Jason Vitez and JJ Jablonski win TNT Super Series at Cayuga!

[Ted Barnes]

Jason Vitez and JJ Jablonski win TNT Super Series at Cayuga


Vitez takes the lead in championship points chase!

Labour Day weekend at Cayuga Dragway was the latest stop on the 2014 Joe's Transmission TNT Super Series schedule. Jason Vitez (Elma, NY) won Saturday night while JJ Jablonski (Alden, NY) took Sunday both presented by Rosehill Auction House. These wins moved both drivers to first and second in the TNTSS championship points chase.

Saturday Aug 30 - Results
Jason Vitez marched through the field for the event win after qualifying fifth with a 10.919. He started with Larry Pulver in round one, taking him out on the tree .016 to .040. Next he drove around Wayne Sipos who was .015 to Vitez's .023 tree but Vitez pushed him under 10.894 to a winning 10.902.

In round three Vitez faced JJ Jablonski and was behind at the tree (.031 to .012). But again Vitez drove around him taking the stripe at 10.904 to 10.923 ... Margin of victory here was .000.

Chris VanBaalen took a bit too much stripe in the semi's and ran too fast 10.895 (.011 tree) to Vitez's 10.933 (.003 tree). The final had Pete Maduri Sr with an advantage off the line with a .013 to Vitez's late .077. Vitez however did it again and pushed Maduri under to take the win 10.932 to 10.867.

He was very quick to thank Joe and Moe Passero. "Without them this would not be possible," said Vitez after the race. "Also to my daughter Brooklyn for being a trooper and cheering on her daddy after our little mishap. ..I love u Brookie." He also thanked son Zachary for "another great job crew chiefing and my wife Kimberly and son Logan for their support." Vitez went on to thank the Pilote family for helping out this weekend.

He continued by thanking Joe's Transmission and Ted Barnes for a great series. “Thanks to Rosehill Auction House for sponsoring the race, Jason Vitez Race Cars and of course I got to thank all the boys back at the shop," added Vitez.

Specialty Awards
•Hoosier Tire Canada $100 certificate - Number One Qualifier
◦Dave Surmatchewski (Oakland, ON) with a 10.904
•J&S Collision $50 - Closest to the Index (1st Round Loser)
◦Gary Kerl (Williamsville, NY) with a 10.903


Sunday Aug 31 - Results
For Sunday, the TNTSS switched to 1/8th mile. Qualifying had Dave Surmatchewski atop the field again with a 7.001 and no one bettered that in the two qualifying sessions. JJ Jablonski started out fourth with a 7.004 and went on to win the race – His first TNTSS win of 2014.

In round one, Jablonski faced Kevin Orr (who finished third in IHRA Division 3 and will represent the TNTSS in the TOC). Only .003 apart at the tree, Jablonski used a 7.028 to push Orr under to a 6.959. Round two was Gary Kerl and again only .001 apart off the line (.016 to .017), Jablonski pushed Kerl under in a 7.013 to 6.992 pairing.

Dave Surmatchewski went .009 red in third round although Jablonski was ready with a .010 7.013 package. The semi's had Jablonski with a .013 advantage to Jamie Stoneman, who fell going too fast 6.992 to a 7.004 - Margin of victory here was .001.

In the money round, Jablonski defeated Tom Coonly at the tree .017 to .063 and carried it through to the stripe 7.050 to losing 7.017.

Jablonski was quick to thank his wife Nicole and Dennis O'Brien for all their help. "Got to thank Jan-Cen Racing, Jason Vitez Race Cars, Jeff Gregoire, Louie's Car Clinic and Ron McKay from Hoosier Tire Canada."

"A special thanks to Joe Boniferro for fixing my soft plug leak on Saturday. We would have been done. We came out this weekend with a plan to qualify well and go some rounds and luckily we were able to accomplish both. It was a great weekend!"

Specialty Awards
•Hoosier Tire Canada $100 certificate - Number One Qualifier
◦Dave Surmatchewski (Oakland, ON) with a 7.001
•J&S Collision $50 - Closest to the Index (1st Round Loser)
◦Harry Phelps (Newark, NY) with a 7.009

Next up on the 2014 TNTSS schedule is the season wrap-up - a double at Lancaster & Leicester, NY on September 12-13 presented by Sam LoVetro Automotive. Visit http://www.tntsuperseries.com for all the latest news on the most popular sportsman drag racing series in the country.