RACE #1 2015
Thompson raceway park - april 25th
Well with just 48 hrs to go to raceday...IT WAS SNOWING!! Mother Nature once again reminding us not only is she bipolar but she is ultimately in control. Doubt began to set in whether opening day of our 2015 season was even going to happen, but you know part of being a RENEGADE is holding on to that "Never Say Die" mentality!!! So that's what we did, snow was still falling on some of our racers as they loaded up Saturday morning to head to the track...but they still headed out anyway!!
It is always fun, and an honor to take the series on the road and I am definitely looking forward to doing it again this season, but there is something special about kicking things off at home!! Thank you to Jim Curtis, Roberta, Denny, Carlos, Grant, Denny and everyone else I did not mention by name for welcoming us home with open arms and putting up with our uncharacteristic rough start...GREAT JOB BY ALL!!!!
It is always fun, and an honor to take the series on the road and I am definitely looking forward to doing it again this season, but there is something special about kicking things off at home!! Thank you to Jim Curtis, Roberta, Denny, Carlos, Grant, Denny and everyone else I did not mention by name for welcoming us home with open arms and putting up with our uncharacteristic rough start...GREAT JOB BY ALL!!!!
QUALIFYING
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VIC SANT0 8.90 index
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derrick reese
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gary paine
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tim McKenzie 11.50 index
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Qualifying was tough on the racers this 1st outing, April is EARLY to go racing!! Showed in our car counts and showed in the breakage and oiling down of the starting line...not usually how we roll but I give these guys props for going all out with little or NO testing going into our season opener. Each class had just one racer putting up an pass right on the index, but the more rounds we went the tighter things got!!
ELIMINATIONS
We do things a bit differently within the RRA. We do this to allow the series to grow staying true to our roots of qualified fields vs "all run". The second reason is to avoid late round bye runs (Tommy was very strongly opposed to modified car count ladders) So until we reach that goal we will do our own thing, it seems to be working well.
Car counts of 11 and below on a 16 car ladder with a "pigtail round" to run the necessary pairs. 12 - 16 cars will run on a 16 car ladder and 1st round bye runs will be permitted. 17 - 25 cars will be run on a 32 car ladder with a "pigtail round" 26+ will be permitted 1st round bye runs. If car count exceeds 32 cars then qualifying will mean so much more than points, you will be earning a chance to play!!!
Car counts of 11 and below on a 16 car ladder with a "pigtail round" to run the necessary pairs. 12 - 16 cars will run on a 16 car ladder and 1st round bye runs will be permitted. 17 - 25 cars will be run on a 32 car ladder with a "pigtail round" 26+ will be permitted 1st round bye runs. If car count exceeds 32 cars then qualifying will mean so much more than points, you will be earning a chance to play!!!
ROSSLER TRANSMISSIONS 8.90 INDEX presented by bIG 3 RACING
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With 10 racers in competitions, we had two pair of cars squaring off to get things starting in the 8.90 class. Bill Benson qualified at the bottom of the ladder with some issues during qualifying but when he killed the tree against Eric Tuuri he secured this spot in the show and his 1st round win of the day. Blaine Huffman has been working on his Camaro's set up for the past couple of years and his hard work is finally paying off!! Clay Courson went way to fast giving the round to him BUT the best part for Blaine might not have been the win but the fact that he ran his 1st pass in the 8's (8.95)!!
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Vic Santo has had a rough couple of years to say the least but you know what they say "Never Say Die" He and that beautiful Nova fought through all those gremlins and came back in 2015 to claim the #1 spot 1st time out!! But running too fast put him out of competition early and had Blaine Huffman taking home the Bounty on the #1 guy in addition to his second pass in the 8's!! Jimmy Loveland stepped up to run with the big dogs of the RRA, not a bad 1st go round (qualifying 3rd) once he gets the kinks worked out I think he is going to be a real player in this class. Scott Williams and his wife Kelly were a sight for sore eyes!! Kelly has been putting up a hell of a fight, with Scott by her side. She has been battling cancer discovered last fall...this woman is an inspiration to say the least!! No better way to forget all life's worries for a little while than to get out and do what we love...TOGETHER!!! RRA is hands down the best racing family around (but I am a little partial...lol) Bummer for Scott, he went red giving the win light to Al Matuska. Bill Benson again proved its all about reaction time moving past Chico to the semi's.
