Vels and Spitali Win BTE/Citgo Ron's Desert Classic at Tucson
By Tim Glover
(March 11-13, Southwestern International Dragway, Tucson, Arizona) Racers enjoyed a great weekend of racing during the Ron's Desert Classic Warm-Up, the second Jeg’s Division Seven BTE/Citgo race of 2005. Mark Martinez, driving his 27 T Roadster, outlasted a large field of Gamblers Race cars Friday evening, earning the first winner’s purse of the weekend. Martinez, who races out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, used a .028 light and a dead on 10.543 for the win over Jess Nelson from Maricopa, Arizona. Nelson was .025 and 7.884 on a 7.85 for the runner-up spot.
SATURDAY Rob Amereno from Tucson began a good weekend by winning the Barker Trailer Sales Run For The Trailer event, earning the cash and the potential first round Afco Super Pro bye run. Dexter Clausen of Tucson was the Run for Trailer Winner in Dynatech Sportsman. Rachel Laws earned the Race Tech Run for the Money cash in Jr Dragster.
In Afco Super Pro action, Larry Spitali from Glendale, Arizona used his famed "Black Cherry" ‘67 Camaro to defeat North Carolina racer Mike Dollini, who is currently a work transplant living in New Mexico. Dollini's Undercover dragster turned on the big red bulb in the final, handing Spitali the BTE/Citgo diamond trophy and "Happy Gilmore" check for the winning the Ron’s Fuel Injection sponsored event. Pat Neal from Tucson, Arizona and Jess Nelson, Friday’s runner up, were the semi-final pair.
The defending 2004 Division Four Sportsman champion, Tod Snair, started the year on a down note during the Cactus Clash at Speedworld, but rebounded in a borrowed car for the tough win in Dynatech Sportsman. Snair became the automatic winner when his final round opponent, Victor Sandoval, turned it .004 red in the final. Snair turned in a good 11.29 pass at 120.15mph (11.25 target). Sandoval was also .04 over, with a 10.97 at 121.21mph. Dennis Paz from Calif. and Ric Kevern (’76 Cobra II – Wittman, AZ) finished in the semi-finals. The win for Snair makes him a top contender in Dynatech Division Four for the Nesbitt World Championship Points.
Jeff Veek, who also won last Labor Day, made it two in a row after defeating defending BTE/Citgo world champion Brittny Blakely in Race Tech Jr Dragster. In the final, Blakely turned it red, making this the third final in a row today settled by the cherry hanging on the tree. Veek ran a 9.53, 66.66mph pass (9.45 dial), and Blakely ran her car to an 8.05 at 80.64mph (7.96 dial). Annmarie Keller from El Paso, Texas was the semi-finalist.
Dan Reaume’s beautiful Kingman, Arizona based 388 powered ’64 Ranchero earned the four foot tall Jeg’s Trophy with a dead on 10.834, 121.47mph shot against Sindy Clausen of Oro Valley, Arizona. Clausen’s ’99 Tacoma broke out with a 19.20, 69.63mph pass (19.33 dial). Mike Gonnell (’72 Chevelle – Tempe, AZ) was the single semi-finalist.
SUNDAY Travis Wallace took the cash of the day with an 8.035 on an 8.03 in the Race Tech Jr Dragster Run for the Money. Jim Callaway from New Mexico won the cash and first round potential Afco Super Pro bye run in the Barker Trailer Sales Pace American Run For The Trailer event. Dexter Clausen was the Dynatech Sportsman Run for the Trailer cash winner for the second day in a row.
Fred Holz from Gypsum, Colorado earned the MGM Best Engineered Car award with his beautiful low eight second Lenco shifted ‘70 Chevelle. Eddie Bown of Phoenix, Arizona won the MGM Best Appearing Car with his Polar Bear Dragster.
The defending 2004 Division 7 Sportsman champion, Chris Vels of San Diego, Calif., defeated Rob Amereno from Tucson for the Afco Super Pro title. Vels, who races without the assistance of a delay box, used a .008 react and a .02 over 10.30 at 129.21mph in the final with his ’67 Camaro to defeat a much faster Amereno. Amereno tripped the beams at a very quick 172.72mph, but broke out with a 7.638 (7.65 target) in his dragster. The win put Vels in a three way tie for the Race Tech Championship Points lead. He is also tied for the Nesbitt No Box Championship Points lead after race number four on the 27 race nationwide tour. The lone semi-finalist was Brian Wegner from Quail Creek, Arizona.
Luis Valenzuela from nearby Tucson earned the title of Dynatech Sportsman Sunday No Box champion with his ’69 Nova. Valenzuela crossed the win stripe .023 seconds in front of Stephen McNeel’s ’74 Duster with a 10.70, 120.37mph shot (10.67 dial), winning the $1000 check and BTE/Citgo Diamond Trophy. McNeel was a bit off pace with a 12.09 at 111.88mph (12.00 target).
In Jeg’s Trophy, Dan Reaume from Kingman, Arizona, won the four foot Jeg’s trophy for the second day in a row with his trick ‘64 Ranchero. Reaume nailed his 10.78 dial with a 10.782 at 119.19mph. His final round victim, Matthew Keneston from Tucson, could only muster a 19.08 at 69.81mph (18.95 dial). Sindy Clausen came close to making the finals two days in a row, with a semi-final finish.
Race Tech Jr Dragster had a field of over 30 cars. Remy Reber from Chandler used a stellar .013 light and a .01 over 8.047 to defeat Krystal Book of Yucaipa, Calif. Book carded a 9.02, 70.49mph finish (8.92 dial). Jacob Reber, also from Chandler, was the semi-final finisher.
