Tue, 18 Oct 2011, 06:16 PM Wolkwitz Works His Way to Victory Lane in HEMI Challenge

Courtesy of Evan Jones

MOHNTON, Pa. -

Gary Wolkwitz in PPC Lubricants Victory Lane.

Gary Wolkwitz is grateful to be in the Ray Barton stable.

After a long weekend at Maple Grove Raceway, the HEMI driver from Annandale, N.J. was finally able to put his 1968 Dart in PPC Lubricants Victory Lane Sunday morning as the winner of the HEMI Challenge, the annual "race within a race" at the NHRA Pennsylvania Dutch Classic.

Last year Wolkwitz was runner up to his Team Barton compatriot Jim Daniels. But this year, with favorites Daniels, Charlie Westcott Sr. and Charlie Westcott Jr. all eliminated in earlier rounds, it was Wolkwitz who worked his way to the top of the 17-car field.

"It's terrific, no doubt about it," Wolkwitz said. "It's great keeping (the title) in Pennsylvania with Ray Barton."

Ray Barton's shop is located in nearby Robesonia, Pa.

In Victory Lane, Wolkwitz broke out a bottle a champagne and shared with Barton, Daniels and the rest of the team. After he was eliminated in the first round, Daniels stood on the starting line and cheered Wolkwitz when he raced.

"We're a good team and we always work together," Wolkwitz said. "I couldn't have done it without them."

Wolkwitz took home a first-prize of $4,500 along with thousands more in contingencies. Runner-up Jeffrey Kobylski earned $2,500 while semifinalists received $1,000 each and quarterfinalists got $250.

In the final, Wolkwitz defeated Kobylski (Macomb Township, Mich.) with a pass of 8.400 at 158.11 mph. Kobylski, also driving a '68 Dart, went 8.901 at 150.20. Kobylski had a great reaction time of .033 seconds, but Wolkwitz wasn't sweating it.

"I knew I had it covered by four-tenths or five-tenths," he said. "There was no reason for me to red-light. I took my time at the start and it turned out I had him by five-tenths."

With the wet weather that hit Southeastern Pennsylvania late last week, the HEMI Challenge field was set with only one timeshot on Saturday morning. Wolkwitz qualified fourth behind the Westcotts and Daniels.

In the first round, Wolkwitz had an easy time as opponent Joe Teuton (Schriever, La.) couldn't stage when his '68 Barracuda broke. He then got the jump on Daniel Rogers (Lockport, La.) in the second round with a great reaction time that started a pass of 8.421 at 157.28.

In the quarterfinals, Wolkwitz had a tough draw in Jim Pancake (Cardington, Ohio), but got a break when Pancake fouled at the start by .013. As the lowest remaining seed in the semis, he then had a bye into the final.

Kobylski assured there would be a new champion in the first round when he defeated Daniels. Both drivers were too quick off the start, but Kobylski got the nod as his .009 redlight wasn't as bad as Daniels' .064.

He then used a .005 light to easily take care of Matt Welker (Clear Spring, Md.) in the second round and then had a single in the quarterfinals. Against Larry Perkins (Collegeville, Pa.) in the semifinals, it was another great light that put Perkins on his heels as Kobylski went 8.899 at 150.15.

Results
2011 HEMI Challenge at The Dutch
First round (winner on top)

Matt Walker, '68 Barracuda -.002 reaction time, 16.631 seconds, 48.11 mph
Russ Campbell, '68 Barracuda foul -.162, 8.599, 156.32

Charlie Westcott Jr., '68 Barracuda .098, 9.087, 116.57
Gus Mantas, '68 Barracuda foul -.006, 9.082, 132.75

Larry Perkins, '68 Barracuda .067, 9.736, 102.04
Steve Comella, '68 Dart, foul -.036, 25.237, 25.69

Wendell Howes, '68 Barracuda, .121, 8.954, 119.62
Stephen Hebert, '68 Barracuda foul -.033, 19.546, 41.28

Gary Wolkwitz, '68 Dart, .072, 8.453, 151.87
Joe Teuton, '68 Barracuda, BROKE

Daniel Rogers, '68 Barracuda, .122, 8.793, 151.75
 John Baughman, '68 Dart, foul -.006, 8.736, 129.24

Jeffrey Kobylski, '68 Barracuda, -.009, 9.382, 116.34
Jim Daniels, '68 Dart, foul -.064, 8.353, 158.11

Jim Pancake, '68 Dart, .051, 8.570, 154.86
SISINGLE

Charlie Westcott Sr., '68 Barracuda, -.028, 8.424, 158.61
SINGLE

Second round

Pancake .029 8.505 156.44
Westcott Jr. .170 8.387 158.84

Kobylski .005 8.920 149.91
Welker .079 12.595 70.95

Perkins .046 8.590 155.63
Howes .102 8.855 123.87

Wolkwitz .039 8.421 157.28
Rogers .092 8.965 128.40

Westcott Sr. .083 8.318 160.61
SINGLE

Quarterfinals

Wolkwitz .066 8.790 120.77
Pancake foul -.013, 9.003 115.76

Perkins .044 8.650 154.83
Westcott Sr. .071 8.699 158.82

Kobylski 1.051 17.000 66.58
SINGLE.

Semifinals

Kobylski .010 8.899 150.15
Perkins .133 19.023 42.40

Wolkwitz no time
SINGLE


Final

Wolkwitz .166, 8.400, 158.11
Kobylsky.033, 8.901, 150.20