Tucker, Terry Claim Championship Races

by Michael Giacone

Samoa – Harlan Tucker and John Terry outlasted fields of top drivers to win the Pro and Street championship brackets respectively. Other winners in the season-ending Samoa Championships were Scott Tucker, Carl Engel, Jason Henderson, John Widmann and Mike Scoggin.

Tucker, who qualified as an alternate, drove his 1967 Barracuda to a time of 11.43 at 116 mph to defeat the 8-car Pro field. John Antongiovanni drew a red light in the finals in his 1965 Chevy II. Dennis Ellsworth, Jr. and Rick Ellsworth drove their dragsters to the semi-final round.

Terry won the Street championship by driving his 1970 Nova to a time of 16.53 at 81 mph. Runner-up Ana Toledo was .01 under her dial in her 1969 Mustang. Brian Stone and Henderson drove to the semis before being sent to their trailers.

Engel garnered the Super Pro title with his 1964 Mustang out of Cottonwood. He ran an elapsed time of 10.89 at 120 mph to grab the title from Dale Waddell’s 1927 Ford roadster. Les Nevitt, of Aberdeen, Washington finished in third place.

Scott Tucker ran an 11.31 at 112 mph to claim the Pro bracket over the Jerry Toledo’s 1970 Maverick. Scott pilots a 1968 Barracuda and also won the Pro point title. Steve Morris and Bart Overson lasted until the semi-finals before bowing out of competition.

Henderson won the battle of the Mustangs as he bested Quick Street champ Ron Gulbransen in the final round. Jason ran a time of 14.11 at 96 mph in his 1966 to take the win over Ron’s 1968 model. Arron Daniels settled for third place in his 1970 Dodge pickup.

Terry also won the Street class by clocking a time of 25.16 at 48 mph after his father, Glen, redlighted in his 1965 Dart. John Koslowsk was the semi-finalist in his 1968 El Camino.

Widmann captured the Motorcycle title on his 1997 Kawasaki by running the quarter-mile in 9.36 at 115 mph as James Surber had problems and did not finish the race on his 2003 Buell. Ken Vossen and George Brooks were the third place riders.

Mike Scoggin won the Catch-All bracket in his 1946 Chevy pickup by posting an e.t. of 11.70 at 94 mph. Brian Kelsey, Sr. was runner-up in his 1974 Camaro while Jim Toledo took third place.

Dennis Ellsworth, Jr. tallied 320 points to win the Super Pro title over a hard charging Dale Waddell, who finished second at 300. Scott Tucker was the high point driver of the season with 390 to take the Pro title while John Antogiovanni was number two with 310 markers.

Gulbransen won the Quick Street championship by scoring 320 points. Troy Beck finished number two with a total of 270. John Terry won the Street title at this event by accumulating 310 points just passing Brian Stone who ended the season with 290.