FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bozzelli doubles up

Atco, NJ-The torrential rains that hampered yesterday's qualifying having let up, racing was finally allowed to continue at Atco Raceway. The fans and 505 total racers who waited patiently were treated to fantastic side-by-side racing under ideal New Jersey conditions.

After a long, wet weekend, winners were crowned in the following classes: Cliff Bozzelli of Absecon, N.J., in Federal-Mogul Dragster, Bob Newberry of Schenectady, N.Y., in Federal-Mogul Funny Car, Frank Aragona of Franklin Square, N.Y./ in Comp Eliminator, Arnie Martel of Tewksbury, Mass., in Super Stock, Joe DeMarzo of Mahopac, N.Y., in Stock, Tony Iacono of Medford, N.J., in Super Comp, John Michaels of Oakdale, N.Y., in Super Gas and Christopher De Pascale of Sayerville, N.J., in Super Street.

In Federal-Mogul Dragster, Cliff Bozzelli had a bye run in the final when Chaptico, Md., resident Billy Gibson could not make the call, handing Bozzelli the win. Bozzelli ran a crowd-pleasing 5.608-second pass at 251.60 mph to capture his second win of the weekend. He also beat Tim Slagle of Fairfax, Va., earlier in the day for the make-up of the Maple Grove divisional event, making it five victories in a row.

Veteran Federal-Mogul Funny Car pilot and perennial winner Bob Newberry showed why he was a nine-time Northeast Division champion by beating Craig English of Mt. Holly, NJ. Newberry, who won seven consecutive division championships between 1988-1994, drove his '01 Avenger to a win with a stellar pass of 5.942 seconds and 245.09 mph. English gave it his best shot, but never had a chance after narrowly missing the guardwall and finished with an elapsed time of 9.529 seconds and 107.32 mph.

In other racing action, the $1,000 Sealed Power Low qualifier checks for Federal-Mogul Dragster and Federal-Mogul Funny Car were taken home by Troy Buff and Frank Manzo of Spring, Texas, and Morganville, N.J., respectively. Other low qualifiers include: Dave Northrop of Perkasie, Pa., in Competition Eliminator; Richard Oakes of Woolwich Township, N.J., in Super Stock; and Jim Reid Jr. of Hanson, Mass., in Stock.

Receiving "Best of" awards here this weekend were Joe Orlando of Armonk, N.Y., and his Super Gas Corvette for Best Appearing Car. In addition, the Best Engineered Car award went to White Plains, N.Y., resident Frank Maiolo for his Super Gas Corvette. Finally, the Federal-Mogul Dragster team of Slagle and Cottrell from Fairfax, Va., earned the Best Appearing Crew award.

The following are Sunday's final round results from the NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event at Atco Raceway in Atco, N.J.:

FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER
Qualifying
1. Troy Buff, Spring, Texas, 5.569 seconds, 254.52 mph
2. Cliff Bozzelli, Absecon, NJ, 5.627, 253.59
3. Tim Slagle, Fairfax, Va., 5.659, 252.95
4. Steven Cantrell, Wilmington, Del., 5.710, 249.51
5. Billy Gibson, Chaptico, Md., 5.735, 253.09
6. David DeAngelis, Middlesex, NJ, 5.847, 236.09
7. Bruce Horner, Bergenfield, NJ, 5.903, 239.04
8. Karen Benkovich, Fanwood, NJ, 5.922, 233.82
Alternates
9. Ken Winward, Wilmington, Del., 5.924, 225.33
10. Jeremy Haskett, Wilkesboro, NC, 5.957, 222.60
11. Mike Kosky, Cuddy, Pa., 5.972, 224.83
12. Sheila Tafur, 6.269, 211.91
13. John Headley, Newportville, Pa., 7.071, 108.85

First Round
#1 Troy Buff, Spring, Texas, 5.573 seconds, 247.45 mph def. 
#8 Ken Winward, Wilmington, Del., 5.920, 230.17

#2 Cliff Bozzelli, Absecon, NJ, 5.713, 249.79 def. 
#7 Bruce Horner, Bergenfield, NJ, 5.943, 235.54

#6 Dave DeAngelis, Middlesex, NJ, 5.898, 231.06 def. 
#3 Tim Slagle, Fairfax, Va., 5.768, 251.11

#5 Billy Gibson, Chaptico, Md., 5.635, 253.30 def. 
#4 Steven Cantrell, 5.796, 247.38

