Williams Stops Newman at Fontana for SoCal Pro Gas Event Title

By Bob Johnson
California Dragway Fontana, CA August 14, 2004

Gary Williams completed a SoCal Pro Gas clean sweep for “Team Smooth” at California Dragway at Fontana when he stopped the hard charging Lumina of Wayne Newman in the final round.  Other “Team Smooth” racers to win Pro Gas series events at Fontana included Jon Brazeau, who won in January, and Jed Bourquin, the June race winner.

Seventy-Four cars entered the Team Smooth, SMI, and Perma-Coil sponsored event, with Rick Gunther qualifying number one with his Anaheim-based ’27 Ford roadster.

Williams went to the final by beating Ron Marcum in round one, he beat Johnny Matassa in the second round, and Randy Bowers in round three.  In the fifth round, Williams stopped top qualifier Gunther in a double-breakout race, he stopped Pete Bothe in the quarterfinals, and got a bye in the semi.

Wayne Newman drove the Wayne & Dave’s Automotive-sponsored Lumina to his second straight final—and extended his series points lead—by beating T. Wayne Silvia by .005 seconds in a first round double-breakout, he used a .003 reaction and 9.901 elapsed time to beat Tim Daniel in the second round, and he beat Bob Williams ’48 Anglia in round three.  In the fourth round, he beat former champion Dave Coapstick, he got a bye in the quarters and in a super tight race against Jed Bourquin in the semi, Newman got the win at 9.895, 160.96 (.019 r.t.) to the Dodge’s 9.869, 147.31 (.017 r.t.).

Williams better reaction time in the final—a .010 to a .020—and a 9.926, 140.94 was all he needed to win his first race of the season, as Newman settled for runner-up after winning 12 straight rounds of Pro Gas competition, and will go into the seventh of eight races with a comfortable point’s lead.

Williams thanked Team Smooth, SMI, and Perma-Coil for sponsoring the race, and Tim & Donna Daniel for sponsoring the winner’s trophy.

The series will continue at L.A. County Raceway on September 26 as part of the NHRA National Open, with the series final scheduled for October 16^th, again at L.A. County Raceway.

 Ray's Notes