Page 27 - MINISTER ALEX SCHWENGLE - APRIL 22,2015
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LOCALWednesday 22 April 2015

Team Aruba Goes to Final Round at Southern Nationals

                              BRADENTON, Fl. April 21,       ba was focused on staying      U.S. Bounty Hunters Pro
                              2015 - Trevor Eman and
                              Team Aruba took the Aru-       consistent through each        Stock racers are more
                              ba.com Mustang to its first
                              final of the 2015 IHRA sea-    round and did just that.       like a band of brothers
                              son at this past weekend’s
                              Nitro Jam Southern Nation-     Eman took out Matt Bertsch     than fierce professional
                              als. The team proved that
                              they are a force to be reck-   in round one on a hole shot    competitors. This is very true
                              oned with on the quarter-
                              mile, qualifying third in the  advantage. In round two,       for Eman and Montecalvo,
                              eight car field with a time
                              of 6.338 at 221.02 MPH, just   Eman faced number two          as Eman explains:
                              five hundredths behind top
                              qualifier, John Montecalvo.    qualifier, J.R. Carr. Despite  “John Montecalvo and his
                              In eliminations, Team Aru-
                                                             Carr having the advantage      entire team we consider

                                                             on paper it was Team Aru-      very close friends. John

                                                             ba who would take the win      and LA have visited us

                                                             and progress to their first    in Aruba a couple of

                                                             final round of the season.     times now, and Tommy

                                                             The finals paired Eman with    Lee (Montecalvo’s Crew

                                                             good friend John Monte-        Chief) did an exhibition

                                                             calvo. Unfortunately, the      Pro Stock match race with

                                                             Aruba.com Mustang lost         me in Aruba several years

                                                             traction on the run, caus-     ago. So I really appreciate

                                                             ing Eman to have to abort      these people very much,

                                                             and hand Montecalvo the        and it’s an honor to race

                                                             victory. Still, the team was   against them. The great

                                                             pleased with the overall       thing about IHRA Pro Stock

                                                             results from the weeken.       racing is that you can

                                                             “It was a great weekend        line up at the starting line

                                                             for us in Bradenton,” Eman     against your friends, not be

                                                             stated after the event.        friends for those six seconds,

                                                             “Although we only made         and after the race, win or

                                                             it down the track for one      lose, get out of the race

                                                             of the qualifying rounds,      car better friends than you

                                                             it was good enough to          were before stepping in.”

                                                             place us third and give us     As always, Team Aruba

                                                             a race day setup. All the      not only strove for visibility

                                                             eliminations rounds were       through their on-track

                                                             very exciting. The first two   performance, but, perhaps

                                                             simply because they were       even more importantly,

                                                             good side by side drag         worked to make their

                                                             races, and the third one       tiny island famous to the

                                                             as it caught my attention      thousands of Southern

                                                             after getting loose and        Nationals      attendees.

                                                             causing us to abort the run.   “I certainly hope we made

                                                             “We had consistent runs        Aruba proud. I know they

                                                             in eliminations and were       were following the live feed

                                                             trying to keep it that way     and our Facebook posts.

                                                             for the final round,” Eman     We loved connecting with

                                                             continued,  explaining         all our fans on the west side

                                                             the team’s strategy.           of Florida and look forward

                                                             “We weren’t putting            to meeting new ones on

                                                             any kind of tune up in it      Florida’s east coast as we

                                                             to try to break records.       continue on to Palm Beach

                                                             We were hoping to repeat       International Raceway now

                                                             our performance from           this upcoming weekend.

                                                             the two previous runs,         We know we have what

                                                             but John Montecalvo put        it takes to compete with

                                                             down a very good run that      the best of the U.S. Bounty

                                                             I must honestly say I don’t    Hunters Pro Stock teams

                                                             think we had a tune up         and hope to repeat and

                                                             for even if we did make it     improve and make Aruba

                                                             down the track straight.       just a little prouder.”

                                                             John made some very            Watch Team Aruba live

                                                             good runs through both         via the Webcast on IHRA.

                                                             days of racing. He and         com. Follow Team Aruba

                                                             his team earned this win.”     on Facebook and Twitter.

                                                             Once engines are fired,        Find race results, team

                                                             any racer will tell you it     updates, videos and

                                                             doesn’t matter who is in       photos. Also leave your

                                                             the next lane, but when        comments to cheer on

                                                             the helmets come off,          Team Aruba!q
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