NHRA NEWS: XPLOD SERIES FINAL RESULTS FROM DENVER
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Brian Hacker (626) 428-0280
LADWIG GETS FIRST WIN AS OWNER TO MOVE CLOSER TO POINTS LEAD IN
MILE-HIGH COLORADO
MORRISON, Colo. - Marty Ladwig (Pro FWD), who is in his first year of
being a team owner of his Lucas Oil Chevy Cobalt, gained his first win
of 2006 at the Mountain Madness NHRA Sport Compact Nationals at
Bandimere Speedway.
Other winners at the NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series event near
Denver were Brad Personett (Pro RWD), Dee Karagiannis (Modified), Chuck
Seitsinger (Hot Rod) and Jeremy Lookofsky (Honda Tuning All Motor).
Ladwig's win over Jason Hunt was easy due to Hunt not being able to keep
going quickly enough. Hunt had the holeshot, but Ladwig drove his car
to a time of 8.16 seconds at 183.32 mph to Hunt's 12.13 seconds at
106.49 mph. This is his 13th career win which brings him within one of
career wins leaders Jesus Padilla (All Motor) and Matt Scranton (Pro
RWD).
"This is awesome," said Ladwig who is from San Antonio. "I am just
happy to get my first win as an owner. There is a lot of pressure off
now. I want to thank Lucas Oil for helping me out. It's great to be a
part of their family of racers. I couldn't ask for a better sponsor. I
also want to thank Garrett Turbo, because they worked great up here in
the altitude. The ECOTEC and Hydramatic transmission ran well all
weekend."
Seitsinger (Hot Rod), who drove up from Oklahoma City with his Honda
Civic, won his first NHRA Wally in only his second event. He overcame a
slow start to win over a hard charging and points leading Ron Lummus.
Seitsinger's run of 8.61 seconds at 168.16 mph was enough to beat
Lummus' 8.79 seconds at 168.16 seconds.
"It feels pretty good right now," said Seitsinger about his first win.
"I set my goals pretty high at the beginning of the year to win one
Wally. Some people thought I was crazy. This is a close field in Hot
Rod. I want to thank Competition Clutch and American Marketing Group.
I also want to thank Andrew Bermea for letting me use his hauler."
Personett (Orlando, Fla.), driving his Titan Motorsports Scion tC keeps
on collecting his Wallys this year. He has won four in row and five of
the six races for the Pro RWD class. His win keeps him in the points
lead, but his opponent, Matt Scranton, won't let him break away as he
collected his fourth runner-up position. Personett was able to beat
Scranton with a run of 6.71 seconds at 213.03 mph to 6.87 seconds at
206.23 mph.
"We couldn't ask for a better track to run on," said Personett. "Larry
Crisp (Bandimere Speedway Track Manager) did a great job. The Scion VIP
people put on a great event."
Karagiannis, from Glenwood, Md., was able to wipe the bridesmaid label
off his 2006 plate by collecting his second career win with his Mazda
RX7. He had been the runner-up in the last two races and finally won by
defeating Paul Efantis and his Toyota Solara. Karagiannis drove to the
win in 7.93 seconds at 165.54 mph. Efantis came on fast at the end, but
wasn't able to catch the quicker Karagiannis
"The third time's a charm," said Karagiannis. "Consistency is what wins
the race. What we lack in money is made up for in dedication. We were
here until 3:00 in the morning last night trying to get things right.
Those late nights pay off. I want to thank Powertrain Control
Solutions. They are the reason we are here."
Lookofsky (Honda Tuning All Motor), from Simi Valley, Calif., was able
to increase his points lead by winning his second career race on his
birthday. He drove his DVS Drag Cartel Civic to a time of 10.45 seconds
at 129.53 mph. His opponent, Vince Tiaga, had a sluggish start in his
Audiobahn Mazda 3 to finish in 11.61 seconds at 107.47 mph.
"It's a great day to get a win since it's my birthday," said Lookofsky.
"I'm just trying to gain the points to come into Vegas with a
comfortable lead. It's great to qualify No. 1 and finish No. 1. I want
to thank my crew, my family members and DVS Shoe Co."
The Mountain Madness NHRA Sport Compact Nationals will be telecast on
ESPN2 on Sunday, June 25 at 2 a.m. and re-telecast on Sunday, June 29 at
5 p.m. The Sony Xplod Stylefest will be telecast on ESPN2 on Sunday,
June 25 at 1:30 a.m. and re-telecast on Thursday, June 29 at 5:30 p.m.
