FALLON, NV (4-25) – Despite winds and cool weather this weekend area drag racers took to the track at Top Gun Drag Strip this weekend. As usual there was tire smoke, thunder and fast speeds.
The day got started normally but before some of the semi finals could be run there was a rain delay. May have happened earlier as well. One area of concern was the shut down area where the racers were at top speed. After the last episode ended it took the track crew about 20 minutes and things were ready to go again.
Reaction times are critical as the goal is to hitting the gas as the last yellow light goes out. Do it an instant too early and the driver red lights so loses and that’s what happened in the motorcycle final. After it was over motorcycle racer Tommy Brown said, “Actually Mike Downs let me borrow his bike because I broke mine yesterday, my radiator got a hole in it. So I won the class on it. He’s my sponsor on this one so I owe him a full tank of gas.”
Brown had the third quickest reaction at .006 seconds while Pro winner John Kriner had the second quickest at .005 of a second. He also had to make a quick repair before his final run.
After driving his car to victory he said, “This track has been awesome, the car has run the best it’s ever ran. I had a little issue with the airflow sensor and the header.
“The collector came down and was bouncing and hanging on by the wire. So we had to rush back to the pit to get that fixed so we could get back into this thing.”
Then he thanked everyone at the track as they are like a second family to him.
The fourth quickest reaction time was .010 of a second posted by Super Pro winner Terry White. He also posted the fastest speed at 173.56 mph but during one run the weather made that an adventure.
Asked about the day White said, “The track’s been pretty consistent most of the time but because of the spittness of the clouds, wet weather and some of the wind you really had to keep track of what was going on. One run we made it was sprinkling pretty good as we were going down track, the car was wandering side to side a little bit but I hung with it.
Then he thanked Diggers TV, a website he posts his pictures and information on, RIOI racing engines, SW Performance Transmissions and CRE Racing for parts.
Sportsman James Cook had the slowest reaction time but a red light gave him the victory. In drag racing it’s easy to be just a bit ahead of the light and lose a race at the starting line.
The day’s quickest reaction time, .004 of a second, went to Junior Dragster driver Crue Casteel. Although these youngsters only race 1/8th of mile their races are as intense for the drivers as for their adult counterparts.
For Casteel the weekend was a bit mixed as it can be for any driver. “I didn’t do so good yesterday,” he said. “I didn’t get past the first round.”
While it looks easy there is a mental aspect to drag racing due to the way timing is set up.
Asked how he gets ready Casteel said, ” I talk to myself and just say ‘calm down, get ready, don’t do red light,’ try to get an .050 light. My winning light was double .004 which really surprised me. I need thank my paents for getting me this awesome car and letting me be able to do this.”
• Saturday had its winners as well. Mason Marlin set the fastest reaction time of .041, while next fastest was .043 posted by Super Pro winner Frank Barrett.
Next quickest .092 came from from the Junior Dragster winner Kellen Schmid. Third fastest was .097 posted by Sportsman winner Cortney Morris while fourth fastest reaction time as .142 posted by Motorcycle winner Terry West.
Next time Top Gun will have a three-day meet. It starts on Friday, May 14th with Five Dollar Friday followed by two days of racing on Saturday and Sunday.
OTHER RACING NEWS:
• Sponsor Moto-Source has a job opening. If you are an experienced tech this could be an opportunity for you. Please check the announcement for where to send a resume.
• There is a new performance shop in Sparks located at 133Coney Island Drive in Sparks. This weekend Low Boost Performance had an open house with a car show. Owners Austin and Chelsea Stephan are ready to help customers. For more information please check the website at www.LowBoostPerformance.com.
• Teresa’s Garage Radio Show is on the air from 2 until 3 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. In northwest Nevada you can hear it over the air on 1060 AM.
The show is also on a Podcast at amm.streamon.fm or can be seen live on Face Book. Co-host Emily Cook has a website, www.emilycookracing.com where she has updates and sells merchandise to help support her racing.
SPONSOR LIST:
• If you enjoyed this article please “like,” and share it as widely as possible. Comments are welcome. Subscribers have articles posted to their inbox as soon as they are up on the site.
We now have eight very appreciated sponsors supporting this site. Please patronize them as they support your sport and help nvracingnews continue. And let them know you heard about them through this site.
Tread Connection is our newest sponsor and Blake Sobiloff owns the local franchise. The business brings the tire store to the customer so they don’t have to take time off work or even leave home.
Once the tires are ordered Sobiloff picks them up and arrives where the customer’s car is in a van packed with state of the art equipment. He observes all safety precautions and it’s no contact so tires can be chosen and paid for online.
Another service he provides is scanning tires as that will tell if any alignment is needed. A useful service for fleet owners so they won’t find several vehicles need new tires at once. There are discounts for First Responders, veterans as well as active duty military and members of the National Guard and Reserves.