Semifinal
Bozzelli, 5.734, 253.09 def DeAngelis, Broke

Gibson, 5.644, 252.80 def Buff, Broke

Final
Bozzelli, 5.608, 251.60 def Gibson, Broke

FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR
Qualifying 
1. Frank Manzo, Morganville, NJ, '01 Avenger, 5.893 seconds, 252.80 mph
2. Paul Gill, Brocton, Mass., '01 Avenger, 5.929, 245.29
3. Bruce Mullins, Fredericksburg, Va., '98 Mustang, 6.004, 230.65
4. Bob Newberry, Schenectady, NY, '01 Avenger, 6.059, 239.17
5. James Libby, Kingston, Mass., '01 Camaro, 6.254, 233.10
6. Bunny Burkett, Sterling, Va., '00 Avenger, 6.309, 225.62
7. Darrel Cox, Whiteford, Md., '97 Firebird, 6.393, 215.82
8. Paul Lee, Bala-cynwyd, Pa., '01 Corvette, 6.397, 224.71
ALTERNATES      
9. Scott Woodington, Delran, NJ, '97 Achieva, 7.271, 162.30
10. Craig English, Mt. Holly, NJ, '93 Firebird, 9.747, 116.27

First Round
#1 Frank Manzo, Morganville, NJ, '01 Avenger, 5.840 seconds, 250.20 mph def.
Paul Lee, Bala-cynwyd, Pa., '01 Corvette, Broke

#7 Craig English, Mt. Holly, NJ, '93 Firebird, Staged def. 
#2 Paul Gill, '01 Avenger, Broke

#4 Bob Newberry, Schenectady, NY '01 Avenger, 5.824, 246.23 def. 
#5 James Libby, '01 Camaro, 6.193, 231.18

#3 Scott Woodington, Delran, NJ, '97 Achieva, 6.172, 213.98 def. 
#6 Bunny Burkett, Sterling, Va., 6.237, 229.29

Semifinal
English, '93 Firebird, 12.406, 55.25, def Woodington, '97 Achieva, DQ

Newberry, '01 Avenger, 5.837, 249.68 def Manzo, '01 Avenger, 5.930, 246.84

Final
Newberry, '01 Avenger, 5.942, 245.09 def English, 9.529, 107.09

COMP ELIMINATOR
Frank Aragona, Franklin Square, NY, '00 Bantam, 8.715 seconds, 144.55 mph def. 
Keith Taylor, Lumberton, NC, '01 Grand Am, 7.607 seconds, 177.37 mph

SUPER STOCK
Arnie Martel, Tewksbury, Mass., '01 Grand Am, SS/AM, 12.857 seconds, 69.33 mph def. 
Joey Wintermyer, Quogue, NY, '86 Monte Carlo, GT/HA, Red Light

STOCK
Joe DeMarzo, Mahopac, NY, '69 Camaro, H/SA, 11.756 seconds, 103.28 mph def.
Bill Lutz, Midlothian, Pa., '73 Camaro, K/SA, 12.100 seconds, 108.78 mph

SUPER COMP
Tony Iacono III, Meford, NJ, 8.907 seconds def. 
Jason Kenny, Kitchenar, Ontario, Canada, Red Light

SUPER GAS
John Michaels, Oakdale, NY, '70 Nova, 9.903 seconds def. 
Mike Moniz, Fairhaven, Mass., '74 Vega, 9.938

SUPER STREET
Christopher De Pascale, Sayerville, NJ, '99 S-10, 10.899 seconds, 134.28 mph def. 
John Schenone, Bellerose, NY, '70 Nova, 10.875 seconds, 139.49 mph

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mother Nature wins second round at Atco Raceway

ATCO, NJ- Mother Nature won the second round of qualifying in the Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series today as heavy rains saturated the quarter mile track. After more than five hours of waiting for the rain to subside, a decision was made to cancel the remaining activities and start eliminations first thing tomorrow morning.

"Unfortunately, the rains were to persistent and we waited as long as we could," said Northeast Division Director Bob Lang. "There was no way we could dry the track and resume racing. So we will just start eliminations first thing tomorrow [Sunday] morning."

The gates to Atco Raceway will open at 8:00 a.m. with final eliminations set to begin at 9:00. Eliminations for Federal-Mogul Dragster and Funny Car are scheduled for noon.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Atco Raceway hosts inaugural event

Atco, NJ - The NHRA rolled into town for the first ever Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event at Atco Raceway. The event, which is expected to draw more than 500 competitors, is the third of seven races in the Northeast Division. Moreover, racers in eight racing categories are competing for cash and contingency awards totaling more than $154,000.

Northeast Division Director Bob Lang said, "It is great to have Atco Raceway as part of the series [Federal-Mogul]." Adding, "It gives our racers another chance to earn points for divisional and national championships."

