NHRA Federal Mogul: New Jersey native Manzo clinches division title at home track
16 August 1999
ENGLISHTOWN, New Jersey -It was an exciting weekend of accomplishments for
Frank Manzo at the NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event at Old
Bridge Township Raceway Park. Manzo of Morganville, N.J. clinched the
Northeast Division Federal-Mogul Funny Car title with the win at
Englishtown, stretched his National Championship points lead, beat two of
the best Federal-Mogul Funny Car divers in the nation (Tony Bartone and Bob
Newberry), and showed why every great driver can use a little luck every
once in a while.
Manzo came to Raceway Park Sunday morning with one more pass left to
qualify for today's eliminations. He came out in his final qualifying
session and took the No. 1 qualifying position and posted the second
fastest run in Federal-Mogul Funny Car history with a run of 5.702 seconds
at 257.83 mph. Manzo met up with Fred Tigges of Holbrook, Mass. in the
first round of eliminaations and posted the quickest time of the event and
the fifth fastest speed ever with a run of 5.680 seconds at 257.33 mph. In
the semi-finals, Manzo got beat off the starting line by John Sieger of
Cinnaminson, N.J. only to make it up at the finish with a run of 5.895
seconds at 248.98 mph to advance to the finals against the 1998 national
champion runner-up in Federal-Mogul Funny Car, Bob Newberry of Schenectady,
N.Y. In the final, Manzo was beat off the line by Newberry but both began
to experience violent tire shake at half-track and had to pedal their cars
to the finish line. Manzo took the win light with a run of 5.769 seconds
at 255.29 mph to Newberry's run of 5.931 seconds at 247.70 mph.
"My first two runs today I stood on it and the track took everything I
had", said a relieved Manzo. "The last two runs we got lucky, our clutch
combination just went away on us. Newberry is one of the toughest
competitors out here and we are so lucky to be going home with a win here
today."
In Federal-Mogul Dragster, long time racer Ron Still of Smyrna, Del. broke
out with his first win of the 1999 season. After all was said and done
Still beat the 1998 Northeast Division champion, defending Raceway Park
champion and No. 1 qualifier, Cliff Bozzelli in the first round, beat the
1999 U.S. 13 Dragway champion, Michael Bartone in the second, and beat the
1999 Lebanon Valley Dragway champion, Jeanie Booz in the final. Still beat
Jeanie Booz of Blooming Glen, Penn. in the what was to be one of the
closest races of the day with a run of 5.602 seconds at 252.66 mph to
Booz's run of 5.693 seconds at 249.95 mph.
"I win at least one race every year", said an elated Still. "This was the
last track left in division one that I never won at. Now my career is
complete."
The last race of the year in Northeast Division will take place on August
27-29 at Cecil Count Dragway in Rising Sun, Maryland.
The following are Sunday's final qualifying results from the NHRA
Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park:
FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER
ROUND ONE
8) Ron Still, Smyrna, Del., 5.623 seconds, 251.02 mph def. 1) Cliff
Bozzelli, Absecon, N.J., 5.630, 242.36
7) Jeanie Booz, Blooming Glen, Penn., 5.715, 247.70 def. 2) Mike Kosky,
Cuddy, Penn., 5.771, 228.73
3) Doug Foley, Tarrytown, N.Y., 5.719, 249.63 def. 6) Gary Parks, Mardela
Springs, MD, 7.605, 113.35
4) Michael Bartone, Great River, N.Y., 5.652, 253.04 def. 5) Bruce Horner,
Bergenfield, N.J., 6.366, 165.99
ROUND TWO
Ron Still, 5.585, 253.90 def. Michael Bartone, Broke
Jeanie Booz, 5.762, 247.66 def. Doug Foley, 5.734, 249.39
FINAL
Ron Still, 5.601, 252.66 def. Jeanie Booz, 5.715, 247.70
FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR
ROUND ONE
1) Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '99 Dodge, 5.680 seconds, 257.33 mph
def. 8) Fred Tigges, Holbrook, Mass., '97 Chevrolet, 6.026, 239.10
2) Tony Bartone, Manhasset, N.Y., '99 Chevrolet, 5.811, 251.30 def. 7) Ed
Fisher, Milford, Conn., '98 Pontiac, 6.655, 219.65
3) Bob Newberry, Schenectady, N.Y., '99 Dodge, 5.768, 251.86 def. 6) Bruce
Mullins, Fredricksburg, VA, '98 Dodge, 6.231, 224.40
4)John Sieger, Cinnaminson, N.J., '97 Oldsmobile, 5.895, 243.90 def. 5)
James Libby, Kingston, Mass., '96 Pontiac, 6.170, 228.89
ROUND TWO
Frank Manzo, 5.806, 248.98 def. John Sieger, 5.882, 246.30
Bob Newberry, 5.716, 253.42 def. Tony Bartone, 12.173, 59.83
FINAL
Frank Manzo, 5.769, 252.66 def. Bob Newberry, 5.931, 249.95
COMP ELIMINATOR
Tom Ekroth, Mahwah, N.J., '95 Pontiac, C/A, 7.710, 176.40 def. Al Ackerman,
Saddle Brook, N.J., '94 Dragster, F/D, 8.384, 156.72
SUPER STOCK
Dan Fletcher, Rochester, N.Y., '69 Chevrolet, SS/IA, 10.622, 118.48 def.
Howard Barsky, Levittown, Penn., '57 Chevrolet, SS/NA, 11.426, 115.29
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Ronald Urquhart, Piscataway, N.J., '68 Chevrolet, 11.208, 117.54 def. Brian
VanPoppel, Perry Hall, MD, '85 Chevrolet, 11.763, 112.53
SUPER COMP
Michael Glaser, Jackson, N.J., 8.882, 165.88 def. John Bruzzo, Oceanside,
N.Y., 8.893, 165.44
SUPER GAS
Chuck Szilagyi, Bethlehem, Penn., '95 Dodge, 9.873, 150.16 def. Duane
Fisher, Bloomsburg, Penn., '78 Datsun, 12.341, 77.12
SUPER STREET
Don Garbinski, Philadelphia, Penn., '71 Plymouth, 10.916, 126.27 def. Jeff
Fisher, Medina, N.Y., '82 Spirit, 10.934, 131.96
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