News Article

6/29/10 Sanzottera Returns to GIR Winner's Circle in QSBS Action

July 6, 2010
Sam Martin

The Tuesday Night Shootout Series saw some new blood in the final round of the Street Car Shootout in 2010 and a pair of familiar drivers in the final round of the Big St. Charles Motorsports Quick Street Bike Shootout. Taking home victories from Gateway International Raceway on Tuesday were Orson Johnson (SCSS), Eric Sanzottera (QSBS), Dan Harris (Sport Tuner), and Kevin Autenrieth (Super Truck).

SCSS Winner Orson Johnson Photo by Bret Kepner, BretKepnerPhotos.com

Johnson captured the top spot in the SCSS with an incredible 8.57 second pass at 174 mph. Johnson took on SCSS veteran Joe Rudy in the first round of action in a Ford vs. Chevrolet matchup. The race ended on the starting line as his nitrous assisted ’69 Camaro turned on the red light. The convertible Mustang of Johnson laid down another strong lap of 8.51 seconds after lifting off of the throttle to coast through the lights at 148 mph.

Lemay, Mo. resident Tom Bantle returned to SCS competition to take on Tim Mallicoat Jr. in the first round of competition. Bantle left the starting line first, and then posted the best mph and elapsed time of the meet to take the win, an 8.26 at 174.5 mph.

Sport Tuner Winner Dan Harris Photo by Bret Kepner, BretKepnerPhotos.com

In the final round it was two quickest cars of the night Johnson and Bantle in a pair of ‘90s Mustangs with turbochargers. As the cars pulled into the stage beams and spooled their turbochargers it was an intense barrage of pops, bangs and flames before the green light flashed.

When the cars launched the race appeared to end just as it began with Johnson immediately smoking the tires, while Bantle make a strong charge down the track. About 500 feet down track it began to all come apart for Bantle as his car moved out of the grove and darted towards the wall.

QSBS Winner Eric Sanzottera Photo by Bret Kepner, BretKepnerPhotos.com

While Bantle struggled, Johnson charged down the track. Johnson barely inched past Bantle for the win with a 9.29 second pass at 172 mph, while Bantle managed a strong 9.53 at 120 mph.

Sanzottera returned to QSBS action on his Big St. Charles Motorsports Hayabusa built by QuickTime Motorsports. At the top of the field at the end of qualifying was Ed Biggs on the other QuickTime Motorsports prepared Pro Street Hayabusa with a 7.98 at 181 mph.

Super Trucks Winner Kevin Autenrieth Photo by Bret Kepner, BretKepnerPhotos.com

In eliminations Biggs lined up against Springfield, Ill. resident Jason Yohn. The race ended quickly as Yohn turned on the red light, but it likely would not have made a difference as Biggs laid down another 7.97 second run at 185 mph, while Yohn ran a respectable 8.81. Sanzottera took out John Chant in the other semi-final match up.

When the green light turned on Sanzottera was the first to leave the starting line. From there the race was more or less over as Sanzottera pulled away to a 7.90 second pass at 186 mph to defeat the turbocharged Hayabusa of Chant.

In the final round matchup of Sanzottera vs. Biggs, it was Biggs with a slight starting line advantage. In what would turn out to be the closest race of the night Sanzottera picked up the win with 7.92 at 167 mph while Biggs also made a strong pass of 8.19 mph at 177 mph. The win takes Sanzottera within three points of Biggs in the series point championship.

In the Showdown classes qualifying was highlighted by Harris and his “SixBangStang” posting their first 11 second pass, a career best 11.87 at 115.5 mph. In the showdown final for the Sport Tuner class Harris took on Bob Baldwin Jr. Harris famous Mustang for the second week in a row lined up against the turbocharged ’69 Volkwagon Bug of Baldwin.

The cars were nearly even on the starting line, but Harris slowly pulled away to pick up the win with a 12.05 at 115 mph. Baldwni held his own while pushing his Beele to a respectable 12.64. After racing was completed Harris said, “That 11 second pass was awesome, it really hooked up. As soon as I finished the pass I could hear my cell phone going crazy in my console with my dad texting me.”

The Super Truck Showdown provided one of the closest races of the night with Autenrieth taking on SCS weekly racer Ray Arthur in his “S-10 Revenge” Chevrolet pick-up. Arthur picked up a large advantage off of the starting line, but Autenrieth began picking away at the lead by time the pair had reached the christmas tree.

At the strip there were just inches separating the pair with Autenrieth nosing out Arthur. Autenrieth's 9.19 at 145 mph defeated the 9.36 at 143 mph. After the race both racers joked about the race and agreed “That was just awesome racing!”