Race Wrap: Family Fun Highlights Summit Racing Equipment Nationals

NORWALKLEAD

NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Matt Smith and Pro Modified-racing dad Rickie Smith brought the family reunion to the Summit Motorsports Park winners circle Sunday at Norwalk, Ohio.
 
They shared the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals podium with fellow winners Khalid alBalooshi (Top Fuel), Johnny Gray (Funny Car), and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock).

159-RickieSmithNorwalkSunday

Photos courtesy NHRA/National Dragster

The season passed the halfway point at this family-summer-resort area in which nearby Cedar Point Amusement Park and Kahalari Resort compete with legendary track owner Bill Bader and his $1/pound ice cream and spectacular fireworks.   
 
The Smiths, of King, N.C., are the first father-son pairing in NHRA history to hoist Wallys side by side as professional-class winners. Although the NHRA Pro Modified class does not compete in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series (it is an unsponsored series of its own), it is considered a professional category.
 
Gray missed his bid at Atlanta earlier this year to take the honor when son Shane Gray was the Pro Stock runner-up. The Bernsteins, Kenny in Top Fuel and Brandon in sportsman-level Top Alcohol Dragster, shared the stage in 2001 at Las Vegas.
 
“We’re not going to tear the awnings down tonight. We’re going to party tonight,” Matt Smith said.

We’re not going to tear the awnings down tonight. We’re going to party tonight. – Matt Smith

After Matt Smith beat Scotty Pollacheck in the bike final, Rickie Smith, driving his IDG Chevy Camaro, sealed the deal in the all-nitrous Pro Mod showdown against Al-Anabi’s Mike Castellana.
 
“I’m just tickled to death to get it done before I quit. It’s tough to win, much less both of you at the same time,” the father said. “It’s hard to pull these things off at the same time. When you can get a father and son and get that done, it’s just a major accomplishment for family and fans. It goes back to NHRA is family.”

152-KahlidalBalooshiNorwalkNorwalkReactionSunday
 INSPIRED – With inspiration from Jacob Delling, a nine-year-old Michigan boy who has lost sight in both eyes, Khalid alBalooshi earned his first victory of the season and second overall, defeating Doug Kalitta in the final round (3.935 seconds, 271.30 mph to 4.215, 268.54). AlBalooshi let Delling sit in his Al-Anabi Dragster and introduced him to other drivers throughout the pits. “Once I saw Jacob in the car, I knew I had to try to do something special this weekend. I said I want to give him the trophy. Do it for this kid.” The first thing AlBalooshi did at the top end of the track was phone team owner, Sheikh  Sheikh Khalid Bin Hamad Al Thani in Qatar, and the Sheikh told his driver about Delling, “You find your luck with him.”

151-KahlidalBalooshiNorwalkActionSundayIt was a dramatic turnaround from alBalooshi’s previous visit, where he lost in the first round for the 12th straight time. “After we lost here a year ago, we were really down – all the luck seemed to be against us,” the Dubai native said, “but after we got that first round win the next race (Denver, 2012) everything changed. Things just seemed to come together for us. My crew chief, Jason McCulloch, has done a great job. We had a good car today and the luck seemed to be with us.”
 
ALMOST ‘MIKE EDWARDS-ALLEN JOHNSON CLOSE’ – Winner Johnny Gray and runner-up Ron Capps, his Don Schumacher Racing colleague, couldn’t have made the Funny Car final any more thrilling. They had identical elapsed times and nearly identical speeds. Gray got the Wally with a 4.103-second, 314.02-mph blast, and Capps got second place with a 4.103, 314.09. DSR was the real winner, with a 211th victory.

 
“We were getting a little bit frustrated there for awhile, and everybody in the world was looking at us trying to figure out what was wrong. But with the new chassis, new wire, and new set-up, the Pitch Energy Dodge is going right down the racetrack and responding again to everything Rob [crew chief Wendland] is asking it to do” Gray said. “This is just a great place to be right now, and we’re all having a big time. I couldn’t be happier.”

153-JohnnyGrayNorwalkActionSunday
 His team had swung into action immediately — literally — after losing early at Chicago the previous week. “The guys drove straight from Chicago to the shop in Indy, stripped the car down Sunday night and early into Monday morning. They had it in the chassis shop by 7:30, bare frame, and the chassis shop handed it back with a whole new front end by Monday afternoon. Everyone worked real hard to turn it around so quickly, and boy, it sure paid off quick. The guys bolted the car back together, and we came here and never missed a step.”

It is nice to have a comfortable points lead at this point of the season and be real close to clinching the first spot in the Countdown. But it is really important to keep the momentum going. – Mike Edwards

EDWARDS MARCHES ON – The top two qualifiers squared off in the Pro Stock final round, and points leader Mike Edwards notched his class-best fourth victory against Allen Johnson (6.616, 209.56 to 15.969 52.46). Johnson experienced violent tire shake at the start of his run. Edwards extended his points lead to 153 over Johnson (who moved up from third place) and needs just a handful of points to clinch a spot in the Countdown to the Championship playoff. Said Edwards, owner-driver of the I Am Second / Interstate Batteries / K&N / Penhall Chevy Camaro, “It is nice to have a comfortable points lead at this point of the season and be real close to clinching the first spot in the Countdown. But it is really important to keep the momentum going. We cannot slow down now and coast into the chase. We need to be pushing even harder to close out the regular season.” Edwards was making his fifth final-round appearance and Johnson his sixth of the season.

