Kenny Tran Wins Englishtown and Moroso Drag Races in Scion tC

TORRANCE, Calif., May 6, 2008 — Kenny Tran, in his Scion tC sports coupe, won the Hot Rod segment this past weekend at the Number One Parts, Incorporated (NOPI) Drag Racing Series sanctioned by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) at Old Bridge Township Raceway in Englishtown, N.J. Tran also took the win this past weekend in the make-up final of the rained out NOPI Florida event that was to have taken place April 6 at Moroso Motorsports Park in West Palm Beach, Fla.

At Englishtown, Tran was the number one qualifier in the Hot Rod class with a record run of 8.039 seconds at 178.07 mph. The new series e.t. record was backed up when Tran and the Jotech tC defeated Michael Blackwell in the first round of eliminations with a pass of 8.106 seconds at 170.26 mph. In the finals, Tran had a solid run of 8.012 seconds at 178.97 mph to defeat Bryan Jimenez's 8.302 e.t at 166.15 mph.

Tran and Jimenez met in a second Englishtown showdown for the make-up NOPI Florida final which was postponed due to rain. Tran picked up the Hot Rod win for the make-up Moroso final when he defeated Jimenez with a run of 8.06 seconds at 178 mph compared to Jimenez's 8.30 seconds at 166 mph. With these latest victories Tran moved to the top of the Hot Rod class point standings.

Leslie Armendariz and Christian Rado also raced in their tC sports coupes at the NOPI Spring Nationals in Englishtown. Armendariz qualified third in the All Motor class with a 9.881 e.t. at 142.13 mph. In the first round of eliminations, Armendariz and the Horizon Motorsports tC defeated Gracie Howell when Howell had mechanical issues. Armendariz had engine issues in the second round of eliminations and ceded to segment winner Jeremy Lookofsky.

Rado and the World Racing tC qualified third in the Pro FWD segment with an e.t. of 7.407 seconds at 195.7 mph. Rado succumbed to Marty Ladwig in the first round of eliminations when he bogged at the line and completed his pass with an 11.734 e.t. at 106.85 mph.

Look for the Scion Racing team next at NOPI Sport Compact Racing Series sanctioned by NHRA on June 21-22 at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colo.