09/01/07 - Englishtown, NJ - To say the field was light for The Vette Doctors Pro 8 Shootout presented by Carroll's Rod and Racecraft today would be an understatement. A class that started some years ago from the friendly rivalry between local tuners and grew faster than the elapsed times some of the drivers were putting down. We have seen several drivers come and go and several attempts to provide parity to a class that may have grown too fast for its own good. As support for the class dwindles, it is undoubtly going to have to go some change for the following year. But we shouldn't take anything away from this year's participants. For if there are 50 drivers participating or just 2, we still have a nice see-saw battle going on for the Championship of the class.
This season, the points lead has changed hands every race. Mark Shaw started in the lead, then Paul Major took it from him, then Shaw took it back only to have Bill Maloney take it from him today. Only one thing is certain in the class, there is uncertainty.
For today's Corvette Challenge bracket results click here.
Qualifying
Three drivers entered the class but only two made it out for the first round of qualifying. Bill Maloney and Mark Shaw brought thire cars to the line for the first qualifier as Chris Young, the third entry, did not make the call as he was also running in the Corvette Challenge bracket race. Maloney took the left lane and Shaw the right. As the drivers awaited the qualifying shot, a motorcycle broke down in the right lane just before them so we had to wait for it to be removed. Once it was removed the drivers fired them back up. Maloney rolled to the line with the single rear mounted 1997 Corvette with the 402 cid LS2 motor. He had recently competed in the Atco 8.50 Index classed and placed well and even one a round before being eliminated by their points leader, John Razzler, by only .005 second. Today was a different story though. Maloney was sporting new rubber under the, still, independent rear Corvette suspension, Mickey Thompson ET Street drag radial tires on 16x10 inch CCW custom wheels. Shaw rolled up in the right in the Monza Red 511 cid '70 Corvette with nitrous. Shaw got close to the ever elusive 8-second pass running 9.068 @ 151.85, his best ET to date, and took the number 1 qualifying position. Maloney followed with a 9.308 @ 141.19 as his car just did not build boost.
For the second round, there was call after call and no racers. Shaw and Maloney had opted to sit out the second qualifier. Finally Chris Young came to take a shot at qualifying and we report to Raceway Park that he would be the only one making a pass. He made his pass and managed to run his best run of the day but it was not enough. Young lit the clocks with a 10.033 @ 133.58 on the pass and fell just short of the minimum qualifying requirement of 9.99.
Maloney and his 1997 Corvette
From L to R, Bill Maloney, Mark and Ben Shaw
Winner Bill Maloney
Photo by Edgar Perez
Round 1
There would be only one round for this one but we would have a race. Shaw had lane choice with his number 1 qualifying position and chose the right lane. Maloney would be in the left. The drivers completed their burnouts and brought the cars to the line. Each carefully placed the car in the beams and in a flash of yellow, they were off. Immediately at the hit of the throttle Shaw's car went left in instead of straight and he had to abort the run and got off the racing surface. Meanwhile, Maloney was chugging along with a stellar 60' of 1.38 on the drag radials. He flew by the traps to take the win with an 8.598 @ 148.85 MPH.
That was it, one round and the win so the drivers wrapped it up. But the win moved Maloney into the points lead by 12 points. With each round win worth 20 points, anything can happen at the final race of the year and either of these two drivers can take the crown. Paul Major has an outside shot but would need a three round race for it to happen. Speaking of Major, he could not make today's race due to engine failure at the test session on Thursday. Alan Eckert and the ECS team tried their hardest to get to the race but could not get the car ready in time is what was reported. Michael Conway reported getting lucky at Atlantic City as the reason he could not make the race.
Awards and Payouts Today
Winner Bill Maloney earned a payout of $100 cash and a trophy
Runner-up Mark Shaw earned a payout of $50 cash and a trophy
Number 1 Qualifier Mark Shaw received a plaque for his 9.068 qualifying run
Bill Maloney received the Best Reaction Time plaque for the best winning reaction time in the first round at .284
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