Wed, 16 Feb 2005, 12:45 PM Mr. Gasket Pro-Am Tour Season Begins with Grand Slam at Immokalee

Courtesy of IHRA Communications Car Count up 20% for Monumental Two Races in One Weekend Kick-Off

IMMOKALEE, Fla. -- With the IHRA Mr. Gasket Pro-Am Tour season underway, one thing can be said about the first weekend of racing at Immokalee Regional Raceway. "It was like a race broke out in the middle of a party," said IHRA Vice President of Racing Operations Skooter Peaco. "In typical Ralph Hester style, there were fireworks, a barbecue, anything and everything."

The revolutionary two races in one weekend format was also a hit. "The car count was up 20%," Peaco stated. "A dozen states, as well as Canada, were represented. 14 racers won free car and driver entry for next year in the Race Tech Division 2 Free Ride program. We plan on making this an annual event, to kick off the Mr. Gasket Pro-Am Tour season in style every year."

Peaco sees this event becoming the only way to kick off the race season. "Our goal is to make this like the Daytona 500 for the Mr. Gasket Pro-Am Tour. We are committed to making this weekend the biggest event of the season, the only way to begin the racing year. It's like putting the Super Bowl at the beginning of the season."

The event would not have been as successful without the hard work and flair of IHRA's 2004 Promoter of the Year Ralph Hester. "We had a lot of response from the racers, saying it was the best deal they've ever done. Running two races in one weekend, cutting down on the expense of travel."

Hester sees it as a way to help build Division 2. "I just think division 2 will grow if everybody takes pride in what they do here." Pointing out all the special events of the weekend, including the barbecue, Hester sees the value in giving people something extra. "We had a barbecue on Saturday night for all the division racers that were there; the racers and the crew could eat in the Mr. Gasket VIP tent, there was the Mr. Gasket VIP party, and Sunday afternoon before they left they had great homemade ice cream. There wasn't a person there that wasn't satisfied with everything."

Hester was pleased with how the whole event went. "We had a wonderful weekend. Anybody who went over to the Seminole Casino could eat for free, buy one get one free. Saturday, when people came into the tent, they said, 'this is the nicest thing that anybody's done for us.'"

In putting together the weekend, Hester praised the IHRA team that he worked so closely with. "I enjoy doing it, I enjoy promoting the race track, I enjoy working with IHRA. As far as I'm concerned, it's a top of the line organization."

In making the two for one race weekend an annual kick-off to the season, Hester sees it only getting bigger and growing into a huge event. He's already thinking about next year and more ways to improve it. "We're definitely going to have another one next year. I think the two in one is the best deal that we've ever come up with. I think the people that came this year will definitely be back next year."

Immokalee Regional Raceway Race #1
February 12, 2005

Finish Car# Name Hometown Dial R.T. E.T. MPH

Erson Cams Top Sportsman
Win 2240 Jim Carlton  Bradenton, FL  4.79 .0508 4.8064 145.21
RU 2042 Ronnie Davis  Commerce, GA  4.62 -.0025 4.6351 152.54

Mallory Top Dragster
Win 299T Gary Williams Bradenton, FL  4.69 .0186 4.6955 143.04
RU 2687 Kenny Underwood  Tampa, FL  4.65 .0310 4.6567 143.18

ACCEL DFI Super Stock
Win 2 Scott Stillings  Indianapolis, IN  5.55 .0163 5.5799 125.35
RU 2110 Paul Forte  Jacksonville, FL  6.62 .0071 6.6754 100.60

Hays Stock
Win 247 Tim Harris  Oxford, AL  6.98 .1415 7.0241 89.61
RU 248 Harvey Duke  Sylacanga, AL  7.91 .1102 7.8882 79.60

ACCEL Quick Rod
Win 2 Troy Williams Jr.  Bradenton, FL  5.70 .0115 5.7058 131.89
RU 2053 Stanley Albritton  Bradenton, FL  5.70 .0279 5.7049 128.53

Lakewood Super Rod
Win 2642 Ken Robinson  Cynthiana, KY  6.40 .0239 6.4050 106.69
RU 2722 Steve Dimmig  Ft. Myers, FL  6.40 .0631 6.4012 113.07

Hurst Hot Rod
Win 2626 Billy Italio  Knoxville, TN  7.00 .0023 7.0048 106.71
RU 302 Bitsy Satterly  Lawrenceburg, KY  7.00 .0127 7.0234 102.32

King Of The Street
Win 224X Carlos Zaldivar  Miami, FL   .0390 4.8800 143.36
RU 2170 Rey Chavez  Miami Lakes, FL   .0553 7.1894 83.12

Immokalee Regional Raceway  Race #2
February 13, 2005

Finish Car# Name Hometown Dial R.T. E.T. MPH

Erson Cams Top Sportsman 
Win 10 Joe Baker  Milton, FL  4.87 .0178 4.8732 142.36
RU 921 Gilmer Hinshaw  Burlington, NC  5.13 .0225 5.1326 139.02

Mallory Top Dragster
Win 2272 Malinda Bertozzi  Ashland, VA  4.75 .0036 4.7689 146.06
RU 2687 Kenny Underwood  Tampa, FL  4.69 .0176 4.7017 144.97

ACCEL DFI Super Stock
Win 2110 Paul Forte  Jacksonville, FL  6.65 .0190 6.654 100.40
RU 2763 Randy Folk  Bradenton, FL  6.05 .0160 6.0642 102.60

Hays Stock
Win 9205 Jeff Warren  Clinton, NC  6.61 .0381 6.6388 96.55
RU 2033 Doug Patrick  Boca Raton, FL  7.31 .0471 7.3601 90.69

ACCEL Quick Rod
Win 9001 Kenny Myers  WS, NC  5.70 .0070 5.7127 135.30
RU 2 Troy Williams Jr.  Bradenton, FL  5.70 .0182 5.6917 132.31

Lakewood Super Rod
Win 9272 Bobbie Jernigan  Harrels, NC  6.40 .0384 6.4078 113.44
RU 4735 Slate Cummings  Hammond, LA  6.40 .0379 6.3922 119.49

Hurst Hot Rod
Win 2388 RL Koontz  Sarasota, FL  7.00 .0080 7.0151 110.73
RU 302 Bitsy Satterly  Lawrenceburg, KY  7.00 .0320 6.9946 102.88

Special Awards
Best Engineered 908SR Jay Higgins  98 Grand Am
Best Appearing  2907TS Jerry Duke  96 Firebird

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