MANA —An overflow crowd of people attended the two-day event which paid tribute to former racer Rudy Ramos, each day being punctuated with special events in memory of Ramos. Hosted by the Garden Island Racing Association, this event will be
MANA —An overflow crowd of people attended the two-day event which paid tribute to former racer Rudy Ramos, each day being punctuated with special events in memory of Ramos.
Hosted by the Garden Island Racing Association, this event will be broadcast on ESPN2, July 18 during the Lucas Oil Drag Series, said ESPN announcer Bob Frey who mingled with the public, racers, and GIRA officials with his videographer Mike Panek.
Frey said the event is scheduled to run at 11 a.m. EST following his interview with Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr., who also took in the two-day event.
Walt Barnes’ stock 2008 Ford Mustang captured the NHRA Hawai‘i State Champion Super Street following two days of drag racing at the Kaua‘i Raceway Park.
Barnes piloted his Shelby GT500 on a 0.169 light to run a 15.50 ET on a 12.05 dial-in, reaching a top end of 69.93 mph after Shandon Takayama’s 1969 Chevy Z28 Camaro red lighted.
Earlier, Takayama topped the Super Street class during the Saturday night races on a 0.159 light, running a 12.02 ET on an 11.75 dial-in to reach 106.63 mph over runner up Bryson Fontanilla running his 1989 Nissan 240SX leaving on a 0.161 light to run a 12.41 ET on a 12.10 dial-in and reaching 115.73 mph.
But Takayama was not through, yet, taking the runner-up berth in the King of the Track race against the Big Island’s Darrell Agliam.
Agliam, in a 1986 Toyota pickup, left on a 0.087 light to run a 10.76 ET on a 10.62 dial-in and hitting 125.49 mph while Takayama red lighted, giving Agliam the honors.
The GIRA will host its next drag races August 7 at the Kaua‘i Raceway Park. This will be a night race.
Visit www.dragrace-kauai.com for more information.
Plagued by rain delays and technical glitches, Saturday night runs were given to the Junior dragsters, Kaua‘i’s Gabby Buist taking the July 4th event on a 0.362 light, running a 7.93 ET on a 7.90 dial-in and hitting 81.97 mph.
Runner-up honors went to Maui’s Kekoa Medeiros who left on a 0.241 light to run a 9.42 ET, breaking out on his 9.50 dial-in. He reached a top end of 69.55 mph.
Buist came back from a runner-up position, Saturday when the Jr. driver was nudged out of the winner’s circle by just inches by Courtney Brock, leaving on a 0.148 light to run an 8.27 ET on an 8.20 dial-in and reaching 79.23 mph in the 13-18 year-old age group.
Buist’s Saturday run came on a 0.101 light, running an 8.03 ET on a 7.9 dial-in and reaching 75.63 mph.
Medeiros topped the 8-12 year-old class, Saturday on a 0.062 light to run a 10.12 ET on a 9.50 dial-in, reaching 53.96 mph over Jana Luis leaving on a 0.280 light to run a 12.09 ET on an 11.60 dial-in and reaching 51.72 mph.
Marci Calvillo, aboard a 2005 Buell XB 1200, captured the King of the Track honors in the NHRA Hawai‘i State Champion Bike class, leaving the finals on a 0.148 light to run a 12.28 ET on a 12.01 dial-in and reaching 98.39 mph on the top end.
Michael Sanchez filled in the runner-up berth on a 2006 Harley Davidson Roadster leaving with a 0.342 light to run a 12.82 ET on a 12.75 dial-in and hitting 103.23 mph.
During the Saturday races, Tim Lach of Kaua‘i Harley Davidson drove his 2006 Harley Davidson V-Rod Destroyer to the top of the Bike class on a 0.021 light to run a 10.03 ET on a 10.00 dial-in and hitting 128.79 mph over Aaron Braun who rode his 2008 Honda CBR 600 on a 0.349 light to run a 12.77 break out over his 12.88 dial-in. Braun his 124.26 mph on the break.
Ron Victorina drove his 1988 Ford Mustang to the NHRA Hawai‘i State Champion Street class on a 1.245 light to run a 14.30 ET on a 14.10 dial-in and hitting 83.01 mph over Orlando Vilora, returning to the dragstrip in his 1971 Plymouth ‘Cuda.
Vilora left on a 0.104 light to run a 14.53 ET on a 14.05 dial-in and hitting 95.75 mph on the top end.
Aaron Norris topped the Street class, Saturday night in his 1985 Chevy Camaro leaving on a 0.068 light to run a 15.21 ET on a 15.10 dial-in and reaching 84.16 mph over the efforts of Ryan Stiglemeyer who ran a 2007 Ford Mustang on a 0.276 light to run a 14.84 ET on a 14.77 dial-in and reaching 100.29 mph.
Franklin Fontanilla, another returning racer to the strip, ran his 1968 Chevy Camaro on a 0.069 light to run an 11.27 break out over his 11.30 dial-in at 111.03 mph.
The win in the NHRA Hawai‘i State Champion Pro class was given to Fontanilla after runner-up Sheldon Costa, in a 1968 Chevy Camaro, broke out on a 10.01 ET, leaving on a 0.082 light, over his 10.05 dial-in and reaching 132.37 mph.
Jesse Kealoha broke out in the NHRA Hawai‘i State Champion Top Gun class, but picked up the win when John Ishibashi’s 1968 Chevy Camaro red lighted.
Kealoha’s winning run came in his 1992 Nissan 300Z on a 0.165 light and running an 8.23 ET break out over his 8.26 dial-in and hitting 165.13 mph.
Jon Nakamura, running in the Super Street Class pocketed honors for the lowest reaction time with a perfect .000 and Kevin Rapozo, running his rail in the Top Gun Class, was the Closest to Dial-in with a 7.372 ET on a 7.370 dial-in, a difference of 0.002 seconds.
