Angelo Valla Wins Vette Doctors Pro 8 Shootout!

by Edgar Perez

The buzz in the air was the chase for the first 7-second pass more so than the quest for a championship. Major came into the day having already accomplished the goal of a 7-second ride having done it at Atco Raceway in a test session last week. The talk was all over the forums about this pass with the video having been seen nearly 14,000 times on the internet. However, it does not count for our first Vette Doctors Pro 8 Shootout 7-second pass as it was not done at our event. So Major, Mitchell and Valla would be looking to get 'er done today. Mitchell has been struggling to get all the pieces dialed in this year and was rumored to have come close in his own testing session recently and Valla continued tweaking his ride not to be left out.

For today's Corvette Challenge bracket results click here.

Photo by Mike Roberts

Runner-up Mike Mitchell	Team Valla Racing	Winner Angelo Valla

Qualifying

Second round of qualifying Anderson and Ziajski get in the field with passes at 11.062 @ 129.23 and 11.775 @ 119.77 respectively. Eckert was not able to improve on his first qualifying pass and was bumped down to the number three spot as this time Mitchell would make a clean pass. Angelo Valla did improve on his qualifying time and closed the gap on that elusive 7-seond pass. The blue C3 took off from the line with the usually eye-widening wheel stand and crossed the finish line in only 8.087 seconds at a monster 175.78 MPH holding the number one spot for the time being. The LOW ET crew was at the line next. This event, the Mitchell brothers brought the engine builder, Bobby Banmann with them and they got the tune in the car. It all clicked and they got off the line hard and fast with no reason to lift mid track this time. At the 330', no lift, 1/8th mile, no lift, 1000', no lift, could this be the pass? Yes!!!! The board light it up for the first time every in The Vette Doctors Pro 8 Shootout history....a 7. The pass was perfect and the number was the gauntlet had been laid down, 7.826 @ 176.33 MPH (video). Congratulations to the Mitchell family and team on the Seven. But wait....Paul Major was next. We could be seeing yet another 7. Major carefully staged the car again and got the boost up. The crowd anxiously waited but he did it again. He was off and running before the tree was activated. This new combination is tough to tame and while Major has a learning curve ahead of him, it cost him dearly today as he would not record an ET today, not even an RT which would have gotten in the field. While the car count of cars was under the 8, Major could not be allowed into the field per NHRA rules as no time was recorded. Tough break for the resilient Major who would be back out for first round to make an exhibition pass. Mitchell was number one and on we go to races.

Round 1 - Five Corvettes, two pairings and a single. As luck would have it there would be only close pairing in the first round. It was not Angelo Valla (2) who would face Paul Ziajski (5). Ziajski was getting his point while Valla was .147 reaction time 9.664 @ 135.44 was good for the win over Ziajski's 11.418 @ 122.32. It appears Valla has been hitting the practice tree or has tweaked his car to react better to the .400 pro tree. Jason Anderson (4) had a shot against Alan Eckert (3). Anderson was off the line first with a .276 reaction time and got the win with a 10.894 to the slower Eckert 11.486 at 122.00. Mitchell (1) got a bye run thanks to the number one spot and completed an 8.926 @ 128.38 MPH pass.

Round 2 - Mitchell would be up against Anderson in this semi-final paring. Both cars burning nitrous but Mitchell was the favorite with a 565ci big block with Chevy heads was the favorite. Mitchell was away first and never looked back with an 8.324 @ 173.84 to Anderson's 10.712 @ 129.02. Valla got the single in this round and launched hard with a .078 reaction time but slowed to 11.019 @ 107.02 when the car got squirrelly mid track.

Round 3 - The Final - As it should be in heads-up racing, 1 vs. 2. Valla has been consistent today in with 3 out of 4 passes in the low 8's. Mitchell looking to repeat the seven second feat and capture to win. They staged and the tree blinked and they were gone. A couple of first happened here. First, Valla who had been struggling at the tree, beat Mike Mitchell on the tree for the first time. Valla's .105 reaction was better than Mitchell’s .116. The second first was the where the win light came up. Valla recorded his fifth 8-seocnd pass today at 8.274 @ 170.0 while Mitchell slowed when the transmission broke on the hit and was nowhere to be found when Valla cross the finish line. These two drivers put on a great show today and though we would have liked to seem them finish side-by-side, it did not take away for the thrilling day.

