TRAN COMPLETES SUCCESSFUL WEEKEND BY WRAPPING WITH A WIN

JUPITER, Fla. – The drivers of the NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series completed a successful weekend of racing at Moroso Motorsports Park for the Palm Beach NHRA Nationals.

Winners of the race were Kenny Tran (Hot Rod), Ken Scheepers (Modified), Jeremy Lookofsky (Honda Tuning Magazine All Motor), Jason Hunt (Pro FWD) and Brad Personett (Pro RWD).

Tran, who was the No. 1 qualifier on Saturday and has not won since 2004, came away with the win by defeating Stephanie Eggum in a repeat of 2006’s first event. He was able to use his quicker reaction time in his Q Racing Scion tC to win with a time of 8.09 seconds at 181.45 mph. Eggum finished with a time of 8.35 seconds at 181.48 mph. This was Tran’s fifth career win.

“What a relief to get this off my chest,” said Tran. “The monkey is now off my back and we can get ready for Virginia. This sets a good trend for the season. I want to again thank my sponsors Q Racing, Scion, and Nitto. Without their help and strong support we wouldn’t be winning.”

Scheepers, in his Mazda, was in a repeat final that he had in 2005 with Carlos Perez at this track. Despite a slower reaction time Scheepers was able to defeat Perez easily when he slowed up. Scheepers drove to a time of 7.60 seconds at 175.81 mph.

“Well, what it really is is hard work and tenacity,” said Scheepers. I developed a new engine technology and with that comes reliability and consistency. I want to thank Mazda, Idemitsu, NGK Spark Plugs, and Tito Chassis Shop. I am comforted by the fact the car has been consistent.”

Lookofsky, driving his DVS-Drag Civic Coupe, was looking for redemption in his final with Norris Prayoonto. Last year Prayoonto was 4-0 in finals against Lookofsky, but this year became Lookofsky’s. He won with a time of 9.48 seconds at 145.70 mph. Lookofsky also set the national record for speed at 146.31 mph.

“I have whole new car, new team, and a new driver on the inside,” said Lookofsky. “I am driving my own race. I want to have fun and now I am getting more confident with my car.”

Hunt, driving his Matco Tools Chevy Cobalt, started the season out right with his fourth career win. He drove to his win by defeating Ed Bergenholtz who pulled up at the finish line. Hunt finished with a time of 7.68 seconds at 192.51 mph.

“The track had teeth,” said Hunt. “What a great crowd and great weather to have an awesome season opener. This a great way to start a season. It is great to be back in the car after what happened last year (Broke his back in a car accident). The Cobalt was like lightning. I am breathless.”

Personett gathered his 14th career win by defeating his teammate Gary White. Driving his Titan Motorsports Scion tC he was able to easily win when White broke on the starting line and could not complete his pass. Personett went on to a pass of 6.81 seconds at 195.69 mph. This time also established national record.

“This was the first weekend out with some stuff and we were just trying some new things,” said Personett. “It’s too bad it wasn’t a side-by-side with Gary, but I just try to do my normal routine of go from A to B.”

The NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series will next be at Virginia Motorsports Park in Richmond, Va., April 21-22, for the Virginia NHRA Sport Nationals. For more information go to nhrasportcompact.com.

***

JUPITER, Fla. -- Sunday's final results from the fifth annual Palm Beach NHRA Sport Compact Nationals at Moroso Motorsports Park. The $2.5 Million race is the first of 11 in the $2.5 million NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Drag Racing Series:

HOT ROD

Kenny Tran, Garland, Texas, '06 tC, 8.099, 181.45 def. Stephanie Eggum, Elgin, Ill., '00 Civic, 8.359, 181.48.

PRO RWD

Brad Personett, Elkhart, Ind., '06 Scion, 6.812, 195.69 def. Gary Lee White, New Market, Ala., '05 Celica, broke.

SPORT RWD

Darin Dichiara, Orlando, Fla., '94 Toyota, 10.314, 116.82 def. Omar Sanchez, Winter Park, Fla., '94 Supra, 10.734, 144.62.

HONDA TUNING MAGAZINE ALL MOTOR

Jeremy Lookofsky, Simi Valley, Calif., dragster, 9.480, 145.70 def. Norris Prayoonoto, Springfield, Va., '04 Honda, 9.622, 141.33.

