NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Friday from Maple Grove Raceway, Reading, Pa.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - NORTHEAST DIVISION
MAPLE GROVE RACEWAY
May 27, 2005


PERRY, GILL GRAB TOP SPOTS FOR NORTHEAST SEASON OPENER

	READING, Pa. - In the first rounds of qualifying at Maple Grove
Raceway, Top Alcohol Dragster driver Ken Perry and Top Alcohol Funny Car
pilot Paul Gill took the No. 1 qualifying positions in their classes. 
Perry, of Toronto, ON, CAN, outran the field with a pass of 5.467
seconds at 258.71 mph. Perry, racing out of the NHRA North Central
Division, is followed by Richard Bourke of Old Tapper, N.J., with a run
of 5.503 seconds at 257.38 mph. Racers can claim points from events both
in and outside of their home division toward championships.
Brockton, Mass., resident Gill clocked in at 5.708 seconds at 253.04 mph
to hold off veteran racer Frank Manzo, a multi National Champion, who
laid down a 5.742 second lap at 254.47 mph for the No. 2 spot. 
Defending Northeast Division Dragster Champion Arthur Gallant and former
National Funny Car Champion Bob Newberry are currently not qualified and
will need solid runs in tomorrow's final qualifying session if they hope
to be apart of tomorrow evening's eliminations.
Canadian racer Allyn Armstrong of Kingston, Nova Scotia, grabbed the No.
1 spot in Comp Eliminator with a pass of 9.003 seconds, 0.747 seconds
under the index and will pick up the Aeromovtive Low Qualifier Bonus if
he can hold onto it through Saturday's final qualifying sessions.
Armstrong is followed by Frank Aragona Jr. and Gerry Russo in the No. 2
and No. 3 spots respectively.
John Armstrong sits on top of the Super Stock filed with a run of 8.982
seconds in his '69 Corvette, 1.218 seconds under the index and is
followed by Angelo Ditocco of Mahopac, N.Y., and Dennis Steward of
Dover, Pa., in second and third qualifying spots.
	Pennsylvania racer Jack Matyas, of Bethlehem, grabbed the No. 1
spot in Stock Eliminator with a 10.509 second lap and is followed by
Clayton Wright of Newportville, Pa., and his '65 Plymouth in second.	
Racing continues Saturday at 8:30 a.m.  Gates open at 8 a.m. Top Alcohol
Dragsters and Funny Cars receive a final qualifying pass at 1:30 p.m.
followed by all rounds of eliminations beginning at 5 p.m. The final
round of dragsters and funny cars will be followed by a fireworks show.
Tickets are $20.  For more information, call Maple Grove Raceway
(610)856-7200

	The following are Friday's qualifying results from the NHRA
Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Maple Grove Raceway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) Ken Perry, Toronto, Ont., 5.467 seconds, 258.71 mph
2) Richard Bourke, Old Tapper, N.J., 5.503, 257.38
3) Karen Benkovich, Fanwood, N.J., 5.545, 253.33
4) Dan Mercier, St. Timothee, Quebec, 5.555, 261.47
5) Dave DeAngelis, Middlesex, N.J., 5.590, 258.67
6) John Finke, Selkirk, N.Y., 5.590, 255.63
7) Bruce Horner, Bergenfield, N.J., 5.669, 248.48
8) Mike Kosky, Cuddy, Pa., 5.689, 247.16 
Not Qualified
9) Arthur Gallant, Boxboro, Mass., 5.693, 238.13
10) Rich McPhillips, Phoenixville, Pa., 6.009, 206.48
11) Ed Fisher, Milford, Conn., 8.587, 110.61
12) Jeff Bohr, Plymouth, Mich., (no time)
13) Mark Albert, Baldwin, Pa., (no time)
14) Steven Cantrell, Wilmington, Del., (no time)

