NHRA SUMMIT RACING SERIES PACIFIC DIVISION FINALS -- SAT RACE OF CHAMPIONS

NHRA SUMMIT RACING SERIES - PACIFIC DIVISION FINALS

SPEEDWORLD RACEWAY PARK, NORTHWEST PHOENIX, AZ

SATURDAY, Oct. 8, 2005

 

NAKAMURA, SMITH TOP RACE OF CHAMPIONS WINNERS

AT SPEEDWORLD RACEWAY PARK SUMMIT SERIES ACTION

            

            NORTHWEST PHOENIX, Ariz... - Jay Nakamura, of Pukalani, Hawaii, took the Pro category title in the Race of Champions Saturday afternoon at Speedword Raceway Park. It was  part of the largest so-called "grass-roots" motor racing program in the world, the Summit Racing Series, for NHRA's Pacific Division.  

            Joining Nakamura in the winner's circle Saturday were Ryan Smith in Sportsman, Doug Gibson in Street and Joseph Smith in Motorcycle/Snowmobile.  Also, Clayton Nickels, a student from Livermore, Calif., took the trophy for winning the High School Race of Champions.

            The Race of Champions is a competition amongst the top few racers from each category as they represent their home team tracks.  Sunday the finals for the entire field of 560 cars will conclude.

            While Summit Series racers make their livings by doing other things, they are no less skilled at their sport than their professional brethren.  They are in Phoenix from all over the Southwest, representing 18 different race tracks.  They rise above terms such as "weekend warrior" and "hobby racer" by the sheer passion they bring to their sport. 

            At stake at Speedworld are cash prizes totaling more than $27,000 with a chance to go to Pomona, Calif., the first week of November and run off for a national title and even more cash during the NHRA Auto Club of Southern California Finals.  But even more important to the hundreds of drivers on hand is the bragging rights that go along with becoming the Top Dog in the whole Pacific Division in one of the four categories: Pro, Sportsman, Street and Motorcycle/Snowmobile.  There is also a High School category for young student racers, who run for trophies.

            What's more, the Summit Racing Series Pacific Division Finals feature a team championship battle that is waged along with the individual races.  As a driver advances through rounds of competition he or she earns points for the team they represent from their home track.  Last year's Pacific Division event was held in Bakersfield, Calif.  And the home team from that track showed little hospitality to visiting racers by taking the team championship.  This year the squad from Speedworld hopes for a similar outcome.

            The first round in the Pro and Sportsman categories were concluded Saturday evening.  The Summit Racing Series Pacific Division Finals eliminations will continue at 8 a.m. Sunday.  Gates open at 7 a.m.

            Speedworld Raceway Park is located at 19421 W. Jomax Road, nine miles north of Bell Road on Grand (Route 60) in Wittman.  For more information call the raceway at (623) 388-0039 or go to www.SpeedworldMotorplex.com <http://www.speedworldmotorplex.com/> .

 

The following are Saturday's final results from the Summit E.T. Racing Series NHRA Pacific Division Race of Champions:

 

 

HIGH SCHOOL

Clayton Nickels, Livermore, Calif., '67 442, 13.295, 104.54  def. Brad Hawk, Tucson, Ariz., '85 Mustang, 12.351, 109.54. 

 

 

SUMMIT Motorcycle/Snowmobile

Joseph Smith, Tucson, Ariz., '84 Kawasaki, 10.446, 123.79  def. John Widmann, Garberfield, Calif., '97 Kawasaki, 9.155, 140.74. 

 

 

SUMMIT Street

Doug Gibson, Diamond Bar, Calif., '57 Chevy, 13.243, 102.50  def. Gary Hairfield, San Diego, Calif., '05 Pontiac, 13.575, 98.19. 

 

 

SUMMIT Sportsman

Ryan Smith, Chandler, Ariz., '63 Falcon, 11.039, 109.18  def. George Chatterton, Escondido, Calif., '37 Fiat, foul. 

 

 

SUMMIT PRO

Jay Nakamura, Pukalani,HI, '72 Nova, 10.639, 126.33  def. Mike Blodgett Jr., Long Beach, Calif.,

'72 Vega, 11.669, 124.51. 

 

 

 

 

 

PACIFIC DIVISION 


2005 Summit E.T. Racing Series Participating Tracks


 

§         Albuquerque National Dragway; Albuquerque, New Mexico

§         Auto Club Famoso Raceway, Bakersfield, California

§         Baja Raceway; Mexicali, Baja California

§         Barona 1/8th-Mile Drag Strip; El Cajon, California

§         California Dragway, Fontana, California 

§         Firebird International Raceway; Phoenix, Arizona

§         Infineon Raceway; Sonoma, California 

§         Inyokern Dragstrip; Inyokern, California 

§         Irwindale Dragstrip; Irwindale, California 

§         Las Vegas Motor Speedway; Las Vegas, Nevada 

§         Los Angeles County Raceway; Palmdale, California  

§         Redding Dragstrip; Redding, California 

§         Rocky Mountain Raceways; West Valley City, Utah

§         Sacramento Raceway; Sacramento, California 

§         Samoa Dragstrip; Eureka, California 

§         Southwestern International Raceway; Tucson, Arizona 

§         Speed World Raceway Park; Northwest Phoenix, Arizona 

§         Top Gun Raceway; Fallon, Nevada