A Canadian Motorcycle drag racer has claimed one of the most prestigious titles anywhere for North American ET Bracket racing…
The recent season-ending NHRA AAA Club Finals, completed earlier this month in California, again included a very special race-within-a-race tournament. Presented by Summit Racing Equipment, the 2017 NHRA Summit Racing Series National Championships showcased the very best ET Bracket racers geographically representing all over North America in head-to-head competition.
And one of the four emerging winners for those elite eliminations was a young racer from Medicine Hat Alberta who claimed the 2017 NHRA Summit Racing Series National Championship for Pro ET Bike class racing – Riley Toth.
The 22-year old racer prevailed over the absolute very best in competition for his category. After taking wins over Rick Newport (Utah) and Dennis Stewart (Florida), Riley used a slight better RT in the championship final round to beat Nebraska’s Curt Spracklin. Riley combined a .011 RT with a run of 8.605 secs (8.60 dial in) at 144.03 mph to edge out Spraklin’s equally impressive 8.614 secs (8.61 dial in).
At Pomona — Riley Toth (near lane) clinched a 2017 Summit Racing National championship when he beat Curt Spraklin in a super tight final round.
Riley was racing a 2008 model Kawasaki ZX7 and this huge event victory capped off a truly sensational 2017 season for his family oriented team which also includes his brother and fellow drag racer Zack, father an mother Dave and Gail and girlfriend Sarah.
His National championship was preceded by a long season string of successes, which started with him winning the track championship at his home drag strip at Medicine Hat, and included as well a 2017 CMDRA championship and a NHRA Northwest Division Six points title.
“At the Finals I was actually racing my brother’s motorcycle,” Riley revealed. “At this tournament it’s a Sportsman tree compared to the Pro tree we race back in Medicine Hat — and his bike has a delay box and all the electronics. It’s pretty similar to what I usually race – but it’s also a bit faster.”
Riley at Pomona with his brother Zack, father an mother Dave and Gail and girlfriend Sarah.
Riley’s victory, which came on Sunday at fabled Pomona Raceway in front of a huge crowd, was something special too that he had never experienced before.
“That was a big crowd and the track was terrific,” he continued. “Just getting a chance to mix it up with the best of the best was an accomplishment – but to then come out on top – feels pretty awesome. It feels like the equivalent of winning a triple crown!”
Toth’s championship win was also witnessed by a lot of friends and family who traveled down from all over Western Canada to watch him race and then celebrate.
Riley Toth is an electrician by trade employed by Spider Electric in Medicine Hat. Spider Electric is owned and operated by Mark Simmons, who is a avid drag racer himself, now within the Top Dragster class category. Simmons is also a former participant in the Summit Racing Series National Championships event – having raced his then Super Pro dragster at Pomona in 2013 to a runner up finish.
Riley Toth’s 2017 drag racing season brimmed with success!
About the NHRA Summit Racing Series:
NHRA’s Summit Racing Series features bracket racing at NHRA Member Tracks all across North America each season – presenting competition in four primary classes – Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman and Pro Bike. NHRA Summit Racing Series racers first compete for points and cash awards at qualifying events and drivers who earn the most points are eligible to compete for individual and team honors at the NHRA Summit Racing Finals in each of NHRA’s seven divisions.
Individual winners then receive a division champion trophy and purse along with travel expenses to attend the NHRA Summit Racing Series National Championship held each year at the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway. There, they compete for a national championship, $5,000, a national champion trophy, and bragging rights for the year.
Post and photos by Bruce Biegler
