A sign of things to come?

[2rismo]

Some info below on a round of the NHRA Sony Xplod Sport Compact series from the US of A. The round was from earlier this year but some of the info and times are pretty interesting. Check it out.

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ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. – Competitors from all five Pro categories on the newly-named NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series turned in record setting performance of both speed and power Sunday, despite the rain-shortened schedule for the fifth annual Nitto NHRA Sport Compact Springnationals.

Jason Hunt earned his first-ever national event victory in the Pro FWD category, while Matt Hartford (Pro RWD), Paul Efantis (Modified), Ron Lummus (Hot Rod) and Jesus Padilla (All Motor), all added to their career victories totals in their respective categories. The $150,000 event was the third of 11 races in the $2.1 million NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series.

The debut event for the recently renamed series faced a challenging start after regional storms cancelled Saturday’s qualifying action, raising the stakes for all racers with only one qualifying round prior to the start of eliminations. Sunday’s start also was delayed due to the wet conditions but clearer skies in the afternoon, plus a condensed racing schedule, allowed for the completion of the event.

Jason Hunt

Hunt, of Crofton, Md., drove around Pro FWD points leader Ed Bergenholtz in the final round, reaching the finish line in 8.474 seconds at 170.69 mph in his Valvoline SYN Power Saturn Ion for the win. Bergenholtz, winner of the season-opener at Moroso Motorsports Park and in his third consecutive final round, posted a slower pass of 8.638 at 157.08 for his second consecutive runner-up finish. Hunt’s victory makes him the third different Pro FWD winner in as many races and gives the Southern California-based team crucial points towards the 2005 NHRA Xplod world championship.

“It feels great,” said Hunt about his first professional win. “The weather came around and so did we. It was an exciting final and it could have gone either way. We fixed a boost problem from the previous round and the spike in pressure in the final spun the tires hard; I got out of it, saw [bergenholtz’s] nose and stepped back into it. We almost ruined it for ourselves.”

Matt Hartford

Hartford captured his third career Pro RWD victory after blasting down the quarter-mile in 6.990 at 197.33, holding off final-round opponent Ara Arslanian and his performance of 7.066 at 200.14. Driving the Summit Racing Chevy Cavalier, Hartford, from Glendale, Ariz., also captured the Pro RWD No. 1 qualifier award with an event-best time of 6.674 at a track record speed of 213.06.

“We’re happy as we can be,” Hartford said. “It was a matter of doing whatever it was going to take to get the win this weekend. We had a soft tune-up like everybody else and we were surprised to qualify No. 1. I played it safe in the first round after I saw Steph’s red light come on and the second round [against Carlos Montano] was just as hairy, but I just kept feathering the throttle and stayed in front. We took some clutch out for the final round and knew that if we ran a six [second pass] - it would be anybody’s race. We ran a 6.99 and that was just enough to get the win. Once in awhile, we need the luck on our side.”

Paul Efantis

Efantis, another Maryland resident, remains perfect for the 2005 season with his third consecutive victory in the Modified category. The Ijamsville local drove his Lucas Oil Toyota Solara through the timers in 7.449 at 187.26 against Sean Glazar in the final. Glazar’s race car experienced mechanical problems and coasted to a finish of 15.324 at 67.99. With the victory, his seventh consecutive dating back to the 2004 season, Efantis was able to extend his lead in the NHRA Xplod Modified point standings as the defending world champ sets his sights on his second series crown.

“You can’t be happier with a three-win streak,” Efantis said. “I need to dedicate this to the team. If it wasn’t for their day-to-day work on the Lucas Oil Solara, this wouldn’t be possible. The Jim Justice engine has been nothing but consistent and Jeff Hunley’s new porting gave us a big edge. Everybody, including my buddy Justin [Humphreys], is stepping up in the class this year and every race is exciting. It should be one of the best Modified seasons ever.”

Humphreys, competing in a Lexus GS300, set the Modified national record for E.T. with his 7.33 pass, which was backed up within the NHRA-mandated 1 percent with his time of 7.37 which he clocked in his first round victory over Jose Mendez. Humphreys was involved in a top-end spinout after losing to Efantis in the semifinals in an incident that damaged his machine.

Ron Lummus

Lummus was another driver to reach the final round for the third straight event this season, winning the Wally trophy in the Hot Rod category. Lummus, a resident of Anaheim, Calif., scored his second victory in three tries following a string of seven-second performances en route to his matchup against Bryan Jimenez. Lummus’ performance of 7.99 at 183 was enough to outrun Jimenez, who posted a 9.80 at 126.93. Driving the Turbo by Garrett Pontiac Sunfire, Lummus also reset both ends of the Hot Rod national record for the second time this season – lowering his previously-set E.T. record to 7.94 while raising the speed record to 184.83.

“I’m pretty excited,” Lummus said. “Running a 7.94 right off the trailer to qualify first was surprising because we were shaking the tires pretty hard. In fact, we were rattling them pretty good all day. The car has been pretty reliable though and the Bothwell Team has the new smaller Garret turbo package worked out nicely. Everything is extremely efficient on this team and I can’t do it without them.”

Jesus Padilla

In the Honda Tuning All Motor category final, 2004 world champion Padilla’s Mazda RX-7 blasted down the quarter-mile in 9.90 at 132.99 pass to hold off Jeremy Lookofsky’s pass of 12.89 at 69.41 to record his first victory in three final round attempts this season. The Kissimmee, Fla., resident recorded a 9.94 at 132 qualifying pass to lead the All Motor field and continued to record nine-second performances through the final. Padilla shut the clocks off in 9.89 at 132.99 for the win. Padilla’s elapsed time established a track record, which was previously held by Lookofsky, and only four- hundredths of a second slower than the national record held by Charles Madrid.

