PTRA & OSCA Event Updates
The just past July long weekend included the latest rounds of racing within Ontario’s thriving PTRA and OSCA circuits…..
PTRA – St. Thomas – Round #4
With the Canadian Snowbirds blasting across the cloud filled sky above, St.Thomas Raceway Park played host to round #4 of the Pro Tree Racing Association this past Canada Day Long weekend. Along with the usual assortment of awards, prizes and money, this weekend the PTRA would be presenting NHRA Wally’s to the winners in each of its classes. After some hard fought qualifying, the usual pre-recorded version of the National anthems just wouldn’t do so announcer and co-founder of the PTRA Kelly Cooper would pick up the microphone and sing an inspirational rendition to the Canada Day fans as they anxiously awaited the cars to take to the track for eliminations!
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Up for grabs in the highly anticipated King of the Street class was $500, put up by sponsors from Rynotech as well as of course an NHRA Wally! It would be a Can/Am battle for the Wally as Aaron Pilatzke from Orangeville ON would go head to head against Bill Suitor of Sanborn NY. Pilatzke had his beautiful 33 Willy’s out for the first time this season but would experience difficulties and couldn’t get a clean run in to match the consistency of Suitor’s wheelstanding 1970 Chevelle. Running a best of 5.27 against Pilatzke in a grudge style shootout, Suitor would be victorious in the end and claim the prize of $500 and the Wally for his efforts.
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Bill Suitor Wheelied his way to the King of the Street win.
Hoping for his second win in a row, Jim Dunton of London ON would qualify #1 in Open Comp and battle his way through the field to make it to his forth PTRA final of the season. Lining up beside Dunton would be a formidable competitor from near by Aylmer ON, Drew Buchner and his wheel standing 85 Camaro. Both racers dialed in at 6.99 and both cut down the tree asBuchner”s reaction time was .001 to Dunton’s .002. It was a close race but Jim Dunton would get the win light on the double breakout. Talk about cleaning up, Dunton takes home $400 in cash, the NHRA Wally, a $50 gift certificate from Westside Performance for being #1 qualifier as well as a CTEK battery charger courtesy of Griffin Autotek for the bounty hunter prize since he was not beat in elimination rounds after qualifying in the top spot.
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Pro Comp races #2 and #3 were won by Doug Hoffman so he was looking to keep his winning streak alive after qualifying #1 at race #4. With qualifying #1 Hoffman would also receive a $50 gift certificate from Westside Performance. Steve Beaven would make his way to the finals with his cool AC Cobra and would face none other then the 73 Vega of Hoffman. After another exciting final, Doug Hoffman would be the one to hoist the Wally with a huge smile on his face. If the Wally wasn’t enough, Hoffman would also take home $375 cash as well as a Snap On metal extension cord reel given by Griffin Autotek for the Bounty Hunter prize.
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- Winners in each class also received 5 gallons of Klotz race fuel courtesy of Ken Handsaeme of Rynotech.
- Winner of the Losers in Open Comp- Clint McAdams received a $100 gift certificate for a dyno session at Misener Motorsports in Brantford.
- Winner of the losers in Pro Comp-Dalton Symon received a $75 gift certificate to Performance Unlimited in London.
- Heather Ireland in her Olds would be the first to red light in Pro Comp competition so she received a set of screwdrivers for her misfortune.
- Clint McAdams would be the first to go red in Open Comp giving him the Mastercraft socket set.
- Doug Hoffman was the racer with the “best package” so he received $50 cash from Griffin Autotek
Sponsors are definitely stepping up and showing their support for the newly formed racing association with Griffin Autotek being a major help with cash and prizes as well as savings for PTRAcompetitors by knocking $5 off the gate fee.
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Diamond Jim would put on a show for his Canadian fans.
Be sure to hit the next PTRA race held Aug 4 at St.Thomas Raceway Park and also check out DragNden.com for event photo’s.
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OSCA Cayuga – Round #3
The Ontario Street Car Association recently got together for its third race weekend of the season. June’s race was rained out on Sunday so the heads up classes would continue with eliminations during the qualifying of the July race. Qualifying/Rain out eliminations would be run on the full 1/4 mile but rain over night would result in Sundays eliminations for all classes to be run in the 1/8 mile. George Tserbis had his turbo Mustang flying and would qualify a top the field. Rob Galli would also have a strong showing on Saturday, qualifying #2 and lining up against Serge Longo in the rainout final. Galli would take the win of the battle of Camaro’s and give him momentum going into Sundays racing action. George Tserbis would have a bye in the first round and defeat the nasty PSP prepped Mustang of Vince Melao in the second round. Tserbis would however lose in the semi’s to the Camaro of Longo. Galli would narrowly pull out a win in the other semi-final after his competitor Jeff Thompson blew the tires off his 1990 Mustang giving him enough track to make up some time after forgetting to arm his nitrous system. A repeat of the rainout race final of Saturday would have Galli’s 02 Camaro powered by a 370ci sbf taking on the nitrous powered 84 Camaro of Longo. Sam Barberio had Galli’s Camaro tuned perfectly for the finals as the team dipped into the 4’s running 4.96 at 144mph to Longo’s 5.13 at 144mph.
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Rob Galli with all his girls after their EZ Street win!
The lone competitor on the grounds in Pro Stock was the 1984 Z28 of Tom Craig, piloted by Kelly Cooper of Sombra, ON. The team had the all motor Camaro flying on the weekend running a stout 8.24 at 167mph on Saturday.
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Tony Nicoletti of Hamilton, ON went .009 red handing the easy win to Matt Searle of Ancaster, ON as the pair of Mustangs battled for the Street Eliminator title. Searle ran 10.69 at 125mph to Nicoletti’s 10.85 at 125mph.
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Mike Mildon would have a tough battle to the finals of Black Cat Pub’s King of the Street. His all motor 05 Suzuki Hayabusa would take out Petro Nikoloulias on his wicked 01 Hayabusa in the first round then the ever tough Joe Carlos in the semi’s. JP Calandra couldn’t make the call for the finals giving Mildon the easy win as he stopped the clocks in 5.68 seconds at 130mph.
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Saturday Index results
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7.90 winner Aldo Sepe.
8.90 winner John Galluccio defeated Bill Suitor.
9.90 winner Kirby James defeated Tony Stevkov.
10.90 winner Dan Marvin defeated Al Hodgson
11.90 winner Bill Gies
12.90 winner Sean Brydges defeated Brandon Silva
Bike/Sled Comp winner Nicole Meloche defeated Pete Stewart
Pro Comp winner Dan Morrison defeated Dave Cooper
Open Comp winner Mark Menacanin defeated Jarrod Kolne
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Nick Kokkas would come back after dragging the bumper to take the 8.90 win
Sunday Index
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8.90 winner Nick Kokkas defeated Brad Dean
9.90 winner Tim Kennelly defeated Kirby James
10.90 winner Dan Marvin defeated Peter Toich
11.90 winner Michael Kamaicas defeated Bill Gies
12.90 winner Jarrod Kolne defeated Brandon Silva
Bike/Sled Comp winner Craig Mark defeated Pete Stewart
Pro Comp winner Chris Lozon defeated Chris Van Baalen
Open Comp winner Jarrod Kolne defeated Mark Menacanin
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