Mother Nature wins on Friday, Pete Maduri Jr wins on Saturday

[Ted Barnes]

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Tonawanda racer added to elite list of TNT event winners!

With threatening weather on the horizon, twenty-eight of the best sportsman racers in the northeast came out to Dunn Tire Raceway Park (DTRP) in Lancaster, New York last Friday to do battle in the Joe's Transmission TNT Super Series. The event presented by Jan-Cen Motorsports only got as far as qualifying and first round before the skies opened up with torrential rain.

But before the weather hit, Roy Brockway of Middleport, NY took home the Hoosier Tire Canada number one qualifier award running a 7.003 - A significant achievement as the top 9 qualifiers were an amazing 7.009 or better. And since first round was complete, the event payout was split, specialty awards handed out and points tabulated.

Specialty Awards - June 4

•Hoosier Tire Canada $50 certificate - Number One Qualifier
◦Roy Brockway (Middleport, NY) with a 7.003

•J&S Collision $50 - Closest to the Index (1st Round Loser)
◦Bill Elekes (West Seneca, NY) with a 7.006

•DTRP FREE PASS - Best Reaction Time (1st Round Loser)
◦Rich Halleen (Niagara Falls, NY) with a .509

Then on Saturday, the series headed to Empire Dragway in Leicester NY where Pete Maduri Jr of Tonawanda NY took the Gillogly Resale event win from a twenty-three car field. Pete is the 16th different winner since the Joe's Transmission TNT Super Series' inception and he earned that title in only his seventh Hot Rod race.

But it almost didn't happen - when Pete and his dad (Pete Sr) arrived at Empire, the adjusted altitude was 3500' and the Monza only ran an 11.07 in the first qualifier. As they started to pack up and leave, Pete Sr came up with the idea to switch the car over to alcohol with some parts they had in the trailer. Then with some throttle stop help from fellow TNT racers Tom Coonly and Rich Halleen, they had the car dialed in to the 10.90 index.

Pete then proceeded to run right on the index in round one with a 10.908, defeating Webster NY's Art Jones who ran 10.891.

Round two saw Pete face number one qualifier Jim Manz of Niagara Falls NY. Jim missed the tree and ran a 10.884 trying to catch Pete who nailed the tree with a .512 and ran a 10.935.

Next up was the always tough JJ Jablonski from West Seneca NY. Both drivers were late on reaction times, although Jablonski had the advantage .539 to a .547. But it was Pete taking the win by a slim .005 seconds running 10.921 to JJ's 10.934 effort.

Semi-final action saw Pete take out another West Seneca NY racer, Bill Elekes, by a mere .001 seconds. Pete had the starting line advantage with a .507 to Bill's .536 and ran a 10.942 to Bill's 10.914 for the win.

The other side of the ladder had Wayne Sipos from Binbrook, Ontario defeating Brian Young, Roy Lister and Scott Jahren on his way to the semi-final bye run.

In the final, it was Canadian versus American. Pete left first on a .512 light to Wayne's .534 and both drivers ran out the back door. Pete took the win in a double breakout race running 10.873 to Wayne's too quick 10.858.

"This was definitely one of the bigger wins in my racing career," said Pete in the Empire Dragway winner's circle. "It is a privilege to race in such a highly competitive class. The drivers in the Joe's Transmission TNT Super Series are the best sportsman racers around. Every round is a whole new battle and extremely difficult to win." And Pete knows about competition, having won multiple track championships in only eight years of racing.

"I would like to thank my dad for all of his hard work and ingenious idea of switching the car over to alcohol. I definitely would not be here without him. Also thanks to my mom Nancy, my sister Gina, and Joe Lilienthal for all of their help and support," he added.

Pete mentioned special thanks to Ray Murray and RM Fuel Systems for preparing the alcohol carburetor. "They do the best carb work in the entire Northeast. This win is dedicated to Ray's successful business as RM Fuel Systems. He took a carb that wouldn't even idle and made it into the sole reason we were able to win this race."

Pete was also quick to thank Bob & Donna Metcalfe and everyone at Empire Dragway for doing a terrific job hosting the event. "And thanks to Joe's Transmission for helping to build a truly unique series. Ted Barnes and the TNT series puts the racer first and has everything so organized. The series seems to be growing more and more each year."

Sponsors making Pete's racing efforts possible include Ansell Buffington and Co., Len Pimm (proprietor of Rapids Bowling Center and Tonawanda Bowling Center), and Dynabrade Power Tools.

Pete purchased the 1975 Monza last year specifically to run it in the Joe's Transmission TNT Super Series. It has a 358 small block Chevy under the hood, a Powerglide transmission and Hoosier slicks getting the power to the pavement. This win puts Pete in the number eight spot in the TNT points chase.

Specialty Awards - June 5

•Hoosier Tire Canada $50 certificate - Number One Qualifier
◦Jim Manz (Niagara Falls, NY) with a 10.902

•J&S Collision $50 - Closest to the Index (1st Round Loser)
◦Rich Halleen (Niagara Falls, NY) with a 10.947

•Empire Dragway FREE PASS - Best Reaction Time (1st Round Loser)
◦Ted Barnes (Canfield, Ontario) with a .503

The Joe's Transmission TNT Super Series takes a break now until its next stop - another double-header "New York" weekend - on Friday July 2nd and Saturday July 3rd at Dunn Tire Raceway Park in Lancaster, NY. See www.tntsuperseries.com for full details.


Joe’s Transmission TNT Super Series Points Top Ten (of 38) - After 4 of 13 Events

1 Mark Herbold 270
2 Jamie Stoneman 250
3 Fred Gross 248
4 Wayne Sipos 243
5 J.J. Jablonski 239
6 Sam Lovetro Jr 230
7 Bill Elekes 225
8 Pete Maduri Jr 213
9 Tom Coonly 204
10 Ted Barnes 199