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Sept. 20, 2005 CMDRA Mission Raceway final event of the year. Event gallery is here. (Murdoch photos) Houniet loses the battle (twice), but win the war.
At the final CMDRA race of the year, the expectations were high for Ron Houniet and the Fast Lane Racing team. They were just a round win away from their precedented 10th consecutive series championship in a row. Ron has had a great year by any other standard, but not the season he is normally accustomed to. It is not because he has fallen off in performance, in fact he has run as quick as ever, and he won two huge non CMDRA events in 2005. In April, he took on the best from the North America at Vegas and won a "Wally" at the NHRA's Summit Racing Nationals. Then in June, he won an "Ironman" as he defeated all comers at the IHRA Rocky Mountain Nationals. Combine those two wins with two wins in four final rounds in the first six events in the CMDRA including a new ET record set at Mission (6.58) in June, and you get the picture. He was a year anyone else would be ecstatic with. That is what drives Ron, He is always trying to set the standard for the class. How else could you get motivated to keep up the level of competition he has achieved. Basically he is the "John Force" of the CMDRA. At this the final event of the year, his goals were simple! Firstly, he wanted the title. Secondly he wanted to win the race. And Thirdly, he wanted to reset the ET record and maybe be the first in Canada to run in the 6.40's. Saturday dawned to an overcast day, with little or no threat of rain and a race track that is was as tight as it has been in a half decade. The staff at Mission Raceway have made a solid effort in the last month to work on the surface which has gone away over the last few years, and they succeeded.
The first round of qualifying saw Ron go out and pace the field with a 6.64/209 mph, Mike Scott turn in a solid 6.81 and Wayne Eastcott round out the six second rider with an engine expiring 6.949 at only 175 mph.
In round two, with the track getting a few more bikes to lay down rubber as well as the exhibition cars, the performance level increased. Ron laid down a new et record, with a great 6.545/211mph that had the crowd cheering. Brian Hall hit the 6's with a 6.85, Rob Smith just missed the 6's with a 7.01 and Kent ran a 7.08. Not quite the levels expected for this 16 Bike field, but most were buzzing with Houniet's great run. Guys like Smith, Kent, John Bryce, Andy Beauchemin, and maybe even Chris Gartman were expected to be in the sixes as well. It was not too much to expect to see the top eight to be in the 6's.
The final session came close to seeing those type of numbers. Would Ron back up his new et mark, or possibly run a 6.40? Chris Gartman laid down one for the ages, when he ran the first ever rear engined Top Fuel pass in the 6's. And he did not barely do it. Chris ran a great 6.839/196mph to the delight of everyone in the stands. Andy Beauchemin hit the 6's as well, with a 6.88, Ken Kent improved slightly to a 7.06, and John Bryce came oh so close with a 7.01.
The 16 bike field was set 1. Ron Houniet Maple Ridge 6.545/211 Pairings were; #1 Houniet vs #16 Boyer, #2 Scott vs #15 McElheran, #3 Gartman vs #14 Newton, #4 Hall vs #13 Breckenridge, #5 Beauchemin vs #13 York, #6 Eastcott vs #11 Schellenberg, #7 Smith vs #10 Flower and #8 Bryce vs #9 Kent.
Kent over Bryce in round one
Smith over Flowers in round one Sunday turned into an awesome day under bright sunny skies. The corrected air was even better than Saturday, so the expectations were high that round one would be killer! Only had a couple surprises were seen in round one, and John Bryce will be kicking himself big time. John ran his quickest lap of the weekend, a great 6.919 but lost to Ken Kent. Bryce was real late at the tree with a shocking .288 rt. Kent had .18 at the tree and took a .08 stripe with a much slower 7.022. Brian Hall smoked the tire, but recovered for a 7.32 to 7.77 win over Breckenridge. Mike Scott ran a career best (by a long shot) 6.677 on a single over a broken Rick McElheran. Wayne Eastcott's engine change after his run from Saturday's qualifying mishap did not turn out good, as his new bullet let him down right at the starting line. Jim Schellenberg in his first round of elimination's was the benefactor, as he was off to round two. Rob Smith got his expected performance level back on track with a 6.83, Gartman advanced with a 7.19 and Beauchemin went 6.91 to advance. Ron Houniet was last up, and he faced a struggling Kevin Boyer. Boyer broke and Ron unfortunately smoked the tire and then recovered for a 7.14 win, but not lane choice.
Gartman took out Newton
Schellenberg defeated Eastcott.
