The 2006 Infineon Raceway bracket drag racing season got off to a flying start on Sunday, Jan. 8. More than 200 racers were greeted by great weather with a mix of bright sunshine and temperatures in the low 60s.
Claiming opening day class honors were Kevin McClelland (Super Pro), Cliff Hall (Pro ET), Mat Moran (Sportsman), Trace St. Germain (Motorcycle), Kelly Glenn (High School) and Nick Alviso in Trophy.
The Super Pro final was an all-Rohnert-Park affair with close friends Mike (Bones) Eling's 1965 El Camino against archrival Kevin McClelland's 1927 Ford Street Roadster. Eling got the head start using a .013 light to McClelland's .019, but lost with a 11.09 (11.07 dial) 129.21 as McClelland's roadster was able to catch him in the lights with a right on 8.97 (8.97) at 147.04 mph. Stockton's Michael Mangili and Gary Reust battled their way into the semi-finals.
Carmichael's Cliff Hall started the year off with a big win in Pro ET with his classic 1965 Mustang by beating the 1968 Camaro of Bryan Franks (Elk Grove) in the final. Hall received the handicap start and used a .060 light to Franks' better .049. Hall was forced to run right on his 10.99 dial at 118.40 to take the win light, while Franks fell off with a 10.46 (10.43) at 125.78 mph. The lone semi winner was Modesto's Dave Varner in a 1983 Camaro.
Sportsman honors went to Mat Moran's 2001 Jaguar, as the San Francisco racer was able to stop good friend Steve Romans' 2001 Chevy truck in the final. Romans, from Hayward, was nearly perfect on the tree with a .001 RT to Moran's .060. Romans got to the finish line first but in the process was too quick with a 15.24 (15.37) at 78.38 mph giving Moran the win with a 12.78 (12.76) at 107.33. Former Track Champ Scott McKenna from Livermore took his 1994 Dodge Dakota truck into the semis before losing out to eventual winner Moran.
It only took one race for Motorcycle rider Trace St. Germain to find his way back into the winner's circle, as the San Jose Kawasaki rider outlasted a 20-bike field for top honors. Upset-minded Brian Peterson pushed his Daly City-based Harley to some impressive early round wins to gain a spot in the final against the defending track champ. Peterson was doomed from the start, posting a late .287 RT and an off-the-dial run of 12.04 (11.65) 110.71 to St. Germain's much better .092 RT and a victorious 9.95 (9.74) 108.50. Second-generation rider Jeffery St. Germain of San Jose lost in the semis on board his 550 Kawasaki and was rewarded with a check for his efforts.
Novato's Kelly Glenn once again found herself in another High School final and this time it was Napa's Chris Ellicock who has served noticed that he will be a force to reckon with. Ellicock's 1967 Camaro took the early lead with a nice .090 RT to Glenn's tardy .218 RT with her 1969 Nova. Ellicock got to the finish line first, but broke out with a 13.95 (13.97) 95.12 to Glenn's winning 12.99 (12.95) at 99.96 mph. The sole semi-finalist was Santa Rosa's Brad Davis with a 1995 Mustang who received a trophy for his third place showing.
It took six rounds of racing in the Trophy class before a winner could be crowned and in the end it was Nick Alviso of Morgan Hill in a 2002 SRT 4. Alviso got the automatic win when competitor Joel Minadeo fouled in his 1991 Toyota MR 2. Alviso, who was tough all day, ran a right-on-the-dial 13.40 at 103.51 to Minadeo's slowing 17.30 (16.00) at 84.98 mph. Picking up trophies in the semis were Binh Bianchi of San Francisco in a 1970 Chevy Nova and David Buchholtz of Novato behind the wheel of his Hemi-powered 2005 Dodge Ram truck.
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