Mike Thompson
05-28-2007, 11:44 PM
Maui Raceway Park
11th Annual George “Flintstone” Andrade Memorial Day Drag Races
May 24, 25, 26 & 27, 2007
Award Ceremonies capped off four days of exciting drag racing action at Maui Raceway Park’s 11th Annual George “Flintstone” Andrade Memorial Day Drag Races, May 24-27. By Sunday, the drag strip’s starting line was thick with burned rubber laid down by over 400 race entires and over three thousand spectators had enjoyed watching racers from three island compete on the Valley Isle’s NHRA santioned ¼ mile drag strip. The annual weekend event honors George Andrade Sr. who was instrumental in the development of the race track which is one of NHRA’s five longest continuous operating tracks in the country. The track is operated by the Valley Isle Timing Association, a non-profit organization.
Sunday featured four classes highlighted by the Quick 32 Shootout. Pukalani’s Scott Hirata walked away with a Wally trophy and over two thousand dollars in prize money. Hirata claimed the win in his ’73 Vega over Makawao’s Kevin Yoshida with a display of drag racing finese – a reaction time in the fives and an ET just a notch off his dial-in. Sunday’s largest class was the Pro ET. Thirty-five racers went head to head for the second coveted Wally trophy of the day and over one thousand dollars in prize money. The final duel was another display of drag racing expertise featuring two Dodges, a Dart and a Barracuda. Kahului’s Martin Hultquist who is also a motorcycle racer defeated Wailuku’s Petro Palad in a close contest. Both veteran racers had great reaction times and ran very close to their dial-ins. The Sunday motorcycle contest final duel featured two Kawasaki racers. Dan Shaffer of Lahaina was handed the win by Haiku’s Alan Enholm who left the starting line a little too quick, an automatic disqualification. The Jr. Dragster class rounded out Sunday’s program. Wailuku’s Christian Motonaga took the win over Matthew Yoshinaga of Ewa Beach after Yoshinaga’s race car pulled out of competition due to mechanical difficulties.
Saturday’s racing action featured one hundred and fifty racers in eight categories, highlighted by the Fast Gas class. Kaneohe’s Kevin Yasumura who posted an elapsed time quicker than his dial-in got a break and the win light when Kahului’s Bill Lane got out of the groove and crossed the centerline . Yasumura’s 9.63 run (138 mph) was just one-thousandths quicker than his dial-in. In the 10.90 index final, Wailuku’s Roy Kato also ran quicker than his index but took home the winner trophy after Lahaina’s John Eliasen left the starting line a little too quick. Kihei’s Robert Miskae scored his second victory in a row in the 11.90 class in a close heat against Hanapepe’s Wendell Nonaka. Miskae’s great reaction time resulted in the win coupled with a run closer to the index mark. Wailuku’s Petro Palad earned his first trophy of the weekend in the 12.90 class after his competitor, Bobby Barros of Lihue, had a break-out run. Barros needed a perfect attempt to beat Palad who had a great reaction time and ran very close to his dial-in. The Pro Sport Compact final featured VW Bug and Honda Civic race cars. Makawao’s Whitey Wojcieski defeated Mark Caires also of Makawao by running closer to his dial-in after Caires beat him off the starting line. The Street class final was a duel of Camaros. Michael Pakele of Kula took the win against Charles Oliveira of Makawao after Oliveira posted an ET quicker than his dial-in, breaking out. Kahului’s Martin Hultquist earned his first award of the weekend in Saturday’s Bike class. Lahaina’s Dan Shaffer settled for second after he ran one thousandths of a second quicker than his dial-in and handed the win to Hultquist. The Jr. Dragster class also rounded out Saturday’s program. Leesa Viveiros of Honolulu took home the winner trophy in a close contest against Jodi Ann Tomooka of Wailuku. Tomooka beat Viveiros off the line but also ran one thousandths of a second quicker than her dial-in.
Friday’s action featured the Summit Racing Series classes with Wally Park trophies awarded to all winners. Two O’ahu racers battled for the Super Pro win and Wendall Nonaka claimed the prize with a run that started with a great reaction time. Alfred Kalani, Jr. needed a perfect run to defeat Nonaka who also nailed his dial-in. Nonaka’s 1987 Buick Regal reached a top speed of 116 mph with an ET of 11.09. Kalani fell short of his dial-in by only one thousandths of a second in his 1948 Topolino but also got beat at the starting line. In the Pro category, Makawao’s Joey Amoral took the win against Pukalani’s Robert Hewlett in a close contest. Amoral had a better reaction time and ran a tick closer to his dial-in in his Camaro versus Hewlett in his 1965 Chevelle. In the Sportsman final, Haiku’s Mat Simons earned his first Wally trophy in a close contest against Paia’s Wayne Puha. Both racers posted ETs quicker than their dial-ins but Simons broke out by only three thousandths of a second versus Puha’s three tenths and scored the win light. In the Pro Bike ET final, Wade Jacobson of Lahaina took home the Wally after his competitor, Bobby Ito of Kula, was disqualified with a red-light start.
Submitted by Sharon Spring
Valley Isle Timing Association, Director
geoss2010@earthlink.net
NEXT EVENT, JUNE 22 & 23!
