NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Saturday from Maple Grove Raceway

NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - NORTHEAST DIVISION

MAPLE GROVE RACEWAY, READING, PA.

Saturday, May 27, 2006


FINKE, FERRO TAKE OUT CHAMPS FOR WIN AT SEASON OPENER

 

            READING, Pa. - John Finke and Mickey Ferro upset two former
national champions to grab big wins at this weekend's NHRA Northeast
Division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series kick off at Maple Grove Raceway.

            Finke out ran 2002 national champion Art Gallant with a pass
of 5.284 seconds at 270.27 mph for the Top Alcohol Dragster crown.
Gallant qualified No. 1 and ran well all day but slowed to a 5.624,
107.97 mph in the final. Finke of Selkirk, N.Y., knocked out Rich
McPhillips of Phoenixville, Pa., in round one and Jeff Bohr of Michigan
in his semifinal match up.

            Ferro used a couple of holeshots to grab the win in Top
Alcohol Funny Car beating out veteran racer Frank Manzo with a run of
5.718 seconds at 253.71 mph to Manzo's quicker 5.710 second pass at
256.11 mph. Ferro cut a 0.012 second reaction time giving him the win
against Manzo after beating reigning national champion Bob Newberry with
a 0.035 second reaction time and a run of 5.683 seconds at 249.86 mph in
the semifinals.

            Allyn Armstrong sits on top of the Comp Eliminator field
after final qualifying with a run of 8.954 seconds in his '72 Opel. Sal
Biondo is second and Lee Zane is third out of Pittsgrove, N.J. In Super
Stock, Joseph Franco III is on top in his '85 Camaro while Cecil Frazier
leads Stock Eliminator and Mike Gardner of Haymarket, Va., is No. 1 in
Top Sportsman.

            The Northeast Division Spring National Open presented by
Sony P.C. Richards, which was postponed from April, finished up Friday
night with Gary Russo taking the win in Comp over John Frech; Dave
Ficacci taking out Donny Ciccarone Jr. in Super Stock; Jeanne Linke
winning over Don Pires Jr. in Stock; TC Smith beating Franklin
DiBartolomeo in Super Comp; Scott Roth over Pat Iannone in Super Gas;
and Ken Puckett winning in Super Street over Jay Meyerhoof.

Racing continues Sunday at 9 a.m.  Gates open at 8 a.m.  Tickets are
$20.  For more information, call Maple Grove Raceway, (610) 856-7200.

 

            The following are Saturday's round by round results for TAD
and TAFC and final qualifying results at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing
Series event at Maple Grove Raceway:

 

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:
Round 1
1) Arthur Gallant, Boxboro, Mass., 5.309, 265.12 def. 8) Karen Stalba,
Fanwood, N.J., 5.529,
255.53

2) John Finke, Selkirk, N.Y., 5.436, 267.80 def. 7) Rich McPhillips,
Phoenixville, Pa., 5.820,
247.75
3) Jeff Bohr, Plymouth, Mich., 5.415, 263.77 def. 9) Dan Mercier, Valley
Field, Quebec, 6.462,
213.37
5) Dave DeAngelis, Middlesex, N.J., 5.558, 259.91 def. 4) Mike Kosky,
Cuddy, Pa., foul

Semifinals
Finke, 5.423, 269.51 def. Bohr, 5.468, 249.95
Gallant, 5.328, 241.37 def. DeAngelis, 5.483, 260.97

Final
Finke, 5.284, 270.27 def. Gallant, 5.624, 107.97

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:
Round 1

1) Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.686, 256.60 def.
8) DJ Cox Jr., Whiteford,
Md., '01 Firebird, 5.841, 246.66
2) Bob Newberry, Schenectady, N.Y., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.701, 256.31 def.
7) Marc White, Glendale
Hts., Ill., '04 Firebird, 8.216, 96.42
3) Mickey Ferro, Stamford, Conn., '01 Camaro, 5.832, 251.25 def. 6) Rob
Atchison, London, Ont.,
'05 Monte Carlo, 6.647, 169.36
5) Bobby Martin, Beaver Falls, Pa., '01 Avenger, 5.806, 244.29 def. 4)
Jeff Burnett, Brownsburg,
Ind., '01 Avenger, 6.207, 180.81

Semifinals
Ferro, 5.683, 249.86 def. Newberry, 5.677, 253.09
Manzo, 5.611, 257.83 def. Martin, broke

