Mon, 2 Oct 2000, 11:58 AM Pacific Division Team Set For Pomona

Courtesy of NHRA Marketing Winners Crowned in Race of Champions

SONOMA, Calif.- Nearly 600 racers made the trip to Sears Point Raceway for this weekend's NHRA Pacific Division Summit Racing Finals and their chance to run for the National Championship at Pomona Raceway in November. Top points earners from 14 race tracks throughout Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and California kicked off the action with time trials today in the Pro, Sportsman, Street, Motorcycle, and High School Categories.

"We've always had a good bracket racing program here in the Pacific Division," voiced one NHRA official, "but with Summit coming on board this year, there's so much more excitement in the air. The division finals here this weekend mean everything with the newly established national run off in Pomona."

Winners from this weekend will meet up with the winners for the other six NHRA divisions at the NHRA AAA Finals held in Southern California in mid-November. Each of the 28 participants who qualify and make the trip to Pomona will receive $3,500 with an additional $5,000 going to the winner in each of the four categories.

Racers this weekend are competing for more than $27,000 in cash awards as well as earning points towards a team championship. Last year's Team Championship went to Sears Point Raceway as they beat out Los Angeles County Raceway for the title. Leading Sears Point to their win were the father/son team of Ted and Kyle Seipel who took individual wins in the Pro and Sportsman classes respectively.

In a smaller race held during today's time trials, Kevin Pope of Exeter, Calif. took out Kevin McClelland in the final round of the High Roller event while Steve Caldwell beat Tony Brorsen in the Gambler final.

The individual Pacific Division track champions faced off today in the annual Race of Champions during the NHRA Pacific Division Summit Racing Finals. Sacramento Raceway Park was represented in three of the five finals with Mark Simonian capturing the lone win for Sacramento. Simonian, running in the Sportsman category, took out Samoa Dragstrip's John Antongiovanni with a pass of 10.739 seconds at 118.13 mph to Antongiovanni's 12.530, 107.78.

"This is great to win the Race of Champions, but I need to keep it going for tomorrow," voiced Simonian. "Tomorrow is what gets you to Pomona for the (Summit) national championship. Everyone at the track has been talking about it all year."

Ray Shearer gave the Famoso Raceway team something to cheer about when he out ran Sacramento's Terry Thompson in the Pro class. Shearer's 8.376 at 162.03 mph was enough to run down and over take Thompson who tripped the lights at 11.805, 123.11. Shearer and his wife Evelyn are celebrating their 22nd anniversary this weekend and recently became grandparents to their first grandson Evan Ray.

Jim Poyser took out local favorite Joe Piazza of Sears Point Raceway in the Street class with a 14.874 at 92.10 mph in his '84 Corvette, to Piazza's 12.040 at 104.76.

"That's the plan, to win tomorrow and go to Pomona," responded Poyser when asked if he thought he could do it again in Sunday's eliminations.

Jason Garza won the Motorcycle trophy with a pass of 10.602 seconds, 122.91 mph to Greg Liskey's 9.300 at 140.23 mph. The High School Championship went to Michael Zimerman from Firebird International Raceway running 12.055 seconds at 106.69 mph to Tim McNamara's 14.702 at 91.29.

Gates open at 7 a.m. on Sunday for the final day of the Summit

Racing Finals. Eliminations are set for 8 a.m.

The following are final results from the 'Race of Champions' held during the NHRA Pacific Division Summit Racing Series Finals at Sears Point Raceway listing driver, vehicle, track, elapsed time in seconds, and speed in miles per hour:

PRO
Ray Shearer, '95 dragster, Famoso Raceway, 8.376, 162.03 def. Terry
Thompson, '63 Chevy, Sacramento Raceway Park, 11.805, 123.11

SPORTSMAN
Mark Simonian, '69 Camaro, Sacramento Raceway Park, 10.739, 118.13 def.
John Antongiovanni, '65 Nova, Samoa Dragstrip, 12.530, 107.78

STREET
Jim Poyser, '84 Corvette, Rocky Mountain Raceways, 14.874, 92.10 def. Joe
Piazza, '50 Chevy, Sears Point Raceway, 12.404, 104.76

MOTORCYCLE
Jason Garza, '78 Kawasaki, Samoa Dragstrip, 10.602, 122.91 def. Greg
Liskey, '95 GSXR, Famoso Raceway, 9.300, 140.23

HIGH SCHOOL
Michael Zimmerman, '70 Dart, Firebird International Raceway, 12.055, 106.69
def. Tim McNamara, '87 Camaro, Sacramento Raceway Park, 14.702, 91.29

The final four racers are decided for the Summit Racing Series National Championship to be held in mid November at Pomona Raceway. With wins at this weekends NHRA Pacific Division Summit Racing Series Finals, Ted Seipel, Gary Ratcliffe, Linda Bailey and John Widmann will join 24 other racers from around the country for the first national championship for bracket racers in 20 years.

