NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series - Sunday Results from Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - NHRA NORTHEAST DIVISION OLD BRIDGE TOWNSHIP RACEWAY PARK SUNDAY, AUGUST 15, 2004 Action at Raceway Park postponed ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. - The final day of racing at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event being held this weekend at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park has been postponed. The plan is to have the remaining rounds of racing completed on Friday, August 27, at the next NHRA Northeast Division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event scheduled for August 27-29, at Cecil County Dragway in Rising Sun, Md. Prior to the day's action being postponed, several rounds of racing in all classes were completed, including two rounds of eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car. In Top Alcohol Dragster, Mike Kosky of Cuddy, Pa., and Azusa, Calif., racer Ashley Force will face off in the class final. On his road to the final, Kosky defeated Baldwin, Pa., runner Mark Albert and Numidia Raceway winner Arthur Gallant in the semifinals. In her first round bout, Force eliminated Maple Grove Raceway champ Steve Cantrell before then moving past Richard Bourke of Old Tappan, N.J., in the semifinals. A win in the upcoming final round bout between Kosky and Force is key for Force, who is currently in a heated points battle for the NHRA South Central Division crown with defending division champ, Shelly Howard of Tulsa, Okla. The final in Top Alcohol Funny Car will feature two familiar faces on the NHRA Northeast Division tour, reining national champ Frank Manzo of Morganville, N.J., and Schenectady, N.Y., racer Bob Newberry. Manzo, the defending race champion, opened eliminations by defeating Bruce Peterson of Wappinger Falls, N.Y., before then taking out Stamford, Conn., racer Mickey Ferro in the semifinals. In his opening round contest, Newberry defeated Billy Gibson of Chaptico, Del. In the semifinals, Newberry earned the win over Plaistow, N.H., racer David Ray. The final between Manzo and Newberry will be the third time this year that the pair have faced off in the championship round. The pair are currently tied with one win apiece. The plan at press time is for racing action in all categories to resume Friday, August 27, at Cecil County Dragway in conjunction with the next NHRA Northeast Division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event scheduled to take place August 27-29. For more information on the event please contact Cecil County Dragway at (410) 287-6280 or on the web at www.CecilCountyDragway.com. Schedule information can also be found at www.NHRADiv1.com. The following are Sunday's results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event being help this weekend at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park: TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER Round 1 3) Mike Kosky, Cuddy, Pa., 5.494, 258.96 def. 6) Mark Albert, Baldwin, Pa., 9.242, 90.04 7) Arthur Gallant, Boxboro, Mass., 5.459, 254.57 def. 2) Karen Benkovich, Fanwood, N.J., 5.518, 254.57 1) Ashley Force, Azusa, Calif., 5.319, 269.24 def. 8) Steven Cantrell, Wilmington, Del., 5.655, 244.43 4) Richard Bourke, Old Tappan, N.J., 5.561, 247.70 def. 11) David DeAngelis, Middlesex, N.J., 5.568, 257.53 Semifinals Force, 5.356, 270.75 def. Bourke, foul Kosky, 9.571, 84.62 def. Gallant, 20.792, 32.20 TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR Round 1 4) David Ray, Plaistow, N.H., '02 Avenger, 6.122, 244.65 def. 5) Eric Lourie, Terryville, Conn., '01 Camaro, foul 1) Bob Newberry, Schenectady, N.Y., '03 Camaro, 5.678, 254.90 def. 8) Billy Gibson, Chaptico, Md., '04 Firebird, 8.940, 105.76 3) Mickey Ferro, Stamford, Conn., '01 Camaro, 5.901, 242.76 def. 9) Dan Pomponio, Berlin, N.J., '99 Camaro, 7.185, 140.66 2) Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '03 Firebird, 5.698, 255.77 def. 7) Bruce Peterson, Wappinger Falls, N.Y., '02 Corvette, 6.152, 234.33 Semifinal Newberry, 5.678, 254.28 def. Ray, 6.113, 221.92 Manzo, 6.030, 241.63 def. Ferro, 20.452, 29.85