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Ray Commisso blew everyone away at the U.S. Nationals, running an unbelievable 6.01 off the trailer Friday and just missing the first official AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge five-second pass. Commisso earned the $2,000 low qualifier bonus from racer/businessman Rick Stivers, but his near "5" wasn't the only dazzler. Commisso, who had never previously qualified and who just two weeks earlier had never run better than a 6.32, also ran a 6.02.
"We came here hoping to qualify, hoping to run 6.20s," Commisso said. "A lot of guys don't know us. We've been at this for four years, but they don't even know who we are. People don't pay attention to the little guy, but you have to because those are the ones who sneak up on you in the end."
Fellow Canadian Tony Pontieri was right behind Commisso with a No. 2 6.04, and there was no sneaking up on anyone in eliminations; by first-round time, the word was out. Both drivers delivered on that promise by reaching the semi's and both fell to eventual winner Joshua Hernandez, Pontieri in the semi's and Commisso in the final.
"This car runs so hard, it just shoves you back in the seat," said Commisso, a former Outlaw Street record holder. "It compressed the windshield so much that the windshield caved in, hit the shift light, and pointed the shift light to the sky. This is all Al Billes horsepower, and it's all because of Paulo Dalmonte and my crew. They're the ones who stay up late at night working on this car and make it as fast as it is."
The Indy qualifying sessions meant more than just an opportunity to make the field at the biggest race of the year. It also represented the conclusion of the rained-out Memphis event, which was run in conjunction with the second, third, and final round of Indy qualifying.
Joey Martin starred in the rain-delayed Memphis eliminations, downing Shelly Payne, who had the edge of the starting line, in the final. Martin, who had eliminated Andy McCoy in the first round on the originally scheduled Memphis date, defeated Stivers and points leader Jay Payne with 6.0s in Indy.
Shelly Payne wiped out Bryan Seward in Memphis, then won both of the preliminary rounds in Indy, defeating Thomas Patterson and Cody Barklage, before falling the in final. Payne had the edge at the Tree by almost eight-hundredths of a second but ran into trouble downtrack and was overtaken at about the 800-foot mark in a 6.16 to 6.42 decision.
Commisso earns $2,000 bonus from Stivers for qualifying No. 1
Ray Commisso blew everyone away at the U.S. Nationals, running an unbelievable 6.01 off the trailer Friday and just missing the first official AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge five-second pass. Commisso earned the $2,000 low qualifier bonus from racer/businessman Rick Stivers, but his near "5" wasn't the only dazzler. Commisso, who had never previously qualified and who just two weeks earlier had never run better than a 6.32, also ran a 6.02.
"We came here hoping to qualify, hoping to run 6.20s," Commisso said. "A lot of guys don't know us. We've been at this for four years, but they don't even know who we are. People don't pay attention to the little guy, but you have to because those are the ones who sneak up on you in the end."
Fellow Canadian Tony Pontieri was right behind Commisso with a No. 2 6.04, and there was no sneaking up on anyone in eliminations; by first-round time, the word was out. Both drivers delivered on that promise by reaching the semi's and both fell to eventual winner Joshua Hernandez, Pontieri in the semi's and Commisso in the final.
"This car runs so hard, it just shoves you back in the seat," said Commisso, a former Outlaw Street record holder. "It compressed the windshield so much that the windshield caved in, hit the shift light, and pointed the shift light to the sky. This is all Al Billes horsepower, and it's all because of Paulo Dalmonte and my crew. They're the ones who stay up late at night working on this car and make it as fast as it is."
The Indy qualifying sessions meant more than just an opportunity to make the field at the biggest race of the year. It also represented the conclusion of the rained-out Memphis event, which was run in conjunction with the second, third, and final round of Indy qualifying.
Joey Martin starred in the rain-delayed Memphis eliminations, downing Shelly Payne, who had the edge of the starting line, in the final. Martin, who had eliminated Andy McCoy in the first round on the originally scheduled Memphis date, defeated Stivers and points leader Jay Payne with 6.0s in Indy.
Shelly Payne wiped out Bryan Seward in Memphis, then won both of the preliminary rounds in Indy, defeating Thomas Patterson and Cody Barklage, before falling the in final. Payne had the edge at the Tree by almost eight-hundredths of a second but ran into trouble downtrack and was overtaken at about the 800-foot mark in a 6.16 to 6.42 decision.
