Words by Hank Schmitt
Photos by Bob Ucker of ShowCase Photo
2/17/06
he best way to win a championship in any racing series is to win not only often, but also to win early. Making a statement by walking away with the first event or two of the season can put "Big Mo" on your side and mess with your opponents' minds.
Holley, NY, driver Dave Tomasino did the trick at Bradenton Motorsports Park Feb. 11-12 when he overcame a tough field and less than great weather to take both the top qualifying slot and the win in the first Nitro Coupe battle of the Super Chevy Show's 2006 season.
 MikeSwinarski |
 The Super Chevy Show had some awesome 300-mile per hour side by side jet races at Bradenton with Canadian Lou Pereira and his "Terminator" jet dragster duking it out with "Queen of Diamonds" driver Jessie Harris (shown). |
 Bob Hall brought out a piece of history for the fans in Bradenton with quarter-mile passes in his famed "Paddy Wagon" wheelstander. |
Tomasino and his American flag-themed 1969 Camaro were the class of the field from the first qualifying shot. He was more than a tenth of a second faster than No. 2 qualifier (and 2005 world championship runner-up) Randy Adler of Tinley Park, IL. Tomasino's qualifying shot was a 4.135 at 176.88 in a session run at 1/8 mile.
When it came time for eliminations on Sunday, Tomasino turned in the fastest time of the day in the finals with a 6.676-second blast at 218.49 miles per hour to defeat Nitro Coupe veteran Mike Swinarski (shown) of Hamburg, NY. Swinarski's 1957 Chevy Nitro Coupe couldn't get traction and the race was no contest.
The racers in the Super Chevy Show's bracket contest showed the winter layoff hadn't hurt them at all. In the Mr. Gasket Bracket One final, winner David Scigliuto turned in a stellar .002 light and needed every bit of it as runner-up Tim Hattaway of Palmetto, FL, was right there with an .003. Speaking of great lights, Rob Brazil of Reddick, Florida had an .002 light in his street legal '67 Chevelle in the DOT finals.
The Jr. Dragster final was a family affair with Camron and Carah Reigelsperger of Sarasota, FL, going at it. This time around, it was Carah's turn in the winner's circle as Cameron turned on the reds. Details on all classes of the Super Chevy bracket event at Bradenton are listed below.
The Super Chevy Show next moves to the left coast with an event at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, just outside Los Angeles on March 31-April 2.