MODIFIED

Ken Scheepers, Flower Mound, Texas, '05 RX8, 7.605, 175.81 def. Carlos Perez, Orlando, Fla., '83 RX-7, 14.266, 57.64.

PRO FWD

Jason Hunt, Crofton, Md., '07 Cobalt, 7.688, 192.51 def. Ed Bergenholtz, Tustin, Calif., '07 Mazda, 9.188, 107.88.

BF GOODRICH TIRES STREET STOCK

Loan Nguyen, Burke, Va., '99 Civic, 12.462, 112.85 def. Christian Gomez Castillo, Orlando, Fla., '92 Honda, 12.597, 114.16.

URBANRACER.COM SPORT FWD

Damian Borroto, Miami, Fla., '00 Civic, 17.243, 64.22 def. Fernando Reyes, Orlando, Fla., '94 Honda, broke.

QUICK 16

Brian Ballard, Sloatsburg, N.Y., '07 Cobalt, 9.495, 154.37 def. Joseph Torres, Orlando, Fla., '79 210, 11.295, 96.07.

JUPITER, Fla. -- Final round-by-round results from the Fifth Annual Palm Beach NHRA Sport Compact Nationals at Moroso Motorsports Park, the First of 11 events in the $2.5 million NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Drag Racing Series:

PRO RWD:

ROUND ONE -- Gary Lee White, Toyota Celica, 7.062, 199.91 def. Manny Cruz, Mercury Cougar, 9.315, 103.44; Brad Personett, Scion, 6.837, 190.71 def. Carlos Torres, 7.509, 181.52; FINALS -- Personett, 6.812, 195.69 def. White, broke.

PRO FWD:

ROUND ONE -- Ed Bergenholtz, Mazda, 7.604, 189.75 def. Marty Ladwig, Cobalt, 7.696, 15.14; Jason Hunt, Cobalt, 7.579,

192.59 def. Bryan Jimenez, Cobalt, 10.665, 84.38; Christian Rado, Scion tC, 8.368, 175.50 def. Gary Gardella, Chevy

Cobalt, 8.444, 184.23;

SEMIRFINALS -- Bergenholtz, 7.742, 185.45 was unopposed;

Hunt, 7.552, 192.96 def. Rado, 7.956, 186.99;

FINALS -- Hunt, 7.688, 192.51 def. Bergenholtz, 9.188, 107.88.

MODIFIED:

ROUND ONE -- Carlos Perez, Mazda RX-7, 7.989, 163.72 def. Melvin Santana, 8.424, 175.60; Ken Scheepers, Mazda RX8, 7.616,

174.75 def. Brendon Alvarez, Starlet, 14.333, 60.58; Brent Rau, Eclipse, 9.640, 101.22 def. Dee Karagiannis, broke; Paul

Efantis, Toyota Solara, 9.532, 108.60 def. Felix Mercado, SR20, broke;

SEMIFINALS -- Perez, 8.989, 110.63 def. Rau, foul; Scheepers, 7.601, 175.74 def. Efantis, 7.791, 185.72;

FINALS -- Scheepers, 7.605, 175.81 def. Perez, 14.266, 57.64.

HOT ROD:

ROUND ONE -- Stephanie Eggum, Honda Civic, 18.219, 42.98 def. Chuck Seitsinger, Civic, broke; Kenny Tran, Scion tC,

8.202, 178.39 was unopposed;

FINALS -- Tran, 8.099, 181.45 def. Eggum, 8.359, 181.48.

HONDA TUNING MAGAZINE ALL MOTOR:

ROUND ONE -- Norris Prayoonoto, Honda, 9.595, 141.93 def. Scott Kelley, Corolla, 9.874, 138.48; Saul Salceda, Acura

Integra, 9.606, 143.24 def. Angel Valentin, Mazda RX-7, 10.428, 126.79; Jeremy Lookofsky, Honda, 9.551, 143.95 def. Jesus

Padilla, Mazda RX7, broke; Julie Stepan, Chevy Cobalt, 10.545, 128.90 def. Leslie Durst-Armendariz, Scion tC, broke;

SEMIFINALS -- Salceda, 10.005, 132.95 def. Lookofsky, 9.505, 146.31; Prayoonoto, 9.580, 143.10 def. Stepan, 10.711,

110.44;

FINALS -- Lookofsky, 9.480, 145.70 def. Prayoonoto, 9.622, 141.33.

