Kelsie Iida-Vierra holds the lead of the Junior Dragster class sponsored by Manny’s Repair heading into the Labor Day weekend. The drag races are hosted by the Garden Isle Racing Association at the Kaua‘i Raceway Park in Mana. Following the
Kelsie Iida-Vierra holds the lead of the Junior Dragster class sponsored by Manny’s Repair heading into the Labor Day weekend. The drag races are hosted by the Garden Isle Racing Association at the Kaua‘i Raceway Park in Mana.
Following the Aug. 4 races, Iida-Vierra has accumulated 400 points to date with Nalu Barros challenging at 355 points and Courtney Brock at 310 points.
Iida-Vierra powered his dragster to an 8.19 ET over his 7.90 dial-in, hitting 60.40 mph on a .013 reaction time for first place over Donaven Gomes, who hit an 8.46 ET over an 8.36 dial-in, reaching 75.13 mph on a .265 reaction time.
Other drivers in the chase include Zailea Kawehilani Lawrence-White (295 points), Donaven Gomes, Jr. (280 points) and Tryane Sakamoto (265 points), according to the point standings on the Drag Race Kaua‘i website.
The field rounds out with Lawson Fernandes, Jr. (215 points), Devin Almarza (125 points), Lexie Ramalia (115 points), Kalei Groves and Lacin Montemayor.
The Junior Dragster Challenge will take the stage Saturday when the junior drivers, aged from 8 to 18 years old, take the line, racing half-scale versions of Top Fuel dragsters.
A five-horsepower, single-cylinder engine can purr to top speeds of 85 mph and as quick as 7.90 seconds on the one eighth-mile strip. This compares to the bracket racers’ quarter-mile strip.
Rules of speed for Junior Dragsters is regulated by the driver’s age — the younger the driver, the slower he, or she, must go.
Before taking the line, all drivers must have complete physicals and are licensed by the National Hot Rod Association to race in a controlled environment, on a sanctioned race track. The Kaua‘i Raceway Park in Mana is one of those sanctioned tracks.
This answers the question where youngsters can power Junior Dragsters even before applying for a driver’s permit for the Kaua‘i roadways.
Additionally, Junior Dragster drivers receive safety training and are required to wear all required safety equipment, this aspect being verified by tech inspectors during the tech inspections before the vehicle is allowed on the track.
Joining the Junior Dragsters, the public can view bracket racing in Bike, Street, Compact, Muscle V8, Pro ET and Top Gun classes over the Saturday and Sunday races, which will be night races.
Gates open at 11 a.m. on both days with timed trials starting at 2 p.m. and bracket racing starting around 7 p.m. This will also be the final night races on the GIRA calendar.
Admission is $12 with keiki 12 years old and younger admitted free.
Ladies Night results
Helen and Ricky Uemura, a husband-and-wife team, topped the Aug. 4 races by capturing first place in the special Ladies Night class of 11 female drivers, while Ricky topped the Sport Compact class.
“It was quite a spectacle to witness an unusual cooperation of tag-team racing as many couples and family members literally raced to the hot pit, lapping cars to accomodate the other race member, or for some gals, competing in dual classes,” said Kerrilyn Villa of GIRA in a release.
PS&D Napa Auto Parts, a sponsor for more than 15 years to the GIRA and whose mission is to keep racing off the streets and on the strip, provided more than 60 admission tickets, treating ladies to a night out at the track.
Additionally, in keeping with the theme of giving, GIRA donated a dollar from each paid entry to the YWCA women’s shelter.
Helen, piloting a ’93 Civic, captured top honors in the Ladies Night class on a 12.19 ET over her 12.00 dial-in, reaching 109.91 mph on a .271 reaction time over My Loew, piloting an ’84 Camaro Z28, who punched in a 12.84 ET over her 12.63 dial-in, reaching 91.06 mph on a .480 reaction time.
Ricky took the same ’93 Civic to a 12.04 ET over the 12.00 dial-in, reaching 104.84 mph on a .014 reaction time to capture the Sport Compact class over Elena Kealoha, piloting a 56 Volkswagen Bug to a 12.97 ET over her 12.95 dial-in, reaching 102.36 mph on a .059 reaction time.
The win keeps Ricky in the lead of the Sport Compact class with an accumulated 425 points, a 20-point lead over Ricky Imada’s 405 points. Elena is in fourth place with 345 points.
Chris Loew, My’s husband, drove a ’69 Chevelle to a 10.45 ET, breaking out on his 10.47 dial-in, reaching 123.87 mph on a .095 reaction time.
The breakout earned him second place in the dual breakout race, the top honors in the Pro ET class going to Guy Montemayor aboard a ’67 Nova, which reached a 10.49 ET, breaking out on his 10.50 dial-in at 125.83 mph on a .175 reaction time.
Despite the second place finish, Chris Loew remains second in the overall Pro ET standings with 410 points while Guy Montemayor is in third place with 375 points and four races remaining on the GIRA calendar.
Gabby Saiki drove her ’97 Civic to a 14.13 ET over her 14.05 dial-in to reach 95.59 mph on a .017 and taking top honors after Ryan Stiglmeier, piloting a ’06 Mustang, red lighted off the line.
Noel Palacio, aboard a .03 Yamaha YZF 1000, topped the Bike class on a 10.93 ET over his 10.47 dial-in to reach 135.76 mph on a .007 reaction time. Jacob Gandeza, riding a ’08 Suzuki GSXR 1000, settled for second place after red lighting.
Ron Victorino piloted his ’88 Mustang to a 13.89 ET over his 13.88 dial-in, reaching 95.25 mph on a .107 reaction time to capture the Muscle V8 class over Shandon Takayama who red lighted in his ’69 Camaro Z28.
Koty Kaiakapu, in a ’67 Nova, reached a 9.57 ET over a 9.54 dial-in, hitting 134.48 mph on a .111 reaction time to capture the Top Gun class over Jesse Kealoha’s ’92 Nissan 300Z, which hit an 8.30 ET over an 8.28 dial-in and 164.01 mph on a .164 reaction time.
•Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