Houniet smokes em and them smokes Boyer in round one
This shot tells it all, as Kent is no where to be seen and Houniet is smoking the tire again (after pedaling at the hit) Round two was the shocker! Expected were four side by side six second runs, but what we got, was one lane dominating and the other lane. The right lane was favored through elimination's and seemed to be the one where all the big numbers were run. So in the second round, the riders with lane choice all took the right lane. It was about four degrees cooler than the left, but there were no real reasons for the the right being better. Historically the left is the better lane at Mission. The first pairing was Kent and Houniet. Kent had the right lane, and it paid dividends, as Houniet smoked the tire instantly, and he pedaled it a couple times to no avail. The battle was lost twice, No back up for the et record no event win, but he won the war. The second round finish meant he had infact retained the series championship for the 10th year in a row. Kent's winning et was a 7.00
Schellenberg smoked em as well and Scott rips off another 6.80 The other three riders in the left lane all suffered the same fate as Houniet, when they all went up in smoke. Their competitors would have been tough though, as Beauchemin, Scott, and Gartman all ran 6.80 in getting their win lights. Round two
Beauchemin has the lead here, but Kent rides around him for the win. The semi finals were only slighly more competitive, and and the lane advantage was reversed. Chris Gartman figured out the left lane to the tune of a 6.969/197mph in defeating Mike Scott. Scott had the lead to the 400 foot mark but the bike shut itself off right at that point and Gartman rode around him for the win. The other semi, also had the lanes turnaround and Beauchemin's bike slowed and Kent rode around him for his second consecutive 7.009 victory. That set up a Chris Gartman and Ken Kent final.
Scott also leads, but the bike dies just past this spot and Gartman goes to the final round. Semis
This was Gartman's third final of the season and Kent's third as well. Both riders have one win so far.
Gartman took a .027 starting line advantage and never trailed, as he stayed in the 6's for the third lap in a row, and ran a 6.933/193 to take a ten bike margin of victory. Kent could not repeat his earlier 7.0's, and slowed to a 7.47 at 163 mph.
Final round
Two riders got double wins this year, Houniet and Gartman, and three others, Jon Tenenbien, Brian Hall and Ken Kent all won one event. The final points standings are: (unofficial) 1. Ron Houniet Mission 671 In the eight bike Nitro Shootout, John Bryce improved from his qualifying efforts and ran 6's all day long including a 6.82 best in the semis to defeat Jody York.
Here, Bryce takes out Breckenridge in the semis of the TF shootout. Below Bryce and York battle in the final round. York is way out in front but Bryce easily powers around him for the win.
Here are all the other results: In Pro Mod, Len Darnell won the #1 plate with the win over Steve Tuggle. Point leader Gord Smith lost in round one and could only watch Darnell go on to win and overtake Smith by approx. 80 points. Darnell also set the ET record with a 7.320 and backed it up in the final with a 7.369 in the final.
Pro Modified Final Pro Dragster was a battle of #1 and 2 in the final round and #2 in the points John Breckenridge took the win and set the record for both et and mph. Unfortunately he was too far back heading into the Mission event and lost out by 73 points. Breckenridge did trail by 132 heading into the weekend.
Pro Dragster Final In Modified Jeff Knowles trailed John Fyvie by one point going into the final event, and three points after qualifying but he took the win when Fyvie red lit in the final round. The win gave him the title by 17 points.
Modified Final Ethan Barkley put an exclamation point on his series championship in the Street Bike Shootout with a win in the final round over second place Tom Tourand.
Street Bike Shootout Final Knowles tried for the double up in Super Gas, as he was tied with Kerry Lockart going into the final event of the year. The two faced off in the semis for all the marbles and it was Lockart who took the win there. He went on to lose the final round, but his victory over Knowles in the semi was all it took.
Supergas Final (10.20 index) Len Darnell had already wrapped up the 2005 title in Super Bike, and it was Gord McMartin who won the event over Glenn Miller. Neither was in the point chase. Don Fergin ended up #2 and went to the 1/4 finals.
Superbike Final Patti Brandle won the event and also the championship in the XL series. Jeramie Stables was the ru/up in the race.
Stock XL (883) Series Ken Froese retained stayed out in front of the points to win the Street Bike championship despite his first round exit. Tom Tourand went out in round two to end his chance at the title.
Street Final Power twins Gas Shoot-Out
We end the photos with this shot. Ambulances were prevalent all Sunday long but it was not because of the Drag Bikes. The Motocross was running all weekend as well, and on Sunday the ambulance was there at least four times to take away crash victims.
Event gallery is here. Sept. 18, 2005 CMDRA Saturday top Fuel qualifying. One of the best qualifiying efforts in the top eight in CMDRA history, as the top half of the field all run 7.01 or quicker .So close to eight 6 second bikes. The field is lead by new record holder Ron Houniet with a great 6.545/211. He has almost clinched the event. Backing up the run or going to round two will clinch his unpresendented 10th consecutive CMDRA title. 1. Ron Houniet Maple Ridge 6.545/211
Sept. 15, 2005 CMDRA final race of the year is on deck this weekend at MRP. Event preview is here Ron Houniet pre race press release Fast Lane - Going For Ten in a Row - The Decade Championship
Nine Time CMDRA Canadian Screamin Eagle Nitro Harley Champion and
2002 AHDRA Champion Ron Houniet and the Fast Lane Racing Team, are
looking to get their 10th consecutive Championship at the final Canadian
race at Mission Raceway on September 17th and 18th. Currently we are
sitting in the number one position, 101 points ahead of the number
two rider Brian Hall. We set the Canadian ET record at our last race
in Mission with a 6.583 @ 213.47mph, and are working on resetting
the ET record at the next race. Also, see us at our last races for
2005 at the California Fun Bike Drags on October 15th and 16th and
the AHDRA Screamin Eagle finals in Las Vegas on November 11th, 12th,
and 13th. For More Information on Fast Lane Racing, check out our website at: www.fast-lane-racing.com |
