Drag

Ennis: Toyota preview

Toyota Sport Compact racers dominate in the Summitt Series. Toyota-powered drag racers in the NHRA Summitt Sport Compact Series have been dominant through five of 10 events in the 2002 season. Going into the next event in Dallas, Aug. 9-10, three ...

Edited: May 2, 2005, 2:35 AM

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Toyota Sport Compact racers dominate in the Summitt Series.

Toyota-powered drag racers in the NHRA Summitt Sport Compact Series have been dominant through five of 10 events in the 2002 season. Going into the next event in Dallas, Aug. 9-10, three of the top four classes are led by Toyota drag racing cars or trucks.

Matt Scranton has dominated the new Pro V8 Class, and his twin-turbo Turbonetics Toyota Celica made history by becoming the first sport compact/import racer in history to reach the 200 mph barrier at Englishtown in May with a 202.55 mph run. The class has also seen the debut of Craig Paisley's nitrous-injected, Toyota Racing Development (TRD) V8-powered Toyota Tundra in 2002. The two have waged an epic battle so far this season with the second half left to decide the championship.

Grant Downing has raced a new twin-turbo V6-powered Toyota Tundra to a win at Houston and the top of the ultra-competitive Pro Class standings. Close behind is the turbo I6-powered Turbonetics Toyota Solara of George Ioannou, who has a national victory at Reading, Pa., and sits third overall. His teammate, Ara Arslanian, has also reached the top 10 overall in a turbo I6-powered Toyota Solara.

In the Modified Class, former national event winner Christian Rado debuted an all-new, turbocharged TRD I4-powered Toyota Celica in 2002. Although the front-wheel-drive Driver Fx/

Turbonetics Celica did not debut until the Atco, N.J., Rado is fifth overall in the Modified Class and earned a season-opening victory at Gainesville, Fla., in Paisley's 1997 Toyota Supra. Alex Dieguez also earned a national victory in his Toyota Corolla and is in fourth place overall. Another Toyota Celica, driven by Jose Mendez, earned a victory at Atco and is ninth overall in the Modified Class.

Mark Mazurowski has dominated the Street Tire class in his Toyota Supra with two victories and a 203-point lead over his nearest rival. The 2002 season has seen five of the top-10 positions in the class occupied by Toyota Supras, including event winner Justin Nenni.

-toyota-

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