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CONGRATULATIONS NORTHERN NEW JERSEY 0N 75 YEARS!! 1950-2025!
Stories, Past and Present, from our Northern New Jersey Region
This month’s story is from the January 1990 NNJR Pole Position.
This is an excerpt from the article titled “NNJR at the Runoffs” author unknown.
“Wow, did NNJR have a great showing at the Runoffs! Not only did 20 of our drivers qualify and our corner workers & stewards get high praise but Wayne Serb and Charlie Barka finished 1st & 2nd in the FA race. Congratulations, guys. I don’t remember the last time we had a National Champion. Bruce Jankowitz finished a respectable 9th in that race.
We (the Millers, Butch, Kjell, Christian & I) did the flying drive-all-night Wednesday, watch Thursday, Friday and part of Saturday, then drive-all-night Saturday run to Atlanta, so I can’t give firsthand reports on all the races.
This year they scheduled SS as the first 3 races of the weekend, undoubtedly so they would have lots of time for the teardown. SSC was first with Len Schrader moving up from a 30th qualifying position to finish 24th in a Saab 900S. (Unfortunately, the car met its demise at the EMRA race in Summit Point a few weeks later - sorry Len.) In SSA Tim Blaney had a good ride, finishing 14th after qualifying 22nd.
The FV race was outrageous, although marred by a second lap incident that took out a bunch of cars & ultimately ended the day for our own Sherman Engler. Roger Siebenaler was in the lead pack and had moved up to 2nd in lap 15. Noble, the leader, was smoking & probably dropping oil, which changed the complexion of things. When the smoke cleared, Roger had to settle for 4th, if one can call a 4th in FV at the Runoffs settling! Nice job Roger……….The F440 race say NNJR drivers Al Good and Robert Barth battling it out, starting 20th and 19th and finishing 16th and 17th.
………Unfortunately, at the point on Saturday, we had to leave for the trek home and missed two races with the best NNJR showing. I’ve already told you about FA, but in GT2 Doug Arneo also made the victory podium with a great 3rd place finish - well done Doug.
In EP Keith Peare qualified 17th and, judging from the number of DNF’s, had a good, clean drive to an 11th place finish……..And, rounding out the weekend, in the highly competitive Sports Renault, whoops I mean Spec Racer, Mark Cruz qualified 12th in a field of 40 and finished 11th, in what I think was his first trip to Atlanta - nicely done Mark.
I think it was a really good year for NNJR at the Runoffs. Congratulations to all who qualified regardless of the final outcome - just getting there is a feat to be proud of. And special congratulations to Wayne Serb, Charlie Batka, and Doug Arnao for their 1st, 2nd and 3rd….”
NNJR NEWS
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