Monday from Maple Grove- FMDRS event

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHRA FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAG RACING SERIES- NORTHEAST DIVISION
MAPLE GROVE RACEWAY
Monday, May 28, 2001

                        

ARAGONA CLAIMS MEMORIAL DAY WIN


Mohnton, Pa.-After four days of rain and thunder showers, the Northeast
division season opener finally could be completed at Maple Grove Raceway. 
More than 480 competitors braved the persistent rains and took to the
quarter mile track in hopes of claiming a victory for this Memorial Day
weekend.
        In Federal-Mogul Dragster, Cliff Bozzelli of Absecon, N.J. and Tim
Slagle of Fairfax, Va. will square off to determine the champion.  In
addition, Frank Manzo and Paul Gill will renew their rivalry in
Federal-Mogul Funny Car competition.  Gill, from Brockton, Mass., was the
only person to beat Manzo in divisional competition last year.  The finals
will occur at a later place and time.
        In the end, six winners were crowned: Frank Aragona of Franklin
Square, N.Y. in Competition Eliminator, Lincoln Morehead of Newburgh, N.Y.
in Super Stock, and Joe DeMarzo of Mahopac, N.Y. in Stock Eliminator.  In
addition, Ron Erks of Clinton, Ohio claimed victory in Super Comp, Chuck
Rothermel of Kinderhook, N.Y. in Super Gas and Keith Bowers of Islip, N.Y.
in Super Street.
        Competition Eliminator racer Frank Aragona continued to dominate
the field by claiming the win over Frank Affronti of Ontario, N.Y.  Aragona
had one of his easier victories as he shut off his '32 Bantam and coasted
through the lights when Affronti red lit.
        Cliff Bozelli claimed the $1,000 Sealed Power low qualifier check
with his elapsed time of 5.628 seconds and more than 248 mph in
Federal-Mogul Dragster.  Moreover, 6-time National Funny Car champion Frank
Manzo of Morganville, N.J. also took home a $1,000 check from Sealed Power
with his blistering run of 5.735 seconds and 250.60 mph in his '01 Avenger.

        The following are the final results from the NHRA Federal-Mogul
Drag Racing Series event at Maple Grove Raceway:

FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER
Qualifying 
1. Cliff Bozzelli, Absecon, N.J., 5.628 seconds, 248.34 mph
2. Tim Slagle, Fairfax, Va., 5.698, 245.45
3. Billy Gibson, Chaptico, Md., 5.700, 249.63
4. Bruce Insinger, Dushore, Pa., 5.702, 242.93
5. Mike Kosky, Cuddy, Pa., 5.808, 223.39
6. Bruce Horner, Bergenfield, N.J., 5.900, 238.55
7. David DeAngelis, Middlesex, N.J., 5.922, 230.76
8. Karen Benkovich, Fanwood, N.J., 5.928, 222.40
Alternates
9. Ken Winward, Wilmington, Del., 5.954, 235.23
10. John Headley, Newportville, Pa., 6.063, 222.33
11. Rich McPhillips, Phoenixville, Pa., 6.095, 220.15
12. Douglas Monroe, Chesapeake, Va., 11.561, 64.75
13. Steven Cantrell, Wilmington, Del., DQ

Round 1
#1 Cliff Bozzelli, Absecon, N.J., 5.586 seconds, 251.20 def. #8 Karen
Benkovich, Fanwood, N.J., 5.848, 99.27

#2 Tim Slagle, Fairfax, Va., 9.529, 86.90 def. #7 Dave Deangelis,
Middlesex, N.J., Broke

#3 Billy Gibson, Chaptico, Md., 5.679, 249.58 def. #6 Bruce Horner,
Bergenfield, N.J., 6.273, 55.42

#4 Bruce Insinger, Dushore, Pa., 7.315, 124.17 def. #5 Mike Kosky, Cuddy,
Pa., 9.465, 84.42

Semi-Finals
Bozzelli, 12.568, 93.09 def. Insinger, No time

Slagle, 5.609, 249.76 def. Gibson, 5.691, 251.20

Finals
To be determined at a later date 

FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR
Qualifying
1. Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '01 Avenger, 5.735 seconds, 250.60 mph
2. Paul Gill, Brockton, Mass., '96 Avenger, 5.884, 233.76
3. Bruce Mullins, Fredericksburg, Va., '98 Mustang, 5.887, 235.19
4. Steve Harker, Brisbane, Queensland, '99 Avenger, 5.921, 227.38
5. Eric Lourie, Terryville, Conn., '99 Camaro, 6.061, 242.45
6. Bruce Peterson Jr., Wappinger Falls, N.Y., '98 Avenger, 6.066, 230.57
7. Paul Lee, Bala Cynwyd, Pa., '01 Corvette, 6.101, 229.86
8. James Libby, Kingston, Mass., '01 Camaro, 6.103, 233.64
Alternate
9. Bob Newberry, Schenectady, N.Y., '01 Avenger, 6.127, 240.04
10. Darrel Cox, Whiteford, Md., '97 Firebird, 6.209, 229.47
11. Bunny Burkett, Sterling, Va., '99 Avenger, 6.328, 227.11

Round 1
#1 Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '01 Avenger, def. #8 James Libby,
Kingston, Mass., '01 Camaro

#2 Paul Gill, Brockton, Mass., '96 Avenger, def. #7 Paul Lee, Bala Cynwyd,
Pa., '01 Corvette

**#3 Bob Newberry, Schenectady, N.Y., '01 Avenger, def. #6 Bruce Peterson,
Wappinger Falls, N.Y., '98 Avenger

#5 Eric Lourie, Terryville, Conn., '99 Camaro, def. #4 Steve Harker,
Brisbane, Queensland, '99 Avenger

**Bruce Mullins was unable to make the field

Semi-Finals
Manzo, '01 Avenger def. Laurie, '99 Camaro, Red Light

Gill, '96 Avenger, def. Newberry, '01 Avenger

Finals
To be determined at a later date

COMPETITION ELIMINATOR
Frank Aragona, Franklin Square, N.Y, '32 Bantam, C/A, 12.504 seconds, 64.24
mph def. Frank Affronti, Ontario, N.Y., '99 Camaro, C/A, Red Light

SUPER STOCK
Lincoln Morehead, Newburgh, N.Y., '90 Camaro, GT/EA, 10.053 seconds, 136.77
mph def. Dan Fletcher, Rochester, N.Y., '69 Camaro, SS/HA, 10.197, 123.80

STOCK ELIMINATOR
Joe DeMarzo, Mahopac, N.Y., '69 Camaro, G/SA, 11.532 seconds, (11.53 dial)
def. Bud Rowe, Bridgeton, N.C., '85 Camaro, M/SA, 12.330 seconds, (12.26
dial)

SUPER COMP
Ron Erks, Clinton, Ohio, '97 Dragster, 8.923 seconds def. Dan Northrop,
Doylestown, Pa., 8.932 seconds

SUPER GAS
Chuck Rothermel, Kinderhook, N.Y., '00 Grand Am, 9.956 seconds, def. Bob
Madden, Levitown, Pa., '64 Corvette, 9.924 seconds

SUPER STREET
Keith Bowers, Islip, N.Y., '67 Barracuda, 10.873 seconds, def. Jeff Fisher,
Medina, N.Y., '82 AMC, 10.873 seconds

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