RACE #4 - Thompson raceway park
DOUBLE HEADER EVENT
Mother Nature beat us to the punch back in May but we would put a back up plan in the books from the beginning...so when we lost that event the Double Header option was put into play. Who would have known in January what we would be up against come July 23rd. The day arrived and we had our shot to one up her. We would be successful but also pay the price for challenging the Queen of all queens...Mother Nature!!! We will forever be at her mercy in this game...
Those tough enough to step up to the challenge braved brutal heat and record setting track temps...the track temps reached 140 degrees that day but we stood our ground, TRP's crew did the best job anyone could have asked for and we got it done!!
These two events also came with some victories that will tug on the heartstrings of every person with a strong connection to the RRA!! The RRA definitely hit a bump in the road this summer and coming off of that we came back home and the way the day played out I honestly think the boys upstairs were trying to remind us of what really matters...we are family, and every family will have disagreements but you never give up on each other!!
qualifying
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eliminations
Race #4 found our Defending Champion Bill Benson in the Winner's Circle for the 1st time in 2016!
Bill also put up the only 8.90 pass in competition on a day that proved tough to cover the number!
CONGRATS TO BILL BENSON!!!
Bill also put up the only 8.90 pass in competition on a day that proved tough to cover the number!
CONGRATS TO BILL BENSON!!!
qualifying
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Clear the way Gentleman...Lady coming through!!
When they strap into the cars the are just competitors gender is a 2nd thought but it is still cool to see one of the ladies of the RRA hanging tough among some fierce competition!! 
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eliminations
People will say some moments in life are written in the stars, for Dennis Chillik's return to the RRA on July 23rd I would like to believe it was written in the heavens more than the stars. The RRA is no stranger to loss, we have lost some really great men over the years, Brian Chillik is now among them. He was something special and we had to let him go suddenly and without a chance to say Goodbye. Everyone who knew him at the track has something they remember fondly and miss now that he is gone, for me it was looking over at him as he intently watched his father and brother race. In his signature arms crossed stance...I would try to look over as often as I could and he would always give a smile and a nod when they would do good!!
It has to be hard to carry on such a family tradition with such a large piece of the puzzle missing, there is a hole within the hearts of the Chillik family that will never be filled. What I was blessed with that they were not was a chance to say Goodbye and for Tommy to tell me exactly how he would love to see my days filled...of course in his plans beyond my kids my days were to be filled with everything Renegade...lol That promise I made him has been the biggest blessing in his absence, even on the bad days when I want to throw my hands up and walk away...deep down I know where my heart is and where I belong. It has been a blessing to have welcomed so many great people into the Renegade Family over the years...there are certain moments and things that make this job worth doing and they are some of the same things that made Tommy so proud, one of those are watching fathers and sons, brothers, husbands and wives, whole families bond over their love of racing and it is such an honor that the RRA provides a home to do so and that in spite of our ups and down true friendships are formed and memories that will last a lifetime are made!
I think Brian was riding shotgun in that Old Torino back on July 23rd, guiding his Dad all the way to the Winner's Circle as a way of letting him know he is always with him and it's ok to be out there, it is ok to carry on doing what they loved!! I imagine he is up there standing crossed armed watching over each and every pass Dennis and Tim make!!
CONGRATS TO DENNIS CHILLIK!!!
It has to be hard to carry on such a family tradition with such a large piece of the puzzle missing, there is a hole within the hearts of the Chillik family that will never be filled. What I was blessed with that they were not was a chance to say Goodbye and for Tommy to tell me exactly how he would love to see my days filled...of course in his plans beyond my kids my days were to be filled with everything Renegade...lol That promise I made him has been the biggest blessing in his absence, even on the bad days when I want to throw my hands up and walk away...deep down I know where my heart is and where I belong. It has been a blessing to have welcomed so many great people into the Renegade Family over the years...there are certain moments and things that make this job worth doing and they are some of the same things that made Tommy so proud, one of those are watching fathers and sons, brothers, husbands and wives, whole families bond over their love of racing and it is such an honor that the RRA provides a home to do so and that in spite of our ups and down true friendships are formed and memories that will last a lifetime are made!