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) Paul Gill, Brockton, Mass., '01 Avenger, 5.708 seconds, 253.04 mph
2) Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '04 Firebird, 5.742, 254.47
3) Duane Beers, Monroe, N.J., '02 Camaro, 5.942, 243.59
4) Dan Pomponio, Berlin, N.J., '00 Camaro, 5.959, 240.04
5) David Ray, Plaistow, N.H., '01 Avenger, 5.976, 214.21
6) Bruce Mullins, Fredericksburg, Va., '02 Avenger, 5.992, 209.30
7) Ross Stickler, Chandler, Ariz., '03 Corvette, 5.999, 236.01
8) Mickey Ferro, Stamford, Conn., '02 Camaro, 6.020, 226.92 
Not Qualified
9) Darrel Cox, Whiteford, Md., '01 Firebird, 6.075, 232.15
10) Eric Lourie, Terryville, Conn., '02 Camaro, 6.269, 235.97
11) Billy Gibson, Chaptico, Md., '04 Firebird, 6.339, 210.21
12) John Fiorini, Dalton, Mass., '93 Saab, 7.323, 172.61
13) Ron Zavarella, Woodstock Valley, Conn., '04 Firebird, (no time)
14) Bob Newberry, Schenectady, N.Y., '05 Monte Carlo, (no time)

Comp Eliminator
1) Allyn Armstrong, Kingston, N.S., '72 GT, L/A, 9.003 seconds, -0.747
(under index)
2) Frank Aragona Jr, Franklin Square, N.Y., dragster, G/EA, 8.586,
-0.614
3) Gerry Russo, Saddle River, N.J., '04 Cavalier, E/SMA, 8.645, -0.585
4) Tony Stephenson, Willow Sprg, N.C., '02 Cavalier, B/EA, 7.937, -0.563
5) Sal Biondo, Maspeth, N.Y., '01 Firebird, D/EA, 8.427, -0.563
6) Tommy Ciccarone Jr., West Chester, Pa., '03 Cavalier, E/SMA, 8.682,
-0.548
7) Kevin Houghtaling, Ashland, Va., '91 Calais, H/SM, 9.199, -0.541
8) Terry Smith, Williamstown, W.V., '32 Bantam, D/EA, 8.473, -0.517
9) Joe Carnasciale, Cranston, R.I., '92 Camaro, E/SM, 8.806, -0.514
10) Pat Ross Sr., Avon Lake, Ohio, '05 Grand Am, F/A, 8.282, -0.498

Super Stock
1) John Armstrong, Kingston, N.S., '69 Corvette, SS/BA, 8.982 seconds,
-1.218 (under index)
2) Angelo Ditocco, Mahopac, N.Y., '02 Firebird, GT/FA, 9.908, -1.192
3) Dennis Steward, Dover, Pa., '91 Daytona, GT/IA, 10.310, -1.190
4) David Thomas, West Chester, Pa., '69 Corvette, SS/BA, 9.068, -1.132
5) Jim Boburka, Coraopolis, Pa., '04 Cavalier, GT/CA, 9.582, -1.118
6) David Barton, Robesonia, Pa., '68 Dart, SS/AA, 8.799, -1.101
7) Ray Scardelli, Manalapan, N.J., '97 Probe, GT/H, 10.055, -1.095
8) Paul Ricci, Rocky Hill, Conn., '96 Avenger, SS/AM, 8.358, -1.092
9) Bob Wolkwitz, Darien, Conn., '68 Dart, SS/AA, 8.814, -1.086
10) Brian Oakes, Williamstown, N.J., '69 Camaro, SS/EA, 9.565, -1.085

Stock Eliminator
1) Jack Matyas, Bethlehem, Pa., '00 Trans Am, B/FIA, 10.509 seconds,
-1.191 (under index)
2) Clayton Wright, Newportville, Pa., '65 Plymouth Wgn, U/SA, 13.986,
-1.164
3) Fred Thibeault, Annapolis, N.S., '69 Camaro, B/SA, 10.387, -1.163
4) Tom Baird, Blue Point, N.Y., '69 Camaro, B/S, 10.369, -1.131
5) David LeBrun, Uncasville, Conn., '69 Camaro, B/SA, 10.426, -1.124
6) Ed Horensky, Sugarloaf, Pa., '68 Mustang, C/SA, 10.580, -1.120
7) Victor Guilmino III, Martinsburg, W.V., '71 Mustang, D/SA, 10.760,
-1.090
8) Bud Rowe, Bridgeton, N.C., '95 Camaro, B/FIA, 10.615, -1.085
9) Bruce Noland, Leesburg, Va., '72 Camaro, I/SA, 11.517, -1.083
10) John Presing, N Haledon, N.J., '88 Mustang, F/FI, 11.772, -1.078