The next NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series event will be the Las
Vegas NHRA Sport Compact Nationals and D1 Grand Prix at The Strip at Las
Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on July 14-15.
-30-
****
MORRISON, Colo. -- Sunday's final results from the Third Annual Mountain
Madness NHRA Sport Compact Nationals at Bandimere Speedway. The race is
the Sixth of 11 in the $2.5 million NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Drag Racing
Series:
PRO RWD
Brad Personett, Elkhart, Ind., '04 Toyota, 6.718, 213.03 def. Matt
Scranton, Land O{ Lakes, Fla., '06 Solara, 6.875, 206.23.
PRO FWD
Marty Ladwig, San Antonio, Texas, '06 Cobalt, 8.166, 183.32 def. Jason
Hunt, Crofton, Md., '06 Cobalt, 12.133, 106.49.
MODIFIED
Dee Karagiannis, Glenwood, Md., '95 RX7, 7.934, 165.54 def. Paul
Efantis, Frederick, Md., '03 Solara, 8.206, 170.00.
HOT ROD
Chuck Seitsinger, Oklahoma City, Okla., '92 Civic, 8.615, 168.16 def.
Ron Lummus, Anaheim, Calif., '04 Pontiac, 8.791, 163.87.
ALL MOTOR
Jeremy Lookofsky, Simi Valley, Calif., '00 Civic, 10.451, 129.53 def.
Vince Tiaga, Glendora, Calif., '05 Mazda, 11.619, 107.47.
SPORT RWD
Cody Phillips, South Weber, Utah, dragster, 9.787, 146.23 def. Dan
Schechter, Miramar, Fla., '93 RX7, broke.
URBANRACER.COM SPORT FWD
Chris Lucarelli, Longmont, Colo., '96 Civic, 10.730, 135.69 def. Arturbo
Ortiz, Garland, Texas, '98 Integra, foul.
BFGOODRICH TIRES STREET STOCK
Loan Nguyen, Burke, Va., '99 Civic, 12.846, 108.29 def. Chris Dye,
Colorado Springs, Colo., '02 Acura, 14.302, 98.32.
QUICK 16
Karl Martin, Salt Lake City, Utah, '93 RX7, 12.081, 85.01 def. John
Peters, Golden, Colo., '02 Subaru, broke.
MORRISON, Colo. -- Final round-by-round results from the Third Annual
Mountain Madness NHRA Sport Compact Nationals at Bandimere Speedway, the
Sixth of 11 events in the $2.5 million NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Drag
Racing Series:
PRO RWD:
ROUND ONE -- Matt Scranton, Solara, 6.846, 208.20 def. Gary Lee White,
Toyota Celica, foul; Brad Personett, 6.749, 213.06 was unopposed;
FINALS -- Personett, 6.718, 213.03 def. Scranton, 6.875, 206.23.
PRO FWD:
ROUND ONE -- Gary Gardella, Chevy Cobalt, 8.596, 177.65 def. Ed
Bergenholtz, Mazda, broke; Jason Hunt, Cobalt, 7.544, 196.27 def. Ron
Townsend, Cavalier, 8.137, 187.55; Marty Ladwig, Cobalt, 8.923, 138.27
def. Brian Jimenez, Cobalt, 10.741, 76.09;
SEMIFINALS -- Ladwig, 8.017, 184.88 def. Gardella, 8.423, 179.37; Hunt,
7.869, 173.47 was unopposed; FINALS -- Ladwig, 8.166, 183.32 def. Hunt,
12.133, 106.49. PRO FWD:
MODIFIED:
ROUND ONE -- Dee Karagiannis, Mazda RX7, 7.998, 149.68 def. Tom
Shambaugh, Chevy Cavalier, 19.451, 60.52; Mike Lowe, 8.120, 171.51 def.
Justin Humphreys, Lexus GS300, 16.247, 65.84; Ken Scheepers, Mazda RX8,
8.286, 163.37 def. Steve Topletz, Celica, broke; Paul Efantis, Toyota
Solara, 8.064, 170.82 was unopposed; SEMIFINALS -- Efantis, 9.817,
133.25 def. Scheepers, foul; Dee. Karagiannis, 7.971, 167.88 def. Lowe,
8.895, 150.43; FINALS -- Dee. Karagiannis, 7.934, 165.54 def. Efantis,
8.206, 170.00.
