Winners at the Lucas Oil SuperNationals at Raceway Park were in no mood to celebrate their victories on Sunday.
The death of one of its own, National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta in a qualifying round accident on Saturday, cast a gloom over the event.
Kalitta, 46, was a two-time NHRA series champion in Top Fuel in 1994 and again in 1995. He had 18 career victories in his 36 career final rounds.
In a tribute to Kalitta, in the opening round of the Funny Car eliminations, members of his team lined up in the right lane, the one Kalitta would have been racing from. Robert Hight, who was scheduled to race Kalitta, idled his way down the track slowly, getting an ovation from the fans.
It was Tim Wilkerson who won the Funny Car championship at Raceway Park Sunday, extending his lead in the division. He beat Mike Neff in an exciting final, 4.87- 4.88. It was his third win this year.
Wilkerson noted that Scott Kalitta would have wanted the races to continue and that his father, Connie (former racer and now an owner), “will need all of us” and that “we’ll be there for him.”
Wilkerson invited Kalitta’s DHL crew to join him to the winner’s circle.
Top Fuel was won by Tony Schumaker after a pass in 4.58 over Brandon Bernstein (son of Hall of Famer Kenny Bernstein). Bernstein was actually quicker, 4.56, but Schumacher won at the start with his quicker reaction to the light. This was the veteran’s first win at Raceway Park.
Schumacher has won five of the 11 NHRA events this year.
Greg Anderson won the Pro Stock final in a final in which both he and Dave Connolly experienced trouble. Anderson was the one who was able to rebound winning after a pass in 7.57. It was his third win of the season.
The Pro Stock Motorcycle championship went to Chip Ellis. It was his first win of 2008 after having advanced to the semi-finals in four of the previous five events. Ellis, who had the fastest run of the event, 6.923, won when finalist Chris Rivas fouled. Ellis still turned in a quick 7.040. Like the other points leaders, Ellis padded his with the Raceway Park win.
The SuperNationals have been coming to Raceway Park’s quarter-mile track for the last 39 years. The crowds continue to grow and are among the largest in the NHRA Series.
Mike Sanzo and his wife, Linda, have been coming to Raceway Park for the SuperNationals for more than 15 years. What brings them down from Maywood (Bergen County) each year?
“I just love cars,” he said. “This is a great national event. You get to see the pros and the little guys that keep it going.”
Linda said that she and Mike have been married long enough that she wouldn’t be coming each year if she didn’t enjoy it.
“I find it interesting,” she pointed out. You could say that about the thousands who attended each of the four days of racing.