Good Vibrations Top Sportsman
David O’Bryon rode his 1998 Chevy S10 to victory in Saturday’s Good Vibrations Top Sportsman. Both O’Bryon, Naples, Florida and Bruce Ducan (Crawfordville, Florida) broke out in the final, but Ducan ran .078 faster than his ET; O’Bryon was only .070 off his. Both men took advantage of red-light fouls to reach the finals: Ducan defeated Ralph Hood and O’Bryon advanced over Norm Williams.
Matthew Buck of Lantana, Florida, took Sunday’s Top Sportsman Ironman over Mike Forsythe. Buck ran an excellent race, finishing with 4.613 on 4.48 with a .014 light, peaking at 128.58 mph. Forsythe ran into trouble after the start, finishing with 9.549 on a 4.95 dial-in. Buck had a bye to the finals; Forsythe defeated Tom Skubic in his semifinal race.
Good Vibrations Top Dragster
Mark Smullen and Troy Williams, Jr. ran to a photo finish in the Good Vibrations Top Dragster on Saturday, but Smullen’s better reaction time gave him the Ironman. Smullen, North Port, Florida, was .001 off his 4.65 dial-in while Williams matched his 4.73 ET, but Smullen’s .003 light bested Williams’ .012 reaction. Williams, Daytona Beach, Florida, made a bye run in the semifinals, while Smullen outpaced Shelby Miles.
Sunday’s race was almost as close, as Paul Rebis defeated Joseph Bagwell for the Top Dragster Ironman. The Thomotosassa, Florida native took the win with a .024 light, running 4.744 on a 4.73 dial-in. Bagwell, Spartanburg, South Carolina, ran a fine race, cutting a .044 light with a 4.798 pass on 4.79. Rebis got past Jeremy West to make the finals, and Bagwell defeated Mark Horton in the other semifinal race.
Super Stock
Merrill Schrimchner of Lake Mary, Florida, was victorious in the Saturday Super Stock Eliminator competition, beating out top qualifier Mark Nowicki. Nowicki (Holmes Beach, Florida) and Schrimchner both ran under their respective dial-ins, but Schrimchner was just .005 off his ET, while Nowicki posted a 6.003 time against a 6.01. Schrimchner beat Mike Pearson in the semifinals; Nowicki topped Rebel Kidd.
Emory Piermont of Cartesville, Georgia, took Sunday’s Super Stock finals over Eric Raymer. Raymer, Orlando, Florida, left early at the start to give Piermont the victory. Rebel Kidd made the semis for the second straight day but lost to Piermont, while Raymer defeated Saturday’s runner-up Nowicki.
Stock Eliminator
Deltona, Florida’s Jim Wahl defeated Peter Noriega of Miami to win the Saturday Stock Eliminator. Wahl did break out, making a 7.130 pass against 7.20 (.069 reaction time), but Noriega committed a red-light foul to give Wahl the win. Wahl had a bye in the semifinals, and Noriega defeated Harry Morgan to reach the final.
Daniel Young of Palm Harbor, Florida, had a great run in Sunday’s Stock Eliminator to win the Ironman over Myron Piatek. Young was right on his 6.71 ET with a .057 reaction time, while Piatek, Holly Hill, Florida, ran out. In the semifinals, Young was closer to his dial-in against Merrill Schrimchner, while Piatek made a bye run.
Super Rod
It was a battle of Camaros in Saturday’s Super Rod final, as Terry Cross’ 2012 model beat out Dave Marcus, Jr.’s 1992 Chevy. Cross, Brunswick, Georgia, ran a solid 6.509 time on a 6.40 dial-in with a .006 light, while Marcus left before the green light. In the semifinals, Cross defeated Joe DeLuco and Marcus had a solo run.
Michael Ruff, Orlando, Florida, rode his 1967 Chevy Camaro to win Sunday’s Super Rod Ironman. Ruff was .003 off his 6.40 ET, while David Passananti of Naples, Florida made a 6.363 pass on the same dial-in. Passananti had a bye in the semifinals, while Ruff got past Jerry Heffelfinger.