157-MattSmithNorwalkActionSunday
 ‘SAY WHAT? RETIRE? WATCH THIS’ – When Michael Ray beat Matt Smith in the Chicago final the previous week with a particularly strong reaction time, he needled his friend a bit, telling him, “Man, if that’s the best you can do, you need to retire.” Retorted Smith, “Well, I’m going to show you what I can do at the next race.” He showed everybody, using a considerably quicker reaction time on his Viper Motorcycle Company Buell than Scotty Pollacheck’s to lead from start to finish on the quarter-mile course in 6.954 seconds at 192.44 mph. Pollacheck, Ray’s Sovereign-Star Racing teammate, ran 7.008, 191.16. For Smith, breaking a 34-race drought was even sweeter satisfaction than proving wrong Ray’s pre-race prediction that Pollacheck would win at Norwalk. Smith’s previous victory came more than two years ago, June 5, 2011, at Englishtown, N.J.

 
NEW LEADER – The Top Fuel points lead changed hands again, for the eighth time in 13 races. Shawn Langdon has a one-point edge on Tony Schumacher as the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series moves to Denver July 19-21 for the Mopar Mile-High Nationals. This marked the fourth time this year the Al-Anabi Racing Dragster driver has topped the standings. Schumacher lost in the opening round, and Langdon reached the semifinals.
 
148-DougKalittaNorwalkFridayRECORDS FALL – Doug Kalitta set both ends of the track record in qualifying at 3.767 seconds and 327.74 mph. Shawn Langdon trumped the E.T. record in his first-round victory over JR Todd at 3.752 seconds. The Force’s came away with track records, John breaking daughter Ashley’s E.T. mark with a 4.021-second pass and Courtney being fastest at 319.67 in her first-round victory against Tim Wilkerson. Mike Edwards qualified No. 2 behind Allen Johnson but set the class’ speed record at 209.92 Friday. Michael Ray barely grabbed the Pro Stock Motorcycle’s speed record in qualifying No. 1 with a 194.77-mph run, improving the mark from 194.49.
 
GREEK RUSH – Chris Karamesines will admit to being at least 80 years old, but the Top Fuel driver still knows how to take advantage of the “youngsters” he comes up against on race day. He made it to the quarterfinals, pulling away from tire-smoking Tony Schumacher to earn his 21st career round-win and first since June 2011 at Bristol. Moreover, against eventual winner Khalid alBalooshi, Karamesines got lane choice for the first time since Aug. 5, 1990, at Seattle. That represents 122 races for him.

2013_Chris_Karamesines_ActionKaramesines’ first-round victory was a shock for Schumacher, who pulled to the starting line with 657 elimination round-wins. “I always say it’s harder to run those guys that are just happy to be in the field,” the U.S. Army Dragster driver said. “When you are racing a [Doug] Kalitta in first round, you wake up and you’re pumped. ‘The Greek’ is one of those guys that is happy to show up and race. He loves making it through qualifying and then just goes out and tries to run a 3.95 like he did. When he’s in the other lane, you have to go out and run fast. If you make a mistake, you get beat.”
 
SPORTSMAN TROPHY-WINNERS – Chevy ruled in the sportsman classes with victories from Kris Hool (Top Alcohol Funny Car), Robert Bailey (Competition Eliminator), John DiBartolomeo (Super Stock), Randi Lyn Shipp (Stock Eliminator), Luke Bogacki (Super Comp), and Ray Connolly (Super Gas). Dave Hirata (Top Alcohol Dragster), Jeff  Pittman (Top Sportsman), and Vince Musolino (Top Dragster) also won.

 

About the author

Susan Wade

Celebrating her 45th year in sports journalism, Susan Wade has emerged as one of the leading drag-racing writers with 20 seasons at the racetrack. She was the first non-NASCAR recipient of the prestigious Russ Catlin Award and has covered the sport for the Chicago Tribune, Newark Star-Ledger, St. Petersburg Times, and Seattle Times. Growing up in Indianapolis, motorsports is part of her DNA. She contributes to Power Automedia as a freelancer writer.
Read My Articles

Drag Racing in your Inbox.

Build your own custom newsletter with the content you love from Dragzine, directly to your inbox, absolutely FREE!

Free WordPress Themes
Dragzine NEWSLETTER - SIGN UP FREE!

We will safeguard your e-mail and only send content you request.

Dragzine - Drag Racing Magazine

We'll send you the most interesting Dragzine articles, news, car features, and videos every week.

Dragzine - Drag Racing Magazine

Dragzine NEWSLETTER - SIGN UP FREE!

We will safeguard your e-mail and only send content you request.

Dragzine - Drag Racing Magazine

Thank you for your subscription.

Subscribe to more FREE Online Magazines!

We think you might like...


Street Muscle Magazine
Hot Rods & Muscle Cars
Diesel Army
Diesel Army
Engine Labs
Engine Tech

Dragzine - Drag Racing Magazine

Thank you for your subscription.

Subscribe to more FREE Online Magazines!

We think you might like...

  • Streetmuscle Hot Rods & Muscle Cars
  • Diesel Army Diesel Army
  • Engine Labs Engine Tech

Dragzine - Drag Racing Magazine

Dragzine

Thank you for your subscription.

Thank you for your subscription.

Dragzine - Drag Racing Magazine

Thank you for your subscription.

Thank you for your subscription.

Loading