The Weather Did Not Get Us This Time!

Saturday was the once rain delayed Rockett Brand Racing Fuel​ ET Bracket series with JDRL #1 at Route 66 Raceway. After the night before's Race Your Ride,  there was a bleak weather report of 80% chance of severe thunderstorms with damaging hail. When I awoke, I saw blue skies and immediately checked the weather report and learned over the five hours since I went to sleep the weather forecast had changed to 50% for scattered thunderstorms. While the track was prepared to go to a hurry-up schedule, there was no need. Other than some clouds around 11:30 a.m., it was a magnificent day without a single drop of rain. 

​The racing started with two rounds of Time Trials.

This was followed by the JDRL. For this race the Junior Sportsman were sponsored by Ingalls Park A.C. and the Junior Modifieds were sponsored by Art & Judy Lake (racer Bobby Churchill's Great- Grandparents).

As a result of the time trials, Austin Begyn (Junior Modified) and Cooper Hamelen (Junior Sportsman) won the Route 66 Food and Fuel  Best Reaction Time Award.

Cooper is a local racer from Tinley Park, however Austin, age 12, is from Andalusia, Il. along with his 14 yoa brother, Evan, 12 yoa sister Briece  and friend 11 yoa, Lucas DeCook (Taylor Ridge,Il.). They all race together and normally race at the Tri-State Raceway in Earlville, Ia. I want to thank the Begyn's for coming to Route 66 and supporting the NHRA JDRL.

Eliminations started and continued round after round. The first two classes that crowned their winner were High School...

Where points leader Julie Nettles defeated Nate Kelley. Next was Junior Sportsman...

Where Cooper Hamelen took the win light over Ruby  Zolper. This was Cooper's second win of the season. He also had Best Reaction Time.

The racing  continued with Bruce Damewood defeating Greg Darm in the Pro Bike class. Greg almost got Bruce with .001 reaction time.

The next final was in Sportsman when Steve Flounders Jr. in his 1973 Roadrunner  bested  Jeff Toepper in his 1969 Camaro.

This was followed by Junior Modified racer Elizabeth Manaseri defeating Jack Nolan. Jack had a problem on the start line and was not able to stage in time.

In the Pro ET class, it was Mario Caponigro, in his 69 Plymouth Roadrunner defeating Dave Kaczmarczyk in his 86 Dodge Pickup . Earlier in the day, Mario was "busting my chops" about only having one picture of his car from the last ET Bracket Race. I reminded him that to get more images, he needs not to get eliminated in the first round! After this win, Mario demanded that I tell that to him at each upcoming race!!

In the final race of the day, it is was Jerry Cotton taking the win light over Nick Cryer in Super Pro. This is Jerry Cotton's second win  of the season at Route 66.

Today was a magnificent day for racing! The weatherman could not have been more wrong in the forecast. I want express my congratulations to all our winners.

To see the rest of the day's action, please click here.

To see all our images, please click here.

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