Fassler, Powell, VanAmelsvoort punch tickets to Summit SuperSeries championship
MARTIN, Mich. (September 18, 2013) – When a racer is in need, leave it up to his or her fellow competitors to come through in a major way.
Such was the case Friday afternoon when Curt Fassler, looking after his daughter at a local hospital following an incident at the track, was given a big break by his fellow competitors and used that gracious gift to win the Top ET runoff at the Division 5 Summit Team Finals at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park.
Fassler joined fellow Summit SuperSeries runoff winners Chuck Powell in Mod ET and Joshua VanAmelsvoort in Junior Dragster.
Summit SuperSeries Top ET Final between Curt Fassler and Randy Biddle Sr.
In the Division 5 Summit Team Finals team competition, host track U.S. 131 Motorsports Park ran away from Dragway 42 to take the team win by 24 points. Grand Bend Motorplex was third, followed by Wisconsin International Raceway, Marion County International Raceway and Ubly Dragway.
Fassler’s heartwarming story actually began with a scare on Thursday when his daughter was involved in an on-track incident that injured her leg and left her in the hospital. Scheduled to run first thing Friday morning in the Summit SuperSeries runoff, Fassler’s competitors voted to delay the runoff until Fassler was able to return to the track.
Fassler tended to his daughter throughout the day Thursday into Friday and when he was finally able to return to the track Friday afternoon, he was surprised to find all of his opponents waiting patiently for his return.
Summit SuperSeries Mod ET Final between Chuck Powell and Jeff Green
Not wanting to waste this incredible opportunity, Fassler went to work and survived a trio of rounds to claim the Top ET runoff over Dragway 42’s Randy Biddle Sr. Representing Marion County International Raceway, Fassler had a near-perfect .004 light in the final and ran a solid 6.276 elapsed time at 109.11 miles per hour on a 6.25 dial to take the win. Biddle had a .026 light and ran a 5.19 on a 5.198 dial in the runner-up effort.
In the Mod ET final Chuck Powell, representing Dragway 42, took the win over Jeff Green with a near-perfect run. Powell had a .020 light and ran a 6.520 on a 6.52 dial at 104.19 mph. Green, representing host track U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, had a .028 light and ran a 6.010 on a 5.99.
Joshua VanAmelsvoort, from Grand Bend Motorplex, took the Junior Dragster win over Wisconsin International Raceway’s Tanner Osborne. VanAmelsvoort had a .109 light an a 7.911 light on a 7.90 dial to Osborne’s .131 light and 7.918 on a 7.90.
Summit SuperSeries Junior Final between Joshua VanAmelsvoort and Tanner Osborne
The trio of winners automatically advance to the Summit SuperSeries championship runoff October 11-12 at Memphis International Raceway.
Other big winners from the Division 5 Summit Team Finals were Top Main Event winner Bernie Vanderploeg from U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, Mod Main Event winner Lewis Hall of U.S. 131 Motorsports Park and Junior Main Event winner Schuyler Turner of Marion County International Raceway.
The following are the final results from the Division 5 IHRA Summit Team Finals event at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park.
Division 5 Summit Team Finals Team Standings
1. U.S. 131 Motorsports Park – 76
2. Dragway 42 – 52
3. Grand Bend Motorplex – 43
4. Wisconsin International Raceway – 42
5. Marion County International Raceway – 15
6. Ubly Dragway – 14
SUMMIT SUPERSERIES RESULTS
SUMMIT SUPERSERIES RUNOFF TOP ET – Curt Fassler (U.S. 131) .004 RT, 6.276, 109.11 def. Randy Biddle Sr. (Dragway 42) .026 RT, 5.198, 136.55
SUMMIT SUPERSERIES RUNOFF MOD ET – Chuck Powell (Dragway 42) .020 RT, 6.520, 104.19 def. Jeff Green (U.S. 131) .028 RT, 6.010, 115.22
SUMMIT SUPERSERIES RUNOFF JUNIOR – Joshua VanAmelsvoort (Grand Bend) .109 RT, 7.911, 83.62 def. Tanner Osborne (Wisconsin Int’l) .131 RT, 7.918, 78.27
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
Main Event Top ET – Bernie Vanderploeg (U.S. 131) .016 RT, 5.851, 115.34 def. Bailey Atkinson (Grand Bend) .002 RT, 4.890, 138.11
Main Event Mod ET – Lewis Hall (U.S. 131) .028 RT, 6.565, 103.56 def. Mark Pressey (Ubly) .032 RT, 6.375, 105.90
Main Event Juniors – Schuyler Turner (Marion County) .041 RT, 8.006, 80.07 def. Carly Truhler (U.S. 131) .075, 7.960, 82.41
Main Event Street – Dan Smith (U.S. 131) .189 RT, 7.569, 89.05 def. Al Blonien (Wisconsin) -.006 RT FOUL
Division 5 Summit Team Finals Team Standings
1. U.S. 131 Motorsports Park – 76
2. Dragway 42 – 52
3. Grand Bend Motorplex – 43
4. Wisconsin International Raceway – 42
5. Marion County International Raceway – 15
6. Ubly Dragway – 14
SUMMIT SUPERSERIES RESULTS
SUMMIT SUPERSERIES RUNOFF TOP ET – Curt Fassler (U.S. 131) .004 RT, 6.276, 109.11 def. Randy Biddle Sr. (Dragway 42) .026 RT, 5.198, 136.55
SUMMIT SUPERSERIES RUNOFF MOD ET – Chuck Powell (Dragway 42) .020 RT, 6.520, 104.19 def. Jeff Green (U.S. 131) .028 RT, 6.010, 115.22
SUMMIT SUPERSERIES RUNOFF JUNIOR – Joshua VanAmelsvoort (Grand Bend) .109 RT, 7.911, 83.62 def. Tanner Osborne (Wisconsin Int'l) .131 RT, 7.918, 78.27
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
Main Event Top ET – Bernie Vanderploeg (U.S. 131) .016 RT, 5.851, 115.34 def. Bailey Atkinson (Grand Bend) .002 RT, 4.890, 138.11
Main Event Mod ET – Lewis Hall (U.S. 131) .028 RT, 6.565, 103.56 def. Mark Pressey (Ubly) .032 RT, 6.375, 105.90
Main Event Juniors – Schuyler Turner (Marion County) .041 RT, 8.006, 80.07 def. Carly Truhler (U.S. 131) .075, 7.960, 82.41
Main Event Street – Dan Smith (U.S. 131) .189 RT, 7.569, 89.05 def. Al Blonien (Wisconsin) -.006 RT FOUL
