Mark Herbold wins TNT Super Series opener at DTRP!

[Ted Barnes]

26 cars compete for a jump on the points lead!

The first event of the 2012 Joe's Transmission TNT Super Series season saw 26 of the best sportsman racers on the planet assemble at Dunn Tire Raceway Park on Friday May 4th where Elma, New York’s Mark Herbold took the win and an early points lead.

Presented by Autos Direct Of Buffalo, the event saw dry skies and a track surface that was in great condition for throttle-stop racing. After two rounds of qualifying, Rochester's Pete D'Agnolo (driving Sam LoVetro's '66 Nova) landed the #1 qualifying position at 7.002; and he did it in a field where you had to be better than 7.017 to make it into the top five.

In round one, Mark took his '94 Corvette up against Niagara Falls Ontario's Jim Thomson. Almost even at the tree (.522 to .527), Mark was able to nip Jim in the lights and move to round two.

There he met up with Cheektowaga's Jan Winkowski. When Jan went .487 red, Mark ran in out to a 7.021 and moved into the quarter-finals.

That's where Steve McCarrick from Phelps NY had a slightly better reaction time (.516 to .522) but went under the index with a 6.985 to Mark's 7.050. Then in the semi’s, Alden NY's Paul Young, a past TNTSS champion, went .494 red and Mark advanced to the final round.

That's where he faced the 2011 TNTSS Rookie of the Year, Newark’s Harry Phelps and his '69 Nova. The advantage on the starting line went to Mark who carried it through to the stripe - running a dead-on 7.008 to Harry's 7.015 - and took home the $700 purse plus contingency.

Mark was quick to thank his wife Janice and his two girls Stephanie and Sarah. "And of course Gary & Alice Schintzius and Crockett," commented Mark. "I really want to thank everyone involved in this series - Joe Boniferro as well as Autos Direct of Buffalo for presenting tonight - and all the contingency sponsors the series has this year, the staff at Dunn Tire Raceway Park, Sharon and Glenn Hughes, everybody!”

The beautiful '94 Corvette gets attention from Todd at KTR Race Engines and Brian at BDR Torque Converters. "I also want to thank Reid’s Tires in Elma and the entire gang at Point Breeze for all their support."

Mark's Corvette has a 322 Buick under the hood, is capable of eighth mile runs in the 5.40 range and gets throttle-stopped back to 7.00 at 117 mph.

Specialty Awards
•Hoosier Tire Canada $100 certificate - Number One Qualifier
◦Pete D'Agnolo (Rochester, NY) with a 7.002
•J&S Collision $50 - Closest to the Index (1st Round Loser)
◦Pete D'Agnolo (Rochester, NY) with a 7.000
•Dunn Tire Raceway Park FREE PASS - Best Reaction Time (1st Round Loser)
◦Fred Gross (Brampton, Ontario) with a .502
Join the Joe's Transmission TNT Super Series for the first ever Memorial Day Weekend Double Header - starting at Dunn Tire Raceway Park on Friday May 25 and finishing at Empire Dragway on Saturday May 26 - including $1000/win on Saturday. For full details, go to www.tntsuperseries.com.

2012 Joe's Transmission TNTSS Points Standings - After RACE #1
1 Mark Herbold 109
2 Harry Phelps 82
3 George Mayer 73
4 Paul Young 72
5 Larry Pulver 68
6 Steve McCarrick 67
7 Gary Saska 64
8 David Surmatchewski 62
9 Ted Barnes 60
10 Jan Winkowski 60