By JM Hallas

Marion, TX., – It was another big Saturday show at San Antonio Raceway beginning with the second to last round of Summit Super Series bracket racing. Later in the evening it was MOPARS vs. the world show along with the Nogalitos Gear Door Slammers running their 4.90, 5.80 and 7.00 index classes scheduled to race.

After losing the August 20th race to rain, drivers in each class only have a couple more chances to pick up points in the chase for the track championships and seatings in the slots up for grabs in the Division 4 Team Finals held at the end of the month/beginning of October.

San Antonio Raceway, along with Pine Valley Raceway, will be hosting two separate teams along with competitors from Little River Dragway, Edinburg Raceway, Ben Bruce Memorial Raceway, State Capitol Raceway(La.), Amarillo Dragway and Wichita Falls Dragway. Team Finals winners become eligible for the Summit Super Series Wold Championships near the end of October at Memphis International Raceway.

The Electronics(Box) class shows former track and World Finals Tournament of Champions winner, Scott Ball with a good lead(121) on David Bills, with Chris Keylich and defending champ, Brent Ritter close behind. Bills, C. Keylich and Ritter have a tight battle for second within 10 points of each other. Todd Robinson rounds out the top five in the class.

Foot Brake(No-box) has former track promoter, Todd Zampese with a comfortable(157) point advantage ahead of Nelson Friedeck and 179 on former motorcycle track champ, Ruben Gallegos. Gabriel Hernandez and Dennis Soefje are separated by only a point in the battle for fourth and fifth, respectfully.

In the Street class its Silvia Zemgals, who does double duty in No-box also, with a slight 31 point margin over Zach Tshoepe and 74 on Patrick Borroum in third. The Jr. Dragsters have World Finals Champ, Kenneth Hillin ahead of defending track champ Ashley Hubbell by 31, Gianni Carrola back 41, Caden Meuth 60 behind with the Ball sisters, Haily and Emily, one point apart in the fight for fifth, and family bragging rights.

After Friday nights rain the start of the day was muggy, oppressively so, with partly sunny skies over the 1/8 mile track, just out side of San Antonio, for the Summit Super Series time trials. By the first round of time trials hit the track temperatures were around 115 with the humidity still hanging the air. By the time elimination began the track had risen to 130-140 degrees, depending on the occasional cloud.

Electronics co-winner David Bills goes on the chase after Avery Smith in the semi-finals. Photo by JM Hallas

Electronics(Box)

The Electronics finals ended with a good ol’ fashioned ‘sister kisser.’ David Bills, in his Mission Racing, Steve Schmidt Race Engines, Undercover Chassis and Aaron Cole, in his Mission Racing, TnT Chassis were slated for the finals. Both opted to split the money and points and bypass the run to save on parts.

David Bills/Aaron Cole co-winners, DNR, opted to split money and points

Bills outran Cole Herbold, Mike Atkinson, K. Barrett, David Johns, Avery Smith and had a round 6 bye. Cole ousted Brent Ritter, R. Fischer, Todd Zampese, Todd Robinson, Scott Ball in semi’s with a round 5 bye.

Electronics co-winner Aaron Cole taking the green. Photo by JM Hallas

Foot Brake winner Josh Gaspard breaking the beam on a bye run. Photo by JM Hallas

Foot Brake(No-box)

The Foot Brake finals came down to Josh Gaspard, who was back in his racecar after rebuilding an engine and having to run his wife’s street car for points and Billy Janousek in a different car than he started the season with. Gaspard, in his G&G Performance, 73 Dodge Challenger and Janousek in his Illeetautowrap.com, Randd Automotive, Mustang had nearly identical lights and were door to door at the stripe. Both broke out with Gaspard the lesser offender picking up the points win after splitting the money prior to the run.

Josh Gaspard(7.67) 7.656 @ 85.98 defeats Billy Janousek(6.33) 6.306 @ 107.24(Double break out)

Gaspard knocked out D. Weir, Harold Shimek, Aaron Tschoepe, B. Butler, J. Balderas and had a round 6 bye to the finals. Janousek trailered Sherman Davis, R. Cantwell, Damian Tschoepe, Mac Garcia, Gene Herbold and got a round 5 bye.

Street class winner Sylvia Zemgals on a burnout. Photo by JM Hallas

Street

In the Street class finals it was old school vs. new tradition as a pair of Dodge Challengers faced off for the bragging rights and points after splitting the money. In a rematch from round 1 it was points leader, Silvia Zemgals(San Antonio), in her 70 Challenger against Ron Gordner in his 2015 Challenger. Gordner had 7/100th on the tree but it was Zemgals running her number, getting the win on the top end.

Silvia Zemgals(7.54) 7.558 @ 90.29 defeats Ron Gordner(7.40) 7.509 @ 85.68

Jr Dragster winner Kenneth Hillin readies himself for a pass. Photo by JM Hallas

Jr. Dragster

The Jr. Dragster finals saw World Finals Champion, Kenneth Hillin going against Emily Ball. E. Ball cut a .009 light on Hillin who had an .043 light himself(not too shabby either). But E. Ball missed her number with Hillin driving around her for the victory and increasing his points lead with second place Hubbell not in attendance.

Hillin beat Jessika Jackson twice, and Matthew Keylich on his way to the finals. E. Ball bested Caden Meuth and Cason Carter with a first round bye.

Kenneth Hillin(7.92) 7.980 @ 79.76 defeats Emily Ball(8.07) 8.181 @ 77.44