Sunday
READING, Pa. (Sept. 27, 2009) – The top points earning drivers from NHRA member tracks across the Northeast division competed today in the Race of Champions at the NHRA Summit Racing Series Northeast Division Finals. The ROC should have been completed in conjunction with the rest of the Division Finals event but it was postponed by rain until today. In fact, due to more rain today, there was one pair of cars that did not make it down the track and that was the final of the Super category.
In Pro, Larry Pappas of Wayne, N.J., running for Island Dragway, scored the win over George Windsor of Upper Marlboro, Md., who was racing for Virginia Motorsports Park. Pappas laid down a 10.101-second, 131.01 mph pass to Windsor’s 10.533-second, 124.71 mph effort.
Street class competitor Frank Cicerale of Piscataway, N.J., racing for Numidia Dragway, wheeled his ’68 Nova to the win over Salvatore Capizzi Jr., of Rochester, N.Y. Capizzi drove his dragster for Spencer Speedway.
In the Bike/Sled category, Jonathan Tisdale, East Hartford, Conn., ousted Mark Schwalm of Auburn, Pa. Tisdale, running Lebanon Valley Dragway’s colors, peeled off an 8.945-second, 131.90 mph pass while Schwalm, representing Numidia Dragway, ran 9.352 seconds at 137.11 mph.
The final round of the Super category ROC will be run at a later date.
Following are the NHRA Northeast Division Summit Racing Series Finals Race of Champions results:
PRO
Larry Pappas, Wayne, N.J., Island Dragway, dragster, 10.101, 131.01 def.
George Windsor, Upper Marlboro, Md., Virginia Motorsports Park, dragster, 10.533, 124.71
STREET
Frank Cicerale, Piscataway, N.J., Numidia Dragway, '68 Nova, 11.836, 110.33 def.
Salvatore Capizzi Jr., Rochester, N.Y., Spencer Speedway, dragster, 12.865, 95.43.
BIKE/SLED
Jonathan Tisdale, East Hartford, Conn., Lebanon Valley Dragway, dragster, 8.945, 131.90 def.
Mark Schwalm, Auburn, Pa., Numidia Dragway, '85 Ninja, 9.352, 137.11
Saturday
READING, Pa. (Sept. 26, 2009) – The home team from Maple Grove Raceway picked up their second straight team title at the NHRA Summit Racing Series Northeast Division Finals this weekend. Maple Grove outscored the second place team, New Jersey’s Atco Raceway, by 22 points and put one driver in the winner’s circle. Pro category racer, Andy Anderson, York, Pa., picked up the nine-round win over the Mike Larose of Monroe, N.Y.
Baltimore’s Chris Krajewski, racing for Cecil County Dragway, scored the win in the Super category. He ousted Atco racer Brian Balducci of Voorhees, N.J. Krajewski ran his dragster to a 7.613-second, 176.10 mph lap to Balducci’s 7.573-second, 173.54 mph pass. Krajewski also went nine rounds for his win.
Anderson wheeled his dragster to a 9.886-second, 115.37 mph run to beat Larose, who red-lighted behind the wheel of his ’68 Plymouth racing for ESTA Safety Park. Larose was the divisional champion in 2001 and went on to earn the national championship in Pomona, Calif.
Reading resident Brandon Wentzel, racing for Napierville Dragway, took his ’98 Camaro to the win in the Street class. He ran 13.748 seconds at 100.20 mph to beat Randy Brownawell of Mt. Holly Springs, Pa., who was representing Quarter Aces Drag O Way.
Another ESTA Safety Park Racer, Jason Longley of Fulton, N.Y., rode his ’06 Suzuki to the win in the Bike/Sled category. He defeated Brian Canoles, Berkeley Springs, W.V., who was racing for U.S. 13 Dragway, in the final. Longley ran 12.662 seconds at 103.05 mph to beat the red-lighting Canoles.
In the High School Eliminator presented by Luzerne County Community College, Matt Bunal, Rome, N.Y., scored the win for ESTA Safety Park and jettisoned Dustin Lecates of Quanitco, Md. Lecates was racing for U.S. 13 Dragway.
The winners in the Super, Pro, Street and Bike/Sled categories are eligible to race against the winners from NHRA’s other six divisions for a national championship and a winner-takes-all $5,000 payday. The run-off will take place during the NHRA Finals at in Pomona, Calif.
The division’s Race of Champions, where the top points earning drivers from each track square off in head-to-head competition, was postponed until Sunday due to rain. Weather permitting, the ROC will resume at 9 a.m.
