A Western New York State based racer enjoyed a truly very special weekend of racing during NHRA’s recent National Open at Cayuga…
Pete D’Agnolo received a fist full of cash from John Scotti after his amazing weekend at Cayuga’s NHRA National open – winning 2X!
Vintage Chevrolet Super Stock racer Pete D’Agnolo (from Rochester), grabbed the top event headlines for the PCRichard.com NHRA Northeast Division National Open Series race held at Cayuga Dragway for both June 17 & 18th when he completed an undefeated weekend sweep of the event’s highlight Stock/Super Stock Shootout, presented by John Scotti Classic Cars and the Canadian Drag Racing Hall of Fame.
D’Agnolo, won a very large portion of the total prize money offered for that event ($25,000 US$) when he beat a very stout field of Stock and Super Stock race cars that represented all Eastern Canadian provinces and numerous nearby Amercian states.
On Saturday, Pete bested Stoney Creek Ontario’s Venice Perno in the championship final round. After winning five rounds of eliminations which included decisions over Michael Ingram, Guy Desjardins and Scott Stillings, D’Agnolo ran his high winding 336 CID small block powered ’67 Camaro machine past Perno in the final round taking a 9.392 secs 127.22 mph to 12.15 secs 107.95 mph decision. Venice, who normally races a SS/CS classed late model Mustang, was behind the wheel of a I/SA ’68 Chevelle for this racing weekend.
Defending 2016 IHRA World Champion Pete D’Agnolo went 12 for 12 in rounds of racing at Cayuga!
Local drag racing proponent Venice Perno did a stint racing this Chevelle at Cayuga – he placed runner-up on Saturday.
Then on Sunday, D’Agnolo keep his momentum in tact. After beating Trevor Edmond, Robert Park, David Turner, Glen Baker and Bill Little, he stopped Nova Scotia based Canadian Super Stock racer John Armstrong in the final round. Pete won by a 9.496 secs 135.52 mph margin over Armstrong’s SS/AA ’68 Corvette which could not quite run him down at 9.042 secs and 151.20 mph.
Pete held off John Armstrong’s NHRA record holding Corvette for Sunday’s Stock/SS title.
The John Scotti Classic Cars and the Canadian Drag Racing Hall of Fame Stock/SS Shootout, which was the 2nd annual attempt at Cayuga Dragway, featured ferocious competition throughout qualifying and eliminations in an event that featured numerous NHRA national class record holders and division and national event champion cars. The #1 qualifiers were Quebec’s Guy Desjardins (on Saturday) while Sunday’s eliminator was paced by New York’s Chuck Weber.
“The positive feedback we received from last year’s edition encouraged us to increase the 2017 purse and make the event even bigger,” said John Scotti. “This year, we had over100 racers registered.”
NHRA Northeast Division Director, Dave Mohn, was also pleased to see the Stock/Super Stock Shootout continue to build a strong foundation for the growth of the PCRichard.com NHRA Northeast Division One National Open series.
“Overall the PCRichard.com National Open event does a great job in establishing the NHRA brand of drag racing in Ontario,” said Mohn. “And it allows racers in this area of the continent to earn grade points toward NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and give them great exposure.”
Funds raised at the Stock/Super Stock Shootout benefit the Canadian Drag Racing Hall of Fame, a registered non-profit organization whose mission is to recognize the achievements and contributions of Canadians to the sport of drag racing.
For more information, visit: www.CDRHF.com
The event also included drag racing in an NHRA index class (a combo for Super Comp/Super Gas/Super Street class competitors) as well as the latest rounds for racing from within Cayuga Dragway’s very own Race Cayuga Sportsman Series.
The NHRA Index titles were won by Amercian racers, Bob Bauer III (on Saturday) and by Tom Coonly (on Sunday) who both entered competition with 10.90 Super Street Chevy cars.
Tim Coonly (top) and Bob Bauer III won the NHRA Combo eliminators on Saturday and Sunday respectively.
Saturday’s RCSS winners included Robert Bauer III (Super Pro), Mark Menicanin (Modified), Dan Earl (Pro Bike/Sled), Brad Talbot (Street), KC Kovacs (Quick Sportsman) and Wyatt Henderson (Junior Dragster).
Sunday’s RCSS titles were claimed by Tim Knight (Super Pro), Dustin Taylor (Modified), Dan Earl (Pro Bike/Sled), Jeff Talbot (Street), Mike Newman (Quick Sportsman) and Taityn Summerfield (Junior Dragster).
Posted by files by Bruce Biegler & Rob Potter
Photos by John Marechal and Darwin Kent
