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Door Slammer Drama at Cayuga Closer
Bruce Biegler - September 23, 2008
 On dates that originally had been pegged for the now defunct 2008 IHRA Canadian Nationals at Toronto Motorsports Park, (Sep. 19-21st), Ontario racing fans were instead treated to some outstanding action courtesy of the PMRA and OSCA. Those two associations combined their season-ending events into one weekend drawing both solid car and spectator gate counts.
The PMRA, which had suffered through some tough times this season due primarily to poor weather, finally got a break it deserved from Mother Nature as they were able to run off two complete races on Saturday and Sunday.
New York’s Mike Stawicki was the brightest star during those two days of competition as he drove the very potent Jim Salemi-tuned G-Force Race Cars ’68 Camaro to victory -- both days.
On Saturday, Stawicki (from Medina), beat the similar Chevy Camaro of Brantford’s Mark Nielsen in the rain-deferred KC Auto Parts Family Day feature final. He hit a winning 6.094 secs at 236.51 mph in that final round. Then for Sunday’s (Victoria Day Classic feature) he duplicated the feat running past Ike Maier’s Chevy Camaro in the final, hitting a winning 6.136 secs at 236.51 mph.
Stawicki’s impressive and prosperous weekend also included a PMRA ET record. He ran a very stout 6.049 secs during the Sunday race which he had backed up earlier with a 6.068 secs while qualifying low. Mark Nielsen also set a PMRA record during the season finale, speeding to a new MPH mark at 237.30.
 The PMRA’s last race also decided its 2008 series champion. Bruce Boland, from Hamilton, prevailed for the 2nd year in a row driving his B&B ’63 Corvette, edging out Caledonia’s Terry Brown in the final points tally. Another popular local racer, “Smokin’ Joe” Boniferro, placed 3rd.
The Ontario Street Car Association also hosted their 5th and final event of the season. That Sunday feature included some big performances and impressive wins.
Toronto’s Mike Yedgarian, parked his familiar and spectacular Pontiac Firebird Super Streeter for the weekend and instead took the controls of a wild turbocharged ’86 Mustang which he had acquired earlier this season. Yedgarian ran well in that car taking the OSCA Super Street event title besting the red-lighting Rocky Dilecce driven supercharged Chevelle in the final round.
Maple Ontario’s Steve Lazzaro had set the crowd buzzing during Super Street qualifying on Saturday when he sped to a career best 6.76 secs at 224+ mph driving his turbocharged ’68 Camaro. Lazzaro lost out however to Dilecce in round two of competition.
Other OSCA class event wins went to Danny Medeiros (EZ Street), Jeff Biro (Pro Stock), Jeff Thompson (True Street), Rich Mason (8.90), Justin Lamucchia (9.90), John Rice (10.90), Steve Schrans (11.90) and Matthew Stoangi (12.90).
Mike Thompson (from Georgetown) won the Pro Comp title driving his ’80 Ford Mustang, while former IHRA national event winner John Ulinskas (Oakville) won the Open Comp title driving his cool ’71 Buick.
To view additional images from our event photo gallery click: HERE
(Bruce Biegler Photo)
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