Race Updates

Race Within A Race: Kenny Tran Racing Splits The NOPI "Doubleheader" At Atco Raceway with Brian Jimenez

April 27, 2008

Atco (NJ) - Uncooperative weather has shifted rounds in the NOPI Sanctioned By NHRA series like shells in a shell game where qualifying for one event is part of eliminations for the last event..

Such was the case at Atco Raceway in New Jersey. The first round of qualifying was in fact the final round for the Atlanta race. Kenny Tran and his Jotech/Scion tC drag car were fully spooled and ready to roll, going over its pre-race checklist. Everything checked out perfect but as the team backed the car out and turned it to answer the call to the staging lanes the steering hub snapped. As a result Team Jotech could only sit and watch its main competitor Brian Jimenez and his Garrett-powered GM Cobalt pull up to the line and take the easy win..

To vividly illustrate what could have been the Jotech/Scion tC nailed down a 7.98 at 182 mph in the second round of qualifications.

Unfortunately, the car was disqualified because it was 15 pounds underweight. This was a common theme early in the day as three other cars in various classes were also DQ'd. It came down to the team having one chance to get into the race. Kenny responded with a psolid 8.22 at 173. Jimenez was atop the ladder with 8.09 at 173.

"Brian won the Atlanta race and we knew that Brian was confident and stepped up his car for the final round," says Kenny. "Rain delayed the action for an hour or so and eventually we ran the final round. Brian went up in smoke as we cruised to the winner circle with an ET of 8.03 at 174 mph. The run was smooth and the 8.03 was a new class record but we did not get a chance to back it up."

More records will likely fall as the NOPI Sanctioned By NHRA series makes its way to the famed Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey for the fourth round of the 10-race season.