MANA — Kelsie Iida-Vierra bolstered her lead in the Garden Isle Racing Association Jr. Dragster division by winning the class Saturday at the Kaua‘i Raceway Park in Mana. On Friday, Zailea Lawrence-White, currently No. 2 in the standings, topped the
MANA — Kelsie Iida-Vierra bolstered her lead in the Garden Isle Racing Association Jr. Dragster division by winning the class Saturday at the Kaua‘i Raceway Park in Mana.
On Friday, Zailea Lawrence-White, currently No. 2 in the standings, topped the Jr. Dragster Challenge over Lawson Fernandes during the two-day Jr. Dragster Challenge hosted by the GIRA in early September.
With two races remaining on the GIRA racing calendar, Iida-Vierra leads the series with 550 points to Lawrence-White’s 445 points, leading No. 3 Nalu Barros by a scant 10 points, according to the
dragrace-kauai.com website.
GIRA will host the next drag race on Sunday for a day race with the gates opening at 8 a.m., Test and Tune starting from 10 a.m. and running until 2 p.m.
Elimination rounds start at 2 p.m. and run until sundown.
During the Labor Day Jr. Dragster races, Lawrence-White topped the Friday runs with a 9.14 ET on a .040 reaction time to hit 68.70 mph on her 9.10 dial-in, Fernandes taking second place on an 8.90 ET with a .076 reaction time and reaching 72.82 mph over his 8.83 dial-in.
Iida-Vierra soared to the top of the Jr. Dragsters during the Saturday race, hitting 78.12 mph on a 8.08 ET and a .037 reaction time on a 7.95 dial-in.
T’Ryane Sakamoto, currently No. 4 in the standings with 365 points, filled in the runner-up berth on a 9.08 ET over an 8.90 dial-in and a .086 reaction time.
Bike
Mike Wellman was a consistent rider over two days, finishing in the runner-up berth on both days on his ’07 Suzuki, which hit an 11.08 ET on a 10.45 dial-in on Friday, topping 136.48 mph on a .116 reaction time. Saturday, Wellman red lights to give the top spot to Karl Nakamura aboard a ’07 Kawasaki Ninja RT breaking out at 13.34 ET over a 13.40 dial-in and hitting 98.74 mph on a .291 reaction time.
Friday’s top bike honors went to Larry Palmeira on a ’07 Kawasaki ZX 1400 RT, who hit a 10.18 ET over a 9.99 dial-in and hitting 119.90 mph on a .346 reaction time.
Currently, Dennis Stoner leads the Bike class with 535 points followed by Nakamura at 495 points and Matt Kaleiohi at 455 points.
Street ET
Emilie Balik, currently No. 5 in the standings, red lighted on two days, giving the Friday lead to Aaron Imada in a ’86 Toyota Corolla which ran an 11.76 ET over a 11.77 dial-in, topping 115 mph on a .092 reaction time.
Gus Fontanilla, currently No. 7 in the standing, topped the Saturday run in an ’89 Nissan 240SX, hitting a 16.44 ET over a 16.08 dial-in and reaching 83.29 mph on a .226 reaction time.
Charles Pereira currently leads the Street ET class with 625 points followed by Ryan Stigilmeier (555 points), Matt Torry (415 points), Aaron Norris (325 points) and Balik.
Muscle V8
Shandon Takayama, currently the points leader, took a first place Friday, but settled for runner-up Saturday when his ’09 Nissan red lighted, giving the class to Esteve Fernando who, in a ’89 Toyota pickup, hit an 11.77 ET over an 11.69 dial-in to reach 113.24 mph on a .042 reaction time. Fernando is currently No. 4 in the standings with 410 points compared with Takayama’s 665 points at the leader spot.
Takayama topped the Friday run on an 11.76 ET over an 11.77 dial-in to hit 115.96 mph on a .092 reaction time, the runner-up spot going to Daniel Pereira who broke out in his ’84 Camaro, crossing the line on an 11.47 ET over an 11.55 dial-in and hitting 115.51 mph.
Sport Compact
Elena Kealoha, currently No. 2 in the standings with 505 points, captured top honors in the Friday run in her ’56 VW Bug, marking a 13.05 ET over a 13.00 dial-in and reaching 102.38 mph on a .028 reaction time.
Runner-up spot went to Byron Ponte in a ’02 Sentra who ran a 13.26 ET on a 13.25 dial-in, hitting 103.94 mph on a .133 reaction time.
Bryson Fontanilla, sitting at No. 3 in the standings with 480 points, topped the Saturday run in a ’89 Nissan 240SX hitting a 11.81 ET on a 11.70 dial-in and reaching 115.60 mph on a .142 reaction time.
Runner-up spot in the Saturday race went to Ricky Uemura, current points leader at 535 points, in a ’93 Civic who hit a 12.16 ET on a 12.00 dial-in and reaching 112.30 mph on a .098 reaction time.
Pro ET
Michael Olivas, currently at No. 2 in the points standings at just 10 points below leader Randy Lawrence, finished with a first place, Friday and a runner up spot Saturday.
Olivas, in a ’69 Nova, topped Guy Montemayor Friday, hitting a 10.31 ET over a 10.31 dial-in and reaching 129.37 mph on a .025 reaction time over Montemayor’s ’67 Nova, which hit a 10.53 ET over a 10.50 dial-in and hitting 125.91 mph on a .087 reaction time.
Saturday, Olivas turned in an 11.12 ET over a 10.30 dial-in, hitting 121.46 mph on a .126 reaction time, but relinquishing the lead spot to Calvin Tani, who in a ’69 Camaro RT, hit 11.03 ET on a 10.84 dial-in to reach 105.87 mph on a .323 reaction time.
Top Gun
Jesse Kealoha, currently No. 2 in the points standings with 570 points to leader Kevin Rapozo’s 605 points, topped the Friday race in his ’92 Nissan hitting an 8.30 ET over an 8.24 dial-in and reaching 151.26 mph on a .073 reaction time.
Runner up spot went to John Ishibashi in a ’68 Camaro which hit an 8.92 ET on an 8.83 dial-in and hitting 154.59 mph on a .233 reaction time.
Kevin Rapozo, current points leader, topped the Saturday race in a ’08 Spitzer Dragster running a 7.49 ET over a 7.46 dial-in to reach 165.08 mph on a .067 reaction time.
Robby Silva filled in the runner-up spot Saturday in a ’71 Camaro running a 9.10 ET over a 9.00 dial-in and hitting 147.03 mph on a .087 reaction time.
For more information on the Sunday drag races visit www.dragrace-kauai.com, as well as complete year-to-date results.
