NHRA (GLENDORA) - SPORT COMPACT WORLD FINALS PRE-RACE ADVANCE
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WHAT: Seventh Annual NHRA Sport Compact World Finals, the final of 11 events in the NHRA Xplōd Sport Compact Racing Series. Heads-up, no breakout competition leading to 2007 NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series world championships in five different championship classes (Pro RWD, Pro FWD, Modified, Hot Rod and Honda Tuning Magazine All Motor). Four heads-up sportsman (Sport RWD, UrbanRacer.com Sport FWD, BFGoodrich Tires Street Stock and Quick 16) classes leading to the 2007 West Region Sportsman Class championships.
WHERE: Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, Pomona, Calif. Track is located off I-10 at Fairplex Drive. Go north on Fairplex drive to the Fairplex.
WHEN: Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 20-21, 2006.
SCHEDULE: SATURDAY, OCT. 20
GATES OPEN 7 a.m.
TIME TRIALS from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
HEADS-UP QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11:30 a.m., 2, and 4:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, OCT. 21
GATES OPEN 8 a.m.
NHRA XPLOD STYLEFEST begins at 10 a.m.
E.T. TIME TRIALS 9 to 11:30 a.m.
ELIMINATIONS (SF, SR, SS, and Q16; only if 9 or more cars) 10:30 a.m.
OPENING CEREMONIES begin at noon
ELIMINATIONS 12:30 p.m.
TELEVISION: Race - Tuesday, Oct. 30, 5 p.m. (ET) ESPN2.
Stylefest – Tuesday, Oct. 30, 5:30 p.m. (ET), ESPN2.
**Check local listings, television schedule subject to change.
TICKETS: For tickets information call NHRA, (626) 914-4761 or ticketmaster.com.
Saturday: Adult $15, Child (9 and under) free. Sunday: Adult $20, Child (9 and under) free. Two-day ticket for Saturday/Sunday; Adult $30.
2006 WINNERS: Gary White, Pro RWD; Ed Bergenholtz, Pro FWD; Paul Efantis, Modified; Stephanie Eggum, Hot Rod;
Saul Salceda, Honda Tuning Magazine All Motor
TRACK RECORDS: PRO RWD -- Due to rule change performance record will be set at this event.
PRO FWD – 7.56 seconds by Ed Bergenholtz, Mazda, Oct. ’06; 196.07 mph by Lisa Kubo, Saturn, Oct. ‘04
MODIFIED -- 7.38 seconds by Paul Efantis, Toyota, Oct. ’06; 187.73 mph by Justin Humphreys, Lexus, Oct. ‘06
HOT ROD – 7.97 seconds and 182.62 mph by Stephanie Eggum, Honda, Oct. ‘06 ALL MOTOR – 9.50 seconds and 141.92 mph by Leslie Armendariz, Scion, Oct. ‘06
NATIONAL RECORDS: PRO RWD - 6.55 seconds and 213.13mph (June ’07, Topeka, Kan.) by Gary White, Toyota Celica PRO FWD - 7.15 seconds and 202.79 mph (Oct. ’07) by Gary Gardella, Chevy Cobalt MODIFIED – 7.43 seconds (Oct. ’07) by Raul Reyes Bauzo, Toyota Starlet; 192.36 mph (May ‘07, Englishtown, N.J.) by Paul Efantis, Toyota Solara HOT ROD - 7.87 seconds and 184.32 mph (Oct. ‘07, Englishtown, N.J.), by Stephanie Eggum, Honda Civic ALL MOTOR - 9.33 seconds (May ‘07, Englishtown, N.J.) and 146.31 mph (April, ‘07, Jupiter, Fla.) by
Jeremy Lookofsky, Honda Civic
*** POINTS BATTLE FOR CHAMPIONSHIPS TO BE CENTER STAGE AT NHRA SPORT COMPACT WORLD FINALS
POMONA, Calif. - The drivers of the NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series know how to keep the fans entertained. At the upcoming NHRA Sport Compact World Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, no fewer than 10 drivers in five categories have a shot at winning a world championship.
The sportsman categories will also be competing for their second annual West Region Sportsman Championships. The leaders include Ali Afshar in Sport RWD, Cortney Green in UrbanRacer.com Sport FWD, Frank Silovangkluth in BFGoodrich Tires Street Stock, and Karl Martin in Quick 16.
The only category not competing for a championship is Pro RWD. In Englishtown, N.J., Brad Personett clinched his third consecutive championship in four years of racing.
Pro FWD has three drivers chasing each other for the championship. Gary Gardella took the top spot, and leads fellow competitors Marty Ladwig (-36) and Jason Hunt (-37), after winning the last four races. He also raced to a national time record in Englishtown which earned him 20 extra points. This exciting battle in Pro FWD should go down to the very last elimination race on Sunday.