11th Annual George “Flintstone” Andrade Memorial Day Drag Races
May 24, 25, 26 & 27, 2007
Award Ceremonies capped off four days of exciting drag racing action at Maui Raceway Park’s 11th Annual George “Flintstone” Andrade Memorial Day Drag Races, May 24-27. By Sunday, the drag strip’s starting line was thick with burned rubber laid down by over 400 race entires and over three thousand spectators had enjoyed watching racers from three island compete on the Valley Isle’s NHRA santioned ¼ mile drag strip. The annual weekend event honors George Andrade Sr. who was instrumental in the development of the race track which is one of NHRA’s five longest continuous operating tracks in the country. The track is operated by the Valley Isle Timing Association, a non-profit organization.
Sunday featured four classes highlighted by the Quick 32 Shootout. Pukalani’s Scott Hirata walked away with a Wally trophy and over two thousand dollars in prize money. Hirata claimed the win in his ’73 Vega over Makawao’s Kevin Yoshida with a display of drag racing finese – a reaction time in the fives and an ET just a notch off his dial-in. Sunday’s largest class was the Pro ET. Thirty-five racers went head to head for the second coveted Wally trophy of the day and over one thousand dollars in prize money. The final duel was another display of drag racing expertise featuring two Dodges, a Dart and a Barracuda. Kahului’s Martin Hultquist who is also a motorcycle racer defeated Wailuku’s Petro Palad in a close contest. Both veteran racers had great reaction times and ran very close to their dial-ins. The Sunday motorcycle contest final duel featured two Kawasaki racers. Dan Shaffer of Lahaina was handed the win by Haiku’s Alan Enholm who left the starting line a little too quick, an automatic disqualification. The Jr. Dragster class rounded out Sunday’s program. Wailuku’s Christian Motonaga took the win over Matthew Yoshinaga of Ewa Beach after Yoshinaga’s race car pulled out of competition due to mechanical difficulties.
Saturday’s racing action featured one hundred and fifty racers in eight categories, highlighted by the Fast Gas class. Kaneohe’s Kevin Yasumura who posted an elapsed time quicker than his dial-in got a break and the win light when Kahului’s Bill Lane got out of the groove and crossed the centerline . Yasumura’s 9.63 run (138 mph) was just one-thousandths quicker than his dial-in. In the 10.90 index final, Wailuku’s Roy Kato also ran quicker than his index but took home the winner trophy after Lahaina’s John Eliasen left the starting line a little too quick. Kihei’s Robert Miskae scored his second victory in a row in the 11.90 class in a close heat against Hanapepe’s Wendell Nonaka. Miskae’s great reaction time resulted in the win coupled with a run closer to the index mark. Wailuku’s Petro Palad earned his first trophy of the weekend in the 12.90 class after his competitor, Bobby Barros of Lihue, had a break-out run. Barros needed a perfect attempt to beat Palad who had a great reaction time and ran very close to his dial-in. The Pro Sport Compact final featured VW Bug and Honda Civic race cars. Makawao’s Whitey Wojcieski defeated Mark Caires also of Makawao by running closer to his dial-in after Caires beat him off the starting line. The Street class final was a duel of Camaros. Michael Pakele of Kula took the win against Charles Oliveira of Makawao after Oliveira posted an ET quicker than his dial-in, breaking out. Kahului’s Martin Hultquist earned his first award of the weekend in Saturday’s Bike class. Lahaina’s Dan Shaffer settled for second after he ran one thousandths of a second quicker than his dial-in and handed the win to Hultquist. The Jr. Dragster class also rounded out Saturday’s program. Leesa Viveiros of Honolulu took home the winner trophy in a close contest against Jodi Ann Tomooka of Wailuku. Tomooka beat Viveiros off the line but also ran one thousandths of a second quicker than her dial-in.
Friday’s action featured the Summit Racing Series classes with Wally Park trophies awarded to all winners. Two O’ahu racers battled for the Super Pro win and Wendall Nonaka claimed the prize with a run that started with a great reaction time. Alfred Kalani, Jr. needed a perfect run to defeat Nonaka who also nailed his dial-in. Nonaka’s 1987 Buick Regal reached a top speed of 116 mph with an ET of 11.09. Kalani fell short of his dial-in by only one thousandths of a second in his 1948 Topolino but also got beat at the starting line. In the Pro category, Makawao’s Joey Amoral took the win against Pukalani’s Robert Hewlett in a close contest. Amoral had a better reaction time and ran a tick closer to his dial-in in his Camaro versus Hewlett in his 1965 Chevelle. In the Sportsman final, Haiku’s Mat Simons earned his first Wally trophy in a close contest against Paia’s Wayne Puha. Both racers posted ETs quicker than their dial-ins but Simons broke out by only three thousandths of a second versus Puha’s three tenths and scored the win light. In the Pro Bike ET final, Wade Jacobson of Lahaina took home the Wally after his competitor, Bobby Ito of Kula, was disqualified with a red-light start.
Submitted by Sharon Spring
Valley Isle Timing Association, Director
geoss2010@earthlink.net
NEXT EVENT, JUNE 22 & 23!