NOPI Sport Compact

Tran Captures Third Straight NOPI Hot Rod Victory at Englishtown

The NOPI Drag Racing Series cannot seem to escape rain in the 2008 season, with this past weekend's round at Englishtown again a wet one as heavy rains fell towards the end of Saturday. Diligent work by course workers through the night dried the track for Sunday's competition.

The number one qualifier in the Hot Road class was Kenny Tran powering his Scion tC hard all weekend. Sitting in the top seed Kenny Tran had an easy battle against Michael Blackwell in his Honda Civic for the first round of eliminations.

Tran's win paired him against Bryan Jimenez in a Chevy Cobalt for the finals. Both started strong from the lights, with Tran taking the hole shot and powering his Scion tC across the line first for a win in 8.021 sec./178.97 mph.

The victory was the third straight for Tran in 2008.

In Modified class action, Luis Ferrer Jr. experienced first round issues leading to only a 15.045 sec./76.37 mph run against Boris Rojas as Rojas moved on to a runner-up finish.

Chris Rado came into Englishtown looking strong in the Pro FWD class after a top qualifier spot last weekend in Atco with a 7.32 sec./196.27mph run at the south Jersey track. Unfortunately for the World Racing Scion team and Chris Rado, the team's Scion tC suffered challenges with the transbrake at the starting line prior to the first round elimination. Trying to compensate for the issue, the team turned up the pressure on the line to no avail as the car failed at the start to end a promising weekend for Rado.

In the Unlimited Street Class, Dan Dixon piloted his 93 Toyota Supra all the way to finals in a very competitive class. Dixon moved past Darin Dichiara in the first round with a run of 8.870 sec./162.63 mph. In the second round, Dixon claimed the hole shot and edged past Johnny Maguda, also in a Supra, with a trip of 8.720 sec./167.80 mph.

Dixon, having run faster than finals opponent William Thomas in each round of eliminations, heartbreak set in during the finals. Set for his run against Thomas's Ford Mustang, Dixon broke to give Thomas a free pass to victory.

The NOPI Drag Racing Series sanctioned by NHRA returns to action at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colorado near Denver June 21 -22.