PRO @ Maple Grove Raceway - Event Results

Reading, PA – Pounding rain and thunderstorms on Friday and Saturday set the tone for the start of the PRO Hot Rod & Muscle Car Nationals, presented by Valvoline Max Life Oil, at Maple Grove Raceway over August 23-25, 2002. However, the weather gods were appeased by Saturday afternoon, and almost a full two rounds of qualifying were squeaked out in the PRO-Edelbrock Fastest Street Car drag racing classes.

By the end of the weekend, the Hot Rod Auto Show & Shine was packed with classic and nostalgia muscle cars, and the burnout contest, jet cars, and heads up and bracket racing classes thrilled the spectators who came out by the thousands for Sunday’s activities.

The 3rd event of the 5-event 2002 PRO National Event Tour, the World Championship points race is getting close for the PRO-Edelbrock competitors.
Pat Musi, notched his second Pro Street win of the season after his teammate, Marc Dantoni was disqualified after a post-race inspection reveled his car was too light. Dantoni, who was driving Musi's familiar '69 Camaro, won the race on the track after Musi's 2000 Firebird experienced severe tire shake, forcing the Carteret, N.J. driver to abort the run.  But, Dantoni had problems of his own near the finish line, posting a 7.00/156 mph pass to Musi's 10.23/90.82 mph run. 
Musi's win, combined with a second round loss of points-leader, Milt Decker, tightened up the championship points lead considerably. 

In Nitto Tires Super Street action, Bill Glidden cruised to his third win of the five-race season after defeating Jamie Gelting. Glidden from Whiteland, Ind. Qualified in the top spot with Gelting, whose engines are built by Glidden, taking the second spot on the ladder. In the final, Glidden got out first with a .486 rt  to Gelting's .538. At the stripe, it was all Glidden posting a 7.686/173 to a losing 7.84/182 mph run. 

Flowmaster Nostalgia Pro Street featured an action-packed 12-car field with Dale Pitmann leading the way. The Alliance, Ohio driver took the number one spot on Saturday and cruised through a very impressive and competitive lineup of heavy-hitters from the Northeast. However, in the end, it was an all-Midwest final featuring Pittman's '67 Camaro and Michigan driver Rob Golobo's '92 Z-28. Pittman got out of the box early and then charged to the 7.57/ 182 mph win after Golobo got out of shape and had to lift off the throttle. 

Vortech Extreme Street has been the Orts and Rudisell show since the opening of the season. Rudisell beat Orts in the opener at Bowling Green, while Orts took the win at Cordova. AT this event, the two met head-to-head in the semi-finals with Rudisell's '84 Mustang  taking the measure of Orts '68 Camaro. The win set-up a final round showdown with newcomer, Edward McAffe. In the final, Rudisell from Lawrenceburg, Ind., didn't have much of a fight from McAfee as problems arose, forcing the Medford, N.J. driver to end his run before it began. Rudisell posted an 8.795/155 mph lap in victory.

Chris Uratchko, posted his second win in three finals, in Diamond Pistons Pro Stock after defeating Jeremy Harris in the final. Uratchko, who's '69 Camaro started life as a rolling chassis, graduation gift from his parents, has seen a remarkable transformation from street-cruiser to winning entry. In the finals at Reading though, Harris had the power to beat the South Lyon, Mich., driver and actually would have, had it not been for a .233 red light start. With the foul, Harris through away a remarkable 9.253/146 pass in his '94 Camaro to Orts' losing, but winning 9.264/146 quarter-mile trip. 

Jeremy Taylor, the first Mr. Gasket Cheap Street driver to enter the nine-second zone, pulled the hat-trick after beating Paul Smith in a final round re-match of the race held at Bowling Green in June. Although Taylor made it three wins in a row, he did face some tough competition; including Jimmy McDonagh and Smith, each of whom ran sub ten-second numbers.  In the final, Taylor, from Holts Summit, Mo., had all he could handle from Smith, who has sorted out the chassis gremlins that plagued his '91 Camaro earlier in the season. Had it not been for an outstanding .445 reaction time from Taylor, he would have been loading his '66 Deuce on the trailer instead of having photos made in the winner's circle. Smith ran a faster 9.76/138 mph lap, but his .523 start allowed Taylor's slower 9.79/136 to illuminate the win light.

Garry Williams of Dover, Pa was crowned the MSD Ignition True Street "King of Pennsylvania" after cruising 30-miles through the hill country surrounding Maple Grove Raceway and then racing his '68 Camero to a three-lap, back-to-back average of 9.898 seconds. Lee Grinnell was runner-up. The 11-second trophy went to Canadian driver, Steve Critchlow with 14-second honors being awarded to Tony Mungin. 

In Hamburger Nostalgia Super Stock action, Jimmy Gardner of Roan Mountain, Tenn., drove his '66 GTO to the win over Delroy, Ohio's Brian Merrick and his '64 Fairlane. Gardner got the early jump with a .549 rt as he tried to hit his 12.00 index. Merrick, who gave chase, cut a .560 rt. On the big end, it was all Gardner as he went dead-on 12.008, to Merrick's losing 10.528 on a 10.50 index. Point's leader Jeff Puckett, lost to Merrick in the semi's. 

In Nostalgia Muscle Car, Pittsgrove, N.J. driver Scott Csaszak, who qualified last, ousted number one qualifier, Brad Crumley in a Chevy vs. Ford battle. Crumley drove his '71 Maverick out of the beams first, but ran an 11.942 which was under his 12.00 index, giving the win to Csaszak's '66 Chevelle which ran an 11.26 on an 11-flat index. 

Superchips Open Comp was won by Hanover Md., driver Aaron Shipley and his '85 F85 after Eric Patterson left too early in his '86 Mustang.  In Toyo Tire Bracket competition, Bill Marouin ousted Darryl Myers in Super Eliminator and Robert Reinert, Jr defeated David Bonaskiewich in the Heavy class. 

The ATI Procharger Top Dog Shootout was once again won by Bill Glidden who, for the second time this season, won by default. This time it was Marc Dantoni who handed the $500.00 winner's check to Glidden after tripping the foul light with a .272 leave. It was Glidden's third consecutive win of the special handicapped runoff race, within a race, that pits the number one qualifiers of Pro Street and Nitto Tire Super Street against each other during the final qualifying session. In the Performance Wheel Outlet burnout contest, local driver, Ron Baker wowed the crowd, taking the win to the roar of applause!

Complete auto show results & event photography will be online by the end of the week at the official PRO Hot Rod & Muscle Car Nationals website.

Be sure to make plans today to attend or participate at the next event on the tour: September 13-15, 2003 at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, GA. More information can be found at http://www.fasteststreetcar.com or http://www.atlantadragway.com