“DiLecce Double” Kicks Off PMRA Campaign
Former Fast Street Car racer Rocky DiLecce (Mississauga ON) enjoyed a terrific outing at TMP Cayuga Dragway last weekend winning two PMRA Pro Mod titles. Billy White and Dan Cryderman were also victorious during the exciting and crash-marred Victoria Day Challenge Canadian series opener…
Di Lecce, driving his supercharged 1968 Camaro Pro Mod, owned the Cayuga track over the weekend, qualifying number one with a 5.964-second, 242.98-mph pass and never looking back. In the final round the 2nd year Pro Mod driver defeated the Willys of number eight qualifier Jeff Roth of New Dundee, Ontario. Di Lecce took a bye run in the first round, and then took out Jay Santos of Halton Hills, Ontario in the semi-round. Jason Kalso of Clarkston, Michigan was the other semi-finalist, losing to Roth.
The win was Di Lecce’s second of the 2013 season driving the R2B2 constructed car — he won the postponed PMRA race from a week previous, also completed during the weekend at Cayuga.
Rocky DeLicce (from Mississauga) set both low ET and top speed while winning the PMRA features at Cayuga
Pro Mod class racing did take its toll on competitors this weekend. Friday’s open test session claimed the cars of arguably the series’ two top ranked PMRA racers – multi-time champion Bruce Boland and defending 2012 points champion Eric Latino. Both the Boland and Latino cars suffered severe damage after collecting the guardwalls in separate incidents. While Boland’s damage to his recently acquired ’53 Corvette was reportedly mostly cosmetic — Latino’s fast-rising “Team Green” Camaro made the heaviest impact. Thankfully both popular racers were not seriously injured.
Defending PMRA champion Eric Latino emerged from this scary wreck during Friday’s open testing session.
Derek Hawker was also forced out of competition during Saturday’s qualifying round when he lost control of his ’63 Corvette and made glancing blows with both guardwalls while spinning out on the top end. Thankfully again — Hawker was not injured but his fan favourite Corvette will need a new front half and some body work.
White (Gadshill ON) qualified sixth on the Top Dragster side, eliminating Mike Everitt of Stratford, Ontario, Tony Positano of Toronto, Ontario, and Melanie Simmons of Orillia, Ontario, to meet up with and eliminate Jeff Moser of Waterloo, Ontario in the Top Dragster final.
On the Top Sportsman side, Spencer Hyde qualified fifth and made laps through the field, besting Paul Martin of Breslau, Ontario, number one qualifier Fred De Jonge of Puslinch, Ontario, and Marc Gervais of Sudbury, Ontario, to meet up with and win over Steve Corriveau of Fonthill, Ontario in the final round.
In the event final, White cut an excellent .004 light, and drove to a 6.69, 200.40 win over Hyde. The win was White’s first in Quick 32 Sportsman Series competition.
Bill White’s win driving his Top Dragster was his first Napa Q32 series victory.
Pro Bike rider Dan Cryderman (Thamesville ON) won his third PBSS event after a tight match-up with runner-up John Schwartz of Lancaster, New York. Cryderman, riding his Suzuki, qualified third in the field and eliminated Marty Kuiack of Milton, Ontario, Rob Barwick of Toronto, Ontario, and Dave Vandereyken of Acton, Ontario.
Dan Cryderman won the PBSS series opening event of 2013.
Next event in the PMRA will be held on the ICAR eighth-mile drag strip in Mirabel, Quebec June 15-16, the third race on the eight-race card. The Quick 32 Sportsman Series and the PBSS return to action June 21-23 during the South Coast Community Weekend at TMP’s Cayuga Dragway.
Posted with files from Tim Miller and Bruce Biegler
Photos by: Bruce Biegler, Brennan Shortall & Greg MacPherson
To view DragRaceCanada’s Victoria Day Weekend Event Photo Gallery – click : HERE
