3.  Alexis DeJoria; 4.  Matt Hagan; 5.  Cruz Pedregon; 6.  Tim Wilkerson; 7.  Robert Hight; 8.  Jack Beckman; 9.  Tommy Johnson Jr.; 10.  Ron Capps; 11.  Jeff Diehl; 12.  Del Worsham; 13.  Terry Haddock; 14.  Tony Pedregon; 15.  Bob Tasca III; 16.  Courtney Force.

 

PRO STOCK:

1.  Jason Line; 2.  Greg Anderson; 3.  Shane Gray; 4.  Allen Johnson; 5.  Dave Connolly; 6.  Jonathan Gray; 7.  V. Gaines; 8.  Jeg Coughlin; 9.  Chris McGaha; 10.  Deric Kramer; 11.  Matt Hartford; 12.  Larry Morgan; 13.  Vincent Nobile; 14.  Mark Wolfe; 15.  Travis Mazza.

 

Sunday's final results from the 27th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals presented by Super Start Batteries at Pacific Raceways. The race is the 16th of 24 in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel -- Doug Kalitta, 3.844 seconds, 318.84 mph  def. Antron Brown, 3.887 seconds, 311.70 mph.

 

Funny Car -- John Force, Ford Mustang, 4.173, 302.48  def. Gary Densham, Chevy Impala, 5.808, 120.44.

 

Pro Stock -- Jason Line, Chevy Camaro, 6.611, 210.67  def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.608, 210.54.

 

Top Alcohol Dragster -- Joey Severance, 5.238, 273.11  def. Chris Demke, 5.251, 273.00.

 

Top Alcohol Funny Car -- Doug Gordon, Ford Mustang, 5.609, 256.55  def. Sean Bellemeur, Chevy Camaro, 5.650, 254.38.

 

Competition Eliminator -- Brandon Huhtala, Pontiac GXP, 7.600, 146.89  def. Ryan Warter, Chevy Camaro, foul.

 

Super Stock -- Terry Anderson, Chevy Nova, 10.076, 131.28  def. Alan Falcone, Chevy Cavalier, 9.380, 134.97.

 

Stock Eliminator -- Tim Fletcher, Chevy Camaro, 11.148, 110.09  def. Mick Alley, Camaro, 10.488, 126.27.

 

Super Comp -- Marc Heritage, Dragster, 8.899, 174.17  def. Rodger Comstock, Dragster, 8.884, 176.51.

 

Super Gas -- Mike Shannon, Chevy Corvette, 9.920, 145.66  def. Tanner Hiatt, Corvette, 9.914, 159.51.

 

Super Street -- Kyle Colletti, Chevy, 10.899, 147.52  def. John Ermish, Chevelle, broke.

 

These are the final round-by-round results from the 27th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals presented by Super Start Batteries at Pacific Raceways, the 16th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:

 

TOP FUEL:

ROUND ONE -- Khalid alBalooshi, 3.809, 319.22 def. Brittany Force, 3.841, 314.31; Richie Crampton, 3.843, 317.27 def. Terry McMillen, 3.898, 316.75; Shawn Langdon, 3.787, 317.12 def. Clay Millican, 3.870, 309.77; Tony Schumacher, 3.828, 319.37 def. Jenna Haddock, 13.039, 76.94; Doug Kalitta, 3.794, 320.36 def. Mike Salinas, 4.114, 293.41; Antron Brown, 3.828, 317.79 def. Bob Vandergriff, foul; Troy Buff, 3.816, 312.78 def. Spencer Massey, 3.880, 292.39; Steve Torrence, 3.932, 310.55 def. J.R. Todd, 4.140, 211.36;

QUARTERFINALS -- Brown, 3.866, 309.77 def. Crampton, 10.822, 70.61; Schumacher, 3.840, 313.88 def. Torrence, 3.909, 310.70; Kalitta, 3.864, 314.09 def. Buff, 3.996, 294.69; Langdon, 3.983, 240.89 def. alBalooshi, 3.997, 299.86;

SEMIFINALS -- Kalitta, 4.032, 268.17 def. Langdon, 4.112, 262.39; Brown, 3.883, 312.13 def. Schumacher, 3.944, 295.66;

FINAL -- Kalitta, 3.844, 318.84 def. Brown, 3.887, 311.70.

