 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
GRAND BEND, Ontario --
Lagana captured his first Knoll Gas - Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Top Fuel Ironman by snapping Clay Millican's four-event win streak at Grand Bend Motorplex. In a match-up of the two ends of the Top Fuel spectrum Lagana with his rag-tag crew made up of family members and friends and Millican with his heavily-sponsored Werner Enterprises, Kenny Koretsky Motorsports Team, the underdog took the win light in a pedal fest. He carded a 5.367 pass at 236.59 miles per hour to top Millican's 6.611/140.05. "I wanted to win worse than any other run I've ever made in my entire life," Lagana said. "Those guys on Clay's team have almost brought us to where we are right now. To beat the people who put you there is special. We're the happiest team at this race track right now. But Clay's team, with Clay and Kloeber, are the second-happiest." While Millican is the five-time defending IHRA Top Fuel World Champion it was Lagana who had the better car all weekend. He qualified in the #3 position and made two clean passes during the rounds of eliminations, all in the 4 second-range, before the tire-shaking run that produced his first victory. In just the third eMax Drag Racing Series event of the season it appears as if Lagana Crew Chief Jay Lewis has a handle on the team's new '06 McKinney Dragster. He also was thrilled for his driver and friend. "That kid lives, eats and sleeps racing," Lewis said. "That's all he wants to do. I am way happier for him than I am for me. He deserves every piece of this. The whole Lagana family, his sister Marie and Laura, his brother Dom, his dad, his mother God rest her soul; the whole family are all beautiful people. They will do anything for anyone at any time. They are such genuine people and they've all earned this." After the run Lagana looked at his brother Dom and briefly reflected on their journey to the Winner's Circle. Just eight years ago Lagana's throttle stuck and he ended up running off the end of the track and into the trees at New York International Raceway. "We just looked at each other and said 'We're complete,'" he said.
The whole weekend was full of firsts for Creasy and his Torco-backed operation. "There were a lot of firsts for us here," he said. "We got our first #1 qualifier, our first round-win of the year, our first bye run ever, our first final ever and our first win ever. Everything was just great. You just couldn't script it any better than this." Creasy was pleased to be able to get by a strong hitter like Gilbertson in the final. "I'm worried about every driver out here, but Gilbertson, in my opinion, has the best car out here," Creasy said. "When (Gary) Densham and he are at a race they are in a league of their own. We just kept chasing after them and hoping we were going to beat them one of these days. When I was up against him I knew we had to pay attention and do our own thing because Bob is so good. I knew I couldn't make any mistakes."
"Like I told my crew before the final round, I love Canada," Pittman said. "Canada has been real good to us. Plus I have Carl Spiering from Canada who does my engine program, he's a good guy who has a good race team. That's what makes all this work." Pittman capped a consistent weekend by nosing Kerunsky with a 6.243/227.10. He was in the 6.20s throughout qualifying and eliminations and qualified in the middle of the pack at #9.
Berner topped John Bartunek, Elijah Morton and Jeff Dobbins to advance to the final round. When he topped Patrick to claim the Ironman it was Berner's first victory since the President's Cup Nationals in 2004. "I've had Jerry Haas cars and I've had Rick Jones cars," Berner said. "They both build great cars, but this car I have now is just like magic. I had a car like this in 1998, the car Jerry built for me that I crashed in Darlington, and that car we thought would go down a dirt road. This car is very similar. It's just an awesome piece." The victory in Grand Bend was the first for the 2006 Pontiac GTO in IHRA competition.
"Yes, we're doing pretty well so far," Thomas said. "But we have to keep working. To be able to win two events in a new car has been great for us, but it's a long season and everyone is stepping up their program." Thomas increased his points lead while three-time defending Alcohol Funny Car World Champion, Rob Atchison (London, Ont.) continues to look for his first event win of the season. Atchison fell to Fred Tigges in the first round of eliminations. "You feel bad for Rob because this is his home track," Thomas said. "But we've been down that road in Norwalk at our home track. You like to come here and do well. Rob and his group knows how to go real fast, you know they will be back and I know we have to take advantage of every chance we have to take advantage of them." GRAND BEND, Ont. -- Sunday's final results from the Mopar Canadian Nationals presented by Castrol at Grand Bend Motorplex. The $1.1 million race is the third of 11 in the 2006 eMax Drag Racing Series: Top Fuel -- Bobby Lagana Jr., 5.367 seconds, 236.59 mph def. Clay Millican, 6.611 seconds, 140.05 mph. Nitro Funny Car -- Dale Creasy Jr., Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.999, 296.44 def. Bob Gilbertson, Dodge Stratus, 5.057, 295.95. Pro Modified -- Alan Pittman, Chevy Bel Air, 6.243, 227.10 def. Glen Kerunsky, Bel Air, 6.849, 210.77. Alcohol Funny Car -- Mark Thomas, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.898, 243.37 def. Terry Munroe, Monte Carlo, 5.979, 235.17. Pro Stock -- Pete Berner, Pontiac GTO, 6.452, 216.81 def. Robert Patrick, Ford GT 500 Mustang, 6.478, 217.49. Top Stock -- Joseph Aluise Jr, Plymouth Belvedere, 9.550, 138.78 def. Paul Mercure, Chevy Camaro, 9.582, 138.78. Top Sportsman -- Kevin Wicke, Chrysler LeBaron, 7.310, 188.60 def. Gary Bingham, Pontiac Grand Am, 7.322, 181.08. Top Dragster -- Jeff Brown, Dragster, 7.195, 175.67 def. Tim Slone, Dragster, 6.895, 197.93. Quick Rod -- John Hickman, Dragster, 8.920, 161.63 def. Donny Urban, Dragster, 8.960, 161.60. Super Rod -- Leo Zynda, Chevy Cavalier, 9.929, 156.52 def. Jason Kenny, Chevy Corvette, 9.928, 157.17. Hot Rod -- Tim Shuck, Chevy Camaro, 10.948, 128.24 def. Budd Gilbert, Chevy Malibu, 10.920, 125.69. Super Stock -- Donn Rhode, Chevy Camaro, 9.497, 137.17 def. Anthony Bertozzi, Pontiac Grand Am, 9.242, 146.55. Stock -- Dan Fletcher, Chevy Camaro, 10.737, 114.30 def. Denny Hillman, Camaro, 11.863, 111.39. ET Bracket -- Dave Wainman, Chevy Monza, 10.824, 122.59 def. Grant Kimber, Chevy Corvette, 9.328, 143.22. ET No Box -- Dave Wainman, Chevy Monza, 10.778, 122.86 def. Lui Ramundo, Chevy Nova, 9.809, 134.62. ET Box -- Grant Kimber, Chevy Corvette, 9.345, 142.85 def. Rob Gray, Chevy Camaro, 8.822, 153.58.
|
|
Ready to take your order at 1-800-230-3030 | Customer Service 1-800-517-1035