NHRA NEWS: XPLOD SERIES ADVANCE PACKAGE FOR ATCO,
N.J.
NORTHEAST NHRA SPORT COMPACT NATIONALS
WHAT: Fifth Annual Northeast NHRA Sport Compact Nationals, the fourth of 11 events in the $2.5 million NHRA Xplôd Sport Compact Racing Series. Heads-up, no breakout competition leading to 2006 NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series world championships in five different championship classes (Pro RWD, Pro FWD, Modified, Hot Rod and Honda Tuning All Motor). Four heads-up sportsman (Sport RWD, UrbanRacer.com Sport FWD, BFGoodrich Tires Street Stock and Quick 16) classes leading to the 2006 East Region Sportsman Class championships, plus three E.T. brackets.
WHERE: ATCO RACEWAY, Atco, N.J.
Take the New Jersey Turnpike to Exit 7 (Route 206). Take 206 south 15 miles to Red Lion Circle. Turn right at second traffic light. Turn left on Oakshade Rd. (second street). Go six miles to track.
From the Walt Whitman Bridge: Take Interstate 295 north to Exit 36A (Route 73) to Berlin Circle. After Berlin Circle, go to the second traffic light (Route 534). Take Route 534 east three miles to track.
From Betsy Ross or Tacony/Palmayra Bridge: Follow Route 73 to Berlin Circle. After Berlin Circle, go to the second traffic light (Route 534). Take Route 534 east three miles to track.
WHEN: Saturday and Sunday, May 20-21, 2006.
PURSE: Cash and contingency awards of more than $270,000.
SCHEDULE: SATURDAY, MAY 20
GATES OPEN 9 a.m.
TIME TRIALS from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
HEADS-UP QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2:30, 5 and 7 p.m.
SUNDAY, MAY 21
GATES OPEN 8 a.m.
NHRA XPLOD STYLEFEST 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
E.T. TIME TRIALS 10 to 10:30 a.m.
HEADS-UP QUALIFYING 10:30 a.m.
ELIMINATIONS (AM, HR, SF, SR, SS, Q16; only if 9 or more cars) 10:30 a.m.
OPENING CEREMONIES begin at 1:30 p.m.
ELIMINATIONS 2 p.m.
TELEVISION: Race - Sunday, June 4, 1 p.m. (ET) ESPN2. Repeat telecast: Sunday, June 11, 4 a.m. (ET) ESPN2
Inside Drag Racing: NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Report, Sunday, June 4, 11 a.m. (ET) ESPN2
Stylefest - Wednesday, May 31, 1:30 a.m. (ET), ESPN2. Repeat telecast: Sunday, June 11, 4:30 a.m. (ET) ESPN2
**Check local listings, television schedule subject to change.
TICKETS: For ticket information call Atco Raceway at (856) 768-2167.
Tickets will be available at the gate. Saturday: Adult $15, Child (6-11) $1 (under 5) free. Sunday: Adult $20, Child (6-11) $1, (under 5) free. Two-day ticket for Saturday/Sunday; Adult $30.
NATIONAL
RECORDS: PRO RWD - 6.52 seconds by Matt Hartford, Chevy Cavalier; 217.70 mph by Brad Personett, Toyota Celica, May ‘05, Atco, N.J.
PRO FWD - 7.51 seconds and 195.19 mph by Jason Hunt, Chevy Cobalt, May ’06, Englishtown, N.J.
MODIFIED - 7.49 seconds by Jorge Lazcano, Mazda RX7; 181.96 mph by Paul Efantis, Toyota Solara, May ’06, Englishtown, N.J.
HOT ROD - 8.03 seconds, April ’06, Dinwiddie, Va., and 181.40 mph, May ’06, Englishtown, N.J., by Ron Lummus, Pontiac Sunfire
ALL MOTOR - 9.70 seconds by Jeremy Lookofsky, Honda Civic, May ’06, Englishtown, N.J.; 141.80 mph by Tony Shagday,
Acura Integra, Oct. ’05, Pomona, Calif.
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LOOKOFSKY SEEKING FIRST WIN AT THE NORTHEAST NHRA SPORT COMPACT NATIONALS AT ATCO RACEWAY
ATCO, N.J. – Jeremy Lookofsky is hoping to capture his first win of 2006 at the Northeast NHRA Sport Compact Nationals at Atco Raceway in Atco, N.J., May 20-21.
Lookofsky (Northridge, Calif), who set a national time record of 9.70 seconds in the Honda Tuning All Motor class at Englishtown, N.J. on May 7, feels his chances are good at the upcoming NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series event at Atco Raceway.
“I know what to expect at Atco, because we have run there a lot and we have lots of data,” said Lookofsky. “I think we should do as good at Atco as we did at Englishtown.”
When speaking of his team Lookofsky said, “We are working together as a team. Things are coming together. We take things as they come. Our goal is to win races and to win a championship.”
The Northeast NHRA Sport Compact Nationals is the fourth race in the 11-race, $2.5 million NHRA Xplôd Sport Compact Racing Series. There will be more than $27,000 in purse at stake for the racers in each of the five championship categories (Pro RWD, Pro FWD, Modified, Hot Rod and Honda Tuning All Motor), and it is the fourth race for the Eastern Regional NHRA Sportsman Championship. Defending race winners include Brad Personett (Pro RWD), Marty Ladwig (Pro FWD), Jorge Juarbe (Modified), Gary Gardella (Hot Rod), and Tony Shagday (Honda Tuning All Motor).
Lookofsky is very impressed with the Honda Tuning All Motor class. “It is very competitive,” he said. “I am impressed with Leslie’s (Durst-Armendariz) Scion. The Clutchmasters guys (Norris Prayoonto and points leader Saul Salceda) are running strong. I just hope more guys can come out. Maybe (Jesus) Padilla and Vince Tiaga can get it together and come out strong. Then we will have a very strong class.”
