englishtown weather N - NON-points and '07 Top 16
T - Includes Pro 10.0
P,E - Includes Pro 8 Shootout and 11.50
16 - Top16 - NON-points
'08 National, VA
Featured Drivers
2008 East Coast Supercharging Corvette Challenge Event 9 Winner Eric Fischer 2008 American Racing Headers Pro 8 Shootout Race 3 Winner Mark Shaw 2008 Cartek Racing Pro 10.0 Race 4 Winner Jay McCardle
2008 Vette Doctors Pro 11.50 Race 4 Winner Rob Farley
08/30/08 - Englishtown, NJ - Jay McCardle captured his first Cartek RacingPro 10.0 Index presented by J&M Motorsports win while putting an end to a perfect season attempt by Wayne Keegan. It took 15 elimination rounds before anyone can set Pro Wayne Oh back. I bit of lost focus put Keegan in a position where he had to breakout chasing McCardle. The win for McCardle coupled with penalty absorbed by Keegan and the 8 cars count meaning only 3 rounds was the perfect storm needed to give him a shot at the championship at our next race...(yet to be scheduled make of a rainout race). Keegan has a 396 to 328 points lead on Jay for a total of 68 point lead. With 118 points possible total for an event, we are in for a nail biter.
For today's Corvette Challenge bracket results click here.
Qualifying
There were eight cars on the grounds for the Pro 10.0 class where 16 cars are allowed. The 8 cars meant we would only go three rounds instead of the projected four. Joe Latona was in the number 1 position, with a dead-on 10.009 @ 137.05 in the nitrous assisted 346 inch C5. Latona's tuner, Tommy Michalkowski, Anger Management Racing, has been working with him to get to this point and they have reached the pinnacle putting the White C5 Corvette in the number 1 spot with a good shot at holding it with only nine-thousandths room for someone to take it away. "Pro" Wayne "Oh" Keegan finds himself in the second position in the wheel standing 1980 Red Corvette with a 10.100 @ 136.21. Jay McCardle came in third with a 10.111 @ 128.54 in the Blue 1997 ECS prepped supercharged Corvette entry. All Motor Chris Young was in the fourth spot with a 10.152 @ 135.18 in the 1993 C4 Quasar Blue Corvette. He was followed by Marc Scharago in the self-built ECS supercharged convertible with a 10.184 @ 112.43. In the 6th position was the all motor 402 cid Red Sled prepped by The Vette Doctors and driven by me, Edgar Perez. The pass was 10.683 @ 123.93 mph. In the seventh spot was Tommy Michalkowski in his 1997 Corvette. He was at the bottom with due to going under the 10.0 index. His pass was 9.924 @ 137.90. Our eighth entry, Troy Nikola, did not get a time as he had an issue with his car when he brought it to the line.
Troy Nikola did get a qualifying pass in but still had issues. He was in the field at the 8th position with an 18.638 @ 60.52 mph. I was bumped down to 7th as I could not better my ET from the prior round. Scharago dropped to 6th as Michalkowski got in to the 5th spot with a 10.167 @ 105.15 mph. Keegan and McCardle were each bumped down a spot to 3rd and 4th respectively as Chris Young bettered his qualifying time to 10.034 to take the second spot. Joe Latona sat out the run with his 10.009 and remained the number 1 qualifier. Latona is the fourth number 1 qualifier in as many races this season. Congratulation to Joe who also raced in our last 11.50 index race and took the number one spot there; also dead-on.
Runner-up Wayne Keegan
Group
Winner Jay McCardle
Photos by Mike Roberts. For over 5000 Corvette Photos, click here.
Round 1
We start the round with points leader Wayne Keegan (3) facing Edgar Perez (7). This one would be an easy match if Keegan can keep the bad luck away which is me. We paired in 2007 Race 4 and Keegan's car suffered a mechanical issue knocking him out of the competition. Luck has not been on my side this year and Keegan promptly reminded me I don't belong with in the class with a .039 and 10.077 on the brakes to my .116 and 10.701 pass. Next up were Chris Young (2) and Marc Scharago (6). I must have left some bad luck on the line because as Young staged, his lurched on the trans brake and got in further than he wanted to. As the tree lights, he was off the ground and off the mark with a -.017 reaction time. Scharago took the win with a .245 light and 10.158 @ 126.60. Young finished the run with a 10.270 @ 134.40. The third pair was Jay McCardle (4) v. Troy Nikola (8). Nikola got his issues worked out and was out of the gate first with a .102 to .147 reaction time advantage on the .500 pro tree. Jay McCardle powered around him and took the stripe with a 10.061 @ 138.16 mph to Nikola's 10.121 @ 131.04. That is a .015 round win. The final pair was Joe Latona (1) v. the boss, Tommy Michalkowski (5). Tommy drills the tree with a.057 and Joe was trailing with a .157. Tommy held the lead and took the win with a better ET as well with a 10.027 @ 123.42 over a 10.059 @ 133.39. We have seen better lights from "The Hole Shot" kid but the .157 put an end to the day for our number 1 qualifier.
