NHRA: Defending Champ and Hometown Racer Santo Volpe a Makes a Run at Another Successful Year
24 July 1999
Numidia, Pa.- There were several success stories in the 1998 NHRA
Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series last year, but few were as amazing as last
year's NHRA Northeast Division champion in Comp Eliminator, Santo Volpe.
Volpe, who is from Allentown, Pa., began the 1998 season as a rookie
in the Competition Eliminator field. He was a seasoned bracket racer, but
had always run in an automatic car were shifting wasn't a factor in winning
and losing; that changed when he began to race in Comp. That change,
however, didn't seem to affect him as Volpe began his season as a rookie
and quickly made his way up the ladder and by the end of the year had
become the division champion. Volpe's effort was so successful, in fact,
that he had the national championship in his sight as well. Volpe finished
second in the national standings, only behind 1998 Comp Eliminator national
champion Bob Andrews.
The race at Numidia Raceway, where Volpe is currently third in the
qualifying ladder, could very well be the victory he needs to begin his
road to another championship in the '99 season. Volpe is the defending
champion at Numidia Raceway, which is his hometown track, so a win could be
just the boost he's looking for.
"Even though we're not where we want to be at this point, we realize
that there are still plenty of races left, and we aren't in that bad a
position to go for another championship" Volpe said. "This was how our
season was going last year, we just need that little boost to get us going
in the right direction."
Volpe will be competing against other professional drivers like Allen
Stanfield of Fredricksburg, Va. who finished sixth in the national
standings last year, and Rob Slavinski, from Newark, Ohio who races
professionally all over the country for the Castrol GTX team.
Federal-Mogul Funny Car and Dragster did not make qualifying runs on
Friday but will have two runs Saturday, with eliminations for that category
starting at Noon on Sunday.
The action continues tomorrow with qualifying and time trials
beginning at 9:00 a.m. with Federal-Mogul Funny Car and Dragster qualifying
at 3 and 6 p.m.
The following are the first day qualifying results from the NHRA
Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event at Numidia Raceway, the third of six
events in the NHRA Northeast Division:
FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER
(Did not qualify on Friday)
FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR
(Did not qualify on Friday)
COMP ELIMINATOR
1. Dave Northrop,Perkasie, Pa., H/A '96 Cutlass, 8.508 (-0.442 seconds
under index)
2. Frank Aragona, Franklin Square, N.Y., E/EDragster, 8.738 (-0.392)
3. Santo Volpe, Euclid, Ohio, A/SR '34 Suncoast, 8.274 (-0.356)
4. Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn., D/SM '97 Grand Am, 8.423 (-0.347)
5. Greg Kozera, Monroe, Conn., D/EDragster, 7.774 (-0.346)
6. Don Eckel, Piscataway, N.J., C/Dragster, 7.386 (-0.314)
7. Don Stratton, Beloit, Ohio, B/SR '34 Chevy, 8.357 (-0.313)
8. Bob Rossi, Woodbridge, N.J., A/A '92 S&W, 7.049 (-0.291)
9. Dave Fiore, Altoona, Pa., D/EDragster, 7.834 (-0.286)
10. Rob Slavinski, Newark, Ohio, B/A '95 Grand Prix, 7.594 (-0.276)
SUPER STOCK
1. Jim Boburka, Coraopolis, Pa., GT/DA '99 Firebird, 9.902 (-0.898 seconds
under index)
2. John Gunn, LaGrangeville, N.Y., GT/JA '93 Ciera, 10.849 (-0.801)
3. Brian Tilburg, Trout Run, Pa., GT/JA '89 Camaro, 10.899 (-0.751)
4. Dennis Steward, Dover, Pa., GT/EA '91 Daytona, 10.236 (-0.714)
5. James Zane, Bordentown, N.J., SS/TD '99 S-10 11.149 (-0.701)
6. Lincoln Morehead, Newburgh, N.Y., GT/EA '87 Camaro, 10.286 (-0.664)
7. Tim Worner, Duncannon, Pa., GT/KA '88 Cutlass, 11.087 (-0.663)
8. Lou Altieri, Holland Patent, N.Y., GT/CA '86 Camaro, 10.057 (-0.643)
9. Larry Mohar, Hagerstown, Md., SS/HA '69 Camaro, 10.269 (-0.631)
10. Tommy Ciccarone, West Chester, Pa., SS/CM '97 Grand Am, 9.273 (-0.627)
STOCK ELIMINATOR
1. Briane Philbrick, Vineland, Ont., Can., T/S '75 Monza 13.790(-0.924
seconds under index)
2. Ray Golonka, Colonia, N.J., Q/SA '77 Cadillac, 14.10 (-0.907)
3. Don Quinn, Rahway, N.J., J/SA '78 Nova, 11.882 (-0.868)
4. Dennis Chapman, Toms River, N.J., AF/SA '88 Shelby, 14.213 (-0.837)
5. Lloyd MacKay, Cedar Grove, N.J., R/SA '84 Buick, 13.567 (-0.783)
6. Ron Thomas, Glenmoore, Pa., J/SA '78 Voltare, 11.987 (-0.763)
7. Bill Lutz, Midlothian, Va., M/SA '85 Camaro, 12.396 (-0.754)
8. Dave Ribeiro, Williamsburg, Va., L/SA '78 Firebird, 12.268 (-0.732)
9. Ed Bednaz, Terryville, Conn., B/S '69 Nova, 10.773 (-0.727)
10. Billy Nees, Millmont, Pa., V/SA '70 Nova, 15.109 (-0.691)
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