OSCA "Spring Fling" Kickoff
 Mark Ackert - May 29, 2009
After the kind of year the Ontario Street Car Association had in 2008, all eyes would be focused on the skies as race day for the OSCA Spring Fling rolled around recently on May 23-24. Fortunately rain would not play a factor in the racing as Saturdays qualifying session was completed in record time.
After a fast group of Super Street cars were done qualifying, Jerry Mitrovic of Etobicoke, ON, with his twin turbo Mustang would be sitting in the #1 spot. Steve Lazarro with his ProLine powered twin turbo Camaro would be in the #2 spot and Eddie Timal would round out the top 3 with his gorgeous 2000 Corvette. In round #1 Vito Montesano would take the stripe first with his ERD powered supercharged 68 Camaro knocking off #1 qualifier Mitrovic. Steve Lazarro would be on a single in round #1 but instead of taking a soft pass to conserve parts he blasted down the quarter mile with a stout 6.77 at 219mph. Lazarro would line up against Mike Yedgarian in the semi’s. Yedgarian, with the help of Kelly Cooper of FatDog Fabrication and famed builder FJ Smith would make it back for the semi’s after experiencing a backfire in the previous round which damaged his throttle body elbow. FJ got things where they needed to be and Kelly welded the piece back together. A few short minutes after the repair was made, the yellow Firebird of Yedgerian was being pulled into the lanes. It would be a nail biter as Lazzaro narrowly squeaked out the win after running another impressive pass of 6.81 at 220mph to Yedgerian’s 6.85 at 211mph. That win would pit his twin turbo Camaro against the Nitrous powered 03 Mustang of Gino Cavalieri in the finals. Cavalieri had been putting some impressive numbers on the board all weekend long. He was in tough and the 7.13 at 194 mph just wouldn’t be enough as Lazzaro stopped the clocks with a 6.78 at 217mph to take the win.
 EZ Street had some impressive 7 second passes throughout qualifying and eliminations. Darcy Cummins with his wild 87 Camaro dipped into the 7’s for the very first time during qualifying. Danny Medeiros with his beautiful Chevy Camaro was another competitor getting into the 7 second club for the first time. Medeiros would have a tough journey to the finals but after defeating Larry Mann in the first round and Serge Longo in the second round, he would be confident going into the semi’s as he lined up against Cummins who was looking for another 7 second pass. Medeiros nailed the tree with a .006 on his way to another victory running 8.08 at 174mph to Cummins’ slowing 9.91 at 98mph. Mark Azeuedo and his sinister looking flat black Chevy would dip into the 7’s in the first round and then would go door handle to door handle with Enzo Pecchini narrowly taking the win with an 8.02 to Pecchini’s 8.06. Unfortunately Azeuedo would not get the car fired for the finals so Danny Medeiros would take the easy win on a single.
Pro Stock is going to be one of the most exciting classes to watch in 2009. With show quality cars and power to put the car on the bumper, fans will be excited to see this group of competitors coming to staging lanes every time. Mike Konigshofer has come into the class looking to have some fun in 2009. Very different from their IHRA Pro Stock car, this 1989 Mustang was perfect for the OSCA P/S class. With its high revving 400ci powerplant the team was able to run some stout, mid 8 second passes during eliminations. Butch Kemp from Washington, MI, had his beautiful 67 Chevy II set to kill qualifying #1 and running mid 8’s all weekend long. After two singles to start eliminations, Kemp would meet up with Konigshofer in the semi finals. Kemp left first with Konigshofer close behind. When the two went through the top end, identical 8.54’s came up on the board but Kemp’s slightly better reaction time would give him the win. Matt Glassford and his 565ci 72 Nova would make his way through the rounds to meet up with Kemp in the exciting final. Again Kemp got off the line with a slight advantage and motored down the track to an 8.61 at 141mph giving him the win over Glassford’s 8.78 at 154 mph.
 Pro Comp would see some new racers joining the mix at the season opener. Joe Wild is one of those new competitors in the class but not new to the OSCA after racing his 427ci 1985 Mustang for several seasons in True Street. Reaction time would be the key for Joe as he knocked off each competitor on his way to the final where he would meet up with the always tough Johnny O and his 66 Chevy II. Wild would cut a .033 light to Oake’s .045 but it wouldn’t be enough as Johnny O’s supercharged Chevy took the win light running 8.45 on a 8.46 dial to Joe’s 9.481 on a 9.47 dial.
Open Comp had its usual large number of competitors in the staging lanes at the OSCA’s Spring Fling. When the finals rolled around it would be the 86 GMC S-15 of Terry Pastor in the winners circle after he defeated Franklin Guillaume in a close race at the line.
8.90 has always been a competitive class so it only makes sense that many racers have been drawn to the fierce competition and want to be a part of it. With guys like Rich “Big Nasty” Mason heading up the class you know you are in tough every round. Joe Borges and John McIntyre Jr., would find that out as he ousted them in rounds one and two. Round three would give him the bye into the finals where his competitor would be Ernie Zambri who had just defeated Bill Suitor on a hole shot in the semi finals. It was as close as it gets at the top end after the .018 reaction time Zambri laid down with Mason right there with a .021. The margin of victory at the finish line would be 2 thousandths of a second as Zabri posted an 8.920 to Mason’s 8.919.
Gary Quill and his high revving 86 Mustang would take on the 1987 Mustang of Steve Price in the final round of 9.90. Price would nail the tree and get out early and use that to his advantage as he won on the holeshot with a 9.944 to Quill’s quicker 9.93.
Another example of the tight knit relationship amongst the OSCA faithful would take place in the 10.90 class. In the semifinals, Dan Nealan of Williamsville NY., would leave the line and blow the U joint out of his Camaro. Lucky for Dan, John Rice had broken out on the pass running a 10.88 to go under the index. Myself and a few others quickly pushed Dan off the track and before he was even hooked up to get towed back to his pit area he had an offer from a fellow racer that had the U joint he needed. Brian Prior and Dan Marvin of the 2 Fast Garage would offer their parts and their help to get Dan up and running again. 15 minutes later Nealen was in the lanes and ready for the 10.90 final. His opponent would be Marc Carano and his 86 Mustang LX. Carano would cut a -.001 reaction time to go red and hand the easy win over to Nealen who ran it out the back door to a 10.78
Brad Redford of Colborne ON would take on Randy Nunn of Langton ON., in the finals of 11.90. Nunn is always a threat in 11.90 but the day would belong to Redford as Nunn went too fast and ran an 11.75 to an 11.91 by Redford.
Jim Edwards would get a perfect .000 light in the first round of 12.90 giving him the Griffin Autotek reaction time bonus. He would then put his 95 Nissan Maxima in the finals against Craig Aitken. Edwards would have a huge starting line advantage which forced Aitken under with a 12.86. Edwards would take the win running a 13.27.
Be sure to check out the OSCA website for upcoming events. www.raceosca.com
Photos by Mark Ackert (Additional photos from this event can be viewed: HERE)
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