Round 2
In the semi-final round, McCardle (3) faces Scharago(6). The two ECS supercharged cars leave the lane with McCardle in the lead, .158 to .233. Both cars capable of going under the index, would hit the brakes at the top end in classic bracket racing style. McCardle crosses with a 10.119 @ 138.96 and Scharago goes under with a 9.990 @ 125.03. Not only did he not get the win but the 9.990 cost him a 20-point penalty for going under the index. The next pair was Wayne Keegan (3) and Michalkowski (5). Tommy hit the tree again with a .070 but Keegan was better at .020 and was ahead and motoring when the front wheels finally hit the ground. Tommy chased and tried to catch him. As the two cars crossed the finish line, Keegan was the winner with a 10.012 @ 132.59 and Tommy going under with a 9.825 @ 125.79. Keegan advances and Michalkowski is hit with a 20-point penalty as well for going under the 10.00 index.
Final Round
If you are counting, that is 14 consecutive round wins for Wayne Keegan. At this point, he is undefeated in 2008 and in his fourth final in a row. He was looking to tie the consecutive event win record held by David Shen at four. David was in Hawaii on his honeymoon while his dad, David Shen, watched form the wall. McCardle is in his second final this year in the Pro 10 having faced Keegan in 2008 Race 2. The cars lined up for the final with Keegan in the left and McCardle in the right. From my vantage point, it looked like Keegan was away first. That was because this car jumps off the line and goes straight in the air and blocks the right lane. In fact, it was McCardle with the hole shot. He was out with a .050 light and Keegan was late with a .164. McCardle held the lead and took the win with a 10.070 @ 139.79 mph. The perfect season for Keegan ended after 14 round wins as McCardle took the win and Keegan ran his Corvette under the index with a 9.949 @ 134.20 mph. The breakout cost him a 20 pointst as well. Not only that, but the win for McCardle coupled with the breakout created a 60 point swing that gives McCardle a fair shot at catching Keegan in the points Championship as the 20 point win for Jay and 20 point penalty for Keegan, kept him from clinching the championship. The slighest change in focus when McCardle flicker his top bulb was what it took to through Keegan off his mark. This flicker may have been the turning point of the season for Keegan. McCardle had a very consistent day and was able to get the win and can turn this completely around in the next race. We have the final on video. Click here.
Winner Jay McCardle earned a payout of $160 in addition to the winner trophy
Runner-up Wayne Keegan earned a payout of $80 in addition to the runner-up trophy
Semi-finalists Marc Scharago and Tommy Michalkowski earned a payout of $40.
Number 1 Qualifier Joe Latona received a plaque for his 10.009 qualifying run
Wayne Keegan received the Best Reaction Time plaque for the best winning reaction time in the first round at .039
2008 Points Standings
Had Wayne Keegan taken the event win, he would have clinched the 2008 Pro 10.0 Championship with a 128 point lead. He did not get the win and ran his car under causing a 20-point penalty and leaving him with only a only 68-point lead, 396 to 328 over McCardle. This final was a 60 point swing! With the win Jay picked up 20 points while Keegan missed out on 20 and was penalized 20. With a potential of 118 points earnable in an event, provided more than 8 cars, these two will have to battle it out in our Pro 10 finale for the title. Joe Latona, 222, sits in third in the points with only an outside shot of advancing to 2nd only if McCardle does not make the final event. Rounding out the top 5 are Marc Scharago, 186, and Chris Young with 180.
The final Pro 10.0 race of 2008 is xxxxxx 2008 with the gates opening at xxx PM. Don't miss the tension filled final with two drivers having a shot at winning the Championship and hopefully some new 2009 cars being debuted for the first time.
Videos
August 30, 2008 East Coast Supercharging Corvette Challenge Event 8 won by Louis Calicchia and Cartek Racing Pro 10.0 won by Jay McCardle
To view all elimination videso for this event in one playing go to Event Video Theater.
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