Greenbrier
Raceway's 25th Annual THUNDERJET CHALLENGE
Race
Report
(Scroll down
for race score card and photos)
4/1/2017 – 2 ½
Decades… ¼ Century… or simply 25 years… no matter how you look
at it, Greenbrier Raceway Park has reached a Milestone in 2017
with its 25th Annual THUNDERJET CHALLENGE !!!
Once again, the
whole WORLD got the chance to join in on the fun as the entire
10 hours of racing was web cast LIVE on Livestream.com - thanks to
the efforts of Steve Dickinson. (portions
of this race are still available to watch on livestream by
following the following link - https://livestream.com/accounts/18498904/events/7183389/videos/153137613
)
In addition, many more got a chance to see
portions of the race live on Facebook (when we were able to
keep the cameras going – LOL).
This years rule
changes took the cars back to ground “0” – which is to say
everything about the car had to be 100% stock ThunderJet. Over
the years we’ve allowed ThunderJet “like” parts (e.g. AFX
motors, JL magnets, aftermarket silver brushes, etc.) This
year Gears, Motors, Magnets… all had to be right out/off of an
original T-Jet, making the 25th TJC a true 100% BOX
STOCK ThunderJet race.
Race format was
the same as last year… qualifying for all (5 min. heat per
lane), where the top 6 would go into the Main. 2nd chance
qualifying for everyone else (5 min. heat per lane), with the
top 2 filling out the remainder of the 8 car Main (20 min.
heat per lane).
The Main
would actually consist of 2 Rounds – 4 and 4. It is often asked
why not a final 4 person Main, the answer is simple… with
qualifying over, things start to thin out around Greenbrier.
With a 2 round Main, the last 8 drivers would HAVE to stick
around – giving us 4 drivers and a guaranteed minimum 4
MARSHALS.
With 15
entries, qualifying was broken up into 3 rounds of 5 drivers
(there would be 1 sit-out in each round).
Qualifying
started off with Orest (Big “O”) Ohluk, John Peckham, Fran
Thorn, Jeff Eve, and Jamie Vershay. 26 seemed to be the number
to hit in laps as John P. and Jeff E. would finish with only
sections between them…103 laps/71 sections for Jeff, 103/53 for
John.
Round 2 was
Bob Dickinson, Chris Mathewson, Larry Weaver, John Durbin, and
Dave Failing. While most made the 26 lap mark, Dave Failing
upped the anti turning 28 laps, for a Qualifying lead of 113
laps.
Final round
of qualifying would be Steve Mayo, Joe Saccomanno, George Vianco
, Rick Kibler, and Steve Dickinson. Again, another round of
close racing with everyone starting off in the 24-26 lap range.
However, Steve D. would increase his laps into the 28s,
finishing at the top of round 3 with 110 laps.
All this
would see Dave F., Steve D., Bob D., Larry W., Jeff E., and John
P. sit out as the top 6 qualifiers, while everyone else would
once again race for the chance to fill the remaining 2 openings
for the Main… with Fran T. and John D. picking up the final 2
spots.
With
Qualifying over, it was time for refueling (FOOD!!!) and to hand
out Door Prizes supplied by our many generous Sponsors.
It was about
6:00 when actual ‘Racing’ began at Greenbrier Raceway Park.
Greenbrier’s first half of the finals (Main – pt.1) would be
John D., Fran T., Larry W., and Jeff E..
Starting
with a great lead in heat 1 with 112 laps, Jeff Eve’s laps
started to dwindle as Larry Weaver ran a nice consistent 109
average placing him in the lead in the first half with a final
of 434 laps.
The last
race of the day (Main - pt.2), would be Steve D., Dave Failing.,
John P., and Bob D..
In the end it was Dave Failing squeezing out Steve
Dickinson for another Greenbrier THUNDERJET CHALLENGE win by
ONLY 4 LAPS…. 465 to 461.
Greenbrier
Raceway Park would like to thank everyone involved in
Greenbrier’s 25th Annual THUNDERJET CHALLENGE… one of
the smoothest running races held to date - And a special thanks
to all the Sponsors for helping support the hobby, and really
for making Greenbrier's THUNDERJET CHALLENGE the race it is !!!
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Joe
Saccomanno
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