Al Matuska, your defending 8.90 Champion and Bill Benson, last years Runner Up met up in the finals after Blaine's had some issues against Al and Troy Wotring went red against Bill in the semi finals. Here they were last years Top 2 already facing off and the victory would be Benson's when Al fell to the dreaded Deep Stage Disqualification!!
CONGRATS TO BILL BENSON AND CREW ON THE WIN!!!
Al Matuska, your defending 8.90 Champion and Bill Benson, last years Runner Up met up in the finals after Blaine's had some issues against Al and Troy Wotring went red against Bill in the semi finals. Here they were last years Top 2 already facing off and the victory would be Benson's when Al fell to the dreaded Deep Stage Disqualification!!
CONGRATS TO BILL BENSON AND CREW ON THE WIN!!!
2 FAST GARAGE 9.90 INDEX
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Same deal in 9.90...10 cars so we begin with 2 pairs. A sweet thing about the RRA is we make a nice playground for the UMTR on off weeks!!! Always a treat to see those stick shift cars but not very often do we get to see them face off in eliminations!! Well we did on Saturday and it was a bad-ass!! Bob Getsy vs Tim Chillik, where Bob broke out giving the round to Tim. Rob LaRocco has returned!!! MIA from action in the RRA last year, his presence was missed in the 9.90 class. His 1st race was short lived when Walker covered him on both ends but gave him a chance to shake the cobwebs off anyway.
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Did I say not very often?? How about back to back rounds manual transmission mayhem within the RRA!! Your 9.90 #1 Qualifier...Derrick Reese locked in the Top spot but lost 2nd round to Tim Chillik. Mike Walker and John Sundback were caught sleeping on the tree sending Jack Brown and Tom Hyatt on to the next round. Ray Tumbry was just a titch too fast, sending Kennelley on to join the others in the semi-finals.
The Semi-finals or should we call it the round of the Red Lights...Brian Kennelley and Jack Brown both throwing up red lights sending Tim Chillik and Tom Hyatt into the final round!!
It was definitely a hard fought final round...Tim Chillik made Tom Hyatt earn every inch of that 1/4 mile victory!!!
Tom Hyatt, our Red Ranger, our king of the red light, probably the most picked on racer in all of the RRA (most of the time he sets it up so nicely for us) But more than anything he is family!! The Hyatt's are some of the best people you will ever have the privilege of knowing, so if you don't know them yet take a moment to say hello, you won't regret it. Tim Campbell, the patriarch of this family, was just laid to rest 2 short weeks ago. It's no exaggeration when someone refers to Tim as a local legend in the drag racing scene...he spent his entire life racing and his last few years doing much of his racing with the RRA. His passion was clearly in his blood because he passed that love on to his children and grandchildren. The loss still so raw in the hearts of the Hyatt family, it was clear by the tears shed at our drivers meeting how much they were missing him, and how hard it was to make that step to race without him physically there BUT he was there!! Tom fought through some insane competition to make it to the winners circle but the rounds it took to get there were made with an angel by his side. No doubt Tim was riding shot-gun in that '55 all day, not only keeping a watchful eye on Tom's trans brake button and reassuring his family that this is how they should honor and remember him...simply by doing what he loved doing with them by his side all these years.
CONGRATS TO TOM HYATT, NINA and LORI ON THE WIN!!!!
The Semi-finals or should we call it the round of the Red Lights...Brian Kennelley and Jack Brown both throwing up red lights sending Tim Chillik and Tom Hyatt into the final round!!
It was definitely a hard fought final round...Tim Chillik made Tom Hyatt earn every inch of that 1/4 mile victory!!!
