Hawk, Schuster win Summit SuperSeries titles
Great racing highlights first running of expanded SuperSeries championships
DINWIDDIE, Va. (October 16, 2011) – The joy behind the Summit SuperSeries is that anyone, anywhere can win it.
Drivers from all across the United States, Canada and even a few additional nations have the opportunity to race for a track championship and hopefully ,with a little luck and a lot of skill, make it all the way from their local track to the big stage at the IHRA Summit Racing Equipment World Finals presented by RacingJunk.com at Virginia Motorsports Park to compete for a world championship.
And that is exactly the tale told by Matt Hawk and J.P. Schuster.
Both drivers won at their local tracks, both earned their way to the Summit SuperSeries World Championships in Virginia and both, after a long and tumultuous weekend, came out on top by winning the championship in their respective divisions as Hawk claimed the No Box title and Schuster the Box crown Sunday at VMP.
"This is just unbelievable," Hawk said. "All these guys out here are great racers and to get a chance to race them and come out of here with the win is incredible. It would have been worth the trip had I lost first round, but this is just everything you could hope for and more."
Hawk traveled all the way from Tucson, Ariz. – a journey of over 2,000 miles – to be in Virginia this weekend and compete for the No Box World Championship. Hawk, who calls Southwestern International Raceway home, qualified ninth on the 16-car ladder after three hits at the track and rode that position all the way to the finals.
Hawk recorded wins over Billy Janousek, John Castellaw and Mark Bridgers on his way to the finals where he faced off with Scott Vaughn from Virginia for the championship. Driving a gorgeous '64 Chevelle, Hawk had the better light and ran an 11.761, 111.53 on an 11.75 dial to Vaughn's 9.226, 143.54 on a 9.22 dial – a difference of roughly three feet at the line.
With the win Hawk claims the $10,000 prize, plus a brand new race trailer, a custom golf cart, a championship ring and trophy and more. Hawk earned his way to the World Finals via random draw, joining last year's champion from Salt Lake City as repeat Wild Card champions.
Not a bad day for a student at the University of Arizona.
"I actually couldn't miss class. My family brought the car here and I had to fly because I had class that I couldn't miss," Hawk said. "I guess this makes the trip home that much sweeter for everyone. Plus it gives me something extra to tell everyone when I get back home."
In Box J.P. Schuster of Damascus, Ohio qualified 11th of the 15 cars in the field behind the wheel of his dragster and had a strong showing throughout the afternoon culminating with his first championship.
Schuster, who calls Quaker City Motorsports Park home, had wins over Derek Degnitz, Harvey Thompson and Thomas Plott on his way to the finals where he met up with top qualifier and South Carolina native Sammy Hollingsworth for the championship. Schuster ran a .022-second package with a 7.834, 170.04 on a 7.83 dial to edge Hollingsworth who ran too quick on the numbers.
"We started the week of with some transmission problems. We got that fixed and left for here on Thursday and had a pretty good weekend from there," Schuster said. "During time trials everything went smooth. The car was there all weekend, the driver just had to make sure he was there."
With the win Schuster claims the $10,000 prize, plus a brand new dragster courtesy of Miller Race Cars, a championship ring and trophy and more. Schuster earned his way to the World Finals via a victory at the Summit Team Finals event at Pittsburgh Raceway Park last month.
"We were in the right place at the right time. Things just went our way this year," Schuster said. "These were the 16 best drivers in the world and it was definitely an honor to be among this group here this weekend."
The 2011 Summit SuperSeries featured drivers from 14 states and three provinces with drivers hauling from as far away as Edmonton, Alberta and Tucson, Arizona to be on hand.
PETERSBURG, Va. -- Sunday's final results from the Summit Racing Tournament of Champions at Virginia Motorsports Park. The race is the final race of the IHRA Summit Racing World Finals:
TOP SPORTSMAN
Glenn Wright, Odessa, Texas, '09 GXP, 26.650, 39.02 def. Al Burkett, Sandston, Va., '95 Probe, foul.
TOP DRAGSTER
J.B. Donati, Henrico, Va., dragster, 7.306, 180.14 def. Austin Cowan, San Antonio, Texas, dragster, 7.237, 182.60.
QUICK ROD
Barry Ryan, Howell, Mich., dragster, 8.901, 161.69 def. Nick Folk, Durand, Ill., dragster, 8.938, 160.92.
SUPER ROD
Steve Furr, Harrisburg, N.C., '68 Camaro, 9.900, 159.38 def. Donald Webb, Four Oaks, N.C., '69 Camaro, 9.884, 141.43.
HOT ROD
Chip Johnson, Fayetteville, N.C., '68 Camaro, 10.891, 130.13 def. Donald Webb, Four Oaks, N.C., '70 Nova, 10.887, 124.19.
SUPER STOCK
Gianni Cantusci, Stittsville, Ont., '00 Firebird, 10.273, 125.88 def. Gilbert Johnson Jr, LeCompte, La., '91 Calais, 10.445, 125.24.
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Phil Combs, Demossville, Ky., '66 Nova, 12.728, 97.11 def. Brent Darroch, Monaca, Pa., '94 Camaro, 9.831, 131.90.
SUMMIT SUPERSERIES BOX
J.P. Schuster, Damascus, Ohio, dragster, 7.834, 170.04 def. Sammy Hollingsworth, Greenwood, S.C., dragster, 7.408, 175.96.
SUMMIT SUPERSERIES NO BOX
Matt Hawk, Tucson, Ariz., '70 Maverick, 11.761, 111.53 def. Scott Vaughn, Stephens City, Va., '64 Chevelle, 9.226, 143.54.
