By: Jim McCombe
The popular Top the Cops program returned for its 14th year at Infineon Raceway during the Wednesday Night Drags on April 9. In addition to the usual full slate of racing, seven high school students squared off against local law enforcement officers.
The program began in 1994 when Santa Rosa Police Officer Kevin McKinney approached his superiors about an idea to help reduce illegal and dangerous street racing among high school students. After getting approval from his department heads, McKinney approached then-Sears Point Raceway about a plan that would permit high school students to race at the track against uniformed officers in their police cars. After working out the details with the raceway staff, McKinney started contacting area law enforcement agencies to get them involved with the program. Some 14 years later, the program is as strong as ever and, though now retired, McKinney still coordinates the program much as he did in the beginning. McKinney's passion and dedication to the "Top the Cops" program is one of the main reasons for its success. Many officers have come and gone throughout the years, but McKinney's good friend T.J. Van Beeber of the Windsor Police Department has remained on and 2008 will mark his 14th year with the program. A great debt of gratitude is owed to all of the men and woman who donate their time to make our streets safer, but most of all to Kevin McKinney who made all this possible.
Listed below are the final round pairings and the results in all categories.
Top the Cops
Winner: Kenny Neumann (Walnut Creek) 90 Acura .120 RT 16.566 ET (16.30 dial-in) 82.48 mph
Runner-up: Deputy Mario Jimenez (Sonoma County Sheriff's Office) 06 Ford .482 RT 16.526 (16.40) 82.95
Winner: Officer Matt McCrea (Vallejo PD) 05 Ford .637 RT 16.377 (16.20) 82.38
Runner-up: Shelby Austin (Concord) 80 Ford Mustang .502 RT 14.201 (13.80) 99.97
Winner: Officer TJ Van Bebber (Windsor PD) 07 Ford .056 RT 16.748 (16.30) 77.94
Runner-up: Chris Phillips (Walnut Creek) 97 Ford F-250 Truck .270 RT 16.726 (16.30) 83.78
Winner: Jerey Maestre (Walnut Creek) 07 Nissan 350Z .563 RT 13.933 (13.80) 102.57
Runner-up: Officer Oliver Collins (Novato PD) 07 Ford foul -.124 16.882 (16.30) 83.78
Winner: Officer Robert Marin (Fairfield PD) 06 Ford .204 RT 16.455 (16.40) 80.01
Runner-up: Jason Dilley (Redwood City) 02 Camaro .564 RT 13.175 (12.80) 112.68
Winner: Deputy Mike Shanahan (Solano County Sheriff's Office) 06 Ford .058 RT 16.461 (16.34) 82.90
Runner-up: Dan Moore (Cotati) 95 Camaro .094 RT 14.211 (13.90) 100.69
Winner: Nikole D'Adamo (Napa) 69 Camaro SS .417 RT 12.621 (12.50) 105.66
Runner-up: Officer Sid DeJesus (Vallejo PD) 06 Ford .430 RT 16.526 break-out (16.80) 81.85
Jack Pot
Winner: Tom Johnson (Santa Rosa) 70 Camaro .039 RT 9.562 (9.50) 126.20
Runner-up: John Terry (Rodeo) 70 Nova .069 RT 15.069 (15.00) 89.79
Street
Winner: Mitch Gately (Petaluma) 64 Nova .093 RT 11.785 (11.58) 88.44
Runner-up: Barrie Beffa (Santa Rosa) 87 Mustang .415 RT 15.038 (14.30) 72.89
Motorcycle
Winner: Doug Love (Novato) 01 Triumph .071 RT 13.138 (13.10) 99.64
Runner-up: Robert Wright (San Francisco) 06 Suzuki .117 RT 10.778 (10.72) 132.66
Sport Street
Winner: Tim Turnipseed (Napa) 92 Jeep .002 RT 17.385 (17.35) 76.88
Runner-up: Fast Jack Freckmann (Woodacre) 02 Buick foul -.043 RT 14.141 (14.10) 96.77
High School
Winner: Nikole DAdamo (Napa) 69 Camaro SS .133 RT 12.554 (12.50) 106.13
Runner-up: Danny Moore (Rohnert Park) 67 Camaro foul -.046 RT 14.559 (14.10) 95.90
Comp Rod
Winner: Steve Marshall (Santa Rosa) 67 Camaro .017 RT 10.981 (9.95) 90.65
Runner-up: Alan Cardwell (Napa) 74 Camaro .049 RT 15.345 (10.89) 71.05
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