By JM Hallas
Marion, TX (Sept. 30th, 2016) – With the IHRA Summit Super Series points racing over for the year, it’s time to focus on Division 4 Renegades Team Finals. This invitational event brings together the top points getters from the IHRA Summit Super Series bracket events. Eight tracks make up the Division 4 Renegades, San Antonio Raceway, Little River Dragway, Pine Valley Raceway, Edinburg Raceway, Ben Bruce Memorial Raceway, Amarillo Dragway and Wichita Falls Dragway all out of Texas, plus State Capitol Raceway from Louisiana.
Each track brings its best racers in the Electronics (Box), Foot Brake (No-box) and Jr. Dragster classes. Each round win earns their respective track one point towards the team championship. Rules are similar to Summit Series bracket races, but they try to not have team members run against one another.
Competition is not only set on the track, but awards for best-decorated team grandstand, best appearing team, and best team spirit are also awarded. The event doubles as a car show, of sorts, with special awards being given for best engineered full and open bodied cars, best appearing full and open bodied cars and both awards for the Jr. Dragsters.
At stake at the end of the event is a big winners share of the purse, plus an Ironman and IHRA silver card for each class champion. Friday was a ‘Gamblers Race’ for drivers to pick up some extra track time, and perhaps money, before Saturdays Team Finals. If that wasn’t enough racing for one day, a 2nd Chance race was thrown in for first and second round losers.
It was pretty much a Chamber of Commerce day as the track began the first of three days worth of racing. Track conditions were nearly perfect by the time round 1 of eliminations kicked off around mid-day.
Electronics (Box) – Penningtons Divide Dough
Electronics co-winner Cassie Pennington on the chase
In what would have been an interesting matchup between husband and wife in the Electronics finals resulted, instead, in a split. The Penningtons (La Vernia), Michael, in his Pennington Brothers Racing, 34 Ford Coupe, and Cassie in her Pennington Brothers Racing Dragster opted to divide the money. Since a winner had to be declared, Michael gave the win to Cassie, perhaps avoiding a trip to the doghouse.
Electronics co-winner Michael Pennington (near) leaving with Wes Bendele
Cassie Pennington defeats Michael Pennington (DNR) split
Foot Brake (No-box)
Foot Brake winner Bryan Day
Out of over 100 Foot Brakers, it came down to a pair of Chevys with Bryan Day in little S-10 Chevy Pickup paired with Ronny Speer (Dayton) in his 64 Chevy Corvette for the class finals. Day had the first leave cutting a .028 light, Speer then went red giving the victory to Day, who would have broken out on the top end.
Bryan Day (6.51) 6.468 @ 106.11 defeats Ronny Speer (5.73) 6.325 @ 98.00 (red)
Jr. Dragster
Jr. Dragster winner Conner Rivers
The Jr. Dragster finals saw Conner Rivers (Kountze) in his 08 Halfscale Chassis paired up with Bubba Fontenot with both on 7.90 dial going virtually heads up. Fontenot got 1/100th on the tree, but Rivers was able to drive around him and nail his number to boot, to grab the win.
Conner Rivers 7.900 @ 81.45 defeats Bubba Fontenot 8.001 @ 72.92
2nd Chance (Electronics)
Electronics 2nd Chance co-winner Brent Ritter
The 2nd Chance Electronics finals came down to two local drivers. Scheduled were Chris Keylich, in Keylich Electric, 2013 Miller Chassis and former track champ, Brent Ritter, in the Simpson Racing, Mission Auto Parts, 07 Undercover Chassis for the finals. After a long day, and longer weekend ahead, they choose to split the money and Keylich ceded the win to the former track champion, Ritter.
Electronics 2nd Chance co-winner Chris Keylich
Brent Ritter defeats Chris Keylich (DNR) split
2nd Chance (Foot Brake)
Foot Brake 2nd Chance winner Billy Janousek
The 2nd Chance Foot Brake finals was the classic Ford vs. Chevy match up for the win. Billy Janousek (Pflugerville), in his Illeet Auto Wraps, RS Kustom, 89 Mustang nailed the tree on Wendell Dockery (San Antonio) in his D&E Glass, 69 Camaro and it was pretty much over from there with Janousek getting the win.
Billy Janousek (6.23) 6.342 @ 96.46 defeats Wendell Dockery (7.06) 7.139 @ 98.21
2nd Chance (Jr. Dragster)
Jr. Dragster 2nd Chance winner Wade Walker
In the Jr. Dragster 2nd Chance finals it was Wade Walker (Splendora) against Chance Turman (Thorndale). Walker used a .016 light to get the advantage off the line and carried it out the 1/8 mile for the hole shot win.
Wade Walker (8.22) 8.275 @ 73.51 defeats Chance Turman (8.02) 8.168 @ 80.40
