NHRA: Summit Racing Finals Sunday from Sears Point Raceway
2 October 2000
PACIFIC DIVISION TEAM SET FOR POMONA
SONOMA, Calif.- The final four racers are decided for the Summit
Racing Series National Championship to be held in mid November at Pomona
Raceway. With wins at this weekends NHRA Pacific Division Summit Racing
Series Finals, Ted Seipel, Gary Ratcliffe, Linda Bailey and John Widmann
will join 24 other racers from around the country for the first national
championship for bracket racers in 20 years.
"$3,500 bucks and a trip to Pomona," was Bailey's reaction to her
win this weekend in the Street category. "When I won it last year, I
thought it couldn't get any better, but with the new national championship
format, this definitely tops last year. I've got one more big race to win,
Pomona."
This is Bailey's second straight win at the bracket finals as she
took out Rob Dayton in the final round with a pass of 13.019 seconds at
104.66 to Dayton's 20.371, 62.91 pass.
Seipel also claimed his second win in as many years when Joe Brown
of Sacramento Raceway red lighted in the final handing Seiple the win in
Pro and the Team Championship to Sears Point Raceway. Sears Point,
Sacramento and Famoso Raceway were in a tight battle for the team
championship going into the final rounds with Sears Points nudging out
Sacramento by one point with Famoso finishing in third.
Ratcliffe took the Sportsman class win beating out Nancy Williamson as his
'68 Chevelle covered the quarter mile in 12.224 seconds at 110.58 mph to
Williamson's 13.388 at 101.49. Widmann beat Dan Evans to the strip in the
Motorcycle class running an 8.654, 145.07 pass to Evans' 11.971, 112.40.
Michael Zimmerman had probably the best weekend of any of the
nearly 600 racers when he doubled up winning the High School class in
Saturday's Race of Champions and then taking the win this afternoon for the
Summit Championship.
"I love this stuff. I'll be drag racing for the rest of my life,"
said Zimerman in the Winner's Circle surrounded by friends and family. "How
can it get any better!"
Zimmerman, driving for Firebird International Raceway just outside
of Phoenix, Ariz., beat Nick Billings in today's final with a run of 12.040
seconds at 106.89 mph to Billings' 14.254 at 97.06 mph. In Saturday's Race
of Champions, Zimmerman took out Sacramento's Tim McNamara for the win.
The following are final results from the NHRA Pacific Division Summit
Racing Series Finals at Sears Point Raceway listing driver, vehicle, track,
elapsed time in seconds, and speed in miles per hour:
PRO
Ted Seipel, '71 Ferrari, Sears Point Raceway, 16.100, 61.89 def. Joe Brown,
'70 Coronet, Sacramento Raceway, 11.657, 117.06 red light
SPORTSMAN
Gary Ratcliffe, '68 Chevelle, Los Angeles County Raceway, 12.224, 110.58
def. Nancy Williamson, '71 Vega, Top Gun Raceway, 13.388, 101.49
STREET
Linda Bailey, '98 Camaro, Los Angeles County Raceway, 13.019, 104.66 def.
Rob Dayton, '89 Tercel, Sacramento Raceway Park, 20.371, 62.91
MOTORCYCLE
John Widmann, '91 Kawasaki, Samoa Dragstrip, 8.654, 145.07 def. Dan Evans,
'96 Lightning, Rocky Mountain Raceways, 11.971, 112.40
HIGH SCHOOL
Michael Zimmerman, '70 Dart, Firebird International Raceway, 12.040, 106.89
def. Nick Billings, Sears Point Raceway, 14.254, 97.06
TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS
1. Sears Point Raceway #2 117
2. Sacramento Raceway 116
3. Famoso Raceway 112
4. Los Angeles County Raceway #1 102
5. Sears Point Raceway #1 100
6. Top Gun Raceway #1 89
7. Sear Point Raceway #3 88
8. Inyokern Dragstrip 59
9. Redding Dragstrip 53
10. Firebird International Raceway 39
11. Los Angeles County Raceway #2 36
12. Speedworld Motorplex 32
13. Samoa Dragstrip 30
14. Rocky Mountain Raceways 29
15. Southwestern International Raceway 28
16. Las Vegas Motor Speedway 27
17. Baja Raceway 2