Championship Caliber

Words By: Bruce Biegler

Mini-Motor Mission Accomplished!

New Jersey-based Aragona Racing produced one of the top news stories in all of Sportsman drag racing last season by winning the NHRA World Championship for Competition eliminator.

Racing what is truly one of the most unique creations ever seen in the category, driver Frank Aragona Jr., combined a flawless home record within his NHRA geographical division with strong national event performances to claim his 1st career World Championship title.

Running his lightweight G/EA classed ’32 altered, which features a HEMI®-headed 201 cid 4-cylinder motor, Aragona Jr. was dominate throughout the season winning six times in divisional competition and scoring a huge national victory during the NHRA race held at Las Vegas. With that amazing winning record Aragona Jr., clinched his World title when his nearest competitor, David Eaton, was mathematically eliminated from title contention in mid-October.

“My father (Frank Sr.) and Uncle (Joe) did an amazing job with our motor program and tuning the car,” Frank Jr., said. “They made it so consistent for me so that every time I went to the starting line I was very confident and could just relax and drive. Basically we had zero breakage all season—our Mopar engine was bullet proof. That was the biggest difference for us compared to other seasons with other brands.”

The Aragona Racing mini-motor HEMI engine program is overseen completely by Joe Aragona within his International Motor Shop (Long Island, N.Y.). In conjunction with cylinder head work by Tom Slawko, the team in fact developed four different Mopar 4-cylinder engines during the season. They also campaigned a 2nd Competition eliminator car, a rear-engine dragster driven by Steve Szupka which also features a 201 cid HEMI engine. That dragster enjoyed great success as well, finishing 4th in final NHRA Division One Competition eliminator points.

“2007 was my 13th year racing in Competition eliminator and was certainly my most successful,” added Frank Jr. “For 2008 we will have a big target on us but we also have a proven combination. My father and Uncle have already had our motors apart and are working on some upgrades that will equate to even more power. We plan on continuing our winning tradition.”

Against the Grain

Complimenting the Aragona’s World Championship from the East was another spectacular title for the Mopar brand courtesy of California-based Darren Smith. Racing within his family oriented team, Smith prevailed in what is arguably the most difficult of all drag racing Sportsman categories, Super Stock eliminator.

Smith, driving a 440 cid 1968 Dodge Dart within the SS/FA category, used a superb mid-season winning streak within his Southwest home Division to hold off some ferocious national competition. Despite a first round loss during the season-ending NHRA AAA Auto Club Finals at Pomona, he was assured the title when his nearest competitor, Jimmy DeFrank, was eliminated during round three of competition at that same event.

“I knew we had a solid season going but I really didn’t want to think about the points,” admitted Darren. “But after we crossed over the 600 points margin at Sonoma last summer, I knew we were in the thick of the hunt so things got very serious for us. After that it seemed we sparred with both Jim DeFrank and Peter Biondo for the overall points lead every weekend. To win this ultimately against all the great drivers in this class is a real accomplishment for us.”

Smith’s victory came driving a machine which is anything but a mainstream entry within the class. In these modern times, most of his Super Stock competition comes from late model GT or Super Modified class cars.

“It’s cool that we did this with an older style car.” Darren added. “That makes it an extra special win for all the Mopar fans out there.”

Smith’s car is not only a spectacular looking machine but it is also a technological marvel. Weighing in at 3,200 pounds, the race car features a wedge-head 440 cid engine, which is self assembled after machine work by Bob Lambeck and cylinder head and manifold work by Eric Jones. A single 4-barrel Carter AVS carburetor and a 727 Pro-Trans automatic transmission are also used.

The team also ended its 2007 World Championship season with a performance bang. Despite their first round loss at Pomona, they did record their quickest and fastest run so far; 9.58 secs at over 136 mph.

Smith’s NHRA Super Stock national championship came in what was just his 9th year of drag racing. Following in the famous footsteps of his father Dave Smith, he bracket raced a 1967 Coronet beginning in 1998 before racing a Dodge Dakota in Stock eliminator from 2000-2004. He began racing his now Championship winning Dodge Dart in late 2004.