Tim's Dragstrip News

Going into the last points race of the season, and no one in any bracket has secured the points championship. Woods, for instance, is in 3^rd – 4 points behind Jim Toledo, 49 points ahead of Giacone. Toledo is 9 points behind defending Super Pro points champion Ray Rapp.

In Pro, Rapp continues to lead the points, though Harlan Tucker is 25 points away from a lead, followed by Mike Wright (who was tied with Rapp earlier this summer), Jerry Toledo and Pam Conn. Conn, 2008’s Rookie of the Year, is 17 points behind Toledo. Read this and think of what a Round 2, 3 or 4 win or loss can determine in the season closer, September 13^th.

Last year in Sportsman, Mitch Marlin ended the season 34 points behind champion Robbie Waddell, now Marlin maintains a points lead over Rick McFarlin by 53 points, followed by Josh Rapp, Larry Ghidinelli and Connie Beck.

Defending Motorcycle points champ George Brooks has kept his lead in ’09, though Mike Pires, finishing 9^th overall last year, is behind him by 26 points.  In the first half of the season, Brooks had 4 consecutive 1^st-place wins. Pires has come into the second half with a string of semi-final and final appearances, and top-qualifier days (as well as t.q. Brooks). Behind Pires is rookie Mike Pettit, Jr. by 28 points, his father Pettit, Sr. behind him by 36 points, Rick McFarlin – King of the Track ’09 – behind Mike Pettit, Sr. by 4 points. In Junior Dragsters, 4 consecutive 1^st place wins have put Austin Petersen ahead of Kevin Will by 17 points for the points lead.  Ashley Johnson is behind Will, followed by Kaycee Mela and Mike Pires, Jr.

Don’t forget that on the eve of the season closing Samoa Championships is the last night of this year’s Budweiser Racing Street Legal Drags, free to watch and free to race (although this year has been featuring timed runs for  under 6 bucks). Gates open at 5pm, Saturday the 12^th, racing starts at 5:30.

The preceding night Cruz N Eureka’s event opener winds down at the drags, as the Pandraggers Car Club and Bad Timing Association host the event’s final poker run stop, while Redwood Vintage Rods will host a wrap-up party of food and prizes. For more information, check out www.cruzneureka.com or feel free to email me at tnthotrods@yahoo.com or call me at (707) 834-4151.

 Believe it or not, the season closer is fast approaching: Pepsi Bottling Group is joined by Eureka Car Stereo and Mission Linen in hosting what is shaping up to be a points championship yet to be determined. Your last chance of the year to catch it starts at 9:30 A.M., Sunday Sept. 13, though this year it’s not the last drag racing event of the year- that will be  Napa Auto Parts big Arm Drop By the Sea, October 24^th.

The 200-car limit is fast filling up, don’t forget racers can only register to race at North Coast Napa auto parts stores, spectator tickets are $5 at Napa stores, $10 at the track gate. Along with the $2500 purse and new Napa tool chest stuffed with new Napa tools, an additional Quick 8 class will feature a $1000 purse, all of it with Nitro Funny Car driver Ron Capps presiding over the first-ever event for historic Samoa Dragstrip.

 But before then, bring a camera, bring friends, bring ear plugs and set your memory on stun to the Samoa ‘Strip, weekend of Sept. 12 & 13^th.

      Tim O’Brien

Track Announcer