Exhibition Passes were abundant today. Leo Barnaby, Neverlift Racecraft (www.neverliftracecraft.com), was headed to MD to race when rain killed that plan so he diverted to Englishtown to make some exhibition/test passes with the series Neverlift presents. He made several passes, breaking his transmission on one but he got off a great one and nearly got the car into the 6's. This turbocharged Corvette competes in the Ultra Quick 8 at E-town and several Outlaw 10.5 races. Leo's best pass of the day was 7.01 at 199 MPH and we are fortunate to have it on (video) so enjoy it. Best of luck to Leo at the Ultra Quick 8 Sunday.

As stated before, Paul Major did not make the field for the Pro 8. Raceway Park allowed him to make an exhibition pass with the Pro 8 cars at the end of first round. This time out, Major got it all right. The jet sounding Silver Z06 was off and running with a reaction time and a 7-second pass of his own. He lit the board with a 7.899 @ an astounding 180.84 mph. You must see this to believe it so here is the (video).

Awards and Payouts Today

• Winner Angelo Valla earned a payout of $100 cash and a trophy
• Runner-up Mike Mitchell earned a payout of $50 cash and a trophy
• Number 1 Qualifier Mike Mitchell received a plaque for his 7.825 qualifying run
• Michael Mitchell received the Best Reaction Time plaque for the best winning reaction time in the first round at .043

