Championship Drag Racing

Pontiac Excitement Nationals
Columbus, Ohio
(June 12-15)

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Karen Stoffer Jonco Suzuki Pro Stock Bike

Reports: Sunday Pre-race

Columbus, Sunday: After chasing the tune-up through rain and warmer muggy conditions the Jonco Motorsports team gave driver Karen Stoffer a bike worthy of the final round.

Stoffer was five thousandths off a perfect light in her first-round match-up with GT Tonglet. She then won over a red-lighting Shawn Gann in the second round. In the semifinals Stoffer began to even her score with the reigning POWERade champion by virtue of another starting line advantage and quicker run over Angelle Savoie.

Interestingly, Stoffer had reached her second final in just 10 starts onboard the Cope Racing Suzuki, and would compete against the same Star TL1000, this time driven by Fred Collis.

"I knew Fred was holding a slight performance edge throughout the weekend, so it was up to me to tree him," said Stoffer. "I was very comfortable all day with my driving, however, the reaction time game is risky.

"Overall, the team is excited, when you consider our collective comeback from the DNQ in Joliet, two weeks ago. I've had lots of fun today and I know this team came leaps and bounds toward a better understanding of what this bike wants. No regrets; it could have just as easily been a perfect light when it comes down to two thousandths of a second. We are a revitalized team on their way to St. Louis."

Columbus, pre-race: Karen Stoffer, driver of the Jonco Motorsports/Cope Racing Suzuki, is ready for this weekend's 39th annual Pontiac Excitement Nationals presented by Summit Racing.

There are no freebies in professional Drag Racing and nobody ever hinted to Stoffer that driving at this level was going to be easy. The Jonco Team is determined to turn the corner with the tune-up while Stoffer benefits from the experience of competing as a new Pro Stock Bike driver in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

Stoffer's idea of joining well-known names like Doug Herbert and Warren Johnson in NHRA's pro category was never intended to be among the list of DNQ's in Chicago. Severe winds gusting across Route 66 Dragway took Angelle Savoie into the wall during Saturday's first qualifying session. With two decent baseline runs on Friday, Stoffer was forced to abort both of her qualifying runs on Saturday in Joliet, and was ultimately bumped out of the show by a disappointing three thousandths of a second.

"It really was disappointing to get bumped out in Chicago," said Stoffer, "but my team cannot be kept down. Our incremental times for both of my runs on Saturday were on par for a solid teen, which would have qualified us. I hated the thought of rolling out of the throttle on a good pass, but when the wind suddenly moves you sideways at the top of fifth gear you have to think about safety and the equipment. Right now everything is in one piece. Greg Cope has freshened up the engine, and we have another opportunity in Columbus this weekend."