 

FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE -- John Force, Ford Mustang, 4.102, 307.58 def. Jeff Diehl, Toyota Solara, 4.354, 282.36; Gary Densham, Chevy Impala, 4.314, 286.86 def. Courtney Force, Mustang, 6.564, 98.66; Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 4.109, 306.26 def. Terry Haddock, Impala, 4.583, 209.88; Alexis DeJoria, Toyota Camry, 4.140, 300.40 def. Tony Pedregon, Camry, 4.663, 171.23; Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.176, 295.59 def. Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 4.164, 302.75; Robert Hight, Mustang, 4.112, 305.98 def. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.918, 161.23; Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.134, 302.75 def. Del Worsham, Camry, 4.457, 219.44; Cruz Pedregon, Camry, 4.109, 304.05 def. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.171, 297.02;

QUARTERFINALS -- DeJoria, 4.202, 293.22 def. Beckman, 4.385, 230.45; J. Force, 4.161, 302.48 def. C. Pedregon, 4.184, 296.37; Hagan, 4.241, 278.98 def. Hight, 4.287, 263.20; Densham, 4.184, 278.46 def. Wilkerson, 4.228, 294.69;

SEMIFINALS -- Densham, 4.236, 288.89 def. Hagan, 4.285, 283.67; J. Force, 4.301, 258.42 def. DeJoria, 4.252, 277.72;

FINAL -- J. Force, 4.173, 302.48 def. Densham, 5.808, 120.44.

 

PRO STOCK:

ROUND ONE -- Dave Connolly, Chevy Camaro, 6.560, 210.73 def. Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.666, 209.26; Jonathan Gray, Camaro, 6.578, 210.83 def. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.605, 210.08; V. Gaines, Dodge Dart, 6.581, 210.93 def. Matt Hartford, Dodge Avenger, 6.622, 209.65; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.556, 211.63 def. Deric Kramer, Avenger, foul; Jason Line, Camaro, 6.555, 211.16 def. Mark Wolfe, Ford Mustang, 6.810, 205.94; Allen Johnson, Dart, 6.546, 211.30 was unopposed; Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.544, 211.43 def. Travis Mazza, Mustang, 7.543, 133.88; Jeg Coughlin, Dart, 6.565, 210.67 def. Larry Morgan, Mustang, 6.646, 208.17;

QUARTERFINALS -- Anderson, 6.571, 211.30 def. Coughlin, 12.185, 54.52; Line, 6.579, 210.73 def. Gaines, 6.593, 210.77; Johnson, 6.569, 210.87 def. Connolly, 6.589, 210.28; S. Gray, 6.574, 210.87 def. J. Gray, 6.591, 210.24;

SEMIFINALS -- Line, 6.606, 210.24 def. S. Gray, 6.625, 210.05; Anderson, 6.586, 210.90 def. Johnson, 16.159, 51.08;

FINAL -- Line, 6.611, 210.67 def. Anderson, 6.608, 210.54.

 

Here are the point standings (top 10) following the 27th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals presented by Super Start Batteries at Pacific Raceways, the 16th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series -

 

Top Fuel

1.  Doug Kalitta, 1,345*; 2.  Antron Brown, 1,269*; 3.  Shawn Langdon, 1,146*; 4.  Tony Schumacher, 999*; 5.  Steve Torrence, 920; 6.  Spencer Massey, 895; 7.  Brittany Force, 856; 8.  Khalid alBalooshi, 855; 9.  Richie Crampton, 808; 10.  J.R. Todd, 774.

 

Funny Car

1.  Robert Hight, 1,271*; 2.  John Force, 1,224*; 3.  Ron Capps, 989; 4.  Courtney Force, 980; 5.  Tommy Johnson Jr., 975; 6.  Alexis DeJoria, 961; 7.  Matt Hagan, 949; 8.  Cruz Pedregon, 894; 9.  Del Worsham, 848; 10.  Tim Wilkerson, 815.

 

Pro Stock

1.  Erica Enders-Stevens, 1,229*; 2.  Allen Johnson, 1,197*; 3.  Jason Line, 1,192*; 4.  Jeg Coughlin, 1,128*; 5.  Dave Connolly, 1,075*; 6.  Shane Gray, 1,015*; 7.  Vincent Nobile, 959*; 8.  V. Gaines, 742; 9.  Chris McGaha, 718; 10.  Greg Anderson, 647.

 

The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series has the weekend off but NHRA fans can still get their fill of their favorite sport with three programs airing on ESPN2 Aug. 9-10. Action from the recent NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event in Seattle airs Sunday, Aug. 10, at noon ET. In addition, episodes of NHRA Thrills and Spills air on Saturday, Aug. 9, at 11 a.m. and on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series continues Aug. 14-17 with the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd, Minn.


How would you like to support green energy as well as charity? In our new environmentally conscience world, race fans now have a way to help protect the environment, and help out an up and coming racer in the process. 

On August 3, North American Power agreed to base their partnership with Josh White Racing upon customer growth and production. The organization donates a $1 from every customer paying for its service each month. 

