The save my seat letters are in the mail to the B’laster Cavalcade of Stars presented by Budweiser. Patrons have from now until February 13th to renew your tickets to this year’s show which is building to be one of the largest divisional races on the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Tour. There will be funny cars, dragsters, the legendary Bob Motz and his jet Kenworth, jet dragsters, geezer gassers and hundreds of sportsman racers to entertain you throughout the weekend! And that’s not all…we’ll conclude the Friday and Saturday Night shows with fireworks! Beginning Valentine’s Day, February 14th, tickets will go on sale to the general public to this year’s show which is May 18 – 20, 2012. Renew now while it’s still fresh on your mind, by clicking here or calling the office at 419-668-5555.
Our Bear Motorsports Advanced Champion presented by American Race Cars is a seasoned veteran at the young age of 17. Beginning his racing career at age 10 he has already raced in 88 events and attended 6 Junior Team Finals! He has also competed in every FLC race class with the exception of Novice Junior Dragster. Racing has always been a family affair with his dad Jim at the helm with whom Matt credits being the most influential person in his life and drag racing career. In addition to Jim and Matt the Dadas Race Team also includes sister Lauren and mother Lisa. This year Matt faced a challenge with competing in 3 different Junior Dragsters however he was able to overcome that obstacle finishing the season with 24 points including 3 feature wins, 1 semi and 1 qtr final appearance. In addition his resume includes a 2010 win in the Pro Class at the Halloween Classic and a win in the Race Car class at this year’s High School Nationals. Matt is a junior at Amherst Steel High School and his favorite subject is Math. He is a member of the Golf team and enjoys Slot Car Racing during the winter months traveling to other states for the “Big Money” version of Slot Car racing. His advice for future “Junior Dragsters” is to make friends, hang around and watch the right people. He recognizes that most of his success has come from observing and learning what other people do in competition. Future race plans for 2012 may see our Champion running two classes.
At the 38th Annual Mr. Gasket Banquet of Champions, Bob Kosanka was honored with our most prestigious award, the Bill Bader Sr Sportsman of the Year. Below is an excerpt of his presentation presented by Bill Bader Sr. What is a Sportsman? Sportsmen believe dignity, class and self respect are greater in value than the fastest car, the biggest payday, or the winning season. Sportsmen do not harbor deceit, ill will or jealousy to strain the camaraderie that develops in the spirit of competition.Sportsman may not have quick reaction times but they are quick to make friends. Sportsman may not earn a lot of points but they do earn a great deal of respect. Their best day is everyday they present the best image of themselves. Sportsman of the year might not ever win – but think about it – they never lose. Sportsmen take the road less traveled; and that makes all the difference. One hundred percent honor, one hundred percent class.Very similar to many of these past winners, your 2011 Sportsman of the Year comes from a family of racers. Like the Hurst’s, Cireddu’s, Crowell’s, Bear’s, and on and on, his is a legacy of family togetherness in motorsports.He is a quiet and proud man. Always polite with a kind word for everyone, he always has a great big smile and never complains. He doesn’t take his racing too seriously and really enjoys being at the track with his family and friends. That being said, he probably has a lot more fun than most of us. He has watched many of his family members go down the quarter mile with great success. He has attended many banquets and stood quietly with great pride as his son was recognized as a class champion and acknowledged as Sportsman of the Year and as his grandson received various awards. Well, it is finally his turn to receive his championship. If you haven’t guessed it yet, then you haven’t been paying attention. He is an asset to his family, our sport, and each and every one of you reading this, our 2011 Bill Bader Sr Sportsman of the Year is none other than, Bob Kosanka.Bob shared with us his gratitude for this award and wanted to express “heartfelt thank-yous” to all of the individuals that voted for him for this prestigious honor.
Our Accel sportsman champion can boast that he was the youngest drag racing fan in the world! His first exposure to drag racing was the day he was brought home from the hospital. The Biddle family lived across the street from Dragway 42 and as soon as he got home, his dad took him over to the track where he looked up from his father’s arms at the track and knew that he was hooked. Randy raced in the junior class from age 14 until he got his license. His best memories are from that time. They aren’t about winning but about the time he spent with his father on Saturdays. Waking early and going to the track towing their 24’ enclosed trailer with his dad’s Cutlass. No motorhome back then. They would sit at the back gate before opening and listen to the American Top 40 countdown. He would then sit at the finish line or starting line all day long just watching and learning. Sunday mornings were the same except the Junior dragster was loaded, both cars wouldn’t fit in the trailer and it was his day to race. Although not a single memory, these memories are more important than any race he has ever won. Randy has recently changed jobs and relocated to Troy, PA. I understand that there are a couple of race tracks pretty close to his new home but we hope that he will still remember that Summit is his true home.