Quick Rod
Brandon James ran an excellent race and won the Quick Rod Ironman against John Brannen Saturday. James, Loxahatchee, Florida, got off the line at .036 and was right on his 5.70 ET to best Brannen (Dunedin, Florida) who was only .004 seconds under his dial-in. James moved past Darrell Pittman on a red-light foul in the semifinals, while Brannen had a bye.
In Sunday’s finals, Lake Worth, Florida’s Tim Nimmo took home the Ironman over Frank Altilio. Nimmo’s 5.698 time was just under his 5.70 estimated time, but Altilio, Apoxa, Georgia, had trouble at the line and went early, securing the win for Nimmo. In the semifinals, Altilio beat Richard Devins, while Nimmo was unopposed.
Hot Rod
Corey Fuller of Savannah, Georgia ran his 1968 Camaro to victory in the Saturday Hot Rod event. Fuller ran .016 under his 7.00 ET, but a red-light foul by R.L. Koontz (Bradenton, Florida) gave Fuller the win. Koontz had a bye run to the final; Fuller defeated Robert Ward in his semi.
Sibling rivalry ruled the drag strip in Sunday’s final, as Ernest Griggs got the best of his brother Mike to win the Ironman. Both drivers ran close to their ET; Ernest cut a .018 light and ran 7.005 against 7.00, but it was Mike’s paper-thin break-out (6.999 on 7.00, .001 reaction time) to seal Ernest’s victory. Mike beat Scott Moore in the semis, while Ernest had a bye to set up the familial final.
Junior Masters
Saturday’s Junior Masters saw Palmetto, Florida’s Gage Burch take the Ironman over Naples’ Jessica O’Bryon. O’Bryon’s red-light foul enabled Burch to win with a 7.896 pass on a 7.90 ET (.009 light). Burch had a bye in the semifinals, and O’Bryon won over Katrina Carpenter to make the finals.
Burch was denied the chance for a weekend sweep on Sunday, losing to Johnny Brannen in the final. Brannen, Dunedin, Florida, posted a great run of 7.907 on a 7.90 dial-in with a .034 light and topped out at 81.99 mph to beat Burch, who broke out. Brannen beat Hannah Bouldry to reach the finals, while Burch defeated Morgan Miles.
Junior Advanced
Katie Craft took the Saturday Junior Advanced Ironman over John Starling, Jr. Craft, of Melbourne, Florida, had a .065 reaction time to Starling’s .028, but her 9.033 run against 8.99 was enough to win. Starling, Orlando, Florida, made a 9.236 pass on a 9.15 dial-in. Craft had a bye run to the finals; Starling defeated Aaron Reynolds to move on.
Sunday’s final saw Reynolds gain some redemption, as he won the Ironman in a close finish against Christina Smullen. Smullen, North Port, Florida, had a solid run of 8.922 against 8.90 with a .172 reaction time, but Reynolds, West Melbourne, Florida, bettered her off the line with a .019 light, complementing a 9.005 pass on his 8.90 ET. Reynolds advanced over Jimmy Cavanaugh in the semifinals, while Smullen had a bye.
Junior Beginner
Logan Westmoreland of Greenwood, South Carolina had a pair of holeshot wins to sweep the Saturday and Sunday Junior Beginner events. On Saturday, Westmoreland defeated Jude Kersnason of Port Charlotte, Florida. Westmoreland’s 12.330 run on a 12.05 dial-in with a .082 light bested Kersnason, who went 12.049 on 11.90 with a .573 reaction time. In the semifinals, Kersnason got by Alyson Reynolds after she fouled at the line, while Westmoreland advanced over Trent Horton.
Sunday’s final result was a close finish, as Westmoreland had a holeshot triumph over another Port Charlotte driver, Ella West. West posted a 11.972 on an 11.94, and Westmoreland went 12.132 on 12.07, but his .026 reaction time gave him the win (West had a .092 light.) Westmoreland defeated Elizabeth Roush in the semis, while West got past Dylan MacNicol.
By Chris Pennant