SPORT RWD:

ROUND ONE -- Omar Sanchez, Supra, 11.970, 84.47 def. Thojan Matos, Eagle Talon, broke; Mark Mazurowski, Nissan 240SX,

18.616, 65.20 def. Darin Dichiara, Toyota, 9.814, 150.25;

FINALS -- Dichiara, 10.314, 116.82 def. Sanchez, 10.734, 144.62.

URBANRACER.COM SPORT FWD:

ROUND ONE -- Fernando Reyes, Honda, 10.229, 148.71 def. Jason Lopes, Scion tC, 10.382, 146.74; Richard Vernon, Honda

Civic, 10.755, 147.66 def. Hector Davila, 11.949, 117.84; Tim Brannigan, Acura Integra, 11.767, 87.83 def. Alfredo

Morales, broke; Damian Borroto, Civic, 10.284, 143.03 def. Jonathan Reynolds, Integra, broke; Kevin Van Natten, Dodge

SRT-4, 14.947, 86.27 def. Chuck Seitsinger, Integra, broke;

QUARTERFINALS -- Borroto, 21.444, 51.54 was unopposed;

Reyes, 10.636, 120.25 def. Brannigan, 10.834, 136.92; Van Natten, 14.443, 92.44 def. Vernon, broke;

SEMIFINALS -- Reyes, 17.275, 86.39 was unopposed; Borroto, 13.150, 87.25 def. Van Natten, 14.775, 85.18;

FINAL -- Borroto, 17.243, 64.22 def. Reyes, broke.

BFGOODRICH TIRES STREET STOCK:

ROUND ONE -- Herberto Marin, Honda Civic, 12.490, 105.79 def. Marc Podkowik, 13.221, 104.68; Christian Gomez Castillo,

12.300, 112.05 def. Benjamin Reyes, 13.741, 102.88; Loan Nguyen, Civic, 12.278, 113.65 def. Chris Dye, Acura RSX, 13.557,

110.28;

SEMIFINALS -- Gomez Castillo, 12.236, 111.89 def. Marin, foul; Nguyen, broke was unopposed;

FINALS -- Nguyen, 12.462, 112.85 def. Gomez Castillo, 12.597, 114.16.

QUICK 16:

ROUND ONE -- Chris Gore, Supra, 15.151, 107.54 def. Larry Kelley, VW Beetle, 10.754, 125.00; Brian Ballard, Chevy Cobalt,

16.110, 67.21 def. Hector Juan, Mazda R100, foul; Octavio Santara, Mazda RX7, 9.101, 148.14 def. Domingo Alvarez, Mazda

RX3, foul; Jesus Padilla Jr, RX7, 10.214, 113.43 def. Carlos Torres, Toyota Starlet, 8.833, 152.00; Erik Milian, Eagle,

11.053, 134.34 def. Carlos Rivera, 11.125, 84.27; Hector Sanchez, 9.778, 133.17 def. Rafael Perez, RX7, 9.791, 94.23;

Joseph Torres, Datsun 210, 12.543, 89.50 def. Antonio Baumgartner, MR2, 10.825, 140.53; Miguel Rosario, 10.285, 104.85

def. Vijay Rankissoon, Supra, 9.556, 153.32;

QUARTERFINALS -- Ballard, 9.653, 131.94 def. Perez, 9.926, 122.76; Gore, 10.788, 113.56 def. Santara, 12.908, 68.05; J.

Torres, 11.812, 112.92 def. Padilla Jr, foul; Rosario, 10.829, 96.74 def. Milian, 12.181, 135.86;

SEMIFINALS -- J. Torres, 12.130, 107.82 def. Gore, 10.030, 150.42; Ballard, 17.790, 54.15 def. Rosario, foul;

FINAL -- J. Torres, 11.295, 96.07 def. Ballard, 9.495, 154.37.

ET 1:

Larry Doty, 18.221, 73.08 def. Gerard Longo, 17.37, 78.53

ET 2:

Philip Lavine, 13.65, 104.38 def. Chishlom Weaver, 14.26, 81.21

Street Bike:

Javier Medina, 9.26, 134.48 def. Randy Stager, 10.71, 126.84