Chris VanBaalen takes win and TNT Super Series points lead while rain splits Race of Champions with four left

Sunday’s events cut short due to weather after second round

CAYUGA, ON – Races 9 and 10 in the 2018 chase for the Joe’s Transmission TNT Super Series championship wrapped up this past weekend with Wellandport, Ontario’s Chris VanBaalen taking the win (and the $1000 big check and the Wally) on Saturday while mother nature cut things short on Sunday.

The REVS Full Throttle Powersports RACE OF CHAMPIONS which was to be contested on Saturday got moved to Sunday and then also was split due to weather. The four cars remaining – Ryan Boniferro, Steve McCarrick, Tyler Halleen and Tom Coonly – each took a piece of the $1500 prize money.

Presented by DSE Automotive, the double race weekend at Toronto Motorsports Park began Saturday on the quarter mile. Pete Maduri Jr landed on the pole but local favourite Chris VanBaalen emerged to take the win after qualifying fifth at 10.907.

Round one saw VanBaalen defeat Gary Saska with .020 separating them at the hit. Then he got lucky in round two when he was behind .028 to multi-time TNTSS champ JJ Jablonski who got loose and had to lift at half track.

Then a double breakout win got him past Alex Lepp 10.898 to 10.895 and sent VanBaalen to a bye run in the semi’s.

The money round had Ryan Boniferro ahead .007 at the hit, but VanBaalen let him go at the stripe and took the win 10.915 to 10.882.

“There have been a few people this season that have helped me out with the new combination,” said VanBaalen. “First off my parents. My father wanders over to help me out with the car in the garage at night and my girlfriend Celina for picking up car parts week in and week out.”

VanBaalen was quick to thank JJ Jablonski and Tom Coonly for the throttle stop setup. “I was way out in left field. Also gotta thank Matt and Sherry DeVries of Matt’s Auto Service. They help me out tremendously when it comes to my maintenance program.”

“Thanks to Mike and Jenn Konderka at The Enviro Niagara Group for giving me time off to allow me to race the amount that I do. Their generosity to my racing program is huge.”

He also wanted to thank everyone involved in the TNT Super Series for all their hard work on putting the series together and keeping it running smoothly.  “Especially Joe Boniferro for making last minute life altering decisions,” he added.

VanBaalen’s car has been outfitted this season with a new Scott Shafiroff 615 bullet running on pump gas that propels the Monte Carlo to a 9.2 sec @ 148 MPH quarter mile.

Next up on the TNTSS schedule is Race 11 at Lancaster Dragway on Friday August 17th followed by TNT Super Series Championship Weekend on September 15-16 at Empire Dragway.

To learn more about the Joe’s Transmission TNT Super Series and how you can become a part of it, visit www.tntsuperseries.com or www.facebook.com/TNTSuperSeries and sign up for the mailing list.

Specialty Awards – Saturday

Hoosier Tire Canada $100 certificate – Number One QualifierPete Maduri Jr with a 10.901
J&S Collision $50 cash – Closest to the Index (1st Round Loser)Gary Saska with a 10.913
VP Fuels $50 certificate – Closest to the Index (2nd Round Loser)Steve McCarrick with a 10.926
VP Fuels $50 certificate – Closest to the Index (3rd Round Loser)Dave Surmatchewski with a 10.915
Snakebite Racing $25 cash – Bounty on #1 QualifierRyan Boniferro
Specialty Awards – Sunday

Hoosier Tire Canada $100 certificate – Number One QualifierAndrew Stirk with a 7.013
J&S Collision $50 cash – Closest to the Index (1st Round Loser)JJ Jablonski with a 7.003
VP Fuels $50 certificate – Closest to the Index (2nd Round Loser)Jarrod Kolne with a 7.005
Snakebite Racing $25 cash – Bounty on #1 QualifierAndrew Stirk