Friday's qualifying session belonged to Competition Eliminator pilot Dave Northrop of Perkasie, Pa. Northrop led the field with his pass of 9.262 against an index of 9.97 seconds (-0.708 under) in his '87 Camaro. In second place, only .001-second behind, is Franklin Square, N.Y., resident Frank Aragona. Aragona drove his Subaru-powered '00 Bantam down the quarter mile track with a time of 8.681 seconds with an index of 9.30 (-.707).

In the Super Stock category, Richard Oakes from nearby Woolwich Township, New Jersey grabbed the top spot in his '92 Camaro with an elapsed time that was -1.718 seconds under his index. Following closely behind is Levitown, Pa. resident Howard Barsky. Barsky and his '57 Chevrolet recorded a time of 11.336 seconds and -1.114 under index.

The gates will open at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow with final qualifying and time trials to begin at 10:00 a.m. Federal-Mogul Dragster and Federal-Mogul Funny Car qualifying sessions are scheduled at 3:00 and 7:00 p.m.

The following are Friday's qualifying results from the NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event at Atco Raceway in Atco, N.J.

FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER
No qualifying runs today

FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR
No qualifying runs today 

COMP ELIMINATOR
1. Dave Northrop, Perkasie, Pa., '87 Camaro, G/SM, 9.262 seconds, -0.708 under index
2. Frank Aragona Jr., Franklin Square, NY, '00 Bantam, F/EA, 8.593, -0.707
3. Arnie Martel, Tewksbury, Mass., '98 Grand Am, G/SM, 9.372, -0.598
4. Al Ackerman, Saddle Brook, NJ, '94 Dragster, F/D, 8.236, -0.584
5. Jonathan Aloiso, West Chester, Pa., '98 Grand Am, D/SM, 8.136, -0.564
6. Richard Schonberger, Philadelphia, Pa., '90 Firebird, G/SM, 9.419, -0.551
7. Michele Costa, Freehold, NJ, '01 Dragster, G/D, 9.522, -0.538
8. Bob Rossi, Woodbridge, NJ, '92 Achieva, A/A, 6.888, -0.522
9. Jeff Taylor, Lumberton, NC, '01 Grand AM, C/A, 7.695, -0.515
10. Patrick Ross Sr., Avon Lake, Ohio, '98 Firebird, D/A, 8.111, -0.489

SUPER STOCK
1. Richard Oakes, Woolwich Township, NJ, '92 Camaro, SS/DS, 10.082 seconds, -1.718 under index
2. Howard Barsky, Levitown, Pa., '57 Chevrolet, SS/NA, 11.336, -1.114
3. Thomas Ciccarone Jr., West Chester, Pa., '97 S-10, SS/TB, 9.099, -1.101
4. Arnie Martel, Tewksbury, Mass., '01 Grand Am, SS/AM, 8.462, -1.088
5. Bucky Hess, Bunker Hill, WV, '68 Barracuda, SS/AA, 8.986, -1.014
6. Dean Ribeiro, Candia, NH, '85 Firebird, GT/HA, 10.341, -1.009
7. James Zane, Bordentown, NJ, '99 S-10, SS/TD, 10.746, -1.004
8. Richard Diorio Jr., South River, NJ, '55 Chevrolet, SS/PA, 11.963, -0.987      
9. Raymond Scardelli, Manalpan, NJ, '97 Probe, GT/H, 10.172, -0.978 
10. George Vignogna, Mahopac, NY, '97 Sebring, SS/AS, 8.930, -0.970

STOCK
1. Jim Reid, Hanson, Mass., '85 Camaro, K/SA, 11.731 seconds, -1.219 under index
2. Bill Belden, Linden, NJ, '64 Chevelle, M/S, 11.954, -1.196
3. Bill Nees Jr., Millmont, Pa., '70 Nova, V/SA, 14.619, -1.181
4. John Presing, North Haledon, NJ, '88 Mustang, 11.843, -1.157
5. James Penta II, Pawtucket, RI, '98 Firebird, D/S, 10.648, -1.152
6. Bud Rowe, Bridgeton, NC, '85 Camaro, M/SA, 12.045, -1.105
7. Bob Horgan, Tyngsborough, Mass., '85 Camaro, 11.652, -1.098
8. Jeffrey Coyne, Malden, Mass., '85 IROC, L/S, 11.949, -1.051
9. Bruce Noland, Leesburg, Va., '71 Camaro, 11.711, -1.039
10. Joseph Abbazia, Cos Cob, Conn., '90 Mustang, 11.964, -1.036