Pacific Division Charlie Neilson, Division Director Paul Jager, Division Tech Director HOTLINELena Billington, Administrative Assistant Tech Line: Tuesday & Thursday, 7-9 p.m. December 2003 2035 Financial Way, Glendora, CA 91741 (626) 963-2454 • Fax, (626) 963-2454 (626) 914-4761 • Fax, (626) 914-8963 Bob Johnson, Photographer, (661) 943-0855 NEWS FROM THE PACIFIC DIVISION Carter wins event, championship over Volpe; Beckman’s victory earns him division crown by John Jodauga hrough the years, the Division 7 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Tgrand finales have stood out because of their huge car counts, which are boosted by out-of-division racers who plan to attend the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals in Pomona the following week, and the many pivotal races that have determined national championships. This year’s edition at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway lived up to that reputation through a number of memo- Bob Johnson rable moments, all of which were The Division 7 season finale in Las Vegas produced many pivotal races. One of the highlighted by Dean Carter winning the more significant matches was in the Comp final, where both drivers had a shot at this Comp national championship with a season’s national championship. Division 7’s Dean Carter, near lane, took the big final-round victory over Santo Volpe, his prize with his A/ND when Santo Volpe red-lighted with his A/SR ’34 Ford. closest contender for the season title. In a race that was reminiscent of Joe victory, to go along with his top-five finish track temperatures dropped to 60 Amato’s victory over the late Gary in Super Stock. degrees. Ormsby in the final round of the 1990 Other winners of the event were “The car count for the weekend was NHRA Finals to win that year’s Top Fuel Duane Shields (Top Alcohol Dragster), 908, which compares very favorably to title, Carter’s A/ND was an instant Cy Chesterman (Top Alcohol Funny last year’s total of 972,” added Neilson. winner when Volpe, as did Ormsby, cut a Car), Jack Beckman (Super Comp), “Considering the chaos caused by the red-light with his A/SR ’32 Bantam. Robert Coleman (Super Gas), Brett Wal- Southern California fires, I was amazed Also among the many event highlights dron (Super Street), and Greg Liskey we had more than 900 cars this was a Super Stock victory for already- (Kerker Motorcycle). weekend. crowned 2003 champion Peter Biondo, who “Because of the traditionally high car “We had 42 alcohol cars and only one capped a perfect Lucas Oil Drag Racing count at this race, we made it a four-day oildown, which took place on a burnout Series season with his fifth divisional win in contest beginning Tuesday,” said Division during the first round of qualifying,” said as many races. 7 Director Charlie Neilson. “That’s the Neilson. “Kudos to the Division 7 staff, The Super Gas championship also only way we can run an event of this the Las Vegas Motor Speedway per- was determined in Las Vegas. Bryan size, and it helped us deal with unex- sonnel, and the racers. Everybody Robinson clinched the season title when pected adverse weather conditions, combined to put together a spectacular his closest challenger, Greg Carrillo, lost such as losing more than four hours of finale.” in the third round. track time Thursday because of high Shields, the 2002 Top Alcohol Drag- In addition, Division 1’s Dan Fletcher winds and dust. We were also prevented ster champion, won his first Division 7 secured a top-five finish in Stock with his from running late in the evening when to page 2 from page 1 won four rounds in eliminations on his national title in Pomona. Beckman respective side of the ladder to face one earned the event title with a .020 light event of the season by defeating Marty another in a winner-take-all final, which and 9.072 (on the altitude-adjusted 9.05 Thacker in the final, 5.403 at 266.32 mph ended at the line when Volpe’s A/SR ’34 index) to defeat Ed Olpin, who broke out to 5.487 at 257.68. The victory moved Ford broke the clutch and fouled with a - with a 9.041. Shields past Mark Niver and into second .286 light. Carter eased his Milt Gedo’s -.001 foul in the semi’s place, only 30 points behind this year’s low-seven-second A/ND to a 9.009 to win propelled Beckman into the final, and titlist, Morgan Lucas. the event, national championship, and Olpin defeated Franklin DiBartolomeo, Shields dominated the event from the Division 7 title. 