NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series-Friday from Virginia Motorsports Park

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - NORTHEAST DIVISION

VIRGINIA MOTORSPORTS PARK, PETERSBURG, VA.

Friday, July 14, 2006

Contact: Jerrie Foss, NHRA (626) 278-1956

 

OPENING DAY OF QUALIFYING AT THE NHRA LUCAS OIL SERIES EVENT WRAPS UP AT VMP

            PETERSBURG, Va. - The opening day of qualifying for the NHRA
Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Virginia Motorsports Park is in the
books.  The three-day race, which kicked off today, marks the return of NHRA
sportsman racing to the facility.  In the opening rounds of the North vs.
South Full Throttle Shootout presented by VP Fuels and Hillwood Sales Arthur
Gallant led the Top Alcohol Dragster class and Frank Manzo was the top
qualifier in Top Alcohol Funny Car.

Gallant, Boxboro, Mass., opened with a 5.474-second, 261.88 mph pass to give
him the edge over Dan Mercier, Valley Field, Que.  Mercier ran 5.492 seconds
at 260.66 mph.

            Manzo, a Morganville, N.J., racer, outran his competition with a
5.810-second, 251.02 mph pass.  It was enough to put him ahead of No. 2
qualifier D.J. Cox Jr. of Whiteford, Md., who made a 5.830-second, 245.85
mph effort.

Top qualifiers in other classes were Tony Stephenson, Willow Springs, N.C.,
in Comp Eliminator; Joseph Franko III, N. Babylon, N.Y., in Super Stock;
Cecil Frazier, S. Easton, Mass., in Stock Eliminator; and Chris Rini,
Holmes, N.Y., in Top Sportsman.

            Racing continues Saturday and Sunday at Virginia Motorsports
Park.  Gates open at 8 a.m. both days and qualifying and time trials
continue Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Eliminations start Saturday
afternoon at 3:30.  Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car will have
a final qualifying pass at 1:30 p.m. and run all three rounds of
eliminations at 5, 7 and 9 p.m.  Eliminations for all other classes will
continue Sunday morning at 9.

            Tickets for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series are $15 each
day.  Children under 12 are admitted free.

            Virginia Motorsports Park is located approximately 30 minutes
south of Richmond, Va., at 8018 Boydton Plank Road in Petersburg.  For more
information call the track, (804) 862-3174, or visit
www.VirginiaMotorsportsPk.com.

 

 

            The following are Friday's qualifying results, including
first-round pairings for TAD and TAFC, from the North vs. South Full
Throttle Shootout event presented by VP Fuels and Hillwood Sales at Virginia
Motorsports Park:

 

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER

1) Arthur Gallant, Boxboro, Mass., 5.474 seconds, 261.88 mph

2) Dan Mercier, Valley Field, Quebec, 5.492, 260.66

3) Mike Kosky, Cuddy, Pa., 5.541, 253.85

4) John Finke, Selkirk, N.Y., 5.603, 252.71

5) Wayne Morris, Lincoln University, Pa., 5.650, 251.16

6) Rich McPhillips, Phoenixville, Pa., 5.815, 239.19

7) Richard Bourke, Old Tappan, N.J., 5.824, 229.20

8) Dave DeAngelis, Middlesex, N.J., 9.792, 87.87

 

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

1) Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.810 seconds, 251.02
mph

2) DJ Cox Jr., Whiteford, Md., '02 Firebird, 5.830, 245.85

3) Mickey Ferro, Stamford, Conn., '01 Camaro, 5.900, 245.23

4) Bruce Mullins, Fredericksburg, Va., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.906, 239.91

5) Mark Billington, Norcross, Ga., '01 Avenger, 5.939, 230.29

6) Dan Pomponio, Berlin, N.J., '00 Camaro, 6.039, 238.17

7) Bob Tasca III, Cranston, R.I., '06 Mustang, 6.062, 237.38

8) Frank Schuster, Chesterfield, N.J., '02 Firebird, 6.288, 233.20 

Not Qualified

9) John Anderika, Pittson, Pa., '02 Camaro, 6.398, 213.03

10) Greg Beckner, Chester, Va., '02 Corvette, 6.841, 215.48

11) Jeff McCulloch, Roseneath, Ont., '98 Camaro, 7.286, 176.03

12) David Ray, Plaistow, N.H., '01 Avenger, 8.716, 100.70

13) Marc White, Glendale Hts., Ill., '04 Firebird, 9.451, 92.58

14) Duane Beers, Monroe, N.J., '02 Camaro, 9.847, 91.14

 