Tom Hyatt, our Red Ranger, our king of the red light, probably the most picked on racer in all of the RRA (most of the time he sets it up so nicely for us) But more than anything he is family!! The Hyatt's are some of the best people you will ever have the privilege of knowing, so if you don't know them yet take a moment to say hello, you won't regret it. Tim Campbell, the patriarch of this family, was just laid to rest 2 short weeks ago. It's no exaggeration when someone refers to Tim as a local legend in the drag racing scene...he spent his entire life racing and his last few years doing much of his racing with the RRA. His passion was clearly in his blood because he passed that love on to his children and grandchildren. The loss still so raw in the hearts of the Hyatt family, it was clear by the tears shed at our drivers meeting how much they were missing him, and how hard it was to make that step to race without him physically there BUT he was there!! Tom fought through some insane competition to make it to the winners circle but the rounds it took to get there were made with an angel by his side. No doubt Tim was riding shot-gun in that '55 all day, not only keeping a watchful eye on Tom's trans brake button and reassuring his family that this is how they should honor and remember him...simply by doing what he loved doing with them by his side all these years.
CONGRATS TO TOM HYATT, NINA and LORI ON THE WIN!!!!
CHUMLEY MOTORSPORTS 10.50 INDEX PRESENTED BY BATTERIES FOR EVERYTHING
With 18 cars the "Filler Class" of the RRA comes out of the gates boasting the strongest car counts!! With 3 more racers throwing their hats into the points ring in 10.50 they achieved a new record...29 racers gunning for the title so far!! All 4 classes now have record # of participants!!! Gary Paine spent 2014 up in the 9.90 class, he decided to make his return to 10.50 well known by securing the #1 qualifying position!! 18 cars meant 2 pairs squaring off 1st round. Even though John Peffer and Dan Watts 1st outings in 10.50 were short-lived...no worries they will be back!! I don't doubt the further the season gets the further we see them going in eliminations!!
Bob Marr (another rookie) was able to overcome getting beat off the line when Geno Adkins ran a 10.66 to his 10.51. Dan Marvin's is another racer who enjoys to mix it up, class jumping within the RRA, he has gone between 10.50 and 9.90 over the years, 2015 finds him back in 10.50!! But 1st race out had him going out to a red light early. Bob Singer took out Gary Wojnowski, his .009 reaction time was enough to fend him off and take the round win. Our defending 2014 Champion, Mike Carroll, just had one of those days racers dread...mishap on the starting line cost him a shot at a race in a 1st offense elimination, his Deep Stage DQ trumped Gene Adamic going .006 red. Mike is a tough competitor and with the drop race in play...I'm sure next race brings a clean slate in his book.
Round #3 had the 1st two 10.50 passes of eliminations, Ed Richards put up a 10.509 against Bob Singer who gave up the round with a red light. Ben Davis ran a 10.502 but just wasn't enough to make up the starting line deficit and Gary Paine would move on to the semis.
Holy Reaction Time!!! 10.50 Semi-Finals were wicked, the RRA at its best!!! Dennis DeWeese for the win with a .000 light on a 10.524 over Gary Paine's .040 light and 10.503 pass! If it were a card game I would bet Gene Adamic came to the line telling Dennis I will match your perfect light and raise you a 10.50 pass!! .000 on the tree running a 10.504 beating out Ed Richards' .044 / 10.503!!
Round #3 had the 1st two 10.50 passes of eliminations, Ed Richards put up a 10.509 against Bob Singer who gave up the round with a red light. Ben Davis ran a 10.502 but just wasn't enough to make up the starting line deficit and Gary Paine would move on to the semis.
Holy Reaction Time!!! 10.50 Semi-Finals were wicked, the RRA at its best!!! Dennis DeWeese for the win with a .000 light on a 10.524 over Gary Paine's .040 light and 10.503 pass! If it were a card game I would bet Gene Adamic came to the line telling Dennis I will match your perfect light and raise you a 10.50 pass!! .000 on the tree running a 10.504 beating out Ed Richards' .044 / 10.503!!
