(Guam Racing Federation) — On what had been a cool breezy Saturday night at the 76-Circle K drag strip located in the village of Yigo the Drag Racing Association of Guam quickly throttled up the temperature as they hosted their first racing series for this year. Presented by Budweiser the Budweiser Race Cup Series is a three event race series the first of which was held this past Saturday March 10th, continuing with the second race event this up coming Saturday March 17th with the finals to be held on March 24th.
The rules for the event were run under a handicap with four classes being run. Each participant would be allowed two runs down the quarter mile to determine their qualifying time. Once a qualifying time was determined that participant was then qualified for that times respective class with the exception of the combined motorcycle and atv class. Qualifying times also determined each participant’s handicap. Handicaps were entered into the starting system allowing a delay in the starting time light tree between two respective competitors staged for their elimination runs.
Elimination runs saw eventual Sportsman 1 class winner Matt Hart driver of the Capricciosa-Tony Roma’s Mitsubishi work his way through the Acura of Ricardo Salonga during round 1 of eliminations with a quarter mile time of 13.22 at 103.95 miles per hour. Hart was then given a single by run in the second round of elimination which moved him into the finals against the powerful Suzuki Samurai of Keith George. After a few smoke outs by the two finalists to heat up the tires for better grip the two staged in anticipation of the starting lights. When the light went off it was all Matt Hart in the Mitsubishi as Keith George had launched his Suzuki Samurai prematurely which resulted in a red light disqualification. Matt Harts final winning pass down the quarter mile was a 13.46 time at 101.8 miles per hour.
The Sportsman 2 class had the largest field of competitors going into the first night of eliminations. 2PRFORM racing team driver Brian Cadiz took his Nissan through the eliminations to win the first night of competition having taken on the Toyata of Sadri Tamagus in round 1 with a time of 14.23 at 87.22 miles per hour. Cadiz then took on and won against Justin Barrera’s Nissan to move himself on into round 3. In round 3 of the eliminations Brian Cadiz found himself up against long time racer Joe Naputi with again Cadiz advancing but this time into the finals. Making the finals it was two cousins going up against each other for the nights Sportsman 2 class win as Brian Cadiz and his cousin Ben Cadiz staged up for the start. Brian pulled a great start and throttled his Nissan all the way to the finish to take the win with a time of 14.6 at 86.99 miles per hour.
In the combined motorcycle and atv class the atv participants were no where to be found as three super sport motorcycles prepared to battle it out down the quarter mile. Brian Calvo aboard his Yamaha R-6 took on the class to take the final and the win with a time of 11.84 at 111 miles per hour.
The quickest down the strip were the Pro class vehicles which saw Willie Brennan take the alcohol burning Chevy Monza small block up against the Chevy Luv pickup with a 355 cubic inch V-8 motor in the finals. With out hesitation after two spectacular burn outs that had roared and grabbed what may have been the entire islands attention Brennan and the Monza launched and ripped its way down the quarter mile to take the win. Brennan’s time was a 9.849 at 110.8 miles per hour.
Round two of the Budweiser Race Cup Series will be held this coming Saturday night once again at the 76-Circle K drag strip located in the village of Yigo. Gates open early for spectators with racing is set to begin at 6:30pm. For more information visit the website DragGuam.com or call D.R.A.G. president Ed Cruz at 688-7801.