Rain postpones SAR final points night before round 2

[rebelracewriter]

Summer Series Bracket Racing Final Points Night @ San Antonio Raceway, 9-13-08

By J M Hallas

 

 

Rain Forces Postponement, Gives Bobby Gregory New Life

Marion, Tx., (Sept 13th, 2008) With scattered showers left over from "Ike" dotting the area canceling many shows. San Antonio Raceway tried to squeeze in it's final Summer Series Bracket Racing night in on the 1/8th mile drag strip, just east of San Antonio. The final points race were set to not only crown a champion, but set the 25 cars destined for the Division 4, Team Finals.

 

In what shaped up to be a fight to the finish in Electronics class points among the Gregory family, and a four way battle in Footbrake. At night's end it ended up being wash out. Since two rounds were not complete the event was considered a total rain out. Even though the slate was wiped clean, here's how things played out.

 

The Electronics class, currently being dominated by the Gregory team, saw third generation driver, Bobby come into the final night with an 82 point margin over his father, Robert. With 20 points awarded for showing up, and 10 points per round win, Robert's task seemed insurmountable. He would have see his son go out in round, then have enough entries to take six round wins and pick up the 2 bonus points for a win. All that just for a tie.

 

Round 1 action saw one of possibilities come true when Brett Zampese beat Bobby Gregory, and Robert, who set low ET of the round, was able to take his round win in the Quick 16, a part of the Electronics class eliminations. Then 3/4 of the way through the Quick 16's Mother Nature decided that she wanted a round win, forcing a slight delay in the action. The youngest Gregory was then forced to "buy back" into the next round of eliminations, with possibly a wounded car.

 

In an odd twist of fate round 2 would put Grandpa Bob Gregory up against his son, Robert. Bobby would be paired up with Mark Akin. Both would break out of their dial in, with the win going to Akin who went under index the least.(.001 vs. .012) The points leader then caught a big break, when the rains hit again forcing officials to postpone the event until next week giving him new life and a chance to make repairs.

 

 

In Footbrake, the points race was closer, as four driver were in the running separated by less than 100 points. Josh Gaspar headed the list with 799, with Ryan McDonnell second(723), R J Doerr third(712) and Cole Herbold fourth(704). A first round win by Gaspar could set up his march to a track championship, leaving McDonnell, Doerr and Herbold battling for second place.

 

Footbrake round 1 saw points leader Gaspar take out Elizabeth Brown, McDonnell best Allen Friedeck, Doerr get a win over Luis Jiminez, while Herbold got taken out by Nick Knisely.

 

 

Junior Dragsters started the night with Dustin Ryan holding a 47 point edge on Dylan Lee and 93 markers ahead of Juan Valdez. A small entry field eliminated Valdez before engines ever fired and put Lee in the position of having to win out, and see Ryan have trouble.

 

Ryan was able to clinch his championship in round 1 without ever really having to press the issue. Ryan's competition, Justin Cox broke on the line giving him a bye run, an easy win and the 2008 San Antonio Raceway Jr. Dragster title.