Jahren wins Fri; Surmatchewski wins Sat - takes 2011 honors!

[Ted Barnes]

High school teacher brings sportsman drag racing championship back to Canada!

The final weekend in the 2011 Joe's Transmission TNT Super Series saw one new event winner and one new Champion crowned. The fifth season of the very popular sportsman drag racing series culminated in a double-header at Dunn Tire Raceway Park last Friday and Empire Dragway on Saturday.

Friday September 9 - Dunn Tire Raceway Park
Presented by The Balancing Act on Friday September 9, DTRP was where Scott Jahren of Tonawanda, NY claimed his first TNTSS victory in a decisive win over twenty-six other Hot Rod competitors.

Right off the bat, Scott put Gerry Bartel's 1973 Nova on the pole with a near perfect 7.002 giving him the bye in round one of competition.

In round two, Scott laid a .529 light paired with a 7.003 on Orangeville, Ontario's Kevin Orr who ran a too fast 6.976 trying to catch him. Then he faced Jon Jablonski from West Seneca, NY who broke on the line, allowing Scott to coast through with a 7.05 ET.

Semi-final match-up was Gary Stowell from Macedon, NY who went .494 red on the tree. Scott ran it out cutting a .522 light and a 6.999 ET to set up for the money round.

There he faced Leicester, NY's Barry Lingle. Almost dead even on the tree, Barry had a slight advantage (.517 to a .521). But he went too fast trying to keep the stripe and Scott took the win, running 6.999 to Barry's 6.996.

"I have to thank Gerry Bartel and Joe Boniferro for all their help with the car," said Scott. "Things just fell my way tonight. The car was running the number all night long. And to win the event sponsored by Gerry and The Balancing Act is awesome. Racing against the guys in this series is a blast!"

The $200 Kevin Orr Mechanical Bounty Hunter Award went to Newark, NY's Harry Phelps for taking out points leader Dave Surmatchewski in round one by virtue of Dave’s red light.

Specialty Awards - Friday September 9
Hoosier Tire Canada $100 certificate - Number One Qualifier
Scott Jahren (Tonawanda, NY) with a 7.002
J&S Collision $50 - Closest to the Index (1st Round Loser)
Larry Pulver (Palmyra, NY) with a 7.017
Dunn Tire Raceway Park FREE PASS - Best Reaction Time (1st Round Loser)
Dave Gunn (Hamilton, Ontario) with a .512
The Balancing Act $50 - Best Winning Package in Round 1
Jeff Sobczynski (Depew, NY) - .027 package (.527 RT, 7.000 ET)
The Balancing Act $50 - Best Winning Package in Round 2
Barry Lingle (Leicester, NY) - .020 package (.506 RT, 7.014 ET)
The Balancing Act $50 - Tightest Margin of Victory in Round 1
Fred Gross (Brampton, Ontario) over Pete Maduri Jr - .001 margin

Saturday September 10 - Empire Dragway
Then Saturday at Empire Dragway presented by Sam LoVetro Automotive, Dave Surmatchewski made it look easy as he marched through the field for his third event win in the past four races.

Mark Herbold from Elma, NY scored the number one qualifier award from Hoosier Tire Canada with a 10.904 at 148 mph.

Dave faced Caledonia, Ontario's Ray Martino in round one. A .521 to a .519 at the tree, Ray had a slight head start. But Dave ran closer at 10.913 to Ray's too fast 10.881.

Round two had Friday's winner Scott Jahren who missed the tree with a .571 and then ran too fast at 10.877 to Dave's 10.899.

Gary Saska from Ingersoll, Ontario was up next in round three. Dave with the starting line advantage pushed Gary under the 10.90 index and advanced to the semi's. There he faced Brampton, Ontario's Fred Gross and laid a .009 second package on Fred (.504 light and 10.905 ET) forcing Fred to break out run.

In the final it was Brian Young of Alden, NY on the other side of the ladder. Starting line advantage to Dave allowed him to take the win running 10.926 to Brian's too fast 10.879.

"I can't say enough about the people that help me put this all together," said Dave in the Empire Dragway Winner's Circle. "My wife Alyson and kids Marissa and Madison, Joe Boniferro, Russ & Arlene Parker, Ted & Bill Barnes, Sam LoVetro for presenting tonight....the list goes on and on."

This is Dave's first Joe's Transmission TNT Super Series Championship driving his Insta-Insulation, Douglas Engines and UAP Napa Brantford sponsored 1983 Cutlass. "I felt the pressure going into today because of my .002 red light first round at DTRP last night. And the fact I have never been here before increased the pressure more," Dave continued.

"The only saving grace was that I was seeing the tree well and the car was responding to changes well. Once I got around Ray and then took Scotty out, I was quite confident I had 'sealed the deal' for the championship. The rounds that followed and then the win are icing on the cake."

Specialty Awards - Sept 10
Hoosier Tire Canada $100 certificate - Number One Qualifier
Mark Herbold (Elma,NY) with a 10.904
J&S Collision $50 - Closest to the Index (1st Round Loser)
Tom Coonly (Blasdell, NY) with a 10.898
Empire Dragway FREE PASS - Best Reaction Time (1st Round Loser)
Pete Maduri Jr (Tonawanda, NY) with a .504

Next up for the 2011 Joe’s Transmission TNT Super Series is the year end awards night taking place at Johnny Rocco's in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Visit www.tntsuperseries.com for complete details.

Joe's Transmission TNT Super Series Championship Points Standings - FINAL - Top Ten

1 Dave Surmatchewski 751
2 Mark Herbold 610
3 Scott Jahren 596
4 Harry Phelps 577
5 Fred Gross 544
6 Ted Barnes 533
7 Chris VanBaalen 527
8 Gary Saska 510
9 Bill Elekes 502
10 Pete Maduri Jr 501