9.058 to 9.056, after scoring a .009 to beginning, setting the pace in qualifying Biondo, who won this season’s Divi- .027 starting-line advantage. with low e.t. (5.374) and top speed sion 2 Super Stock title, was superb in The Super Gas final was another out- (270.00 mph) of the meet. He reached his final-round victory over Kevin Nicks’ of-division affair. Coleman’s ’27 Ford the final with a 5.429 to 5.470 semifinal SS/FA ’70 Plymouth. Biondo pushed his from Columbia, Mo., stopped George victory over David Wells; Thacker earned GT/FA ’00 Firebird to a perfect .000 light Scott III’s ’92 Camaro, which succumbed his berth with a 5.498 to 5.525 win over and a .028-over 10.438 to stop Nicks’ to a -.001 foul. Two close semifinal races Steve Federlin. .033 reaction and .033-over 10.093. In set up the final: Coleman nipped Jed Chesterman was one of five out-of- the semi’s, Biondo advanced past Jeff Bourquin’s ’93 Daytona, 10.078 to division racers to reach the Las Vegas Hefler’s broken SS/BM ’98 Pontiac, and 10.081 on the 10.07 index, and Scott Motor Speedway winner’s circle. He did Nicks prevented Fletcher from scoring a used a .007 to .035 holeshot to beat Tom so by scoring a narrow victory over Divi- double by defeating Fletcher’s SS/IA ’69 Stalba Jr.’s ’63 Corvette, 10.085 to a sion 7 regular Steve Gasparrelli in the Camaro, .001-over 0.071 to .005-over breakout 10.048. Top Alcohol Funny Car final, 5.720 at 10.455. Waldron hit an index-matching 11.090 251.25 to 5.741 at 242.15. With his Fletcher’s Stock triumph with his B/SA in the Super Street final with his ’67 runner-up, Gasparrelli ended the season ’69 Nova came at the expense of Brad Camaro to best Bob Munoz’s .009-over only 41 points behind Doug Gordon, 333 Plourd’s B/FIA ’96 Corvette. Fletcher won 11.099 from his ’55 Chevy. In the semi’s, to 292, in the race for the Division 7 title. with a .005 light and a .017-over 10.827 Waldron stopped Tony Fuller’s ’01 Gasparrelli did everything but win the when Plourd, who had a .011 reaction, Corvette, 11.109 to 11.143, and Munoz final, leading qualifying with times of broke out with an 11.070. In the semi’s, ran an 11.118 on his bye. 5.618 and 255.68, which respectively Fletcher overcome Ken Passerby’s .013 to The Kerker Motorcycle final attracted a stood as low e.t. and top speed of the .040 holeshot for a .011-over 10.841 to considerable amount of attention as weekend. He earned lane choice for the .045-over 12.165 win; Plourd beat a red- Liskey defeated Pro Stock Bike standout final with a 5.680 win over Bucky Austin’s lighting Scott Hilton. Craig Treble in the contest. Liskey slowing 9.921. Chesterman wheeled his Beckman’s Super Comp victory added recorded a .001 light and ran a .076-over ’99 Trans Am to a 5.731 to 5.836 win over more credibility to his job as an instructor 9.646 with his ’85 Suzuki to defeat Treble, Tate Branch’s ’03 Camaro. at Frank Hawley’s NHRA Drag Racing who cut a .067 reaction and posted a .058- The highly anticipated showdown for School. It also earned him the Division 7 over 9.038 with his ’98 Kawasaki. the Comp title between Division 1 cham- championship, ending the season with pion Volpe and Division 7’s Carter more an 18-point margin over Michael Hen- For complete stats and photo cov- than lived up to its billing. Each driver derson, 393 to 375, and a chance at the erage, see National DRAGSTER (Nov. 21). Korbel Super Eliminator Series Hall wins second series title in three years with finale victory THE STRIP AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR series championship in three years. Hall Quarterfinal action began with Dan SPEEDWAY, Las Vegas (Nov. 2) — was in fourth place in the standings Oliver advancing when Don Steed drew Dean Hall won the final event of the entering the race, but early exits by Car- a -.006 red-light. Bill Webber ran an 8.06 2003 Korbel Super Eliminator Series at olyn Hills, Del Cox Jr., and George (8.03 index) to defeat Robert Costa, and The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Prather gave Hall the opportunity to grab Hall defeated the red-lighting Tom Hall to and the win helped him take his second the title. earn the semifinal bye. In the semi’s, Webber used a .028 to .048 starting-line advantage to beat Oliver, 8.05 to 8.04.