Sports
El Cerrito's Alves Rides To Championship
Denny Alves takes the top spot during the NHRA Division 7 drag races at Sonoma.
El Cerrito's Denny Alves emerged as the top dog with his victory Sunday in the final round of the NHRA Division 7 Drag Races, presented by Korbel, at his home track Sonoma Raceway.
Alves, riding a 1978 Kawasaki, rode past Utah's Rick Newport in the finals of the Sportsman Motorcycle class. Alves, the No. 2 qualifier, lit up the scoreboard at 136.80 mph with his 9.788-second run in the final.
Brian Jennings of Martinez had the best numbers in Friday's qualifying, boosted by a 0.007 reaction time when the Christmas tree went green. Jennings lost in the second round to Jeff Havens.
After six events this season, Alves leads the Division 7 standings by 11 points over second-place John Widmann. A $14,000 champions’ purse will be paid to top three points finishers in divisions that host Sportsman Motorcycle competitions.
Another East Bay competitor, Marc Meadors, drove away with the championship in the West Coast Outlaw Pro Mods. His '69 Camaro covered the quarter-mile in 5.885 seconds at 244.96 mph to defeat Hollister's Sean Renteria.
More than 400 racers went head to head in Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competition. Winners were crowned in 10 classes, including Comp Eliminator, Stock, Super Gas and in West Coast Outlaw Pro Mods.
The event kicked off back-to-back NHRA drag racing weekends in Sonoma, as the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series returns for the NHRA Sonoma Nationals this weekend, July 26-28.
The Pacific Division racers will line up again in September at Rocky Mountain Raceways.
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