Drivers from 24 states, five provinces on hand for Summit Sportsman Spectacular
DINWIDDIE, Va. (October 15, 2011) – In the late 90s there was no drag racer more feared than Anthony Bertozzi.
Hailing from Ashland, Va., a date with Bertozzi on the race track usually resulted in a loss for the driver in the other lane as Bertozzi accumulated 16 championships and over 60 national event victories over his storied career.
And it appears he isn't quite done just yet.
Bertozzi and his race team absolutely dominated Saturday's Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Spectacular as Bertozzi Racing visited three final rounds including wins in Super Stock himself and Quick Rod with racer Tommy Cable and finishing runner-up in Top Dragster to give the Bertozzi camp quite a payday during the second day of the IHRA Summit Racing Equipment World Finals presented by RacingJunk.com at Virginia Motorsports Park.
Bertozzi also won the Summit Sportsman Spectacular race at Maryland International Raceway in Super Stock back in July, giving him a clean sweep in his most accomplished class.
"It would have been nice to double, but I certainly can't complain with the results," Bertozzi said. "We were able to put three cars in the finals and win two which was exciting for us. We also won this thing back in July so I guess this event just fits us."
In addition to Bertozzi and Cable, Gary Williams (Top Dragster), Rob Harvishak (Top Sportsman), Steve Furr (Super Rod), Ashley Parker (Hot Rod) and Brandon Peterson (Stock) also claimed wins during Saturday's Summit Sportsman Spectacular. And for two of the drivers, Saturday's win also meant a free ticket to the remainder of this weekend's festivities to compete in the Summit Tournament of Champions on Sunday as Cable and Parker get a shot at another big payday.
"This is what we came here for. When we packed up to come here winning this event was all that was on our mind," Parker said. "We weren't qualified in the TOC, so to win today and get to keep racing is really a dream come true for us."
Bertozzi defeated Aaron Allison in the final of Super Stock and finished runner-up in Top Dragster to Bradenton, Florida's Gary Williams.
Bertozzi's Super Stock win came in a double-breakout with a near-perfect .001 reaction time and a 9.098, 147.29 on a 9.11 dial. Allison ran a 9.023, 149.46 on a 9.06 dial in the runner-up effort. In Top Dragster Williams hit a .004 light and ran a 7.233, 174.08 on a 7.23 light, trumping Bertozzi's perfect light and a 7.148, 169.68 on a 7.13 dial.
Bertozzi qualified 34th in Super Stock and 18th in Top Dragster and did not need use of the re-entry round in Super Stock to stay alive, reaching the finals the old-fashioned way. In Top Dragster both Williams and Bertozzi took advantage of the re-entry round after losing in round one to stay in the hunt.
The re-entry round of the Summit Sportsman Spectacular is its own round for first-round losers.
Bertozzi recorded wins over Michael Beard, Mark Nowicki, Emily Volkman, Tracy Robbins and Nick Chiles in Super Stock, while Williams had wins over hitters Gary Koebbe, Steve Dweck, Gary Bingham, Michael Ferraro and Cameron Manuel in Top Dragster.
Bertozzi's teammate Tommy Cable of Hughesville, Md. drove his dragster to the Quick Rod crown over Pennsylvania's Brian Martel. Cable ran an 8.891, 168.35 in the 8.90 class to take the win. Cable qualified 27th and recorded wins over Tony Gray, Tommy Johns, Vernon Rowland, Brett Nesbitt and Jeremy Mason to take the win and advance to the TOC.
Cable joins Parker who won seven rounds in Hot Rod to take the $5,000 win and advance to Sunday. Parker, of New Bern, N.C., defeated Donny Urban in the final when both cars went red, however Parker went red least by three thousandths to take the win. Parker also had wins over T.G. Paschal, Andrew Stirk, Brian Baker, Matt Weston and Sam Lovetro Jr. driving his '69 Mustang.
There was nearly a Summit Sportsman Spectacular double in Stock as well as July runner-up Brandon Peterson finished first on Saturday behind the wheel of his '97 Camaro. Peterson ran a 10.985, 116.52 on a 10.97 dial to defeat legend Michael Beard in the final. Beard ran a 11.196, 110.28 on an 11.14 dial.
"I tried to stay calm all day and just try and run my normal race," Peterson said. "I just took it round by round like I always do, but then I got to the final against Michael (Beard).
"When you run a guy like Michael Beard in the finals of any race you have to be on it because he is the best. When I was sitting there waiting to run I was so nervous and I started to shake a little which isn't like me. To beat Michael and get in this thing is just incredible."
Peterson also had wins over Nick Folk, Tyler Bell, Monty Cornwell, Seth Phillips, Johnny Fisher and George Cable Jr.
Rob Harvischak of Warren, Ohio recorded the win in Top Sportsman over Jeff Rudisill. Harvischak drove his '68 Camaro to a 7.340, 187.50 on a 7.36 dial while Rudisill went red. Harvischak qualified dead last and even lost round one, but recovered with a Saturday sweep with wins over Tim West, Bill Wilson, Russell Marr, Eric Donovan and Glenn Wright.
Finally Super Rod competitor Steve Furr of Harrisburg, N.C. defeated Billy Smith. Furr ran a 9.887, 158.26 in the 9.90 class. Furr qualified 19th and rolled to wins over T.G. Paschal, Scott Lawton, Chuck Rothermel, Dale Dryden and Johnny Cobb.
The IHRA Summit Racing Equipment World Finals presented by RacingJunk.com will conclude on Sunday with the Summit Tournament of Champions and Summit SuperSeries World Championships.
PETERSBURG, Va. -- Saturday's final results from the Summit Sportsman Spectacular at Virginia Motorsports Park. The race is the first of three in the IHRA Summit Racing World Finals:
TOP DRAGSTER
Gary Williams, Bradenton, Fla., dragster, 7.233, 174.08 def. Anthony Bertozzi, Ashland, Va., dragster, 7.148, 169.68.
TOP SPORTSMAN
Rob Harvischak, Warren, Ohio, '68 Camaro, 7.340, 187.50 def. Jeff Rudisill, Rutherford College, N.C., '87 Camaro, foul.
QUICK ROD
Tommy Cable, Hughesville, Md., dragster, 8.891, 168.35 def. Brian Martel, Mercersburg, Pa., dragster, 8.876, 163.33.
SUPER ROD
Steve Furr, Harrisburg, N.C., '68 Camaro, 9.887, 158.26 def. Billy Smith, Cynthiana, Ky., '67 Camaro, 9.880, 158.56.
HOT ROD
Ashley Parker, New Bern, N.C., '69 Mustang, 10.884, 129.53 def. Donny Urban, Pittsboro, N.C., '69 Camaro, foul.
SUPER STOCK
Anthony Bertozzi, Ashland, Va., '98 Grand Am, SS/AS, 9.098, 147.29 def. Aaron Allison, E. Palestine, Ohio, '90 Cavalier, SS/BM, 9.023, 149.46.
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Brandon Peterson, Randleman, N.C., '97 Camaro, F/CM, 10.985, 116.52 def. Michael Beard, Seagrove, N.C., '73 Dart, H/CM, 11.196, 110.28.
