THE BUZZ AROUND MOROSO WAS SPORT COMPACTS

Results courtesy Moroso Motorsports Park
Photos by Adam Cranmer

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL (April 7, 2002)- Moroso Motorsports Park was host to the Sport Compact Spring Nationals that had a quarter-mile time of 8.689 seconds when Alex Dieguez (above photo) of West Palm Beach drove his '82 Datsun to a win in the Quick class at 156.63 mph.

Diequez's win came at a price -- a big price for Joe Gonzales, the 2001 defending champion for the Quick class. Gonzales had a great day, making it to the final round, but his Mazda RX7 Turbo II just did not have the power to take the finish line.

The Front Wheel Drive/All Wheel Drive class (FWD/AWD), which is new for the 2002 season, had a full field and had some new comers as well as some familiar names. Local racer Luis Ferrer, Jr. (photo) took the final race in his '98 Celica when he defeated Charles Walker of Plantation. Walker had set the east coast record for the fastest Integra at Moroso on March 27, 2002 with a run of 10.88 seconds, and hopes were high for a winner's circle photo this day, but the '97 Acura broke on the line in the final round. This left an easy win for Ferrer, who still ran a 10.397 E.T at 135 mph.

In the Super Comp class Otis Evans of Royal Palm Beach claimed his first win in his '92 Del Sol over Roberto Rivera.

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