Race Updates

Bergenholtz Racing Takes Home Multiple Wins at BOTI Las Vegas

July 17

Las Vegas (NV) - Lady luck was on Ed Bergenholtz's side as he took home top honors for Bergenholtz Racing in three different categories at the Battle of the Imports. To start off the weekend Ed was able to take the win at the Drag vs. Drift karting event at Pole Position Raceway. Next, Ed took the win in the Battle of the imports PRO-FWD class and to finish off the weekend Ed was able to take wins in all 3 exhibition grudge matches against some of the quickest Outlaw V8's the PSCA had to offer. It was a spectacular and exciting weekend for the Mazdaspeed/Nitto Drag Race Team. "I guess I pulled off what they call a hat trick in hockey! We won in Karting against the drifters, Battle's PRO-FWD class, and beat three of PSCA's quickest Outlaw V8 RWD cars in grudge matches. It was a truly an exciting weekend for the Mazdaspeed/Nitto drag team!" said Ed Bergenholtz pilot of the Mazdaspeed/Nitto 6

At the first NOPI Sanctioned By NHRA event of 2008 Mother Nature delivered a knockout punch as a deluge in Atlanta saw the entire event cancelled. Series officials indicated that qualifying would be made up in Moroso and finals were to be run in Atco.

The weekend would start on Thursday, where Pole Position Raceway would host Las Vegas Motor Speedway's "Drag vs. Drift Event". Some of the industry's top drifters and drag racers would battle each other at an indoor karting track. The likes of Ed Bergenholtz, Chris Rado, Kenny Tran, Jeremy Lookofsky and more would represent the drag racers. 2007 FD Champion Tanner Foust, Laguna Seca race instructor Conrad Gruenwald, Blake Fuller, Pat Mordaunt and more would represent the FD drivers. After qualifying, racers were separated into two categories consisting of an "A" main and "B" main, "A" main racers being the quickest of qualifiers. Ed Bergenholtz would be the sole drag racer to make the "A" main starting in the 2nd qualifying position, racing against a handful of who's who FD Drifters. "I knew I a good chance to take the win for the drag side. I have a lot of respect for the FD Drift drivers and knew this was going to be a tall order to beat all of them to a first place finish." Said Ed Bergenholtz pilot of the Mazdaspeed/Nitto 6.

The competition and talent from the FD Drift drivers would be fierce, but Ed Bergenholtz would take a daring pass halfway through the race to take the checkered flag in 1st place. "I wanted to prove to the industry that drag racers could do other things than just go straight. It is quite an accomplishment to beat the talented drivers of FD. There was some serious competition on that track. Some of those guys are champions too!" Said Ed Bergenholtz pilot of the Mazdaspeed/Nitto 6.

The winning would not stop there. Ed Bergenholtz's next task would be taking on Chris Rado and his World Racing Scion TC. The PROFWD Finals proved to be quite an exciting and nail-biting race. The race would start off with Ed Bergenholtz immediately experiencing problems off the starting line, bogging down his MAZDA 6. At that point it seemed as though Chris Rado would take the win, but he too would experience problems on the run. At half track the Scion appeared to make a hard pull to the left towards the retaining wall. During this time Ed managed to get the Mazdaspeed/Nitto 6 somewhat situated and continued to barrel down the quarter-mile and pass Rado in the nick of time for the win! "I was so sad when we bogged at the starting line, but when Ed got the power back on and steamed down the track, I got so excited. I saw Rado having problems mid track so it's good Ed never gave up. It was an ugly win but we'll take it however it comes. The crowd was on their toes for that Final" Said Kurt Gasper Crew Chief of the Mazdaspeed/Nitto 6.

With 2 wins, one in Karting and the other in the PRO-FWD class, Ed would attempt to continue the winning streak and challenge PSCA's Detroit muscle in exhibition grudge matches. Battle of the Imports did not fail to excite the crowd as all were on their feet for this rivalry. This would be the first of its kind type of matchup, FWD vs. RWD, 4 cylinders vs. 8 cylinders, import vs. domestic and champion vs. champion. There would be three rounds of racing where Ed would face three different V8 RWD Outlaw cars from the Pacific Street Car Association; all of which were PSCA Champions. The first would be 2003 PSCA Outlaw Champion Doug Sikora in his Ford Mustang. Ed would out-react him right at the starting line and run a 7.47 to the Mustang's faster 7.46 for the win. "The crowd loved it. They were yelling and screaming for us. I have never seen a crowd like that in a long time." Said Sav Leone assistant crew chief to the Mazdaspeed/Nitto 6.

With one win over Detroit muscle, Ed would face another PSCA Champion. 2007 PSCA Outlaw Champion Ron Weens and his 700 cubic inch Pontiac Grand Am Pro Stock racecar would be the next RWD to conquer. The car looked and sounded more menacing than the first V8. It appeared as if though this next round would be quite a very tall order for Mazdaspeed/Nitto Drag Team. The crowd was silent during the staging games of the two drivers till the green light. Ed and his Mazda 6 would out-react and out-launch the Grand Am to a winning 7.56 finish to Ron Weens 7.60. The crowd could not believe what they witnessed at the Battle of the Imports. Ed Bergenholtz had just taken down the current 2007 PSCA Champion. "I really thought we were going to be handed our first loss against a V8 in that round. The car looked like a PRO STOCK car for God's sake. Ed started out front, led the whole way against American muscle and took the win light. The crowd was ecstatic. I can hear one fan yelling: "Not in our house baby, Go Mazda!" The import/sport compact crowd shared our victory as if it was their own. I was completely amazed at the enthusiasm of the fans when we went up against the V8's" said Ron Bergenholtz Team Manager of Bergenholtz Racing.

Not stopping and continuing the momentum, Ed and the Mazdaspeed/Nitto drag team would face their third and final RWD competitor. Hoping to make it a perfect three-peat, he would face Larry Drake, driving the championship Mustang previously owned by Doug Sikora. In the end, Ed would make it a perfect three-peat and pilot the MAZDA 6 to a 7.49 to Larry Drake's 7.75. "I just had a V8…………in fact I had three. I can't believe we made it with wins across the board against the domestics. The crowd loved it! When we came back from the return road, fans were cheering. A victory for Bergenholtz Racing was a victory for imports as a whole. I'm sure those V8 guys will probably show up at the next BATTLE event to get their revenge. We'll be ready for them in Sacramento. What a weekend for the Drag Team!" said Ed Bergenholtz pilot of the Mazdaspeed/Nitto Drag Team.

The Battle of the Imports event proved to be a successful and amazing racing event. Ed Bergenholtz was able to create an incredible rivalry against RWD V8's, which the crowd went crazy for, competitor participation was tremendous (approx. 200 competitors, most grass-roots), and drag racing fan attendance figures were up from the year before. In relation to grass-roots for example, racing was fierce. 32 competitors in one of the classes battled each other to make an 8 car field. Competitors and spectators alike were entertained by fire-breathing jet cars, competitive racing, V8 vs. 4 cyl racing, bikini contests, show cars, and the SCION VIP show. Import Tuner, Turbo Magazine, Super Street Magazine, as well as Sport Compact Car were all present to cover the event. Next, the Bergenholtz Racing Drag Team is slated to attend Round 6 of Battle of the Imports at Sacramento Raceway. "We look forward to and are eager to give the fans in Northern California a good show …and maybe take down some more V8's in the process." said Ed Bergenholtz pilot of the Mazdaspeed/Nitto 6.

Video footage of the runs for the Mazdaspeed/Nitto Drag Team can be viewed with this link:http://www.vimeo.com/1349925