His primary area is Reno and Sparks and one can either go to the Face Book page or check the website at www.treadconnection.com. The direct line to the business is 775-870-3600.
Next sponsor is G.I.S.L Land Services that, while having a global client base it has a Western U.S.A. Focus. Owner Greg Ekins is a long time off road motorcycle racer competing in the MRANN Series as well as the AMA National Hare and Hound series.
Among the services offers are Surface and Mineral Title Reviews and Cartographic Services. The website is www.gislandservices.com.
Next sponsor is General Transmission and Power Train Specialists owned by former motorcycle racer Pete Attashian. The shop is located at 2515 Sutro Street in Reno, a few blocks below Hug High School. The shop services older and new transmissions and how has a section for high performance units and those used in towing. Phone number is 775-786-5888 and the shop’s website is www.generaltransmissionreno.com.
Racing photographer Melissa Coker is another sponsor. If you raced at Summit in Elko, Battle Mountain, Lovelock, Rattlesnake Raceway or Diamond Mountain Speedway she probably has a photograph of your car on the track.
She’s also been at the Duel in the Desert, Northern Nevada Modified Tour, Wild West Tour and the IMCA Super Nationals. She produces hero cards and memory books. To see her collections or to place an order check at www.melissasoutonalimb.smugmug.com.
Two of our sponsors are first class motorcycle shops located in Reno.
Our first sponsor is Reno Motorsports (RMS). Not only do they have about anything a rider might want or need and the store also has a full service shop.
Their location is at 964 Terminal Way, by the intersection with Mill Street. Store’s phone number is 775-322-1499 and the site is, www.rms-renomotorsports.com.
The next shop is Moto-Source located at 3180 Mill Street. Once again they are a full service shop plus about any thing a rider might need or want. The phone number is 775-856-3855 and the website is, www.moto-source.com.
Concours Body Shop, located at 250 Telegraph Street in Reno, is another sponsor. The shop does quality collision repair for cars and trucks.
OwnerBrian Saul is a car enthusiast himself and is committed to continuing the shop’s reputation of quality work. Phone number is 775-329-4557 and the website is, www.concoursbodyshop.net.
Hungry, want a great place to eat, then try PJ&CO for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and it’s a great place to watch your favorite sports. The location is 1590 South Wells Avenue, just north of the round about. Phone number is 775-323-6366 and their website is www.pjandco.net.
Have a business targeted toward motorsports or car enthusiasts? This site is a great way to expose your services to those communities. You can contact us either through the comment section of this site or on our Face Book page.
RESULTS:
Top Gun Drag Strip, Fallon, NV
+ Sunday, April 15:
Pro: – Champion: John Kriner, ET 10.719, 113.46 MPH – R/U: John Swartz, ET 11.905, 113.98 MPH – #1 Qualifier: Alvin Clarke, ET10.653
Super Pro: – Champion: Terry White, ET 7.694, 173.58 MPH – R/U: Steve Schmid, ET 8.90, 158.19 MPH – #1 Qualifier: Terry White, 175.73 MPH
Motorcycle: – Champion: Tommy Brown, ET 13.579, 96.35 MPH – R/U: Dominic Davis, ET 12.072, 116.65 MPH – #1 Qualifier: Terry West, 140.11 MPH
Sportsman: – Champion: James Cook, ET 14.425, 95.19 MPH – R/U: Dean Prowse, ET 18.429, 74.81 MPH – #1 Qualifier: Mark Klose, ET 13.288
Jr. Dragsters: – Champion: Crue Casteel, ET 7.984, 81.98 MPH – R/U: Jayce Schmid, ET 8.198, 78.51 MPH – #1Qualifier: Nicholas Morris, ET 77.47.
+ Saturday, April24:
Pro: – Champion: Mason Marlin, ET 10.032, 129.94 MPH – R/U: John Kriner, ET 10.802, 124.98 MPH – #1 Qualifer: Mason Marlin,ET 10.026
Super Pro: – Champion: Frank Barrett, ET 10.562, 125.94 MPH – R/U: Jeff Lundy, ET 9.946, 141.50 MPH – #1 Qualifier: Frank Barrett, 147.54 MPH
Motorcycle: – Champion: Terry West, 9.748, 119.43 MPH – R/U: Anthony Vanetti, ET 8.629, 161.77 MPH – #1 Qualifier: Zach Clarke 137.82 MPH
Sportsman: – Champion: Cortney Morris, ET 12.178, 113.23 MPH – R/U: Marc Klose, ET 12.178, 113.23 MPH – #1 Qualifier: Marc Klose, ET 13.296
Jr. Dragsters*: – Champion: Kellen Schmid, ET 8.925, 72.71 MPH – R/U:Abigail West, ET 12.151, 54.04 MPH – #1 Qualifier: Kellen Schmid, 74.04 MPH * – Junior Dragsters run the 1/8th mile.
