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| Jung sees results of work everywhere during the Pepsi Chevy Show | by Arthur V. Claps
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (March 18, 2003) - The 20th anniversary Pepsi Chevy Show continued the bowtie tradition of classic fast cars. The event is the largest of the Moroso compilation of major racing events, with over 38,000 attending the weekend in years past. What started out as a one day "Super Chevy Sunday" has grown to include the Panther Paint & Body Show n Shine with over 200 entries vying for various trophies and prizes, a bikini contest, swap meet of over 300 vendors, Car Corral selling new and old collectibles, a marketplace with everything from jewelry and kids rides, to small block engines, there are Monster Truck rides and of course the inevitable fast Chevy's and Jet cars.
In the midst of it all are racers from near and far. One of the racers that has been a loyal Moroso fan for years is Russ Jung. And it is as Jung looks around the back lot of Moroso Motorsports Park that he begins picking out cars that proudly boast the Jung Performance logo.
"We did that one, that one there and that one over there," Jung said. "Actually I think there's more here than I first thought. I start losing count."
Jung is something of a local legend in the drag-racing industry. His auto shop in Fort Lauderdale was the first of its kind when it opened in 1989, offering everything from parts to enhancement tools to drag-racing lessons, and soon became a staple of South Florida.
At Sunday's Chevy Show, six racers wore Jung Performance stickers on their windshields. But it was Jung's 1967 Camaro that was left standing -- the racing veteran won the Street DOT class.
Yet Jung's biggest thrill of the afternoon was picking out those cars. "Everybody thought drag racing was an outlaw sport," Jung said. "But look at it now. It's become a family thing. I see kids that I taught to drive when they were this high. Now they're winning events. I'm proud that I had a chance to help out."
Jung, 50, started coming to Moroso in 1968 as a student at Boca Raton High. After years of being a mechanic, Jung raced in the NHRA's Pro Stock Class from 1983-85.
But the travel was too draining, Jung said. That's when he opened up what he calls the "one-stop" performance shop in Fort Lauderdale. At the time, his place was the only one in Broward County. Now similar shops can be found all over the county.
"I opened the shop, and it took off from there," Jung said. "I never really thought I get that big. But there was a need for this kind (all-in-one) performance shop.... The cars can run any class after we're done with it. That's why they come."
Jung aids first-time drivers with designing the right car. The shop works on the car's body, engine, transmission and installs turbo-boosting nitrous. "He's definitely had an impact on a lot of local drivers," said Mike Schmidt, who brought his 1979 Camaro to Jung seven years ago. "He takes care of his people, his customers."
Even after years of racing, Jung still enjoys it.
"It's nice to come on top," he said. "Nowadays I just race for the love of it. I could remember when I first raced, I was shaking too much that I could move the clutch. It's different now. I could drive on the track and not win and still be happy."
RESULTS
Race and Show-n-Shine
HORSEPOWER SALES PEPSI CHEVY SHOW
Saturday, March 8, 2003
Quick 16 ET MPH DI RT
Wn: Gary Unger/Pembroke Pines 18.505 67.11 7.38 1.119
RU: Larry Dripps/Stuart Broke
Jr Dragster
Wn: Brittanie Glover/Stuart 9.429 66.04 9.38 .652
RU: John Roy/Lake Worth 8.146 77.84 8.23 .442
Sunday, March 9, 2003
Street DOT
Wn: Russ Jung/Oakland 8.104 171.29 .624
RU: Jeff Shawver/Ocala 8.747 163.48 .451
Super Pro
Wn: Charles Ridler/Jupiter 8.299 160.71 8.29 .514
RU: Scott Phillips/Palm Springs 10.198 130.51 10.21 .504
Pro
Wn: Gary Ranno/Parkland 12.169 96.70 12.13 .514
RU: Ed Smith/West Palm Beach 10.393 130.77 10.35 .714
Corvette Shootout
Wn: Norm Goodman/Boynton Beach 11.868 116.73 11.94 .575
RU: Talmage Dobbs/West Palm Beach 13.957 75.06 12.80 .391
Jr Dragster
Wn: John Roy/Lake Worth 8.179 77.05 8.16 .576
RU: Brittany Hamilton/Ft Lauderdale 8.742 73.33 8.65 .732
Car & Truck Show-n-Shine Results
Saturday, March 8, 2003
Best of Show