“This has been something (World Championship) we have been working on getting since I started drag racing,” said Gardella. “I was pretty far back at the start of the season and have had some pretty strong wins lately. It will look great to have that extra trophy, that big Wally, on the shelf. I appreciate all the support from Red Bull, Dupont and Chevy this year. They have been a big part of the success.”
Like Pro FWD, Modified has been a battle of three drivers. Ken Scheepers (-63) came out of the chute with three wins at the first three races. Paul Efantis (-31) has been the picture of consistency with three runner-up finishes, but no wins. And, points leader Brent Rau has come out and won three races, runner-up at one, has been the No. 1 qualifier at six races, and has set the national record for time several times. It appears that this year is no different from 2006 where the championship chase came down to the final race.
“Anybody’s got a shot at the championship,” said Rau. “I am real excited. This is my first year racing NHRA. There is one final race, so anybody has a chance. You can’t count Paul (Efantis) or Ken (Scheepers) out. Paul is a past champion with two championships, and Ken has won his share of races. We will do what we can.”
Stephanie Eggum is in a position to claim her first Xplod Series world championship in Hot Rod. All season long she has battled her closest rival, Kenny Tran (-37). She has won four races to Tran’s three wins. Eggum ran a national record time at the last event which garnered her the coveted 20 points that go along with that achievement.
Norris Prayoonto knows that sometime this weekend he will face Jeremy Lookofsky. Unfortunately, he also knows that whoever wins that round will win the championship. Prayoonto has a 36-point lead over Lookofsky. This is due to his three wins and his three runners-up this season. The other thing he has on Lookofsky is his record of five wins in his seven final rounds against him.
“Winning this championship would be all the hard work in the past years finally paying off,” said Prayoonto. “I am excited.”
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 pits and entertainment area. The NHRA Xplōd Stylefest will include the NHRA Tuner Car Show, which offers the best sport compact show cars, the Modified Magazine NHRA Bikini Xhibition, and extreme sports exhibitions.
NHRA is the premier sanctioning body for sport compact drag racing. It is presenting the 11-race NHRA Xplōd Sport Compact Racing Series at nine tracks across the country from March through October.
The series is highlighted by its five championship classes (Pro RWD, Pro FWD, Modified, Hot Rod and Honda Tuning Magazine All Motor). In addition, and at all eight of the stand-alone NHRA Xplōd Sport Compact Racing Series events, the NHRA Xplōd 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 Xplōd Sport Compact Racing Series, NHRA Summit Racing Series and the NHRA Street Legal Drags presented by AAA. NHRA also offers the O’Reilly Auto Parts Jr. Drag Racing League for youth ages 8 to 17.
*** NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series 2007 Point Standings
PRO RWD (Victories in parentheses)
1. Brad Personett, Scion (7) 1,060
2. Gary White, Toyota (1) 604
3. Manuel Cruz, Mercury 550
4. Boris Rojas, Mazda (2) 427
5. Carlos Torres, Nissan 140
6. Carl Stevens Jr., Nissan 98
7. Pedro Santiago 56
PRO FWD
1. Gary Gardella, Chevrolet (4) 866
2. Marty Ladwig, Chevrolet (2) 830
3. Jason Hunt, Chevrolet (3) 829
4. Ed Bergenholtz, Mazda 586
5. Christian Rado, Scion 513
6. Bryan Jimenez, Chevrolet 480
MODIFIED
3. Brent Rau, Mitsubishi (3) 668
1. Paul Efantis, Toyota 637
2. Ken Scheepers, Mazda (3) 605
4. Demetrios Karagiannis, Mazda 350
5. Luis Corujo, Toyota 217
6. Eddie Colon, Toyota 163
7. Steve Topletz, Toyota 162
9. Thomas Shambaugh, Chevrolet 108
8. Carlos Perez, Mazda 94
10. Gabriel Garcia 54
HOT ROD
1. Stephanie Eggum, Honda (4) 778
2. Kenny Tran, Scion (3) 741
3. James Farrer, Chevrolet 286
4. Chuck Seitsinger, Honda 228
5. Stephen Merman, Honda 76
5. Mike Crawford, Dodge 75
6. Tony Garcia, Honda 75
8. James Jones 74
9. Paul Bhawan, Honda 55
7. Jason Ames, Honda 54
HONDA TUNING MAGAZINE ALL MOTOR
1. Norris Prayoonto, Honda (3) 717
2. Jeremy Lookofsky, Honda (2) 681
3. Leslie Armendariz, Scion (1) 571
4. Saul Salceda, Honda 504
5. Scott Kelley, Toyota (1) 444
6. Julie Stepan, Chevrolet 428
7. Doug Parks, Mazda 259
8. Richie Gibson Jr., Honda 107
9. Angel Valentin, Mazda 53
10. Jesus Padilla, Mazda 52