RACE #1 (4-27)
We all knew from talk over the winter that our filler class was no more...some guys stepped up, one stepped down and as it goes in racing a few others stepped out of the 2014 season that being said its all good, 10.50 is still a full field of racers that know how to put on a hell of a show race in and race out!!
Dennis DeWeese was new to the RRA in 2013. He took 3rd overall in points after winning the tie breaker over another rookie, John Sahli...not to shabby!! This season gloves were off and he made it clear from the word Go that he is fighting for the title, he is the #1 qualifier (10.506) and takes it to the semi's in this 1st event of the 2014 season. But he isn't the only one who wants redemption from the past season...no doubt Carroll wants his title back!! The "Battle of the Mikes" went on for 2 seasons. Season #1 went to Carroll and Season #2 to Walker but since Walker stepped up to 9.90 I guess we will never know how it would have played out this time around!! Carroll definitely set his plan in motion taking the event win at SMP to start the year off on top of the points race.
Dennis DeWeese was new to the RRA in 2013. He took 3rd overall in points after winning the tie breaker over another rookie, John Sahli...not to shabby!! This season gloves were off and he made it clear from the word Go that he is fighting for the title, he is the #1 qualifier (10.506) and takes it to the semi's in this 1st event of the 2014 season. But he isn't the only one who wants redemption from the past season...no doubt Carroll wants his title back!! The "Battle of the Mikes" went on for 2 seasons. Season #1 went to Carroll and Season #2 to Walker but since Walker stepped up to 9.90 I guess we will never know how it would have played out this time around!! Carroll definitely set his plan in motion taking the event win at SMP to start the year off on top of the points race.
RACE #2 (5-10)
We may just want to call this event out the Dennis DeWeese Show...is this guy going to be unstoppable in 2014 or what!?!?!
He was the #1 Qualifier with a 10.503, killing it on the tree in eliminations with two .003 lights (one in rd #1 and again in the finals) Bob Singer did however give his a run for his money in the finals. Bob made sure if DeWeese was going to take the win, he was going to earn it!! It was an intense final but DeWeese came out on top when Bob ran a 10.5085 to DeWeese's 10.5081. Paul Carillon was the only racer to trump any aspect of DeWeese's performance for the night. Paul came out and just chopped the tree down in his 1st round of eliminations for the 2014 season cutting a perfect .000 light!!
He was the #1 Qualifier with a 10.503, killing it on the tree in eliminations with two .003 lights (one in rd #1 and again in the finals) Bob Singer did however give his a run for his money in the finals. Bob made sure if DeWeese was going to take the win, he was going to earn it!! It was an intense final but DeWeese came out on top when Bob ran a 10.5085 to DeWeese's 10.5081. Paul Carillon was the only racer to trump any aspect of DeWeese's performance for the night. Paul came out and just chopped the tree down in his 1st round of eliminations for the 2014 season cutting a perfect .000 light!!
RACE #3 (5-31)
These guys are starting to come together as the season progresses, this time the top 10 qualified cars were in the 10.50's. Will Carroll was #1 (10.504) just 5 thousandths ahead of Gary Wojnowski (10.509) and John Sahli wrapped up the 10th position with a 10.596. Will Carroll would only make it as far as round #2 where he was late on the tree and just couldn't overcome it to take the round win from Tim Toothman. Tim went on to face Mike Carroll in the finals where Carroll would take his 2nd win within 3 events!!
Eliminations within this class are fierce and going rounds is no easy task! The ladder was riddled with 10.50 passes...Dennis DeWeese (10.503 rd #2 and 10.509 in rd #3) his night would come to an end when he goes red in the semi-finals against Tim Toothman. John Sahli (10.509) Gary Wojnowski (10.503) and Bob Singer (10.508) all within the 3rd round of eliminations. John and Gary were head to head in eliminations, but the crowd pleasing fender to fender round obviously went to Wojnowski. Carroll beat Singer off the line and his 10.508 just wasn't enough to get it done.
Eliminations within this class are fierce and going rounds is no easy task! The ladder was riddled with 10.50 passes...Dennis DeWeese (10.503 rd #2 and 10.509 in rd #3) his night would come to an end when he goes red in the semi-finals against Tim Toothman. John Sahli (10.509) Gary Wojnowski (10.503) and Bob Singer (10.508) all within the 3rd round of eliminations. John and Gary were head to head in eliminations, but the crowd pleasing fender to fender round obviously went to Wojnowski. Carroll beat Singer off the line and his 10.508 just wasn't enough to get it done.
RACE #4 (7-3)
INDEPENCE EVE EXPLOSION AT TRP is a fan favorite event and these 10.50 boys were sure putting on a show during qualifying!!
#1 Qualifier was Mike Carroll with a perfect dead-on 10.500 followed up by Matt Dadas (10.002) Bill Bowman (10.008) and Greg Zilke (10.009). Dennis DeWeese and Gary Wojnowski just missed it and found themselves at the bottom of the ladder, Wojnowski was a mere one-thousanths of a second on the wrong side of 10.500!!
Dennis DeWeese faced Matt Dadas in the semi-finals with both racers running 10.50 passes but unfortunately for DeWeese he was .005 Red and Dadas was in the finals. Bob Singer would find himself in a second final round of eliminations for the year but in the end Matt Dadas would take the win in his 1st ever RRA event.
#1 Qualifier was Mike Carroll with a perfect dead-on 10.500 followed up by Matt Dadas (10.002) Bill Bowman (10.008) and Greg Zilke (10.009). Dennis DeWeese and Gary Wojnowski just missed it and found themselves at the bottom of the ladder, Wojnowski was a mere one-thousanths of a second on the wrong side of 10.500!!
Dennis DeWeese faced Matt Dadas in the semi-finals with both racers running 10.50 passes but unfortunately for DeWeese he was .005 Red and Dadas was in the finals. Bob Singer would find himself in a second final round of eliminations for the year but in the end Matt Dadas would take the win in his 1st ever RRA event.
RACE #5
Event was rained out / Entry Points were awarded
RACE #6

