JEGS Cajun SPORTSnationals Results
Giant U.S. based performance mail order company JEGS hosted it’s 1st of 3 all Sportsman racing national events for 2013 last weekend down in Louisiana…
Steve Szupka won not once but twice this weekend at the JEGS Cajun SPORTSnationals at No Problem Raceway and the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and Jody Simoneaux took home the trophy in the NHRA Moser Sportsman Shootout.
Szupka, Willow Grove, Pa., become just the 15 driver in history to capture the double-up winning in two different classes at an NHRA national event. Szupka beat Jim Kimbrough in the final of Comp Eliminator with a pass of 8.729 seconds after Kimbrough left early with a red-light foul start then came back around to face Austin Williams in Stock Eliminator. Szupka, driving an ’85 Camaro, got the starting line advantage and held on for the win and the double running 11.300 at 114.66 mph. Williams, Burleson, Texas, went 10.923, 118.06 in his ’72 Duster.
Simoneaux of Napoleonville, La., worked his way through the field in the Moser Sportsman Shootout (a race with-in a race) in his ’99 Firebird before meeting up with John Salter, Katy, Texas. Simoneaux clocked in at 6.168, 106.46 mph for the win as Salter went red on the starting line.
P J Vicari joined Simoneaux as home state winners grabbing the trophy in the division’s Sunset Racecraft Top Dragster class at 195.51 mph in 6.611 seconds beating No. 1 qualifier Michael Kile of Westlake, La. Kile went 6.361 at 202 mph in his losing effort.
Ryan Herem made his trip out from California worth the haul winning in Super Gas over Jim Perry. The pair had identical reaction times with Herem, Quartz Hill, Calif., running 9.932 seconds in his ’63 Corvette to win by 0.006 of a second.
Former JEGS Cajun SPORTSnationals winner Anthony Bertozzi, Ashland, Va., repeated his performance from a year ago when he won in Top Dragster to win in Super Stock against Gilbert Johnson, Lecompte, La. Bertozzi went 8.742 seconds at 147.92 for the win.
Other racers visiting the winner’s circle this weekend were Greg Brotherton, Mena, Ark., over Dan Foley in Super Comp; Ray Dew, League City, Texas, beat Bart Nelson in Super Street; Allen Firestone won in Top Sportsman against Chris Arnold; and Mike Voss from Maplewood, Minn., downed former Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Craig Treble in Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley Davidson.
NHRA’s Mike Rice, Allen Firestone (Top Sportsman), Greg Brotherton (Super Comp), Steve Szupka (Comp and Stock), P.J. Vicari (Top Dragster)
Kneeling: Ray Dew (Super Street), Anthony Bertozzi (Super Stock), Ryan Herem (Super Gas), Mike Voss (Sportsman Motorcycle)
Posted by: Eric Lotz
Photo by: Auto Imagery