“I would like for my fans to try this, its very inexpensive, its good for the environment, good for them because they save money, then give to charity and it helps put me in a race car,” added White. “If I get NAP 350 customers then it puts me in a race car at Daytona for Daytona Testing, and NAP is donating to charity every time a customer signs up or pays their bill.”

North American Power is cheap, affordable, and reduces your energy bill dramatically. If you join, and get 20 of your friends to join, you have free energy for life! 

“They can try it for as low as $10 a month,” White continued. “It doesn't matter where you are, NAP could save on your energy bills and they will work with your current energy companies! You will still get the same bill you've always got. I can't wait to introduce NAP to my program, I can't wait for my fans to go green so I can go green at Daytona.”

The SCCA Eastern Conference U.S. Majors Tour came to a close on Sunday at Summit Point Motorsports Park, part of the SafeRacer SCCA National Racing program, after 14 rounds of racing.
 
Weather conditions played into the finish of many classes on Sunday as temperatures and the dew point was higher than any other point this race weekend at the 10-turn, 2.0-mile circuit. The increased heat produced increasingly slick conditions throughout the day for each of the seven race groups. Hardware for 12 Conference Championship winners was given out during each race group’s podium ceremonies.
 
Group One: Mark Vultaggio, of Swiftwater, Pennsylvania, completed the weekend sweep in Spec Racer Ford. Starting in fifth, Vultaggio got his No. 43 Dinosaur Racing Spec Racer Ford toward the front in quick order. Vultaggio and Jeffrey Lehner then spent nearly 20 laps trading the lead amongst themselves. On the final lap, Vultaggio was able to get his machine in the right position to win the race to the line.
 
Myers, of Greenland, New Hampshire, claimed the Eastern Conference title with his fifth place finish. At the wheel of the No. 28 Seacoast Physiatry Spec Racer Ford, Myers rode around in third for most of the race. To seal the Championship Myers needed to finish in seventh or higher. On the final lap, Myers spun in Turn Five. He quickly regained control of his machine and was able to hold onto a fifth-place finish.
 
Group Two: Jonathan Weisheit, of Baltimore, Maryland, did the double at Summit Point by winning the final Eastern Conference Formula Vee race of the season in his No. 72 JK Technologies JK Tech SP-1. However, it was the race for second, between Richard Shields and Roger Siebenaler that was most intriguing. The two drivers were nose-to-tail for much of the 25-lap race, trading spots regularly. When it came down to it, Shields got to the line first by 0.001-second.
 
Jeremy Grenier (No. 12 Ski Motorsports/Hoosier Tire Citation F1600), of Charles Town, West Virginia, completed the weekend sweep in Formula F. Also sweeping the weekend in Formula 500 was Jay Beckley, of Marlton, New Jersey, in the No. 60 Frenzinta Racing QRE Invader QC-1.
 
Group Three: Mike Collins, of Woodbine, Maryland, eked out a closely contested win in Spec Miata. Collins, at the controls of the No. 75 Meathead Racing/Tri-Speed Mazda Miata, got the win over Sebastian Landy. Landy spent much of the race hounding Collins, but was unable to make the pass for the lead happen. Saturday’s winner, Tyler Kicera, completed the podium.
 
Group Four: Until lap 15, it looked like GT-Lite was going to be a close race to the end between eventual winner Kyle Disque, of Philadelphia, Pa., and Robert Lenz II. Those drivers were involved in an intense fight for the lead that saw the two cars separated by less than two seconds as they diced through traffic. At the control of his No. 92 Toyota/Hoosier/71 Crowd Toyota Tercel, Disque was able to win the battle of attrition as Lenz was forced to drop out before the checkered flag fell with a mechanical issue.
 
The win helped Disque claim top honors in the Eastern Conference GTL points. Also taking home hardware for a Conference title was Joe Kelly in E Prepared, as his friend Minor Wilcox (No. 65 Checkered Flag Farm Caterham Seven America), of Wingina, Virginia, went two-for-two at Summit Point in the same class. Ron Bartell (No. 4 Hoosier Tire MG Midget), of Madbury, New Hampshire, and Jerry Hinkle (No. 66 Element One Associates Lotus Seven), of Catonsville, Maryland, were also double winners.
 
Group Five: The interfamily race between Formula Atlantic pilots Conner and Gaston Kearby, both of Corpus Christi, Texas, took center stage. While the Eastern Conference title had been decided after Saturday’s race in Gaston’s favor, Conner still had the opportunity for the weekend sweep. When the checkers fell, Conner was able to finish 0.160-second ahead of his father in his No. 56 K-Hill Motorsports/Hoosier/GK Motorsports Mazda Swift 016.
 