I think Brian was riding shotgun in that Old Torino back on July 23rd, guiding his Dad all the way to the Winner's Circle as a way of letting him know he is always with him and it's ok to be out there, it is ok to carry on doing what they loved!! I imagine he is up there standing crossed armed watching over each and every pass Dennis and Tim make!!
CONGRATS TO DENNIS CHILLIK!!!
qualifying
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eliminations
The heat of the day was not as much of a factor for the racers of the Midwest Mine Services 10.50 Index Class, were some very competitive pairs scattered throughout the ladder. A ladder that Bob Marr would find himself going the distance, in what I believe to be his 1st ever Renegade win (don't quote me 100% on that)
CONGRATS TO BOB MARR!!!
qualifying
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eliminations
Jim Parrish made his way past some very heavy hitters among the 11.50 class on his way to his 1st Renegade Win. This is Jim's Rookie season with the RRA, his win during Race #4 of the double header was amongst the special moments of the day. Most of you know the story of how he came to race this Camaro in the RRA but for those who do not I will try to catch you up on the history...
Rewind to 2011, the RRA had come off of another great season and Tommy was so proud of all of his racers, living vicariously through all of you was the best medicine for him!! I swear the cure to his disease could have been had if only we could have just bottled the rush he got from being at the track on race day! He was suddenly itching to see his Camaro back in action. He had the car in a million pieces so he began to make plans to get it back together. He obviously needed someone to take over driving duties so sitting at our dining room table after Thanksgiving dinner Tommy asked my brother if he would like the job, and of course he said yes!! Sadly we lost Tommy that February...those of you who knew him aren't surprised that he was giving me a check off list for the car just a couple days before he passed away, along with my RRA to do list...lol
None of us were up to working on the car without him so it sat for a year before it returned home to me, then it seemed even sadder for that car to just sit in my garage. So I began thinking, Tommy had asked me to carry on the RRA but he had asked my brother to take over driving that car. I knew what he would have wanted me to do so I made a call to see if Jim wanted the car, he didn't hesitate for a single second! The car was now just a roller with boxes of bolts, parts and also missing parts from the changes that were never completed. Tommy had begun to tear the car down back in 2009 but I think he knew his ALS had taken hold too much to safely drive so he just stopped and that is what my brother agreed to take on. A true rookie to the sport, Jim was a complete stranger to the 1/4 mile but that didn't stop him. With some help of some good friends, manuals, google, you tube, you name it, he did whatever it took to learn what he needed to know to get this thing done! Not to mention the money involved but he fought through it to successfully reassemble that Camaro. It 1st made it's debut in 2015 but having to replace the missing body panels meant it wasn't so pretty...this is where Fastforward Automotive came in. Adam had approached the RRA about his paint job give-a-way and felt honored to be able to put the final touches on bringing Tommy's Camaro back to life so offered to use the car to debut his commitment to the RRA. Two decisions I will never regret since Tommy's passing...keeping my promise to him to never walk away from the series and making the choice that brought new life to that old car. Seeing it in the Winner's Circle on our return to the track this summer, along with the other heartfelt moments of the day...it really was one of those moments that really speak to you if you let it. We are all were we belong, doing what we love and doing it together...as a family!!