“I have to thank Central Florida Turbos for this win,” Padilla said. “I wasn’t even planning to race this weekend, but they insisted and sponsored me for the event. We ran the same setup as we usually do for Englishtown, except for adding wheelie bars. The wheelie bars really helped and the car was really consistent. The win was a nice reward for CFT and my other sponsors – NGK, Jerico, Mazdaspeed, Microtech, and of course a lot of friends.”

The 2005 NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series continues with the Northeast NHRA Sport Compact Nationals, May 14-15, at Atco Raceway in Atco, N.J.

PRO RWD:

Matt Hartford, Phoenix, Ariz., '04 Cavalier, 6.990, 197.33 def.

Ara Arslanian, Cresskill, N.J., '02 Solara, 7.066, 200.14.

PRO FWD:

Jason Hunt, Crofton, Md., '03 Ion, 8.474, 170.69 def.

Ed Bergenholtz, Santa Ana, Calif., '06 Mazda, 8.638, 157.08.

MODIFIED:

Paul Efantis, New Maricet, Md., '03 Solara, 7.449, 187.26 def.

Sean Glazar, Odenton, Md., '92 Talon, 15.329, 67.99.

HOT ROD:

Ron Lummus, Anaheim, Calif., '05 Pontiac, 7.995, 183.07 def.

Bryan Jimenez, Houston, Texas, '93 Civic, 9.801, 126.93.

ALL MOTOR:

Jesus Padilla, Kissimmee, Fla., '85 RX7, 9.901, 132.99 def.

Jeremy Lookofsky, Northridge, Calif., '00 Civic, 12.894, 69.41.

SPORT RWD:

Ari Yallon, Garland, Texas, dragster, 9.397, 147.62 def.

Julie Stepan, West Hollywood, Calif., '04 WRX, 9.565, 140.88.

SPORT FWD:

Brian Ballard, Sloatsburg, N.Y., '91 CRX, 9.970, 150.35 def.

Felix Medina, Ridgefield Park, N.J., '91 Civic, 10.626, 149.38.

STREET STOCK:

Luis Soto Jr, Coral Springs, Fla., '00 Honda, 13.269, 102.00 def.

Sam Saleteda, Gardena, Calif., '95 Civic, 13.224, 106.75.

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PRO RWD:

ROUND ONE -- Matt Hartford, Chevrolet Cavalier, 14.849, 56.57 def. Stephan Papadakis, Honda Civic, broke; Carlos Montano, Mazda MX6, 8.071, 177.77 def. Brad Personett, Toyota Celica, broke; Adam Saruwatari, Honda Acura, 7.040, 197.02 def. Manny Cruz, Nissan, 7.944, 157.15; Ara Arslanian, Solara, 6.805, 202.03 def. Matt Scranton, Celica, 7.907, 164.35

SEMIFINALS -- Hartford, 7.427, 150.88 def. Montano, 7.687, 174.10; Arslanian, 6.920, 181.32 def. Saruwatari, 7.149, 191.00;

FINALS -- Hartford, 6.990, 197.33 def. Arslanian, 7.066, 200.14.

PRO FWD:

FINALS -- Jason Hunt, Saturn Ion, 8.474, 170.69 def. Ed Bergenholtz, Mazda, 8.638, 157.08.

MODIFIED:

ROUND ONE -- Paul Efantis, Toyota Solara, 7.317, 189.84 def. Ken Scheepers, Mazda RX8, 9.496, 153.98; Luis Corujo, Toyota Corolla, 8.764, 136.23 def. Ali Afshar, Subaru WRX, 14.161, 95.24; Sean Glazar, Eagle Talon, 8.802, 163.22 def. Not on File, broke; Justin Humphreys, Lexus GS300, 7.377, 188.70 def. Jose Mendez, 8.491, 155.88;

SEMIFINALS -- Glazar, 17.577, 58.35 def. Corujo, foul; Efantis, 7.419, 188.46 def. Humphreys, 8.118, 130.24; FINALS -- Efantis, 7.449, 187.26 def. Glazar, 15.329, 67.99.

HOT ROD:

ROUND ONE -- Bryan Jimenez, Honda Civic, 8.875, 155.65 def. Mike Gage, broke; Ron Lummus, Pontiac, 7.957, 184.83 def. Mike Crawford, Dodge SRT-4, broke;

FINALS -- Lummus, 7.995, 183.07 def. Jimenez, 9.801, 126.93.

ALL MOTOR:

ROUND ONE -- Tony Shagday, Accura RSX, 10.507, 126.28 def. Adam Franzetti, Honda Civic, broke; Jesus Padilla, Mazda RX7, 9.917, 132.87 def. Lisa Feeheley, broke; Joe Conde, Honda CRX, 11.011, 122.61 def. Thomas Borgla, broke; Jeremy Lookofsky, Civic, 10.209 135.06 def. Scott Mohler, Dodge SRT4, 10.343, 130.92; Scott Kelley, Volkswagen Fastback, 10.304, 128.90 def. Angel Valentin, Mazda RX-7, 10.360, 126.14;

QUARTERFINALS -- Kelley, 10.356, 128.54 def. Shagday, 10.568, 125.66;Lookofsky, 11.439, 110.34 def. Conde, 11.238, 121.39; Padilla, 9.927, 132.59 was unopposed;

SEMIFINALS -- Lookofsky, 10.160, 134.75 was unopposed; Padilla, 9.891, 132.84 def. Kelley, 10.263, 128.74;

FINAL -- Padilla, 9.901, 132.99 def. Lookofsky, 12.894, 69.41.

[MrBlonde]

Not often you can put Papadakis on the trailer with a 14.x pass!