Sun, 26 Jan 2014, 17:42 PM Buckeye 2013 Season Recap

Courtesy of Jeff Ross

The 2014 season is fast approaching and it's a good time to revisit the 2013 season.

Pacemaker Dragway Park in Mt.Vernon was the first event and there were 21 cars . The Dial for Dollars was won by Skyler Nichols driving his E/SA Duster and ran a 7.408 on his 7.40 dial for the cash. Winner of the best first round wining package was Bob Fowkes with his J/SA Camaro. The final round was the 2012 Champion Tom Losket's C/SA Roadrunner against the O/SA Duster of Ryan Rudrick with Rudrick finishing second for the second year in a row.

June 21st was the second stop on the season at Edgewater Sports Park, near Cincinnati, where the race was stopped after the second round because of the S/SS cars inconsistency of the traction of the racing surface. Dave Dupps Jr was the winner of the best first round winning package in the SS/KA Camaro. There were 25 entries for this event. Information for the Dial For Dollars winner is not noted in my paperwork now at my disposal.

The next day, Sunday June 22nd we were at the 1/8 mile Tri State Dragway facility near Hamilton Ohio. Of the twenty seven cars there it was Tom Reese in the M/SA Camaro winning the Dial For Dollars and the Best First Round package money. Ken Friedman's Crate Motor Camaro bested Al Ross' SS/KA Challenger in a nearly heads up final round.

National Trail Raceway's Night of Thunder held July 13th had a forty car field. Kevin Skinner's Cobra Jet Mustang struck Dial For Dollars gold and Thomas Patate won the First round package money. The 6 cylinder Nomad wagon of Mike Warren out of Michigan ran Patate's SS/DA '69 Camaro with an almost six second head start. Patate was the winner as Warren went red by just -.018 in the final.

The Quaker City Motorsports Park race found John Buhler's big Nostalgia SS Hemi Dodge giving up a 1.5 second head start to Jeff Ross' F/SA Barracuda. By just .005 Ross red lighted the win to Buhler who was .021 on the tree. Dan Steed in his SS/KA Chevy II had the Best First Round Wining Package with Jeff Day winning the Dial For Dollars money in his A/SA '64 Plymouth.

September 8th we were visiting the 1/8 mile facility at Magnolia. Jim Nichols came thru for the Dial For Dollars money in his B/SA Belvedere and Doc Sloan piloting the Nostalgia SS '64 Plymouth winning the Best First Round Winner cash. The L/SA Olds Cutlass of P.J. Fouts defeated the GT/DA AMX of Eugene Chipps for the Iron Man and the money.

The Championship Runoff at National Trail Raceway on October 5th featured 16 qualified racers from the 2013 season. A couple qualified drivers could not attend the event so their positions were filled based off of points for a 16 car field. Final round was deja'vu as John Buhler again faced Jeff Ross. The final was reversed this time with Buhler's Dodge red-lighting to the Cuda of Ross. The Championship Iron Man and the $1500 go to the Champ, Jeff Ross

The last S/SS race of the year held the same day as the Runoff event featured 32 cars trying to lay claim to the last Iron Man of the year. $100 each went to Ryan Rudrick, the dial in winner, and Jeff Ross for the Best First Round Winner. After four rounds of racing of total 35 entries, a couple of rain delays, and one more shower at 1:20AM the final three remaining drivers split the money. Those remaining were Fred Burkhart driving an awesome '70 Hemi Cuda, Thomas Patete wheeling his '69 Camaro SS/DA and youngster Rudrick and the family P/SA Duster. The coveted Iron Man was awarded by virtue of flipping coins. Ryan Rudrick had the odd coin and was awarded the Iron Man Trophy.

The season would not be complete without mention of our sponsors, Mid-Ohio Paving (Dial In Sponsor), Parson & Myers Racing Engines( First Round Winning Package Sponsor), PK Race-n-Rods, Watson Ruppel Performance, Heads Up Cylinder Heads & Jeff's Auto Body.

2014 is right around the corner. The preliminary schedule is up and we have confirmed Tri State the same weekend as the Kil Kare race and we just need to confirm the date for the Pacemakers event (looks like May 31st).

Who will be the 2014 Champion??? It can be You!!!