Rewind to 2011, the RRA had come off of another great season and Tommy was so proud of all of his racers, living vicariously through all of you was the best medicine for him!! I swear the cure to his disease could have been had if only we could have just bottled the rush he got from being at the track on race day! He was suddenly itching to see his Camaro back in action. He had the car in a million pieces so he began to make plans to get it back together. He obviously needed someone to take over driving duties so sitting at our dining room table after Thanksgiving dinner Tommy asked my brother if he would like the job, and of course he said yes!! Sadly we lost Tommy that February...those of you who knew him aren't surprised that he was giving me a check off list for the car just a couple days before he passed away, along with my RRA to do list...lol
None of us were up to working on the car without him so it sat for a year before it returned home to me, then it seemed even sadder for that car to just sit in my garage. So I began thinking, Tommy had asked me to carry on the RRA but he had asked my brother to take over driving that car. I knew what he would have wanted me to do so I made a call to see if Jim wanted the car, he didn't hesitate for a single second! The car was now just a roller with boxes of bolts, parts and also missing parts from the changes that were never completed. Tommy had begun to tear the car down back in 2009 but I think he knew his ALS had taken hold too much to safely drive so he just stopped and that is what my brother agreed to take on. A true rookie to the sport, Jim was a complete stranger to the 1/4 mile but that didn't stop him. With some help of some good friends, manuals, google, you tube, you name it, he did whatever it took to learn what he needed to know to get this thing done! Not to mention the money involved but he fought through it to successfully reassemble that Camaro. It 1st made it's debut in 2015 but having to replace the missing body panels meant it wasn't so pretty...this is where Fastforward Automotive came in. Adam had approached the RRA about his paint job give-a-way and felt honored to be able to put the final touches on bringing Tommy's Camaro back to life so offered to use the car to debut his commitment to the RRA. Two decisions I will never regret since Tommy's passing...keeping my promise to him to never walk away from the series and making the choice that brought new life to that old car. Seeing it in the Winner's Circle on our return to the track this summer, along with the other heartfelt moments of the day...it really was one of those moments that really speak to you if you let it. We are all were we belong, doing what we love and doing it together...as a family!!
CONGRATS to JIM PARRISH!!!
On a side note that we all got a good laugh out of...check out my common core check writing skills!!! I messed up the check so decided to wing it and just make it fun! Once he was crowned the winner it got even funnier...leave it to your little sister to screw up your moment in the spotlight...lol
race #5
qualifying
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eliminations
Most times the racers love to take advantage of their 1st round bye runs...Race #5 had most of them taking advantage of the position they earned by sitting the 1st round out allowing for their cars and themselves to take a break from the heat of the day.
Bob Keaton overcame battery issues that sidelined him during qualifying. He was put in at the bottom of the ladder to face Brian Prior and he came out strong putting up the only 8.90 pass of race #5 during round #1 of eliminations and following that up by annihilating the tree with a .000 light in the semi's but just couldn't cover the number allowing Eric Tuuri to sneak into the Finals to face John Sahli.
With number one and number two in points squared off this round had potential to shift the momentum of either racer going into the 2nd half of the season. When it was said and done Eric Tuuri would have his 3rd win of the 2016 Season expanding his points lead to 52 points!!
Bob Keaton overcame battery issues that sidelined him during qualifying. He was put in at the bottom of the ladder to face Brian Prior and he came out strong putting up the only 8.90 pass of race #5 during round #1 of eliminations and following that up by annihilating the tree with a .000 light in the semi's but just couldn't cover the number allowing Eric Tuuri to sneak into the Finals to face John Sahli.
With number one and number two in points squared off this round had potential to shift the momentum of either racer going into the 2nd half of the season. When it was said and done Eric Tuuri would have his 3rd win of the 2016 Season expanding his points lead to 52 points!!
CONGRATS to ERIC TUURI and CREW!!!
QUALIFYING
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eliminations
Fresh off of his Race #4 Win Dennis Chillik made an early exit from Race #5 when Chad Pokopatz overcame a terrible reaction time by putting up a PERFECT 9.900 pass and Dennis ran a bit slow only putting up a 10.058.
Jack Brown snuck past Brad Courson's PERFECT 9.900 pass in the semi-finals by beating him off the line and following up with a 9.902 on the top end!! Tom Hyatt seems to have passed his Red Light curse on to his 9.90 comrade Jack Brown as Jack made it to the finals in both of the days events but unfortunately went down to the dreaded red light DQ in both finals appearances.
