Tom Eyler is named champ at Quaker City

Junior track champion Andrew Valentino is 9 years old.
By KATIE LIBECCO
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
SALEM - Points racing for the 2005 season at Quaker City Raceway came down to the Year-End Run-Off Races, naming track champion and awarding large prizes.
The season of drag racing began in April at the raceway. Winners were determined through bracket racing, a way of leveling the playing field by handicapping the cars based on their performance. This results in the race being more about the driving and reaction time than car performance.
One point is awarded for every night of racing attended and an additional point for every round won. Drivers who had accumulated the most points through the races were then named champions of their classes and competed against each other through bracket racing to determine who got the official 2005 track champion title.
Eyler wins in '73 Nova
Tom Eyler, from Alliance, was named the new track champion Sunday in a 1973 Chevrolet Nova.
Eyler has been drag racing for 15 years, 10 of which were spent in the Nova.
"[The Nova] has been fabulous. She's treated me good," Eyler said.
However, Eyler said the Nova will be retired from competition and returned to its owner, Tim Snively. Eyler said he only borrowed the car and plans on building a 1970 Chevrolet Nova SS to compete with next season.
On winning the competition, Eyler said, "It was good, very good. Next to having kids, it is the best feeling in the world."
Points
Eyler was the Cross Motorsports STREET points champion.
"I love the competition in this sport. It is such a big thrill," Eyler said.
Poland resident Wayne Jordan won the Beckett Bodyworks Street Legal/Sport Compact class with his 1994 Dodge Stealth.
Roy Safreed, Jr. from Weirton, W.Va., won the Vanson Leathers Bike Class in his 1993 Kawasaki ZR1100.
Keith Gerlach won the Edmond Richardson PRO points class with his 1927 Ford Roadster Replica body roadster, which he refers to as "his dream car."
Koffel's Place SUPER Pro points winner was Derek Brown from Malvern in a 2002 Worthy Dragster. Brown was also the track champion runner-up.
Andrew Valentino from Ellwood City, Pa., won the title of Junior Track Champion after facing the other Jr. points winners in bracket races. Valentino won the Cross Motorsports Jr. Dragster Stock Class.
Steven Wiech, 13, from New Castle, Pa., won the Jr. Pro Class and Codey Deal, 16, from North Lima, won the Jr. Super Pro class in points.
All six class points winners will get to race free at Quaker City Raceway for the next year.
Runoffs
Anyone who won a point race in the season at Quaker City was eligible to compete in the races, which were held Saturday and Sunday.
Benjamin Roch of Sharpsville, Pa., won Koffel's Place and Quaker City Raceway Super Pro Engine run-off for a complete engine, worth about $10,000.
The winner of the Edmond Richardson School of Drag Racing Pro runoff was Ike Eisenbrown, from Ellwood City, Pa. Eisenbrown will get to attend a two-day dragster driver's school for free.
Eyler won the Cross Motorsports Street Class runoff, and took home a $500 gift certificate from Cross Motorsports.
Quaker City Raceway and Rossler Transmissions awarded $5,000 to Albert Donnell, from Atwater, for his
Events for the 2005 season will end at the raceway on Oct. 14 with the Fall Round-Up. There will also be an additional night of non-points racing Saturday Oct. 8. For more information, visit www.quakercityraceway.com.