Bracket Racing TEXAS Style
Sorry for the delay folks, but I've been pretty tied up last week. :( Thanks to everyone for being at the first points race at Lonestar. Will have the points standings on Lonestar's website and will post here too. Jack does a good job for the local tracks spreading the bracket stuff! Here's a little article for those that couldn't make it.
What a great start to the 2006 Championship Bracket Series at Lonestar. The racers and fans were treated to good weather and good racing! Lonestar has put up the best bracket program in the state with the largest purse for a weekly program; IHRA World Championship points awarded each day as well as Contingency payout at every event all in one weekend!
The action all started Friday night with a Mega Jackpot and trophy Street Stock races. In Electronics mega jackpot semi finals, Bruce White and Todd Zampese (from that little track west of Lonestar). Reaction times were almost identical and it was a double break out but Zampese broke out by the least taking the win. Howard Linder had the bye into the finals. Linder and Zampese decided to spit the purse down the middle and called it a night. Saving the long cars for Saturday and Sunday’s race. In the semi finals for No Electronics, Mike Murphy and Tom Douglas paired off. Douglas had the better reaction time but Murphy had the better overall package. Bill Dornwell and Ryan McDonnell were up next. Double breakout by both with McDonnell breaking out the least and won the round. In the final round, Reaction times were .05 and .04 for these footbrake cars. Both cars ran faster than their dial ins, to which McDonnell broke out the least and won. In Street Stock, Scott Koehler and Rick Cucina duped it out in the finals. Cucina takes the win with a 6.83 on a 6.85 dial in, running closer than Koehler at 7.57 on a 7.60 dial.
A windy Saturday was yet another day of some of the closest racing. It was nothing to see cars in both classes running their dial ins and margins of victory in the 10 thousandth range. This definitely is a good sign for the brewing of another championship bracket team! In the semi’s, it was Bill Arning and Chris Talley. Both racers were on their game all day and it was sure to be a close race. Arning (r/t .006) won running an 8.14 on an 8.13 dial. Leaving Friday’s night finalist, Howard Linder, with a bye into the finals. By the way, he ran a 4.92 on a 4.92. So to the finals, identical .01 reaction times leaves the decision on closest to the dial for the win. Linder keeps the hot streak going taking the win on a double break out. In the No Box class, in the semi finals round, it was David Gates and Mike Blair paired up. Blair takes the win with a .02 reaction time running a 6.76 on a 6.75 dial … now that’s footbreakin’. Friday night hot kid on the block Ryan McDonnell had the bye into the finals. His time … try a .0015 running a 5.81 on a 5.80 dial in. So that sets up Blair and McDonnell in the finals. The winner would be Mike Blair a bit quicker on the tree (.03) running a 6.81 on a 6.75 dial to McDonnell’s 5.93 (dial in 5.80). In the Junior Dragster class, semi finals were between Clint White and Jake Cole. Cole had the better overall package and takes the win into the finals against Natasha Fogarty who had the bye into the finals. In the final round, Cole actually had the better reaction time but it was Fogarty running the better package running a 9.49 on a 9.45 dial.
Sunday morning got off to a good start with the Junior Dragsters. In the semi’s, Brittany Iven and Lance Barela were the first pair down the track. Iven got a red lite giving the win to Barela. Brittany Johnson and Saturday’s winner Natasha Fogarty rounded off the round. Fogarty wins running a 9.46 on a 9.45 dial. This set Fogarty and Barela up for the final round. Fogarty keeps the winning streak going with a double breakout but breaking out by the least. In the No Box (no electronics) class, third generation racer Jay Robinson and Mike Muphy are in the semi finals. Robinson wins running a 7.19 on a 7.18 dial. John Cox is on a roll today and continues the good fortune with a bye into the finals. He continues to dominate the day taking the win in the finals running an 8.98 on an 8.88 dial against Robinson’s red lit start. In the Box (electronics) class, Glyn Mathews and Bobby “Roberto” Gregory came to settle up the battle between the long car (dragster) and the door car. Well, it would be the long car of Gregory taking the win light on a close race. Gregory .02 light running a 4.77 on a 4.76 dial. Mathew’s .04 light was close but ran a 6.16 on a 6.12 dial. Rae Jean Kilpatrick had a bye into the final round. In the finals, both Kilpatrick and Gregory had almost identical reaction times and both ran .01 off their dial. Gregory had the better overall package taking the win.
If this past weekend is any indication on the season to come, then look out. For John Hennessey and all the staff of Lonestar Motorsports Park, we would like to thank all of you that came out on this season opener. It was great to see so many familiar faces as well as meeting new racers and fans. We hope that you will mark your calendar for the next event or stay tuned to the website, www.lonestarmotorsportspark.com
Hello Dee, sorry to hear about the loss in your family.
One quick question, what kind of vehicle runs a 6.83 in Street Stock, and is it legal for the class? I'm not stepping on toes here I hope, honestly, but mercy... Barnyard runs in the 7.9's sometimes and that seems pretty quick, but in the 6's? Just wondering. Ouch, I'm just hoping for low 9's when I return with the O/A car. Have a nice day!
wes verinder
Wes,
Remember, this is a bracket race and same rules it's always been. Specifically, there are no ET rules. It's a handicapped start no matter how fast your opponent runs. They just can not have any electronics. We are just helping out with the bracket program, you may want to talk with Gary (Tech), Todd (in the tower), or John (Owner).
Brittany Iven had a lot of fun there, she loves the track, we plan to make as many events there as we can. She redlite by .001 to Lance, I think she was a lumberjack in her passed life.