Final
Ferro, 5.718, 253.71 def. Manzo, 5.710, 256.11

COMP ELIMINATOR
1) Allyn Armstrong, Kingston, N.S., '72 GT, L/A, 8.954 seconds, -0.696
(under index)
2) Sal Biondo, Maspeth, N.Y., '93 Beretta, D/EA, 8.377, -0.613
3) Lee Zane, Pittsgrove, N.J., '32 Bantam, L/AA, 9.159, -0.611
4) John Frech, Warren, Ohio, dragster, F/D, 8.121, -0.599
5) Al Ackerman, Saddle Brook, N.J., dragster, F/D, 8.124, -0.596
6) Frank Aragona, Old Bridge, N.J., '32 Bantam, G/EA, 8.516, -0.584
7) Tony Stephenson, Willow Sprg, N.C., '06 GTO, B/EA, 7.887, -0.543
8) Don Eckel, Piscataway, N.J., dragster, C/D, 7.065, -0.535
9) Gerry Russo, Saddle River, N.J., '05 Cavalier, C/SMA, 8.398, -0.532
10) Tommy Ciccarone Jr., West Chester, Pa., '04 Cavalier, E/SMA, 8.611,
-0.519

SUPER STOCK
1) Joseph Franco III, N. Babylon, N.Y., '85 Camaro, GT/HA, 10.181
seconds, -1.169 (under index)
2) Charlie Westcott, Parma, Mich., '98 Grand Am, GT/E, 9.645, -1.155
3) John Armstrong, Kingston, N.S., '69 Corvette, SS/BA, 9.093, -1.107
4) Charlie Wescott Jr, Parma, Mich., '68 Barracuda, SS/AH, 8.700, -1.100
5) Byron Worner, Duncannon, Pa., '96 Camaro, SS/IA, 9.916, -1.084
6) Dennis Steward, Dover, Pa., '91 Daytona, GT/IA, 10.440, -1.060
7) Norm Hall, Waldorf, Md., '02 Firebird, GT/DA, 9.763, -1.037
8) Gary Ewing, Bel Air, Md., '69 Camaro, SS/JA, 10.267, -1.033
9) Anthony Cretella, Newington, Conn., '86 Camaro, GT/BA, 9.520, -1.030
10) Vito Savino, Brewster, N.Y., '95 Grand Am, GT/GA, 10.173, -1.027

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1) Cecil Frazier, Canton, Mass., '92 Camaro, D/FIA, 11.063 seconds,
-1.237 (under index)
2) Victor Guilmino III, Martinsburg, W.V., '71 Mustang, D/SA, 10.645,
-1.205
3) Bruce Noland, Leesburg, Va., '72 Camaro, I/SA, 11.405, -1.195
4) Bill Kennedy, Wilkes-Barre, Pa., '84 Trans Am, J/SA, 11.555, -1.195
5) Fred Thibeault, Annapolis Co., N.S., '69 Camaro, B/SA, 10.361, -1.189
6) Dean Cook II, Coventry, R.I., '95 Cobra, F/FI, 11.662, -1.188
7) Richard Zink II, E. Liverpool, Ohio, '89 Mustang, G/FI, 11.970,
-1.180
8) Jim Boudreau, Tewksburry, Mass., '69 Camaro, C/SA, 10.522, -1.178
9) Ken Kopecky, Edison, N.J., '71 Demon, F/SA, 10.974, -1.176
10) Bill Hawk, Manassas, Va., '67 Shelby, A/SA, 10.177, -1.123

TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Mike Gardner, Haymarket, Va., '04 Grand Am, 6.638 seconds, 207.94 mph
2) Paul Athey, Plainfield, Conn., '41 Willys, 6.756, 212.06
3) Chris Rini, Carmel, N.Y., '03 Neon, 6.995, 201.82
4) Fred Gallo, Shirley, N.Y., '95 Olds, 7.031, 194.10
5) Gerard Milidantri, Suffern, N.Y., '63 Corvette, 7.242, 190.78
6) John Prime, Thomastown, Conn., '67 Corvette, 7.314, 188.49
7) Scott Cozzali, Mastic, N.Y., '55 Chevy, 7.324, 183.37
8) Bob Phillips, Oley, Pa., '03 Neon, 7.421, 185.31
9) Donald Troy Sr, Northeast, Md., '63 Corvette, 7.432, 184.52
10) Steven DeRosa, Londonderry, N.H., '06 GTO, 7.494, 183.67