From NHRA Lucas Oil Series:
SONOMA, Calif. (August 2, 2009) – Steve Gasparrelli put the Gasparrelli Motorsports Top Alcohol Funny Car ’08 Mustang in the winner’s circle with a string of runs in the 5.50’s and a best 5.578 second, 258.42 mph pass in the final for the win at this weekend’s NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Division 7 event presented by Korbel at Infineon Raceway.
Gasparrelli, West Covina, Calif., had been on a dry spell before taking the win last month at the Lucas Oil event at Pacific Raceways near Seattle. This marks his second win on the year as he outran Keeter Ray, Newport Beach, Calif., who held off No. 1 qualifier John Lombardo and veteran racer Jay Payne on his way to the final against Gasparrelli.
In Top Alcohol Dragster it was Cody Perkins, Bluffdale, Utah, taking the easy win when fellow finalists and No. 1 qualifier John Ahten, Saugus, Calif., broke in his semifinal round win and was unable to make the call for the final round.
Gabriel and Val Torres made it a family affair picking up the wins and taking home the trophies in Super Gas and Super Comp respectively. Gabriel of LaPuente, Calif., took out west coast hitter Thomas Bayer, Fontana, Calif., and Val, Valinda, Calif., held off Justin Lamb of Henderson, Nev., in his ’67 Nova.
Stock Eliminator matched up a great pair of racers with Jody Lang, Puyallup, Wash., wheeling his ’81 Malibu Wagon to the win over Kyle Rizzoli, San Louis Obispo, Calif., and his 69 Camaro.
Mike DePalma, Glendale, Ariz., came from the No. 1 qualifying position to win in Comp Eliminator over Ross Wilson, Upland, Calif., while reigning Pacific Division Champion Jimmy DeFrank, Thousand Oaks, Calif., took the win in Super Stock over Tim Smith, Loomis, Calif.
Winner’s in other categories this weekend were Steve Older, Concord, Calif., in Super Street; Ryan Priddy, Chino, Calif., in the Hughes Top Dragster Class; Jay Matthews won in the Sportsman Motorcycle class presented by Harley Davidson; and J Wayne Silva, Upland, Calif., won in Top Sportsman.
Pacific Division racers head to Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield for the next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event in September.
Results
The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Division 7 event presented by Korbel at TRACK:
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:
Round 1
1) Johnny Ahten, Saugus, Calif., 5.524, 249.03 def. 8) Larry Miersch, Huntington Beach, Calif., foul
7) Cody Perkins, Bluffdale, Utah, 5.376, 261.37 def. 2) Randy Eakins, Carson City, Nev., 5.475, 262.03
5) Mark Niver, Phoenix, Ariz., 5.362, 263.41 def. 4) Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., 5.312, 267.85
6) Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., 5.383, 261.78 def. 3) Courtney Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., 14.798, 33.93
Semifinals
Perkins, 5.391, 260.71 def. C. Demke, 5.365, 263.46
Ahten, 5.361, 254.71 def. Niver, 5.445, 260.31
Final
Perkins, 13.772, no speed def. Ahten, broke
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:
Round 1
5) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., ‘07 Mustang, 5.589, 258.22 def. 4) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., ‘06 Monte Carlo, 5.656, 256.94
3) Sean O’Bannon, Ontario, Calif., ‘06 Monte Carlo, 5.606, 257.38 def. 6) Mark Woznichak, Ontario, Calif., ‘02 Camaro, 5.656, 254.76
2) Steve Gasparrelli, W. Covina, Calif., ‘08 Mustang, 5.599, 257.97 def. 7) Daniel Oliver, Whittier, Calif., ‘06 Monte Carlo, 7.570, 115.97
8) Keeter Ray, Newport Beach, Calif., ‘09 Mustang, 5.648, 253.90 def. 1) John Lombardo Jr., Brea, Calif., ‘05 Camaro, 5.779, 211.89
Semifinals
Gasparrelli, 5.596, 257.24 def. O’Bannon, 5.606, 257.68
Ray, 5.663, 252.57 def. Payne, 5.692, 257.28
Final
Gasparrelli, 5.578, 258.42 def. Ray, 5.762, 253.09
COMPETITION ELIMINATOR
Mike DePalma, Glendale, Ariz., ‘00 S-10, C/T, 9.088, 111.48 def. Ross Wilson, Upland, Calif., ‘05 Sunfire, C/SMA, 13.158, 70.75.
SUPER STOCK
Jimmy DeFrank, Thousand Oaks, Calif., ‘09 Cobalt, SS/AM, 8.748, 153.37 def. Tim Smith, Loomis, Calif., ‘87 Cavalier, GT/CA, 9.899, 132.54.
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Jody Lang, Puyallup, Wash., ‘81 Malibu Wgn, N/SA, 12.921, 95.07 def. Kyle Rizzoli, San Luis Obispo, Calif., ‘69 Camaro, AA/SA, 10.278, 122.89.
SUPER COMP
Gabriel Torres, La Puente, Calif., dragster, 9.550, 115.16 def. Thomas Bayer, Fontana, Calif., dragster, 8.911, 175.23.
SUPER GAS
Val Torres, Valinda, Calif., ‘67 Nova, 9.940, 158.93 def. Justin Lamb, Henderson, Nev., ‘68 Camaro, 9.882, 158.91.
SUPER STREET
Steve Older, Concord, Calif., ‘69 Chevelle, 10.901, 132.96 def. Guerdon Alguire, Fairfield, Calif., ‘68 Baracuda, 10.884, 146.69.
SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
Jay Matthews, Henderson, Nev., ‘98 GSXR, 18.365, no speed def. Pete Miclette, Garberville, Calif., ‘97 GSXR, broke.
TOP SPORTSMAN
J Wayne Silvia, Upland, Calif., ‘04 Cavalier, 6.721, 208.78 def. Ronnie Lahn, Norwalk, Calif., ‘04 Cavalier, 7.535, 177.88.
TOP DRAGSTER
Ryan Priddy, Chino, Calif., dragster, 7.104, 187.42 def. Mike MacBrair, Napa, Calif., dragster, foul.
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