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NHRA: EMPA Hands out Drag Racing Photo Awards

14 January 1999

TREVOSE, Pa. -- Several photographers who cover the NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series earned awards for their work Jan. 9 at the Eastern Motorsports Press Association's annual convention.

Harold Hoch, from Oley, Pa., was again the biggest winner in the EMPA Tosco 76 photography contest, earning the Best of Show award, first place in Picture Story and third place awards in the Action and Unpublished Black and White categories.

Hoch's Picture Story winner, also named Best of Show, featured a sequence of photos published in the Reading Eagle-Times chronicling John Force's weekend at the 1998 Pioneer Electronics Keystone Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway. Hoch, who works for Berks-Mont Newspapers and Maple Grove Raceway, has dominated the EMPA Tosco 76 photo contest in recent years with his vivid photographs. His photos often appear in National Dragster.

David DeAngelis, from Somerville, N.J., won first place in the Unpublished Color category with a photo of Cristen Powell's Reebok dragster launching from the starting line. DeAngelis' photos appear in such publications as National Dragster, Drag Racer, Inside MotorSports and Drag Racing Monthly. Richard Grunert, from New Hyde Park, N.Y., won first place in the Unpublished Black and White category for a photo of Jim Epler's Funny Car firing a nitro mist while taking off from the starting line during a nighttime qualifying session.

Todd Dziadosz, from Middleburg, Pa., won third place in the Picture Story category for photos published in Inside MotorSports capturing Ron Capps' thrilling season behind the wheel of the Copenhagen Chevrolet Camaro.

Steve Bell and Marty Gordner also won awards for drag racing coverage. Bell, from Dunellen, N.J., won second place awards in the Unpublished Color and Unpublished Black and White categories. Gordner, from Blandon, Pa., won third place in the Unpublished Color category for a photo of Top Fuel standout Cory McClenathan sitting in the cockpit of his McDonald's dragster.

EMPA is comprised of more than 200 media members who regularly cover motorsports east of the Mississippi.