HOT ROD:
ROUND ONE -- Ron Lummus, Pontiac, 8.643, 161.25 def. Kenny Tran, Honda
Civic, 8.694, 164.91; Mike Crawford, Dodge SRT-4, 13.335, 64.11 def. Joe
Housley, Civic, broke; Chuck Seitsinger, Civic, 8.808, 163.20 def.
Stephanie Eggum, Civic, 8.821, 175.82; Stephane Beauregard, Shelby,
11.504, 123.18 was unopposed; SEMIFINALS -- Seitsinger, 8.509, 169.25
def. Beauregard, foul; Lummus, 8.676, 161.04 def. Crawford, 8.560,
171.49; FINALS -- Seitsinger, 8.615, 168.16 def. Lummus, 8.791, 163.87.
ALL MOTOR:
ROUND ONE -- Saul Salceda, Acura Integra, 10.695, 127.22 def. Scott
Kelley, Corolla, 11.250, 122.90; Vince Tiaga, Mazda, 12.008, 112.17 def.
Norris Prayoonto, Insight, 14.239, 74.68; Jeremy Lookofsky, Honda Civic,
18.927, 80.96 was unopposed; SEMIFINALS -- Lookofsky, 10.367, 131.75
def. Salceda, 10.986, 126.67; Tiaga, 14.610, 106.06 was unopposed;
FINALS -- Lookofsky, 10.451, 129.53 def. Tiaga, 11.619, 107.47.
SPORT RWD:
ROUND ONE -- Ryan Woon, Supra, 9.694, 130.78 def. Shane Weckesser,
Talon, broke; Cody Phillips, Supra, 10.031, 148.40 def. Mark Weadick,
EVO, 12.426, 107.99; Michael Bergren, RX7, 12.512, 112.00 def. Seth
Biggi, Eclipse, 12.847, 115.64; Dan Schechter, Mazda RX7, 10.937, 133.16
def. Erik Westland, Talon, 11.986, 116.51; SEMIFINALS -- Phillips,
9.871, 150.45 def. Bergren, 12.978, 102.79; Schechter, 11.457, 110.69
def. Woon, 12.680, 83.50; FINALS -- Phillips, 9.787, 146.23 def.
Schechter, broke.
URBANRACER.COM SPORT FWD:
ROUND ONE -- Arturbo Ortiz, Integra, 10.275, 142.36 def. Steve Oaks,
Prelude, 15.484, 105.23; Chris Lucarelli, Civic, 10.489, 139.47 def.
Jasen Penman, Honda, 11.622, 97.84; Tony Palo, Acura, 10.493, 123.80
def. Kyle Herrera, Civic, 10.655, 138.03; Cortney Green, Civic, 10.503,
140.65 def. Cody Anderson, Honda, broke; John Gill, Honda Acura, 12.228,
129.99 def. Sam Park, Honda Civic, broke;
QUARTERFINALS -- Ortiz, 11.366, 139.65 def. Gill, foul; Lucarelli,
10.978, 137.81 def. Green, foul; Palo, 17.479, 75.67 was unopposed;
SEMIFINALS -- Ortiz, 10.168, 140.69 def. Palo, 9.886, 152.42; Lucarelli,
18.548, 66.11 was unopposed;
FINALS -- Lucarelli, 10.730, 135.69 def. Ortiz, foul.
BFGOODRICH TIRES STREET STOCK:
ROUND ONE -- Loan Nguyen, Honda Civic, 12.890, 107.33 def. Josh Howard,
14.403, 95.99; Chris Dye, Acura, 14.448, 97.08 def. Mark Bremer, 16.865,
64.66;
FINALS -- Nguyen, 12.846, 108.29 def. Dye, 14.302, 98.32.
QUICK 16:
ROUND ONE -- Erica Nocita, Cobalt, 10.144, 118.78 def. Topher Given,
Honda Civic, 11.554, 116.52; Pete Selders, VW, 11.487, 87.69 def. Stacie
Willoughby, Honda CRX, foul; John Peters, Subaru, 12.423, 81.31 def.
Eric Stockton, Nissan, 12.284, 124.53; Karl Martin, Mazda RX7, 10.793,
128.91 def. David Arias, 11.976, 131.86;
SEMIFINALS -- Martin, 10.880, 124.41 def. Selders, 11.151, 123.85;
Peters, 12.258, 90.68 def. Nocita, 10.835, 146.37;
FINALS -- Martin, 12.081, 85.01 def. Peters, broke.
Brian Hacker
NHRA, Media Relations Manager
O - 626-250-2424
C - 626-428-0280