The Honda Tuning All Motor class has been dominated by teammates Salceda with two wins (Jupiter, Fla. and Dinwiddie, Va.) and Prayoonto coming off his win at Englishtown, N.J.
The Northeast NHRA Sport Compact Nationals also is the fourth competition for the race toward earning a spot in the Pro RWD field at the NHRA Sport Compact Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka (Kan.) and Indianapolis Raceway Park. The top 10 Pro RWD drivers in the Sport Compact Series will be eligible to compete at those two events, which are held in conjunction with the NHRA POWERade Series.
After three events this year Brad Personett has won two (Jupiter, Fla. and Englishtown, N.J) Pro RWD races. Matt Scranton won the other race at Dinwiddie, Va.
The Pro FWD class has become competitive now that there is a challenge to Ed Bergenholtz’s dominance. Bergenholtz started out the year by winning the first two events (Jupiter, Fla. and Dinwiddie, Va.). Jason Hunt came along and challenged Bergenholtz by winning in Englishtown, N.J.
There have been three different winners in the Modified class, Justin Humphreys (Jupiter, Fla.), Paul Efantis (Dinwiddie, Va.), and Jorge Lazcano (Englishtown, N.J.). This has made the points race extremely tight.
In Hot Rod, Ron Lummus has won two races this year (Dinwiddie, Va. and Englishtown, N.J), but he knows the Honda of the other race winner Stephanie Eggum will be a tough competitor. Eggum won the first race of the year at Jupiter, Fla.
Following a very successful 2005 season, which saw increases in both participation by drivers and fans, the Xplôd series is looking to continue that growth in 2006. There will be new drivers to see on the track and new activities to view and participate in off the track or in the pits, which will provide fans with the opportunity to have a full day of fun.
While the quickest side-by-side sport compact racing in the world is happening on the track, fans will have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of activities in the pit and the entertainment area. The NHRA Xplôd Stylefest will provide fans with the chance to view the NHRA Tuner Car Show, which offers the best sport compact show cars, Q Power NHRA Dyno Challenge, NHRA Sound Challenge presented by Sony Xplôd, the Modified Magazine Bikini Xhibition, concerts by today’s hottest artists and other extreme sports exhibitions.
NHRA is the premier sanctioning body for sport compact drag racing. It is presenting the 11-race, $2.5 million NHRA Xplôd Sport Compact Racing Series at nine tracks across the country from April through October. The series features the largest guaranteed sport compact event purse of more than $27,000 paid out per event. In addition, the series offers a year-end championship fund of $144,000, bonus program payouts near $20,000, along with the most lucrative contingency payout program in the sport at more than $2.1 million.
The series is highlighted by its five championship classes (Pro RWD, Pro FWD, Modified, Hot Rod and Honda Tuning All Motor). In addition, and at all nine of the stand-alone NHRA Xplôd Sport Compact Racing Series events, the NHRA Xplôd Stylefest showcases a compliment of the lifestyle and entertainment elements synonymous with today’s sport compact scene. More information is available at nhrasportcompact.com.
Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. It presents 23 national events through its POWERade Drag Racing Series. NHRA has 80,000 members and 140 member tracks. NHRA-sanctioned sportsman and bracket racing series’ provide competition opportunities for drivers of all levels. NHRA develops the stars of tomorrow by offering the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, NHRA Xplôd Sport Compact Racing Series, NHRA Summit Racing Series and the NHRA Street Legal Program presented by AAA. NHRA also offers the O’Reilly Auto Parts Jr. Drag Racing League for youth ages 8 to 17.
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NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series 2006 Point Standings
PRO RWD (Victories in parentheses)
1. Brad Personett, Scion (2) 314
2. Matt Scranton, Toyota (1) 291
3. Gary White, Toyota 267
4. Manuel Cruz, Nissan 165
5. Len Monserrat, Mitsubishi 161
6. Carlos Montano, Mazda 55
PRO FWD
1. Ed Bergenholtz, Mazda (2) 349
2. Marty Ladwig, Chevrolet 224
3. Bryan Jimenez, Chevrolet 209
4. Jason Hunt, Pontiac (1) 191
5. Gary Gardella, Chevrolet 187
6. Ronald Townsend, Chevrolet 150
MODIFIED
1. Justin Humphreys, Lexus (1) 245
2. Demetrios Karagiannis, Mazda 225
3. Michael Lowe, Toyota 223
4. Paul Efantis, Toyota (1) 213
5. Jorge Lazcano, Mazda (1) 138
6. Ken Scheepers, Mazda 137
7. Elliot Rivera, Toyota 98
8. Carlos Perez, Mazda 55
9. Steve Topletz, Toyota 54
10. Luis Corujo, Toyota 53
HOT ROD
1. Ron Lummus, Pontiac (2) 256
2. Stephanie Eggum, Honda (1) 251
3. Stephane Beauregard, Dodge 187
4. Kenny Tran, Honda 164
5. Mike Crawford, Dodge 107
6. Chuck Seitsinger, Honda 35
HONDA TUNING ALL MOTOR
1. Saul Salceda, Acura (2) 292
2. Jeremy Lookofsky, Honda 291
3. Norris Prayoonto, Honda (1) 209
4. Scott Mohler, Dodge 180
5. Vince Tiaga, Mazda 122
6. Scott Kelley, Toyota 100
7. Leslie Armendariz, Scion 88
8. Jesus Padilla, Mazda 71
9. Thomas Borgia, VW 33
10. Angel Valentin, Mazda 32
Brian Hacker
NHRA, Media Relations Manager
O - (626) 250-2424
C - (626) 428-0280
F - (626) 914-1491