See RPM Highlight Page for recap...coming soon
POINTS CHAMPIONSHIP/ABRUZZI SMACKDOWN
One Race to go...I have no doubt 10.50 will be off the hook!!!

Mike Carroll has sat in the #1 position this entire season...so the question is will the 27th bring "The Thrill of Victory or the Agony of Defeat"??? He is tough as nails on the track but this class is made up of some of the best the RRA has to offer. Be at TRP this coming weekend to find out if he can hold them off!!

Dennis DeWeese has proven to be extremely lethal this season but you know the saying...Live by .00 die by .00!! Only thing to stop DeWeese all season has not been an opponent but the dreaded red light!! Carroll has to have been able to feel Dennis breathing down his neck this entire season. He has had the points race down to one point separating them prior to the RPM event but Carroll bought himself a little cushion, 20 points is just over a round of cushion so this will be an all out brawl going down the ladder this coming weekend!!!

Gary Wojnowski just proved the impossible to be possible when he became the 1st ever Renegade Racer in our 5 year history to put up a PERFECT PACKAGE .000 on the tree and 6.700 down the track!!! That performance speaks for itself going into the finale, so I would be looking over my shoulder for sure if I were Carroll and DeWeese they aren't the only ones after a title!!

Bob Singer is a quite a threat within this class...only other racer besides Carroll and DeWeese to make it to multiple finals this season and that says a lot about the caliber of racer he is!! I'm sure his sights are set on moving up but he also needs to protect where he stands now to make sure to keep his spot in the SMACKDOWN!!

Tim Toothman is setting just outside those 4 coveted spots and his shot at his 1st appearance in the ABRUZZI SMACKDOWN!! He has some ground to make up but he has been to the finals once before this season, no doubt he has it in him to do it again, but will going to the finals be enough to get him in?1?!
John Sahli...the only racer already seated in the SMACKDOWN or with a possibility of breaking into the Top 4 NOT to have a final round appearance in 2014. He has one more shot to get it done and any racer who is hungry enough and due for a win can be very dangerous!!! Will be exciting to see if he can pull it off... |
This class may have more lethal players ready to play spoiler than the others!! John Carroll, Greg Zilke, Gene Adamic, Tim Chumley, Paul Carillon, Mike Blair, any of these guys could throw a wrench in the plains of the guys above.