Our Wiseco Cycle Tech SuperBike Champion was introduced to drag racing by his father at a young age. His father took him to Dragway 42, Magnolia, and Thompson to race his big block Chevy. Ed however turned his interest towards motorcycles. Starting out as a street racer he made the switch to drag racing after seeing a friend crash. About 20 years ago he decided to make the trip to Summit Motorsports Park and from the time he arrived, he knew that he had found his home.Ed was the 2001 Wiseco CycleTech Champion and won the SuperBike class at the Halloween Classic in 2008. If you all remember that Sunday night, gale force winds had begun in the final rounds. A grand prize of a car was at stake. The finalists had come to the conclusion that it wasn’t safe to run the final rounds, with the exception of Ed who was ready! In retrospect he said it was a good decision. They split the car. In 2011 Ed accumulated 34 points and 3 wins. He accomplished this even though he had to work every Saturday and would not arrive at the track until 3:30 in the afternoon. Some friends would have his bike ready and he would jump on, make a time trial and go racing!Ed lives in Cuyahoga Falls and has 3 grown children, Tanya, Shannon and Allen. This past Tuesday his son Allen left for Advanced Airborne Infantry training at Ft Benning, GA. His future plans include returning in 2012 to defend his title and to find a job where he doesn’t have to work on Saturdays!
Campaigning a successful racecar in the highly competitive Hays Pro Class requires an inordinate amount of expertise and resources. Our Hays Pro Champion’s performance this year can be described as possibly the most dominant in recent history. Brian maintained his first place position throughout the season. In mid-August he held a 16 point advantage over second place. That can be a blessing and a curse. It is great to be on top but it makes you stay close to home verses traveling to other races. At the end of the season Brian had accumulated 46 points and 3 feature wins.
Brian has been racing 22 years following in his father Vince’s footsteps. This is not his first trip to the Champions table. He was the 2001 Comp Champion and the 2006 Modified Champion. I see a pattern here, every 5 years, Brian is a Champion! His racing resume also includes a 1993 Track Championship at Thompson Drag Raceway and a $10,000 win at Pacemakers Drag Raceway.
Brian resides in Brunswick and is employed as a computer programmer and has previously authored a software program that interfaces with timing systems used for reporting race statistics. Future plans include returning in 2012 to run Pro and possibly do a little traveling
GLENDORA, Calif. (Feb. 1, 2012) — NHRA officials announced today that Mark Lyle, long-time starter in NHRA’s Division 6 and a certified team member of the NHRA Safety Safari presented by AAA, has been named the official NHRA Chief Starter, one of the most storied positions in all of NHRA Drag Racing. There have only been two chief starters in the sport’s 60-plus year history, Buster Couch (1955-1996) and Rick Stewart (1996-2011). Beginning at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, Feb. 9-12, Lyle will command the best view in the facility, standing alongside every kind of drag racing vehicle, most notably the 7,000-horsepower Top Fuel and Funny Car machines featured in NHRA’s marquee Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.“It is simply the highest honor anyone in my position can have,” said Lyle, who resides in North Bend, Wash., with his family. “I really have to thank Kenworth Northwest for being flexible with my NHRA work schedule over the years and for allowing me to pursue my dream. To follow in the footsteps of two iconic and legendary figures in NHRA history is beyond words. I am looking forward to sending off the first pair in Pomona.”Lyle has worked in the automotive industry his entire professional career, all the while spending countless weeknights and weekends perfecting his craft on the starting line, or working as a safety team member in the sport he has loved since his youth. He started as the official starter at Pacific Raceways in 2000, and since then has been a certified team member of NHRA’s Division 6. He was named the official starter of the division in 2005. Lyle worked alongside recently retired NHRA chief starter Stewart at many national events the last several years.“Throughout his time as a starting line official, he has demonstrated the characteristics necessary to take on this very important position on the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series circuit,” said Graham Light, senior vice president of racing operations, NHRA. “He always has safety first and foremost in his mind and strives to be fair and just in his decision-making.”
2011 Mallory Super Pro Champion 41 pts 2 wins
Chris has recollections of going to the track since he was 2. He ran the Junior Dragster circuit and was National Champ at Indy in 1994 with Erica Enders as the runner-up. For the record, he did beat Erica 3 times in his junior history! He eventually went on to earn 9 Junior Track Championships including 6 at SMP, 2 at Milan Dragway and 1 at Kil-Kare Dragway. He eventually moved up to a “big” car at age 16. In 2007 he missed the Super Pro and Comp championship by 1 point. In 2008 he was our Comp Champion. He is an accomplished racer who has lived every racer’s dream thus far winning 3 dragsters, 8-$10,000 and 10-$5,000 purses.All of this success has not gone to his head. When asked “did you ever think about driving professionally”? He replied no, he hadn’t thought of it that actually he would stop driving tomorrow if he did not have his dad there beside him. Their shared hobby has produced the valuable gift of time together. His race team includes his father Ken, mother Donna, Sister Kelly, teammate Randy Scheuer and longtime girlfriend Kaitlyn. When not on the dragstrip, Chris is a Building Contractor General Manager and enjoys playing basketball.