Points Standings

Next Race

Pro 8 Shootout Multimedia Pictures Pictures and Videos by Frank Schear (Mr Mojo) Corvette Pictures by Mike Roberts coming soon Videos October 7 2006 East Coast Supercharging Corvette Challenge won by Ron Higgins and The Vette Doctors Pro 8 Shootout won by Angelo Valla Corvette Challenge 2.22 MB CC Round 2 Dan Swadis Jr (1989 Dark Smoke Gray Coupe) vs.Ralph Blauvelt (1988 Black Coupe) 1.99 MB CC Round 2 Glenn Murphy (2002 Electron Blue Coupe) vs.Brad Jones (1998 Sebring Silver Coupe) 1.90 MB CC Round 2 Rob Farley (1998 Radar Blue Indy Pace Car) vs.Ron Leader (2003 Black Z06) 2.00 MB CC Round 2 Al Betz (1999 Nassau Blue Coupe) vs.Neil Vernarelli (1957 Onyx Black Coupe) 0.40 MB CC Round 2 Joe Signore (1998 Torch Red Convertible) vs.John Panuzzo (1996 Torch Red Coupe) 1.00 MB CC Round 2 - don't bother 0.85 MB CC Round 2 Gino Spina (1991 White Coupe) vs.Donald Peppler Jr (1967 Blue Coupe) 2.16 MB CC Round 2 Jerry Muniz (2005 Black Coupe) vs.Ken Tyler (2003 Torch Red Coupe) 2.03 MB CC Round 2 George Smith (1974 Blue Coupe) vs.Eric Fischer (1998 Fairway Green Coupe) 2.70 MB CC Round 2 Ken Rammer (1996 Arctic White Coupe) vs.Louis Calicchia (1999 Navy Blue Coupe) This time Rammer is in the C5 1.68 MB CC Round 2 Robert Sebrowski (1985 Black Coupe) vs.Andrew Sabatello (2001 Red Coupe) 0.39 MB CC Round 2 John Hadyniak (1973 Red White and Blue Coupe) vs.Frank Schear (1993 Torch Red Coupe) 1.26 MB CC Round 2 John Hadyniak (1973 Red White and Blue Coupe) vs.Frank Schear (1993 Torch Red Coupe) Sorry clipped the video this is the rest 1.79 MB CC Round 2 Gary Harta (2006 Sunset Orange Z06) vs.Ronald Higgins (1996 Sebring Silver Coupe) 2.07 MB CC Round 2 Dave Buddendorff (1973 White Coupe) vs.Bill Wilson (1994 Arctic White Coupe) 2.32 MB CC Round 2 - Sheila Murchan (1979 Corvette Red Coupe) 1.62 MB CC Round 3 Chris Haase (2003 Anniversary Red Convertible) vs.Joseph Latona (2003 Speedway White Z06) 1.96 MB CC Round 3 James Peins (1992 Black Coupe) vs.James Peins (1992 Black Coupe) 1.69 MB CC Round 3 Gino Spina (1991 White Coupe) vs.Al Betz (1999 Nassau Blue Coupe) 1.89 MB CC Round 3 Devon Bole (1993 Dark Red Coupe) vs.Dave Buddendorff (1973 White Coupe) 1.69 MB CC Round 3 Rob Farley (1998 Radar Blue Indy Pace Car) vs.Eric Fischer (1998 Fairway Green Coupe) 1.69 MB CC Round 3 Ronald Higgins (1996 Sebring Silver Coupe) vs.Ralph Blauvelt (1988 Black Coupe) 1.79 MB CC Round 3 John Panuzzo (1996 Torch Red Coupe) vs.Louis Calicchia (1999 Navy Blue Coupe) 1.49 MB CC Round 3 John Hadyniak (1973 Red White and Blue Coupe) vs.Ken Tyler (2003 Torch Red Coupe) 2.21 MB CC Round 3 Robert Sebrowski (1985 Black Coupe) vs.Sheila Murchan (1979 Corvette Red Coupe) 1.19 MB CC Round 4 Ronald Higgins (1996 Sebring Silver Coupe) vs.Sheila Murchan (1979 Corvette Red Coupe) Corvette burnout videos 2.13 MB CC Round 4 Ronald Higgins (1996 Sebring Silver Coupe) vs.Sheila Murchan (1979 Corvette Red Coupe) 1.28 MB CC Round 4 Rob Farley (1998 Radar Blue Indy Pace Car) vs.James Peins (1992 Black Coupe) 1.67 MB CC Round 4 Gino Spina (1991 White Coupe) vs.Chris Haase (2003 Anniversary Red Convertible) 1.95 MB CC Round 4 John Panuzzo (1996 Torch Red Coupe) vs.John Hadyniak (1973 Red White and Blue Coupe) 0.68 MB CC Round 6 Gino Spina (1991 White Coupe) vs.John Panuzzo (1996 Torch Red Coupe) Corvette Burnout Video 1.87 MB CC Round 6 Gino Spina (1991 White Coupe) vs.John Panuzzo (1996 Torch Red Coupe) Spina dead-on going to the finals 1.85 MB CC Round 6 - Ronald Higgins (1996 Sebring Silver Coupe) Higgins on the way to final and the clutch is almost gone 1.98 MB CC Final - Gino Spina (1991 White Coupe) Spina has 45 lbs of pressure in the slicks 2.46 MB CC Final - ECS CC faithful await the final 2.48 MB CC Final Ronald Higgins (1996 Sebring Silver Coupe) vs.Gino Spina (1991 White Coupe) Finals burnouts 1.88 MB CC Final Gino Spina (1991 White Coupe) vs.Ronald Higgins (1996 Sebring Silver Coupe) Neither car gets of the line well and Higgins takes first ECS CC win Pro 8 Shootout 1.53 MB Pro 8 Qualifying Angelo Valla (1972 Targa Blue