Nationals Recap

June 30, 2008

The second annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals was an emotionally charged weekend for drivers, teams, and fans, not to mention the Bader family, owners of the famed motorsports stadium Summit Motorsports Park. It was a race that set records for attendance, yet had an entire day of pro racing cancelled. After battling Mother Nature over four days, Sunday’s eliminations concluded a few minutes after 6:00 pm under blue skies. Friday’s professional qualifying rounds were halted due to water on the track that came from below instead of falling from the sky. The ground was completely saturated with water following 13 inches of rain in the past week. When the track surface heated up it created a very rare condition causing water to percolate up through surface cracks like a coffee maker. The water created a safety hazard for the racecars. “We were extremely disappointed having to make this decision,” said Bill Bader, Jr., president of Summit Motorsports Park. “But, it’s not worth it to put racers’ lives at risk.” Fans holding Friday tickets were given the opportunity to receive credit for the full face value towards a ticket for Saturday, Sunday, or next year’s race.

Crews worked through the night to construct ditches to drain water from underneath the track. In what amounted to a live demonstration of a sponsor’s products, equipment from the Krystowski Tractor Sales/Kubota and CAT Ohio midway displays were brought from their displays on the midway to dig the drainage ditches. “This was truly an ‘above and beyond’ effort from these sponsors to help save the day, and we really appreciate their help so we could continue racing on Saturday,” said Bader.

Sunday’s winners all had intense emotions to share. Funny Car champion Tony Pedregon drove his Q Horsepower Chevy Impala SS to victory and dedicated the race to late Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta’s wife and two sons, Kathy, Corey and Colin. It was Pedregon’s third victory of the year. Pedregon had high marks for the racetrack and the Bader family, saying, “We wish we could bring other track operators here.” Pedregon is a strong competitor at Summit Motorsports Park, and was the Funny Car champion at the 2006 and 2007 Night Under Fire races held at the track. He is scheduled to appear at the 2008 Night Under Fire August 2. The win moved Pedregon from fourth to second place in POWERade championship points in Funny Car.

Doug Herbert celebrated his 10^th NHRA career victory in Top Fuel in his SnaponFranchise.com dragster. An emotional Herbert dedicated his win to his two sons, Jon and James, who were killed earlier this year in an automobile accident. Herbert said he brought his daughter Jessie to the race and were able to spend a day at nearby amusement park Cedar Point.

Greg Anderson notched a Pro Stock victory in his Pontiac GXP in front of his sponsors, Summit Racing Equipment. “It feels pretty good to win at a Summit-sponsored race.” An upbeat Anderson called last year’s red light in the first round of the inaugural race, “the low point of the year last year. This year’s victory felt real good. I think we're back in the fight, and we're going to keep swinging out there, trying to make it better by the time we get to the Countdown.” The victory moved Anderson from second to first place in POWERade championship points in Pro Stock.

Hector Arana was excited with his first-ever win in Pro Stock Motorcycle after starting in the class 18 years ago, joking he’d like to earn more trophies, “for every room in his house.”