Sportsman Racing’s Top 5 Performances of the Week

This week’s racing action included the Fall Fling at Bristol, the AAA Insurance Midwest Nationals at St. Louis, and Bracket Finals action for NHRA Division 1 at Atco Dragway and IHRA Division 3 at Dragway 42.  The Top 5 performances of the week are:

1. Rocky Pintavalle takes the one spot this week after an amazing run at the Fall Fling.  Driving a Chrysler powered, back-halved Plymouth Duster with a 3-speed Torqueflite transmission, Pintavalle took down two main events at the Fall Fling for a total of $65,000.  What makes this so impressive is the weapon of choice for Pintavalle is not what most people would consider the best tool for the job but none the less, Pintavalle made himself a house hold name with two impressive performances.  With all of the big money bracket racing going on this year and a slew of top-notch dragsters at each event, it’s nice to see someone take their door car and whoop up on the high-dollar dragsters.  Great job Rocky, you da man!
2. David Rampy wins his 99th NHRA national event at St. Louis.  What more can you say about Rambo?  This guy has been consistently winning races since the 80’s, that’s the 1980’s for the millennial’s out there.  It’s one thing to win in your prime or for a few years but it’s a whole nother level when you do it for 30-plus years and counting.  Based on Rampy’s world championship last year and his continued success this year, it doesn’t look like he’s going to slow down anytime soon.  Let’s hope Rampy can collect number 100 soon.  Congrats David.
3. Cory Gulitti’s recent success kept on rolling at the Fling as “the Kid” won a dragster on the opening day of the Fall Fling.  Racing in the dragster shootout, Gulitti made his way to the final round where both finalists were awarded a brand new dragster.  While Gulitti didn’t turn on the win light in the final, he did end up with a new Racetech dragster for his efforts.  In five days Gulitti won a $20 grander, $10 grander, and a dragster.  That’s an impressive five-day tally for sure.
4. Drew Skillman almost doubles in St. Louis.  Skillman picked up his second national event win over the weekend in Stock Eliminator in addition to making the final round in Pro Stock.  I don’t think you could find two cars that are more different than Stock and Pro Stock which makes Skillman’s feat all the more impressive.  While in Pro Stock you can have the fastest car and be expected to win, the same can’t be said for Stock Eliminator where anyone can win at any time.  Skillman drove both ends of the track extremely well in taking home the Stock Eliminator Wally.  I wonder which class he wanted to win the most?
5. Leah Prichett dominates for her second straight SAM Tech Factory Stock Showdown victory.  Prichett continues to impress as she’s shown she can flat-out drive anything on wheels.  I remember years ago seeing her jump in Pro Mod and win at her second or third national event.  She’s proven she can handle a Top Fuel car and now she’s shown she can finesse a 1,000-plus horsepower factory built car on 9″ slicks to high seven-second passes and do it consistently.  With the win she is now second in points with a ton a momentum heading into the final races of the year.

I’d like to give an honorable mention to Super Stock racer Brad Zaskowski who posted a runner-up finish at St. Louis.  Zaskowski needed to win the race to pass points leader Justin Lamb in the national standings but came up a few points shy after his runner-up finish to former world champ Greg Stanfield.  Brad was competing in his last national event, racer’s can claim the best 3 out of their first 6 nationals, and knew he had to go deep to have a shot at the national title.  It’s hard enough just making a national event final but even harder when you go knowing you need to win the race.  Although Brad came up a round shy of his ultimate goal, it was a great effort for sure.

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