ACCEL Sportsman Survivor Series Caps Off Mr. Gasket Pro-Am Tour

by C.J. Perry | IHRA Communications

>>>Full Round By Round Results

The Udderly SMOOth World Finals at Rockingham Dragway was host to one of the biggest sportsman events of 2005. The ACCEL Sportsman Survivor Series, which pits the top eight sportsman racers who run select Mr. Gasket products, is the culmination of the Mr. Gasket Pro-Am Tour.

The champions of this year’s Survivor Series, with a total purse of $80,500, reads like a who’s who of sportsman racers: Ron Folk in Erson Cams Top Sportsman, Malinda Bertozzi in Mallory Top Dragster, Scotty Stillings in ACCEL DFI Super Stock, Anthony Bertozzi in Hays Stock, Britt Cummings in ACCEL Quick Rod, Bernard Weaver in Lakewood Super Rod, and R.L. Koontz in Hurst Hot Rod. Each one took home $5,000 for their victories.

It was the second year for the highly successful program, and most of the racers who participated were overwhelmingly pleased with how it turned out.

“It’s the second best thing that’s ever happened to me, the first being the World Championship in Quick Rod last year,” Folk said.

“This program’s great because we all can win at it. Mr. Gasket, the racers, and IHRA. And we get to prove ourselves against the best racers in each class.”

Folk had to face the defending Erson Cams Top Sportsman champion Jamie Silance in the first round, and it did not get any easier after that. Folk had to go through Britt Cummings and Eric Steffey in the final. Folk’s day mirrored the rest of the classes, as there were no easy runs for any of the eventual Survivor Series winners.

Anthony Bertozzi, who has won just about every race imaginable, found himself in the Survivor Series for the second year in a row.

“It’s a special deal, and Mr. Gasket puts up all of this money. It’s nice for a company to look out for the sportsman racer and give us a goal to shoot for throughout the whole year. It seems that everybody just cares about the pros, and Mr. Gasket is there for the sportsman racer.”

Malinda Bertozzi feels much the same way about Mr. Gasket and what they are trying to do.

“To race the best of the best, it means to come out on top. We’ve got a company in Mr. Gasket that’s focused on the sportsman racers, and we really appreciate that.”

Britt Cummings, who won in last year’s Survivor Series, was even more blunt about it.

“I’m what, twenty-fifth in the points, and I made my way into this thing? I run the products, and I get in. I’ll keep back dooring my way into this thing if other racers aren’t willing to run the products.”

What does Cummings have to say to Mr. Gasket?

“Keep doing this, and I’ll find a way to get in. We have to support these companies that are supporting us. They get a huge thanks from us.”

The ACCEL Survivor Series: The Best of the Best

by C.J. Perry | IHRA Communications

Imagine the best eight racers from every Mr. Gasket Pro-Am class pitted in a no-holds barred contest. Then imagine that race at one of the most storied tracks in all drag racing, Rockingham Dragway. Then throw in the fact that the total purse is $80,500, with the winner in each class getting $5,000, the runner-up receiving $1,500, semi-finalists getting $750, and first round qualifiers getting $500. That is the ACCEL Survivor Series in a nutshell.

Once again the World Finals at Rockingham Dragway will host this special end of season program sponsored by Mr. Gasket. The top eight racers in each of the seven Mr. Gasket Pro-Am will face off on a sportsman ladder, with #8 racing #4, #7 racing #3, #6 racing #2, and #5 racing #1. The following is the list for each class and where the driver has qualified.

In Erson Cams Top Sportsman, Jamie Silance (809) is qualified number one, Dewayne Silance (736) number two, Joe Baker (690) number three, Eric Steffey (667) number four, Ron Folk (606) number five, Chris Nyerges (602) number six, Britt Cummings (598) number seven, and Glen Maine (560) number eight. >>>Ladder (.pdf)

In Mallory Top Dragster, Jason Folk (765) is qualified number one, Brian Folk (717) number two, Nick Folk 699) number three, Tony Ward (635) number four, Malinda Bertozzi (614) number five, Ricky Adkins (585) number six, Eric Boyd (582) number seven, and Phillip Levatino (519) number eight. >>>Ladder (.pdf)

In ACCEL DFI Super Stock, Anthony Bertozzi (702) is qualified number one, Scott Stillings (700) number two, Gil Carty, Jr. (697) number three, Slate Cummings (678) number four, Monty Bogan Jr. (656) number five, Michael Lyons (605) number six, Jim Harrington (586) number seven, and John Higgins (574) number eight. >>>Ladder (.pdf)

In Hays Stock, Chris Jackson (790) is qualified number one, Jim Harrington (714) number two, Myron Piatek (695) number three, Anthony Bertozzi (693) number four, Monty Bogan Jr. (687) number five, Wes McCracken (673) number six, Chip Johnson (644) number seven, and Nick Folk (642) number eight. >>>Ladder (.pdf)

In ACCEL Quick Rod, Greg Slack (583) is qualified number one, Billy Ray Upton Jr. (572) number two, Chris Anderson (569) number three, Vernon Rowland (559) number four, Jason Hinshaw (548) number five, Jason Folk (531) number six, Britt Cummings (473) number seven, and Bobby Cireddu (458) number eight. >>>Ladder (.pdf)

In Lakewood Super Rod, Bernard Weaver (854) is qualified number one, Brian Folk (715) number two, Steve Furr (622) number three, Richard Scott Lawton (600) number four, Slate Cummings (575) number five, William Rudy (563) number six, Gilmer Hinshaw (561) number seven, and Greg Slack (5320 number eight. >>>Ladder (.pdf)

In Hurst Hot Rod, Robert Koontz (664) is qualified number one, John Dustin (605) number two, Keith Mayers (593) number three, Ed Pauley (587) number four, Rick Stroud (584) number five, Michelle Furr (580) number six, Bitsy Satterly (579) number seven, and Connie Rudy (563) number eight. >>>Ladder (.pdf)

Some surprising developments have happened to make these final ladders heading into Rockingham. In Erson Cams Top Sportsman, Eric Steffey jumped from number seven to four following his win in Maryland. Steve Furr, last year’s champion in Mallory Top Dragster, was bumped out of that class this year, narrowly missing the field at number nine. Furr is still qualified at number three in Lakewood Super Rod. Also making a big jump was John Dustin, who ended up number two in Hurst Hot Rod.

Brian Folk, who is no stranger to these type of competitions, is impressed with the whole atmosphere.

“The program is top notch, and their (Mr. Gasket’s) products are pretty good too,” Folk said. “This is the best of the whole field, this is for the glory. And they treat you like royalty down there.”

Steffey, whose big jump from seven in the points to four in Erson Cams Top Sportsman made a lot of people take notice, knows that even when racing the best of the class, it still is best to take a simple philosophy.

“I just have to take it one round at a time. It’s a 1/8th mile instead of a 1/4th, and it’s a little more hectic, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Steffey loves the chance of going toe to toe in the Survivor Series.

“It’s the last race of the year, and it’s awesome that we’re getting one extra chance to race.”
The bottom line for Steffey and all other competitors, though, is that a program like this would not exist without a sponsor like Mr. Gasket.

“We have to take care of the people that are taking care of you. We really have to support the companies that are helping us do this.”