Also claiming Conference hardware following the race was Doug Piner, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in Prototype 2 and Paul Schneider, of Charlotte, North Carolina, in Formula Enterprise.
 
Group Six: The Big-bore class, again, saw a pair of Aquilantes win. Amy (No. 50 Tom Aquilante Racing Pontiac Firebird), of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, took the win in America Sedan while Joe (No. 32 Phoenix/Hawk Performance/Hoosier Tire Chevrolet Corvette), of Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, was the winner in Touring 1. With the win, Amy finalized her bid for the Eastern Conference Championship.
 
GT-1 winner Scott Quaile, of Copake Falls, New York, was the overall leader of the race until he ran into mechanical issues with only two laps remaining in the race. While Quaile completed the GT-1 sweep in his No. 89 Davis Auto Body Chevrolet Camaro, his early retirement allowed GT-2 class winner James Goughary, of Houston, Texas, to take the overall group victory in his No. 46 Redline Oil/Hoosier Tire Nissan 350Z.
 
Group Seven: Rob Hines, of Arlington, Virginia, left Summit Point as a double race winner and Touring 3 Eastern Conference Champion. In his No. 4 Nissan/Hoosier/Redline Oil/Carbotech Nissan 350Z, Hines was able to beat his class rival, Kevin Boehm, to the finish line by 0.505-second.
 
Preston Calvert (No.77 Phoenix Performance/Hoosier Ford Mustang GT), of Potomac, Maryland, and Chris Collins (No. 57 Meathead Racing/Coca Mazda Miata), of Darnestown, Maryland, scored weekend sweeps and Conference Championships in Touring 2 and Touring 4, respectively.
 
 
Race winners for Sunday’s Eastern Conference Majors Tour Round 14 at Summit Point Motorsports Park. Drivers are listed by Class: name, hometown, and car. (*) - Denotes repeat winner.
 
American Sedan: Amy Aquilante, Phoenixville, Pa., Pontiac Firebird (*)
B-Spec: Peter Schwartzott, White Plains, N.Y., Chevrolet Sonic
Formula 1000: Alex Mayer, Harleysville, Penn., JDR F1000 (*)
Formula 500: Jay Beckley, of Marlton, N.J., QRE Invader QC-1 (*)
Formula Atlantic: Conner Kearby, Corpus Christi, Texas, Mazda Swift 016 (*)
Formula Continental: Chuck Moran, Oakton, Va., Van Diemen RF99 (*)
Formula Enterprises: Paul Schneider, Charlotte, N.C., Formula Enterprise Ford (*)
Formula F: Jeremy Grenier, Charles Town, W.Va., Citation F1600 (*)
Formula Mazda: Stuart Rettie, Houston, Texas, Star Mazda FM (*)
Formula Vee: Jonathan Weisheit, Baltimore, Md., JK Tech XP1 (*)
E Production: Miner Wilcox, Wingina, Va., Caterham 7 America
F Production: Jerry Hinkle, Catonsville, Md., Lotus Seven
H Production: Ron Bartell, Madbury, N.H., MG Midget
GT-1: Scott Quaile, Copake Falls, N.Y., Chevrolet Camaro (*)
GT-2: James Goughary, Houston, Texas, Nissan 350Z
GT-3: Rick Ricker, Waterford, Va., Volkswagen Jetta
GT-Lite: Kyle Disque, Philadelphia, Pa., Toyota Tercel
Prototype 2: Dennis Hanratty Jr., Mechanicsburg, Pa., West WR-1000
Spec Miata: Michael Collins, Woodbine, Md., Mazda Miata
Spec Racer Ford: Mark Vultaggio, Swiftwater, Pa., SCCA Spec Racer Ford (*)
Super Touring Lite: Greg Amy, Middletown, Conn., Acura Integra GS-R (*)
Super Touring Under: Alex Ratcliffe, Leesburg, Va., Mazda MX-5 (*)
Touring 1: Joe Aquilante, Chester Springs, Pa., Chevrolet Corvette (*)
Touring 2: Preston Calvert, Potomac, Md., Ford Mustang GT (*)
Touring 3: Rob Hines, Arlington, Va., Nissan 350Z (*)
Touring 4: Christopher Collins, Darnestown, Md., Mazda Miata (*)
 
The next stop for many of these same racers will be the SCCA National Championship Runoffs®, to take place at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Oct. 6-12.
 
Additional information on the Summit Point Majors, including full results and entry list, can be found at http://www.scca.com/events/index.cfm?eid=6896.
 
Like SCCA on Facebook at Facebook.com/SCCAOfficial and follow the Club on Twitter @SCCAOfficial.
 
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