The Garden Isle Racing Association held its twenty-ninth annual Independence Day Drag Races on July 5th and 6th at Kauai Raceway Park in Mana, the westernmost quarter mile drag strip in the world. On Friday, before a crowd of 1,600,
The Garden Isle Racing Association held its twenty-ninth annual Independence Day Drag Races on July 5th and 6th at Kauai Raceway Park in Mana, the westernmost quarter mile drag strip in the world.
On Friday, before a crowd of 1,600, three ET bracket classes were featured. In the Ron Kouchi for Mayor Street ET bracket, Bill Winningham drove his Toyota station wagon to a First Place victory with a 0.568 light and an ET of 19.329 on a 19.20 dial-in. Sheldon Peralta cut a 0.633 light but broke out to finish second with 17.070 ET on a 17.22 dial-in in his Honda Accord.
Friday’s King Auto Center Super Street ET bracket was won by Matt Higa of Maui, driving Brian Sadaoka’s 1997 Honda Civic (sponsored by 1320 Performance Maui and HyperSports) with a 0.509 light, 12.066 ET, and 11.99 dial-in. Finishing second, Jason Alfiler cut a 0.596 light on his way to a 12.897 ET on a 12.80 dial-in in his Toyota MR2 (sponsored by G-Sport Racing).
In the Brian Baptiste for Mayor Pro ET bracket, first place went to Maui’s Tony King, who drove the Going Bananas Plymouth Duster, (sponsored by Waimea Canyon Snack Shop and Howard’s Auto Repair) with a 0.561 light, 11.077 ET and 10.95 dial-in. Placing second, driving the Rhino Linings 1986 Firebird, was Zane Basquez with a 0.544 light and 12.917 ET on a 12.70 dial-in.
Saturday’s racing action included over 380 individual races in six classes and several special awards.
In Ron Kouchi for Mayor Street ET racing, Nestor Cabatan, in his 2000 Honda Accord Coupe (sponsored by STI) was unbeatable with a 0.565 light and 16.491 ET on a 16.45 dial-in. Finishing in second place, driving his 1996 Nissan 200SX SE-R (sponsored by Sport Tech Innovations) with a 0.690 light, 15.90 dial-in and 15.802 ET, was Matt Pancho.
Victory in Saturday’s King Auto Center Super Street ET went to Mark Morris of Maui, who launched his 1970 Dodge Charger (sponsored by Howard’s Auto Repair / Pat’s Cylinder Heads / Waimea Canyon Snack Shop) with a 0.555 light and ran a 12.50 ET on a 12.42 dial-in. Second place went to Matt Higa with a 0.574 light, 12.102 ET, and 11.99 dial-in.
The final round of Saturday’s Brian Baptiste for Mayor Pro ET saw a repeat victory from Tony King with a 0.619 light, 11.176 ET, 10.95 dial-in. Second place went to Wayne Parraga driving his Camaro (sponsored by Parraga Service) with a 0.583 light, 15.140 ET on a 14.42 dial-in.
In the PSD Napa Quick 8 ET bracket, John Ishibashi’s 0.621 light took the Kauai Vehicle Service Center Pontiac Grand Prix to first place running 179.28 MPH, 7.846 on a 7.63 dial-in. Ralph Villabrille cut a 0.638 light to finish in second place driving his 1923 bucket “T” to 155.17 MPH, 8.550 break-out ET on an 8.60 dial-in.
Saturday’s racing also featured a Jr ET bracket sponsored by Ron Kouchi for Mayor.
12-year-old Calvin Costa (sponsored by D & W Services) cut a 0.630 light and ran 77.05 MPH and 8.35 ET on an 8.26 dial-in for First Place. 11-year-old Sheldon Costa (sponsored by D & W Services) finished second with an 8.937 break-out on his 8.99 dial-in.
Finishing in Third Place were team drivers Chason and Cohltan Riskus (sponsored by Hula Girl Clothing and Blinds Plus Window Coverings) with a 55.90 MPH, 11.220 ET, 10.79 dial-in, and 0.539 light. Wayne Parraga, Jr., age 11, ran 56.82 MPH, 11.525 ET, 11.03 dial-in with a 0.794 light to finish fourth.
The fastest dragsters competed in Saturday’s heads-up Top Gun competition was won by Miles Togioka, who cut a 0.521 light driving the Napa-(sponsored M & S Marine) 3,500 horsepower dragster to a 7.050, 201.79 MPH victory. The second place Top Gun finish went to Tyler Taba in the Matsuda Bros & Taba dragster (sponsored by Pembrook Industries, Hadama Service, and Triple Nickel Race Cars) with a 0.544 light who ran 7.374 at 185.95 MPH. Miles Togioka also set the meet’s quickest ET with a 6.676 ET at 208.33 MPH during qualifying.
The Western Motors Best Reaction Time trophy went to Mark Morris for his 0.501 light, only 0.001 seconds off a perfect reaction time.
The Tire Warehouse Burn Out Contest featured more than a half dozen contestants, but was won by an anonymous racing spectator driving a redimport pickup. After running the tread off his first set of tires, he came back with another set of tires to continue his burnout.
Randy Lawrence, driving a Chevrolet Vega, won the Western Motors Best Wheel Stand trophy.
The culmination of both days of racing was a competition among all of Saturday’s ET winners for NHRA King of the Track.
Losing in the semi finals were Mark Morris with a red light, and John Ishibashi, whose car turned sideways at half track. Second place went to Tony King with an 0.828 light and 10.931 break-out on his 10.95 dial-in.
The 2002 NHRA King of the Track for Kauai Raceway Park was won by Nestor Cabatan in his STI sponsored 2000 Honda Accord Coupe with 0.505 light and 16.550 ET on a 16.45 dial-in.
GIRA’s next race will be held Sunday August 11th from 8am to 4pm. For more information about GIRA and drag racing on Kauai call 808.823.6246.