"$3,500 bucks and a trip to Pomona," was Bailey's reaction to her win this weekend in the Street category. "When I won it last year, I thought it couldn't get any better, but with the new national championship format, this definitely tops last year. I've got one more big race to win, Pomona."

This is Bailey's second straight win at the bracket finals as she took out Rob Dayton in the final round with a pass of 13.019 seconds at 104.66 to Dayton's 20.371, 62.91 pass.

Seipel also claimed his second win in as many years when Joe Brown of Sacramento Raceway red lighted in the final handing Seiple the win in Pro and the Team Championship to Sears Point Raceway. Sears Point, Sacramento and Famoso Raceway were in a tight battle for the team championship going into the final rounds with Sears Points nudging out Sacramento by one point with Famoso finishing in third. Ratcliffe took the Sportsman class win beating out Nancy Williamson as his '68 Chevelle covered the quarter mile in 12.224 seconds at 110.58 mph to Williamson's 13.388 at 101.49. Widmann beat Dan Evans to the strip in the Motorcycle class running an 8.654, 145.07 pass to Evans' 11.971, 112.40.

Michael Zimmerman had probably the best weekend of any of the nearly 600 racers when he doubled up winning the High School class in Saturday's Race of Champions and then taking the win this afternoon for the Summit Championship.

"I love this stuff. I'll be drag racing for the rest of my life," said Zimerman in the Winner's Circle surrounded by friends and family. "How can it get any better!"

Zimmerman, driving for Firebird International Raceway just outside of Phoenix, Ariz., beat Nick Billings in today's final with a run of 12.040 seconds at 106.89 mph to Billings' 14.254 at 97.06 mph. In Saturday's Race of Champions, Zimmerman took out Sacramento's Tim McNamara for the win.

The following are final results from the NHRA Pacific Division Summit Racing Series Finals at Sears Point Raceway listing driver, vehicle, track, elapsed time in seconds, and speed in miles per hour:

PRO
Ted Seipel, '71 Ferrari, Sears Point Raceway, 16.100, 61.89 def. Joe Brown,
'70 Coronet, Sacramento Raceway, 11.657, 117.06 red light

SPORTSMAN
Gary Ratcliffe, '68 Chevelle, Los Angeles County Raceway, 12.224, 110.58
def. Nancy Williamson, '71 Vega, Top Gun Raceway, 13.388, 101.49

STREET
Linda Bailey, '98 Camaro, Los Angeles County Raceway, 13.019, 104.66 def.
Rob Dayton, '89 Tercel, Sacramento Raceway Park, 20.371, 62.91

MOTORCYCLE
John Widmann, '91 Kawasaki, Samoa Dragstrip, 8.654, 145.07 def. Dan Evans,
'96 Lightning, Rocky Mountain Raceways, 11.971, 112.40

HIGH SCHOOL
Michael Zimmerman, '70 Dart, Firebird International Raceway, 12.040, 106.89
def. Nick Billings, Sears Point Raceway, 14.254, 97.06

TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP                               POINTS
1. Sears Point Raceway #2                               117
2. Sacramento Raceway                           116
3. Famoso Raceway                                       112
4. Los Angeles County Raceway #1                        102
5. Sears Point Raceway #1                               100
6. Top Gun Raceway #1                            89
7. Sear Point Raceway #3                                 88
8. Inyokern Dragstrip                            59
9. Redding Dragstrip                                     53
10. Firebird International Raceway                       39
11. Los Angeles County Raceway #2                        36
12. Speedworld Motorplex                                 32
13. Samoa Dragstrip                                      30
14. Rocky Mountain Raceways                      29
15. Southwestern International Raceway           28
16. Las Vegas Motor Speedway                     27
17. Baja Raceway                                          2