GRAND BEND, ONTARIO (September 9, 2014) – The final event of the 2014 Quick 32 Sportsman Series, held at the Grand Bend Motorplex, resulted in a first-time event winner, and a first-time series champion.
Mike Everitt won the race, and Jon Schmid won the Championship Point Award Series presented by NAPA Auto Parts.
For Top Dragster driver Everitt, of Stratford, Ontario, it was an eventful weekend. The team struggled with mechanical issues throughout the weekend, but the group pulled together to win their first event.
We had some issues, said Everitt after the race. All weekend we had nitrous problems and then rewired the whole car after the second qualifier. We ran the last passes with all motor but consistency and luck played a bit part in our win.
Powered by a 632-cubic inch engine, the Spitzer Enterprises dragster qualified 11th with a 6.798 at 192.71. Everitt, who has raced for 10 years, eliminated Melanie Simmons Salemi of Orillia, Ontario, Tony Positano of Toronto, and James Litchy of Linwood, Ontario to meet up with Sam Christian of Amherst, NY in the final.
Although Christian cut a better light, Everitt was able to power to a win with a 6.776, 198.36 over Christian’s 6.866, 183.03.
Along with Litchy, Jim Rubino of Buffalo was the other semi-finalist in Top Dragster.
This win goes out to Kevin Nichols, said Everitt. “And I have to thank the crew, including my crew chief and dad Ken, along with John from Hutch’s Transmission Service, Kirk Silbermann at Ajax Engines, and Doug Cooke from the Erie Drive-in in Stratford.
Everitt met up with Top Sportsman finalist Jon Schmid for the event final, and although Schmid was eliminated in that race, the Orchard Park, NY racer won the Quick 32 Sportsman Series championship for 2014.
The final saw Everitt get a jump at the lights on Schmid, driving to a 6.830, 189.79 pass over Schmid’s 7.166, 189.31.
We had a lot of luck, noted the 2006 Pontiac GTO driver of his rookie year in the series, and only his second season with the car. But we picked it up pretty quick, and consistency played a big role.
The GTO is powered by a 762-cubic inch Chevy engine which sits inside the Jerry Haas Race Cars chassis.
Schmid qualified ninth in the field, paced by two-time series winner Kevin Wicke of Stratford, Ontario with a 6.836 at 200.44 mph. Schmid took out Wes Goddard of Guelph, Ontario, Ben Greevers of Paris, Ontario, and Dan Flanigan of Buffalo to meet up with Wicke in the final.
Although Wicke nailed the tree with a .001 reaction time, he broke out at the stripe, giving the win to Schmid won posted a 7.143, 190.59 over Wicke’s 6.869, 193.88.
Schmid said after the race he will return to the series next season. The champion also wanted to thank Will and Jen Bognar, Paul Allen, and Jan-Cen Racing Engines for all their help and advice.
Schmid finished in first with 927 points, followed by Top Dragster drivers Positano with 853, Everitt with 826, Glen Vardy of Burlington, Ontario with 798, and Christian with 784.
This fifth and final race of the 2014 season marked the end of the six season of Quick 32 Sportsman Series racing. The teams will be honored at the annual Night of Champions Banquet to be held November 8 at the Holiday Inn Burlington.
The next race on the 2014 PMRA schedule is the International Pro Mod Challenge at the SuperChargers Showdown September 26 – 27 at the Maryland Int’l Raceway, Mechanicsville, Maryland. This non-points event will feature the PMRA racing against the Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Association (NOPMA).