The 2011 Mr. Gasket Racing season is officially in the history books. Chris Bear (Mallory Super Pro), Brian Cireddu (Hays Pro), Ed James (Wiseco Cycle Tech Super Bike), Randy Biddle Jr (Accel Sportsman), and Bear Motorsports presented by American Race Cars Junior Dragster champions, Matt Dadas, (advanced) Zackary Manuel (intermediate) and Stephen Crowell (novice) were recognized during the 38th annual Mr. Gasket Banquet of Champions held at Kalahari resort. During the awards ceremony a variety of individuals were recognized for their outstanding efforts involved with Summit Motorsports Park. Rob McCurdy with the Mansfield News Journal received the “Media of the Year” award. The “Appreciation Award” was given to Dan Roberson of Myer’s De Propane and the “Guy of the Year” awarded was presented to Kevin Pope. The “Most Improved” racer was awarded to Hays Pro racer, Nick Smith, for improving his racing efforts by moving up 68 positions in the points, to finish 26th overall with 15 points. "Rookie of the Year" was awarded to Accel Sportsman racer Barb King. King was the highest placing rookie out of all the classes, where she finished in the top 10 with 18 points. Both the Junior Red and Blue teams were acknowledged for their efforts during the Junior Drag Racing League Eastern Conference Finals held in Bristol, Tn last July. Frankie McCullough, Trinity Marshall and Taylor Young were recognized for making it to the finals in their respected classes. In 2010, Bill Jr issued a challenge to the North Central Division NHRA Summit Racing Series Team to go to Indy and bring home the title. Not only did they capture the title, they rocked! During that weekend, the bracket finals team demonstrated there is no “I” or “me” in Team. They all came together and worked together to accomplish this major fete. Each member of the championship team received a Championship jacket and split a $6400 purse for their winning efforts. This year’s "Rossler Wrench" Award was presented to Ken Bear. Over the years, Bear Motorsports has achieved tremendous success at Summit Motorsports Park and around the country. This includes nine junior track championships, two track championships, a class champion at the K&N Halloween Classic and has received numerous cash and prizes. When interviewed about the success of his teams, Bear is quoted as saying “without them, there is no me. Without me there is no them.” Mr. Gasket was honored “Manufacturer of the Year” for their increase involvement with the track which includes funding the Season Point’s purse, providing champion jackets to class winner’s, expanded their contingency program and being a major sponsor of the racer banquet. The following racers received the "R&R Auto Body" best appearing awards, Gary Kintz, Mallory Super Pro; Matt Rainey, Hays Pro; Bill Keller, Accel Sportsman; and Eric Harmon, Wiseco/Cycle Tech Super Bike. Bear Motorsports Jr Dragster presented by American Race Car recipients were Trinity Marshall, Novice; Alexandra Frazier, Intermediate; and Kalob Smith, Advanced. The Mr. Gasket Banquet of Champions concluded with the presentation of the most prestigious award, the "Bill Bader Sportsman of the Year". In a very emotional speech, Bill Bader Sr explained why Bob Kosanka was most deserving of this special award. Brian Hurst, the 2010 recipient presented Kosanka with the "Sportsman of the Year" Trophy.
We are deeply saddened to report another member of our racing family passed away over the weekend, Jim Rahl. James "Jim" Rahl, age 62, passed away suddenly on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at his residence. Born on July 3, 1949 in Lorain, Jim graduated from Admiral King High School in 1967. Like many young men in the mid-1960's, Jim was drafted into the U.S. Army where he proudly served as an infantryman during the Vietnam War. Among the many citations and medals awarded to him were the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars, Army Commendation Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster and The Purple Heart. After leaving the service, Jim went to work at the Ford Motor Lorain Assembly Plant. Upon retiring, he was able to devote all his time his true passion "all things cars". He loved racing his cars especially his "Rahl's Royce". He will be sadly missed by his many racing buddies, not only because of his skills on the drag racing track, but also his ability to repair anything related to cars.Preceded in death by his mother, Betty Sterrett; his grandparents, Albert "AW" and Edith Rahl and Henry and Nell Esch.Jim leaves behind to cherish his memory his beloved father and step-mother, Claude and Viola Rahl; his sister, Claudia Rahl; his niece, Courtney Rahl; a great-nephew, Matthew Rahl and his faithful companion, "Buck".The family will receive friends on Friday, January 27, 2012 from 4-8 p.m. in the Dovin and Reber Jones Funeral & Cremation Center, 1110 Cooper Foster Park Rd., Amherst. Funeral services will be held on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. in the funeral center. Pastor Bob Daugherty will officiate. Burial will follow in North Murray Ridge Cemetery, Elyria with military honors being conducted. Family and friends may leave online condolences at www.dovinreberjones.com.