Live by .00's / die by .00's that is how it goes...and how it went for Dennis DeWeese in his 1st trip to the finals this season!! Gene Adamic was the 1st 10.50 guy to make it to the Winner's Circle in 2015 and the 1st trip for Gene in all his years with the RRA. Rumor has it his car loving the new paint job, feeling "Pretty in Pink" and clearly wanted to show off in some photo-ops!! I gotta tell you that Tommy loved all the racers that he had the privilege of leading in those 1st few seasons, but there are a couple that felt a little extra special to bring into the fold. Gene was one of those racers, I still remember his 1st race with us and Tommy wanted to go over at the end of the night and thank him for coming out to race and when were on our way over he was telling me a little about him and his family's cars etc... Very proud moment for him and a direct quote "Having a guy like Gene join us is a real feather in my cap, doesn't get much better than this." I remember because I thought it was funny that he used the phrase "Feather in my Cap"
CONGRATS TO GENE ADAMIC ON GETTING THAT 1st RRA WIN!!
CONGRATS TO GENE ADAMIC ON GETTING THAT 1st RRA WIN!!
JIM CLERE MEMORIAL 11.50 INDEX
Nice Solid Field of 16 cars meant game on for this class, no freebie rounds...everyone had to earn it!! Tim McKenzie, #1 qualifier for the day faced Brad Slaughter in round #1. Great race that had McKenzie squeaking by to move on to round 2. Steve McBride (rookie to the RRA) took out veteran Renegade Phil Nordquist. Dan Addair, also a new guy coming out to play this season took out Jim Harty in a tight race! Vinnie Barbone and Eddie Corcino have raced past seasons with the RRA but got sent home early along side Rookie Dan Dalke and technical Rookie/former sponsor Mike Brown. Mike Brown has joined points the past few seasons but finally put points on the board. I'm sure we will see the car come around as the season progresses but awesome to have Mike finally out racing with us. No one wants to go out in round #1 but we all know its all part of the game. But I must say it is so exciting to see this class come out strong in 2015...a lot of new faces and names!! Can't wait to see how it plays out this year for all of them!
Round #2 had a lot of break-outs, with little or no testing prior to race day, not surprising to see in 11.50 as most cars can easily cover the number in this class. Steve McBride Jr and Scott Chitty both go out this way, and Big Ricky and Dan Addair to the red light. That's leaves a semi-finals full of returning 11.50 racers. Tim McKenzie had Renee Blair covered at both ends to take the win!! Renee was the only Lady Renegade in competition at the 1st race, hopefully soon she will have plenty of company in the lanes!! On the other side of the ladder both JimBob Davies and Mark Franko go red, but our Defending 11.50 Champ was the worse offender sending JimBob to the finals. Where again he would be caught jumping the gun back to back rounds, this time giving the round and Event win to Tim McKenzie!!!
CONGRATS TO TIM McKENZIE AND CREW ON THE WIN!!!!
thank you...
Thank you to everyone who had a hand in making our 2015 Season Opener one of our best!!!
Was really a good feeling to see guys out supporting whose cars are not ready yet, or guys who went out early still there at the end of the day. All the crew members that work behind the scenes so you guys behind the wheel look good doing what you do!!!
Always great to see familiar faces of the fans of the RRA who are there supporting us almost every race!!
THANK YOU!!!!
The end of the race, seriously felt like movie Grease when they realize the Gang is back together!!
Our Race Day Crew...
Skippy - Tech
Cooke - Starting Line
Tim and Lisa Chumley - Winner's Circle
Kelly and Lisa Parks - Booth
Stephanie - My Partner in Crime
Both Lisa's shot video for Ryan
Best part is everyone listed above pitched in to help wherever it was they were needed throughout the day to make the race run smoothly...GREAT JOB GUYS!!
Was really a good feeling to see guys out supporting whose cars are not ready yet, or guys who went out early still there at the end of the day. All the crew members that work behind the scenes so you guys behind the wheel look good doing what you do!!!
Always great to see familiar faces of the fans of the RRA who are there supporting us almost every race!!
THANK YOU!!!!
The end of the race, seriously felt like movie Grease when they realize the Gang is back together!!
Our Race Day Crew...
Skippy - Tech
Cooke - Starting Line
Tim and Lisa Chumley - Winner's Circle
Kelly and Lisa Parks - Booth
Stephanie - My Partner in Crime
Both Lisa's shot video for Ryan
Best part is everyone listed above pitched in to help wherever it was they were needed throughout the day to make the race run smoothly...GREAT JOB GUYS!!
CURRENT POINTS STANDINGS
