NHRA NHRA KICKS OFF DOUBLE HEADER AT MAPLE GROVE RACEWAY.
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - NORTHEAST DIVISION
MAPLE GROVE RACEWAY
MAY 28, 2004
READING, Pa. - NHRA drag racing kicked off today for a
double header weekend at Maple Grove Raceway. Racers will compete this
weekend in both the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and the Northeast
Division Sony/PC Richards.com Spring National Open Series.
In the Lucas Series, it was the Top Alcohol Dragsters and
Funny Cars hitting the track for the first round of qualifying with
Richard Bourke taking the top spot in the dragster class. Bourke ran a
5.463 second pass at 253.33 mph with Steve Cantrell in the number two
spot at 5.475 seconds, 253.04 mph.
Defending Top Alcohol Dragster National Champion Alan
Bradshaw crossed the centerline disqualifying his run and will have just
one shot on Saturday to make the field. Bradshaw joined forces with Len
Cottrell and his Chicken Chokers Racing Team this year after parting
ways with Randy Meyer, owner and crew chief of Bradshaw's 2004
championship car.
Cottrell won the 2004 Northeast Division Top Alcohol
Dragster Championship with Fran Monaghan in the driver's seat. Monaghan
is also outside the eight car field in the sixteenth qualified spot.
Eleven-time division champion Bob Newberry grabbed the early
pole position in Top Alcohol Funny Car with a lap of 5.636 seconds,
254.14 mph. Newberry's time was quick enough to hold off division rivals
Paul Gill and Frank Manzo who sit in the number two and three positions
respectively. Gill ran 5.665 seconds at 256.06 while Manzo clocked in at
5.677, 256.06.
The remaining six classes of racers, and more than 600 cars, were doing
battle for the rain delayed Sony/PC Richards Spring National Open. The
trend continued with rain delaying the start of qualifying until
afternoon. Eliminations began in the late afternoon and continued into
the late evening hours.
Racing continues Saturday at 8:30 a.m. with qualifying and
time trials for the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series followed by round 1 of
eliminations in the afternoon. Top Alcohol Dragsters and Funny Cars
receive one final qualifying pass at 1:30 p.m. then have elimination
rounds scheduled for 5, 7, and 9 p.m. Gates open at 8 a.m. For more
information, call (610) 856-7812.
The following are Friday's qualifying results from the NHRA
Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at Maple Grove Raceway:
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) Richard Bourke, Norwood, N.J., 5.463 seconds, 253.33 mph
2) Steven Cantrell, Wilmington, Del., 5.475, 253.04
3) Arthur Gallant, Boxboro, Mass., 5.476, 250.74
4) Ken Perry, Toronto, Ont., 5.533, 246.62
5) Rich McPhillips, Phoenixville, Pa., 5.592, 251.06
6) Bruce Insinger, Dushore, Pa., 5.598, 247.07
7) Karen Benkovich, Fanwood, N.J., 5.607, 248.07
8) Daniel Mercier, St. Timothee, Quebec, 5.609, 256.89
Not Qualified
9) Bruce Horner, Bergenfield, N.J., 5.673, 249.21
10) John Finke, Selkirk, N.Y., 5.729, 250.69
11) Ken Winward, Wilmington, Del., 5.805, 246.03
12) Mark Albert, Baldwin, Pa., 7.096, 146.64
13) Jeff Veale, Stony Creek, Ont., 7.467, 117.11
14) John Headley, Newportville, Pa., 9.136, 77.32
15) Mike Kosky, Cuddy, Pa., 9.468, 86.68
16) Fran Monaghan Jr, Meadowbrook, Pa., 12.219, 62.94
17) Donald Gianquitto, Melrose, Mass., 12.683, 59.64
18) Alan Bradshaw, Odessa, Texas, (no time)
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) Bob Newberry, Schenectady, N.Y., '03 Camaro, 5.636 seconds, 254.14
mph
2) Paul Gill, Brockton, Mass., '01 Avenger, 5.665, 249.44
3) Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '02 Firebird, 5.677, 256.06
4) Jim Sickles, Caledonia, N.Y., '02 Avenger, 5.802, 249.95
5) Darrel Cox Sr, Whiteford, Md., '01 Firebird, 5.984, 234.98
6) Frank Schuster, Columbus, N.J., '03 Camaro, 6.125, 241.71
7) Jeff McCulloch, Roseneath, Ont., '98 Camaro, 6.170, 223.47
8) Dan Pomponio, Berlin, N.J., '99 Camaro, 6.441, 220.69
Not Qualified
9) Eric Lourie, Terryville, Conn., '01 Camaro, 8.576, 109.89
10) Billy Gibson, Chaptico, Md., '05 Firebird, 20.700, 27.05
11) Craig English, Mount Holly, N.J., '98 Mustang, (no time)