Dennis Delphus/Ft Lauderdale '41 Willys
Best Paint
Brent Kirk/West Palm Beach '66 Chevy II
Best Restoration
Steve Karlecke/Loxahatchee '69 Camaro
Best Detail
Mark Anthony Zollo/Pembroke Pines '00 Corvette
Best Engine
Jonathan Miller/Boynton '72 Chevelle
Best Interior
James Duttinger/Melrose '56 PU
Best Corvette
Estevan Munoz/Coral Springs '00 Corvette
Best El Camino
William Powell/Pt St Lucie '67 El Camino
Best Truck
Wayne Whitaker/Pahokee '37 PU
Best Impala
Rigobert Lopez/West Palm Beach '69 Impala
Best Pro Street
Wallace Welch/Pt St Lucie '71 Vega
Best Chevelle
Chuck Roskovich/Sarasota '66 Chevelle
Editor's Choice
Anthony & Kim Montella/Deerfield '68 Camaro
Sunday, March 9, 2003
Best of Show
Anthony & Kim Montella/Deerfield '68 Camaro
Best Paint
Frank Laudman/Davie '67 Chevelle
Best Restoration
Herb Stoots/Tequesta '60 Corvette
Best Detail
Estevan Munoz/Coral Springs '00 Corvette
Best Engine
Ron & Deb Peasley/Boca Raton '72 Chevelle
Best Interior
Mike Opolsky/Ft. Lauderdale '57 Belair
Corvette 53-67 Stock
Wn: Thomas Talbert/Ft. Pierce '67 Corvette
RU: Mike Russo/Pennsburg '67 Corvette
Corvette 53-67 Modified
Wn: Ken Gilmore/Port St. Lucie '67 Corvette
RU: Marty Calano/Hollywood '53 Corvette
Corvette 68-72
Wn: Thomas Talbert/Ft. Pierce '69 Corvette
RU: Bob Coffey/West Palm Beach '68 Corvette
Corvette 68-72 Modified
Wn: Rudy Gonzalez/Miami '72 Corvette
RU: Ron Reynhout/Jupiter '69 Corvette
Corvette 73-96
Wn: Lloyd Knevelbaard/Wellington '91 Corvette
RU: Keith Koemm/West Palm Beach '80 Corvette
Corvette 73-96 Modified
Wn: Sharif Mikhail/West Palm Beach '73 Corvette
RU: Larry Vannes/Sunrise '78 Corvette
Corvette 97-03 Stock
Wn: Jim Murphy/Hobe Sound '02 Corvette
RU: Lloyd Knevelbaard/Wellington '02 Corvette
El Camino
Wn: William Powell/Pt. St. Lucie '67 El Camino
RU: Charlie Fontaino/W. Palm Beach '65 El Camino
Monte Carlo Stock
Wn: Gary Surface/Lake Park '83 Monte Carlo
RU: John McGeary/Coral Springs '84 Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo Modified
Wn: Cory Surface/Lake Park '82 Monte Carlo
Camaro 67-69 Stock
Wn: Raymond Pianka/Palm Bay '68 Camaro
RU: Steve Karlecke/Loxahatchee '69 Camaro
Camaro 67-69 Modified
Wn: Adrien Therriault/Boca Raton '67 Camaro
RU: Tony Acquaro/Pt. St. Lucie '69 Camaro
Camaro 70-94 Stock
Wn: Jen Fox/Lehigh '69 Camaro
RU: Jerry Costello/Melbourne '71 Camaro
Camaro 70-94 Modified
Wn: Earl Scott/Delray '78 Camaro
RU: Jay Fazzino/Pt. St. Lucie '79 Camaro
Camaro 95-02 Stock
Wn: Alan Blackard/Pt. St. Lucie '02 Camaro
RU: Debbie Locke/Jupiter '97 Camaro
Camaro 95-02 Modified
Wn: Mike Moussawel/Miami '96 Camaro
RU: Javier Martin/Miami '95 Camaro
Chevelle 68-72 Stock
Wn: Bill Coffey/Singer Island '70 Chevelle
RU: Johnathan Miller/Boynton '72 Chevelle
Chevelle Modified
Wn: Lester Patterson/Coral Springs '69 Chevelle
RU: John Spadone/Hollywood '70 Chevelle
Chevy II
Wn: Brent Kirk/W. Palm Beach '66 Chevy
RU: Dan Klemm/W. Palm Beach '67 Nova SS
Nova
Wn: Les Howell/Clewiston '70 Nova SS
RU: Larry Van Gorder/Jupiter '70 Nova
Early Impala 58-93
Wn: Mana Nair/Boynton Beach '64 Impala
RU: Roy Kahn/Boca Raton '63 Impala
Late Impala 94-03
Wn: Robert Cavanaugh/Miami '96 Impala
Body Conversion
Wn: Keith Pisut/Ft. Lauderdale '40 Willys Coupe
RU: Jim Aliff/Highlands '48 Willys Overland
Chevrolet 37-54
Wn: Ron Scialla/W. Palm Beach '48 Aero Sedan
RU: Sam Moussawel/Miami '37 Chevy
Chevrolet 55-57 Modified
Wn: Don Norris/Lehigh Acres '55 Belair
RU: Frank Martines/Coral Springs '57 210 Wagon
Fat Fendered Truck 47-54
Wn: Wayne Whitaker/Pahokee '37 Chevy
RU: Angel Gonzalez/Jupiter '36 Chevy
Truck 55-72 Stock
Wn: Alexander Ray/Miami '68 Pick-Up
RU: Charlie Petill/Stuart '66 Chevy
Truck 55-72 Modified
Wn: Bob Davidson/Lake Worth '69 Chevy
RU: Donnie Hancock/W. Palm Beach '69 Chevy Pick-Up
Late Custom Truck Modified
Wn: Bonnie & Mike Bird/Stuart '93 Chevy 1 Ton
RU: Scott Jioio/Royal Palm Beach '89 Chevy Pick-Up
Mini Truck
Wn: Josua Morales/Lake Worth '00 Chevy S-10
RU: Frank Hernandez/W. Palm Beach '99 Chevy S-10
Pro Street Car
Wn: Wallace Welch/Pt. St. Lucie '71 Chevy
RU: Jerry & Connie Paul/Ft. Myers '34 Chevy
Early Daily Driver
Wn: Jan Kisiel/Pt. St. Lucie '64 Impala
RU: Johnny Feaster/Jupiter '65 Nova
Late Daily Driver
Wn: Tony Carter/Okeechobee '86 Chevy Truck
RU: Mike Gonzalez/Jupiter '91 Chevy
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