By J M Hallas
Marion, TX. (June, 1st 2014) Following a full day, and night, of racing the IHRA Summit Pro-Am Tour concluded with a complete show for all the classes on the 1/4 mile (Top Dragster, Top Sportsman. Super Stock, Stock, Quick Rod, Super Rod, Hot Rod, Jr. Masters, Jr. Advanced and Jr. Beginners).
The day started off partly cloudy, but still another scorcher in the Texas sun. Pro-Am cars were only allowed one time trial sessions this morning with eliminations to follow. At the start of time trials track temperatures had already climbed to near 120*. It wasn’t long until the starting line hit well over 140* baking the midday sun.
Almost 235 cars made passes in the Pro-Am classes trying to pick up the coveted Ironman trophy, with about 70 more taking runs in the Pro Mods and ET classes, making for over 300 machines in competition on Saturday. After a few breakages, prior commitments and attitudes, Sunday lost several cars, but picked up a couple of newbies in the Pro-Am classes.
Top Sportsman
San Antonio’s Trent Wilson was matched up in the finals for Top Sportsman with Odessa’s Riki Miller. Miller, in his 2002 Pontiac GTO gave it away at the starting line going red by .005 handing the victory to Wilson in his Screen Pro Graphics, Alamo Hot Rod Parts, Custom Reprinting, Rehrer & Morrison powered 68 Camaro. Wilson saved parts and pieces by clicking it off early and savoring the win.
Trent Wilson, 7.937 (7.02) @ 114.39 defeats Ricky Miller, 7.830 (7.85) @ 174.35
Top Dragster
A local favorite, David Johns (Floresville, Tx.) squared off with Kirk Wolf (Little River, Tx.) in the finals for Top Dragster after narrowing down another huge field of cars. Johns, in the Johns Automotive, Wayne’s Paint & Body, Worthy Chassis had a slight deficit off the starting line, then ran down Wolf for the win on the big end.
David Johns, 7.275(7.26) @ 176.82 defeats Kirk Wolf, 7.825(7.79) @ 170.91
Super Stock
Jarod Granier (Labadieville, La.) took home the Ironman in the Super Stock finals getting past Thomas Marlow (Mesquite, Tx.), who went red. Granier’s Chevy II would have been tough to beat as he nearly hit his number on the top end to take home the hardware against the Marlow Motorsports, 68 Camaro.
Jarod Granier, 9.665 (9.65) @ 135.71 defeats Thomas Marlow, 10.562 (10.53) @ 122.15
Stock
Thomas Marlow, who lost by red in the Super Stock finals rebounded in the Stock final against Matt Pellichino (Hammond, La.). With both drivers having similar reaction times it was Pellichino in his Corvette going too quick by .008 and breaking out on the big end giving the victory to Marlow in the Marlow Motorsports, Camaro.
Thomas Marlow, 11.573 (11.54) @ 108.64 defeats Matt Pellichino, 10.292 (10.30) @ 126.09
Quick Rod (8.90)
In the Quick Rod finals, Tony Farmer (Midland, Tx.) took on San Marcos’ Bryon Turner for the Ironman. Turner had .060 off the tree, but Farmer was able to drive around him on the top end to score the win.
Tony Farmer, 8.923 @ 166.42 defeats Bryon Turner, 8.940 @ 165.32
Super Rod (9.90)
San Antonio’s Brandon Meadows was paired with James Carter (Forney, Tx.) in the Super Rod finals. In a double break out, Meadows in his B&M Automotive, Gary Frame & Body, Hamilton powered, 68 Mustang was closer to the index than Carter, in his 63 Corvette, for the honors.
Brandon Meadows, 9.890 @ 133.10 defeats James Carter, 9.878 @ 152. 85
Hot Rod (10.90)
Dennis Clark (Pasadena, Tx.) squared off against Pete Maduri (Tonowanda, NY). Clark had .040 in the bank on the start and was able to keep Maduri, who recently moved to San Antonio, in his wake as he crossed the stripe on the top end.
Dennis Clark, 10.935 @ 125.70 defeats Pete Maduri, 10.954 @ 120.00
Jr. Masters
Gianni Carrola (Boerne, Tx.) went head to head with Tori Green (Burleson) in the Jr. Dragster Masters final. Carrola, who would hit his number on the top end, gave the win away at the light going red by .0003 (3/10,000th), giving the victory to Green in her CBS Arc Safe, K&N Filters sponsored Jr. Dragster.
Tori Green, 7.963 (7.91) @ 83.36 defeats Gianni Carrola, 7.955 (7.95) @ 81.65
Jr. Advanced
It was all young ladies final in Jr. Dragster Advanced with former track champ Ashley Hubbell (San Antonio, Tx.) up against Mallory Bontrager (Wylie). Bontrager took home the victory in her TnT Supercars, Jr. Dragster with a better number than Hubbell in her Aramendia Plumbing, Screen Pro Graphics, Bexar Waste, Express Lube, VP Fuels, Greg Hubbell Race Cars.
Mallory Bontrager, 8.981 (8.95) @ 72.38 defeats Ashley Hubbell, 9.180 (9.14) @ 69.38
Jr. Beginner
Graeme Rufenacht (Round Rock, Tx.) took home the two-day double win in Jr. Dragster Beginners with a second weekend trophy over Payton Simoneaux (Napoleonville, La.), who went red. Rufenacht in the Johnson Motorsports, Austin Quality Auto, 2009 Half-scale Chassis and Simoneaux’s Moser Engineering, Jr. Dragster would both break out on the top end
Graeme Rufenacht, 12.999 (12.10) @ 54.13 defeats Payton Simoneaux, 12.402 (12.43) @ 51.19
