Hairston gets PSCA Pro Street win
Firebird Raceway in Phoenix was the site of the PSCA Arizona Nationals, the sixth stop for the series. With track temperatures approaching 140 degrees, the track crew worked valiantly to keep the racing surface raceable, but race teams had to detune their combinations significantly to navigate the quarter mile.
In Pro Street, Kelly Bluebaugh’s Monte Carlo captured the pole with a 6.48/22. Unfortunately, tire shake and loss of traction became the norm as the heat took its toll on the track, causing problems for John Mihovetz and current record holder, Giuseppe Gentile.
Randy Hagerty had contact with the wall, causing damage to his Corvette, but no injury to him. He was out of the competition for this race, however.
Clint Hairston’s GTO (shown above) qualified in the number five spot and dispatched Mihovetz and Bluebaugh. Bluebaugh had his hands full when his fire system emptied the bottles’ contents under the rear tires.
On the other side of the ladder, number two qualifier Gentile worked his way through the competition, but could not make the final round call after throwing a rod in the semi.
In Wild Street, Chris Groves and Brian Manske’s cars came together in an on-track mishap, with Grove’s record-setting Mustang suffering significant damage. Neither driver was injured.
As eliminations began on Sunday the absence of Groves meant several others would come to the forefront. Number one qualifier Al Jimenez was clearly the quickest Wild Street car remaining on the property and he utilized the Procharger power to move through the field. Also showing his experience was small tire standout George Raygoza who fought through the tough field showing just enough to take the win light. Raygoza met Jimenez in the final. Jimenez showed no mercy as the second generation Camaro moved out and never looked back recording a winning 8.22 to Raygoza’s 8.65.
Other Arizona Nationals finals rounds were:
Outlaw 10.5: R.Weems 7.726/147.26 def. R.Zehring 8.294/130.28
Xtreeme Drag Radial: S.Oksas 7.972/177.93 def. R.Holder 8.272/178.02
Hot Street: D.Bott II 8.523/157.36 def. B.Cobbett 9.349/156.77
Limited Street: P.Williams 9.241/149.93 def. C.Williams 9.559/145.06
Open Comp: M. Nordahl (DI)10.61/10.675 def. S.Pramov (DI)9.44/9.537
Mean Street: T.Easterday 10.671 def. L.Fishgold 10.746
Quick Street: D.Withers 9.877 def. C.Sundstrom 9.988
Super Street: B.Kidd 8.7545 def. K.Strokesberry 11.036
Mustang Maddness: G.Strelecki (DI)10.94/10.965 def. K.Bouchard (DI)10.51/10.556
Bracket-1: V. Sandoval def. Jerry Hops
Trophy: Jim Sobczynski def. Jeff Knighton
The PSCA will return to the Strip at Las Vegas on Oct.17-20 for the Mickey Thompson Tires Fall Nationals, and then the big one, the Street Car Super Nationals IV on Nov. 20-23. (Gil Rebilas photo) [10/3/2008]
Mondello to speak to students at CHRR
 Joe Mondello (right) with museum executive director, Tony Thacker. (photo courtesy Wally Parks Motorsports Museum) |
About 50 automotive students from Antelope Valley High School in Lancaster, Calif., will get a lesson in Hot Rod 101 thanks to the veteran racing parts maker Joe Mondello and the California Hot Rod Reunion. Mondello will be the featured lecturer at this year’s education seminar hosted by the Reunion, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, on Fri., Oct. 10.
According to Tony Thacker, executive director of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum (produced of the Hot Rod Reunion), “the seminar was created to increase awareness of American automotive history and the many rewarding education and career opportunities within the automotive industry.”
Mondello, founder of Mondello Tech Center in Tennessee, will discuss his 50 years of building high-performance racing engines. Mondello began his fascination with speed at the age of 14. Today, he’s hung up his racing medals to educate youth about the automotive industry.
Dave Calvert, Antelope Valley High School auto teacher, said he is delighted to bring out his class and learn from an expert. “The seminar is an opportunity for the students to learn more about all aspects of the automotive industry and prepare them for careers in automotives and other related fields,” said Calvert.
The 17th annual California Hot Rod Reunion, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, Oct. 10-12 at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif. It’s also the season finale of the inaugural NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage nostalgia drag racing series. [10/3/2008]