COMP ELIMINATOR

1) Tony Stephenson, Willow Springs, N.C., '06 GTO, C/AA, 7.556 seconds,
-0.494 (under index)

2) Pat Ross, Avon Lake, Ohio, '05 Grand Am, F/A, 8.235, -0.475

3) Charlie Greco, Berwyn, Pa., '06 GTO, E/A, 7.940, -0.470

4) Frank Aragona, Old Bridge, N.J., '32 Bantam, G/EA, 8.635, -0.465

5) David Rampy, Piedmont, Ala., '32 Bantam, A/EA, 7.448, -0.462

6) Lee Zane, Perry Hall, Md., '32 Bantam, L/AA, 9.307, -0.443

7) Don Eckel III, Piscataway, N.J., '99 ProStart, C/D, 7.182, -0.418

8) Al Ackerman, Saddle Brook, N.J., dragster, F/D, 8.304, -0.416

9) Kevin Houghtaling, Ashland, Va., '91 Calais, F/SM, 9.053, -0.397

10) Joe Carnasciale, Cranston, R.I., '92 Camaro, E/SM, 8.861, -0.379

 

SUPER STOCK

1) Joseph Franco III, N. Babylon, N.Y., '85 Camaro, GT/IA, 10.269 seconds,
-1.231 (under index)

2) Arnie Martel Jr., Tewksbury, Mass., '05 Cobalt, SS/CM, 8.840, -1.110

3) Byron Worner, Duncannon, Pa., '96 Camaro, SS/IA, 9.951, -1.049

4) Gary Ewing, Bel Air, Md., '69 Camaro, SS/JA, 10.272, -1.028

5) Leon Miranian, Lake George, N.Y., '68 Corvette, SS/DA, 9.495, -1.005

6) Norm Hall, Waldorf, Md., '02 Firebird, GT/EA, 9.950, -1.000

7) Brian Oakes, Williamstown, N.J., '69 Camaro, SS/DA, 9.501, -0.999

8) Tom Sheehan, Belle Vernon, Pa., '00 Sebring, GT/HA, 10.352, -0.998

9) Bob Cupp, Alexandria, Va., '85 Camaro, GT/HA, 10.374, -0.976

10) Gary Richard, Bayshore, N.Y., '02 Firebird, GT/DA, 9.840, -0.960

 

STOCK ELIMINATOR

1) Cecil Frazier, S Easton, Mass., '92 Camaro, F/FIA, 11.670 seconds, -1.280
(under index)

2) Victor Guilmino III, Martinsburg, W.V., '71 Mustang, E/SA, 10.888, -1.112

3) Jim Reid Jr., Hanson, Mass., '87 Camaro, F/FIA, 11.938, -1.012

4) Bud Rowe, Bridgeton, N.C., '90 TransAm, F/FIA, 11.938, -1.012

5) John Gray, Hudson, Mass., '72 Nova, G/SA, 11.303, -0.997

6) Bill Hawk, Manassas, Va., '67 Shelby, B/SA, 10.556, -0.994

7) Barry Parker, Southwick, Mass., '69 Camaro, B/SA, 10.561, -0.989

8) Wallace Dent, Waldorf, Md., '98 Camaro, B/FIA, 10.728, -0.972

9) David Barton, Robesonia, Pa., '70 Challenger, A/SA, 10.329, -0.971

10) Chuck Garey, Church Rd., Va., '90 TransAm, F/FIA, 11.990, -0.960

 

TOP SPORTSMAN

1) Chris Rini, Holmes, N.Y., '02 Neon, 6.991 seconds, 198.85 mph

2) Ben Basile, Minotola, N.J., '95 Thunderbird, 6.997, 204.98

3) Tommy Turner, Naples, Fla., '04 Cavalier, 7.010, 199.17

4) Ronnie Davis, Commerce, Ga., '63 Corvette, 7.048, 197.25

5) Jerry Barker, Fort Valley, Ga., '06 Cobalt, 7.081, 196.93

6) Steven DeRosa, Londonderry, N.H., '06 GTO, 7.131, 196.87

7) Ronnie Proctor, Harpers Ferry, W.V., '02 Mustang, 7.178, 184.83

8) Sandy Wilkins, Fuquay Varina, N.C., '01 Camaro, 7.190, 189.07

9) Scott Cozzali, Mastic, N.Y., '55 Bel Air, 7.214, 187.83

10) Jason Wood, Live Oak, Fla., '68 Camaro, 7.231, 188.78

 

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