Your Defending 9.90 Champion, Brian Kennelley, rode his #1 Qualifying position all the way to the Winner's Circle!!! After a rough start to the season this was Kennelley's 1st win for the year and by the looks of this epic Winner's Circle Photo I would say Brian and his entire crew were thrilled about dusting off the cobwebs and finding their way back to the top of the ladder to end a long day at the track!!
Jack Brown snuck past Brad Courson's PERFECT 9.900 pass in the semi-finals by beating him off the line and following up with a 9.902 on the top end!! Tom Hyatt seems to have passed his Red Light curse on to his 9.90 comrade Jack Brown as Jack made it to the finals in both of the days events but unfortunately went down to the dreaded red light DQ in both finals appearances.
Your Defending 9.90 Champion, Brian Kennelley, rode his #1 Qualifying position all the way to the Winner's Circle!!! After a rough start to the season this was Kennelley's 1st win for the year and by the looks of this epic Winner's Circle Photo I would say Brian and his entire crew were thrilled about dusting off the cobwebs and finding their way back to the top of the ladder to end a long day at the track!!
CONGRATS TO BRIAN AND CREW!!!
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eliminations
Many will agree that the race track is their break from reality. It is our sanctuary, when we pull through those gates even if its just for a little while life is good. Good friends, good racing, good memories!!! This summer the Wojnowski family faced every parents worst nightmare when Gary's son Gabe was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Thankfully it was benign and operable...everyone prayed that all would go well for the little guy through out his surgery and recovery. During the toughest days of my life a very wise man told me that Life is not meant to be easy, and we will be tested along the way, and it is what we do and how we react to those tests that matter (that man was Jim Curtis, in one of our talks back in 2012 when I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with how unfair it all seemed and it has stuck with me all these years.)
Most of us cannot even begin to imagine the range of emotions the Wojnowski family has to have gone through this past year, as everything is different when it is a child. Gabe's surgery was a success, he was on the road to a full recovery and it was time for this family to take a break from all of that and get back to doing what they love!! Gary Wojnowski is a race car driver, and a hell of a good one at that!! Transitioning from his Top Sportsman Car to running the 10.50 Index Class with ease and it seems his son will be following in his footsteps, already getting his feet wet in the sport with his junior dragster. Gary's 1st event back in Top Sportsman found him in the Winner's Circle and just a short time later his return to the RRA came with the family once again celebrating with him in!!! But I think there are times that God let's us know everything is going to be ok, for the RRA July 23rd was a day for moments just like that...
This was Gary's 1st day out with the RRA for the year and he wrapped up with day with a win for race #5!
Most of us cannot even begin to imagine the range of emotions the Wojnowski family has to have gone through this past year, as everything is different when it is a child. Gabe's surgery was a success, he was on the road to a full recovery and it was time for this family to take a break from all of that and get back to doing what they love!! Gary Wojnowski is a race car driver, and a hell of a good one at that!! Transitioning from his Top Sportsman Car to running the 10.50 Index Class with ease and it seems his son will be following in his footsteps, already getting his feet wet in the sport with his junior dragster. Gary's 1st event back in Top Sportsman found him in the Winner's Circle and just a short time later his return to the RRA came with the family once again celebrating with him in!!! But I think there are times that God let's us know everything is going to be ok, for the RRA July 23rd was a day for moments just like that...
This was Gary's 1st day out with the RRA for the year and he wrapped up with day with a win for race #5!
CONGRATS to GARY and CREW!!!
qualifying
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eliminations
Brad Slaughter was on fire on July 23rd...making the most of his time in Jimbob Davies car. Not only was he was dual entered and running that car hard all day long in the insane heat but Brad made it to the finals of both events and came out with the win in Race #5!! Very impressive day of racing right there!!
CONGRATS to BRAD SLAUGHTER and CREW!!!