Coupe) vs.Alan Eckert (2001 Navy Blue Coupe) Corvette Burnout video 1.71 MB Pro 8 Qualifying Angelo Valla (1972 Targa Blue Coupe) vs.Alan Eckert (2001 Navy Blue Coupe) Valla two bounces and a twist on the way to an 8.227 @ 172.50 0.88 MB Pro 8 Qualifying Paul Major (2001 Quicksilver Z06) vs.Michael Mitchell (1986 Black Coupe) Two Corvette burnouts 3.16 MB Pro 8 Qualifying Paul Major (2001 Quicksilver Z06) vs.Michael Mitchell (1986 Black Coupe) Major leaves before the tree is activated on what looks like a great run and Mitchell slows to a 10 second run 1.28 MB Pro 8 Exhibition Leo Barnaby (1990 Red Coupe) vs.Barnaby 440 ci twin turbo burnout 1.16 MB Pro 8 Exhibition Leo Barnaby (1990 Red Coupe) vs.Barnaby readies for the pass 1.53 MB Pro 8 Exhibition Leo Barnaby (1990 Red Coupe) vs.Leo takes off and the apparently damage the transmission 1.91 MB Pro 8 Qualifying Angelo Valla (1972 Targa Blue Coupe) vs.Paul Ziajski (2002 Black Z06) Corvette Burnouts and surprise driver in the left lane 1.39 MB Pro 8 Qualifying Angelo Valla (1972 Targa Blue Coupe) vs.Paul Ziajski (2002 Black Z06) Valla clocks new personal best in the big block nitrous C3 with an 8.087 @ 175.76. The other driver, Ziajski qualifies with an 11 second pass in Zona's Z06 1.13 MB Pro 8 Qualifying Michael Mitchell (1986 Black Coupe) vs.Alan Eckert (2001 Navy Blue Coupe) C4 and C5 burnouts 1.94 MB Pro 8 Qualifying Michael Mitchell (1986 Black Coupe) vs.Alan Eckert (2001 Navy Blue Coupe) Mitchell runs the first official 7-second pass in the Pro 8 Shootout with tuner, Banmann watching, 7.826 @ 176.33 1.72 MB Pro 8 Qualifying Alan Eckert (2001 Navy Blue Coupe) vs.Jason Anderson (1999 Arctic White FRC) Major leave early again, causing him to miss the field which Anderson runs 11.062 to get in the field 1.04 MB Pro 8 Round 1 - Angelo Valla (1972 Targa Blue Coupe) Valla burnout 1.80 MB Pro 8 Round 1 Paul Ziajski (2002 Black Z06) vs.Angelo Valla (1972 Targa Blue Coupe) Valla soft launches for the win but Ziajski gets the important point 2.55 MB Pro 8 Round 1 Jason Anderson (1999 Arctic White FRC) vs.Alan Eckert (2001 Navy Blue Coupe) Anderson trees and eliminates Eckert 0.45 MB Pro 8 Round 1 - Michael Mitchell (1986 Black Coupe) Low Ets burnout 2.07 MB Pro 8 Round 1 - Michael Mitchell (1986 Black Coupe) Mitchell launches, bounces and launches again before aborting the single pass 0.63 MB Pro 8 Exhibition - Paul Major (2001 Quicksilver Z06) Major Spray returns and does a burnout 2.79 MB Pro 8 Exhibition - Paul Major (2001 Quicksilver Z06) Major jets to a new personal best, 7.899 @ 180.84 0.39 MB Pro 8 Exhibition - Leo Barnaby (1990 Red Coupe) Leo readies for a run 2.26 MB Pro 8 Exhibition - Leo Barnaby (1990 Red Coupe) Barnaby runs a 7.01 @ 199.26 with 1.18 60' 1.66 MB Pro 8 Round 2 - Michael Mitchell (1986 Black Coupe) Pro stock style burnout 1.74 MB Pro 8 Round 2 Michael Mitchell (1986 Black Coupe) vs.Jason Anderson (1999 Arctic White FRC) 8.324 pass for Mitchell at 173.83 0.83 MB Pro 8 Round 2 - Angelo Valla (1972 Targa Blue Coupe) Valla smokes the hides for the single 2.03 MB Pro 8 Round 2 - Angelo Valla (1972 Targa Blue Coupe) Check out the height on the launch and the wiggles mid track…good save 0.69 MB Pro 8 Exhibition - Leo Barnaby (1990 Red Coupe) Turbo Vette Burnout 1.78 MB Pro 8 Exhibition - Leo Barnaby (1990 Red Coupe) Leo reels it in after the track seems to have gone away 1.26 MB Pro 8 Final Michael Mitchell (1986 Black Coupe) vs.Angelo Valla (1972 Targa Blue Coupe) Burnouts 1.51 MB Pro 8 Final Michael Mitchell (1986 Black Coupe) vs.Angelo Valla (1972 Targa Blue Coupe) Valla cuts a .105 and goes to the win with a8.274 @ 170.60 as Mitchell breaks the trans 3.19 MB Pro 8 Exhibition - Angelo Valla (1972 Targa Blue Coupe) Paul Major makes a pass with NMCA Champion and Shakedown at E-town promoter, Dave Hance…and WINS with a 7.931 Visit www.challengevideos.com for more videos of the Corvette Challenge Discussion Forum Congratulate the drivers on www.corvetteforum.com

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modified: October 9, 2006 - 9:00 pm