Team CANIDAE made it a clean sweep taking down both the top fuel and top alcohol championships at the Saboba Springs Nationals held May 9-11 in San Jacinto, CA.
Driver Scott Whipple, master engine tuner "Famous Amos" Satterlee and the CANIDAE Top Fuel Team including, Carl Boley, Daran Rupp, Amos Satterlee Jr., Greg Henley, Billy Kuhn, George Whipple and Bill Park were firing on all cylinders throughout the weekend and went into Sunday's elimination rounds as the #1 qualifier with a 2.431/152.53 mph run on Saturday.
On Sunday, Whipple and Team CANIDAE earned a first round bye but chose to fire it up for the crowd anyway posting a 2.40 at 155 mph on their first pass. In the semifinals, a 2.431 was enough to get past Pete Schenk's 2.542. The final round match up pitted team Canidae against always fast Jeff Janoe with Whipple and Team CANIDAE taking down the championship with a blazing fast 156.97 mph run in the final. Winning this year's Saboba Spring Nationals is the team's fourth, 1st place championship of the year, out of 5 races, and maintains their hold on top of the T/F point leader board for the 2008 season.
Not to be outdone, driver Mike DeNunzio and the CANIDAE T/A team of Steve DeNunzio, Tony DeNunzio, Lee Gutierrez, Steven East and Dennis Bartholomay were working in sync running through Friday and Saturday qualifying at the Saboba Spring Nationals winding up in the #2 position with a 2.634 pass at 133.81 on Saturday.
On Sunday DeNunzio and the team got past Dan Allen in the first elimination round running a 2.617 at 131.90 mph. In the second round semifinals a 2.667 pass was enough to defeat Richard Montiel and set up a rematch of the Primm T/A final from a few weeks earlier against Shane Sanford. In another exciting and very close race, this time it was team Canidae's turn to take down the title ripping off a 2.631 at 135.42 mph to edge Sanford's 2.672/139.53 mph for the championship. Canidae's T/A team has now made it to the final round in all five races they have entered this season. Sunday's win solidifies their current #1 position on the T/A point leader board for 2008.
April 21, 2008 - CANIDAE Top Alcohol Team takes second at Primm
CANIDAE Pet Foods Top Alcohol Sand Team fell just short of making it a clean sweep for CANIDAE Racing at the 2008 Spring Nationals held in Primm NV. Led by driver Mike DeNunzio, the T/A team had all cylinders firing as they raced through Friday and Saturday qualifying and wound up going into Sunday's final elimination rounds as the #1 qualifier.
In Sunday's first elimination round, Denunzio ran a 2.613 at 140 mph to get past Carey Mahoney. A 2.617 run at 140 mph against David Morton put the team into the finals. In a close final race Denunzio ran a 2.67 at 140 mph but was edged out by Shane Sanford who ran a 2.57 at 143 mph to claim the championship.
Despite the setback, CANIDAE's T/A team still has reason to celebrate. The T/A team ran fast and consistent throughout the weekend and with Sunday's final round appearance has now made it into the championship final in all four events they have entered this season. With Sunday's second place finish in the books, DeNunzio and Team CANIDAE still remain the season point leader after 4 races in 2008. The team will be on the track again May 9-11 at Saboba.