Following are the NHRA Northeast Division Summit Racing Series Finals champions:
SUPER
Chris Krajewski, Baltimore, Md., Cecil County Dragway, dragster, 7.613, 176.10 def. Brian Balducci, Voorhees, N.J., Atco Raceway, dragster, 7.573, 173.54
PRO
Andy Anderson, York, Pa., Maple Grove Raceway, dragster, 9.886, 115.37 def.
Mike Larose, W. Monroe, N.Y., Esta Safety Park, '68 Plymouth, 10.783, 122.54
STREET
Brandon Wentzel, Reading, Pa., Napierville Dragway, '98 Camaro Z/28, 13.748, 100.20 def.
Randy Brownawell, Mt. Holly Springs, Pa., Quarter Aces Drag O Way, dragster, 11.861, 108.86
BIKE/SLED
Jason Longley, Fulton, N.Y., Esta Safety Park,'06 Suzuki, 12.662, 103.05 def.
Brian Canoles, Berkeley Springs, W.V., Mason-Dixon Dragway, '08 Suzuki, foul
HIGH SCHOOL presented by Luzerne County Community College
Matt Bunal, Rome, N.Y., Esta Safety Park, '91 Camaro, 13.271, 95.07 def.
Dustin Lecates, Quantico, Md., US 13 Dragway, '04 Mustang, 14.479, 96.30
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS:
Maple Grove Raceway, 88 points
Atco Raceway, 66
Esta Safety Park, 58
Old Bridge Twp. Raceway Park, 52
Lebanon Valley Dragway, 51
Cecil County Dragway, 50
Island Dragway, 47
Capitol Raceway, 45
Mason-Dixon Dragway, 43
Virginia Motorsports Park, 42
Quarter Aces Drag-O-Way, 41
Numidia Dragway, 41
US 13 Dragway, 40
Napierville Dragway, 38
Spencer Speedway, 26
Friday
READING, Pa. (Sept. 25, 2009) – The best bracket racers in NHRA’s Northeast division are battling it out at Maple Grove Raceway in the Summit Racing Series Northeast Division Finals. More than 700 racers in four categories, Super E.T., Pro Eliminator, Street and Motorcycle, are vying for team and individual honors.
The event started Thursday with time runs for each competitor. Today they had one more hit at the track before heading into eliminations. Eliminations will continue Saturday until there is only one racer left standing in each class. Those four racers will have the opportunity to advance to compete against winners from NHRA’s other six divisions at the NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif., in November for a national championship. They will each receive $3,500 for competing in the Finals and the winner in each class will receive an additional $5,000.
Once racing is completed on Saturday, the drivers from each track who were among the top points earners will square off in head-to-head competition in the Race of Champions.
Also running this weekend is the High School Eliminator presented by Luzerne County Community College.
The squad from Maple Grove took the team title last year. Individual winners were Bob Avalos in Super E.T.; Brock Moshier in Pro Eliminator; Mike Van den Huevel in Street; and Bob Carlson in Motorcycle. The High School winner was Joe Albrecht.
Preview
READING, Pa. – Maple Grove Raceway will host the 2009 NHRA Northeast Division Summit Racing Series Finals Sept. 24-26. More than 600 drivers in four classes from NHRA member tracks across the Northeast Division will compete for team and individual honors as well as a share of the $46,720 purse.
Individual champions in Super E.T., Pro, Street, and Motorcycle/Snowmobile will also earn the opportunity to compete at the Auto Club of Southern California NHRA Finals in Pomona in November. They will run against champions from NHRA’s other six divisions for a national title and a $5,000 winner-take-all payday. Each driver who advances to the runoff will also receive $3,500 for competing at the Finals.
Friday’s action at Maple Grove Raceway includes the Race of Champions, a race within a race where the top points earners from each participating track square off in head-to-head action for a share of the $4,575 purse.
Gates at Maple Grove Raceway open at 7 a.m. each day, and time trials begin at
9 a.m. Thursday and 8:30 a.m. Friday. The first round of eliminations for the Race of Champions starts at 4 p.m. Friday. Final eliminations for all classes begin Saturday.
For more information, call Maple Grove Raceway, 610-856-7812, or log on to www.MapleGroveRaceway.com.
Summit Racing Series Northeast Division Finals: Fact Sheet
What: NHRA Summit Racing Series Finals, where top drivers from NHRA member tracks across the Northeast Division compete in four classes for individual and team honors. Individual champions will advance to a national runoff at the Auto Club of Southern California NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Action includes the Race of Champions, a race within a race where the top points earners from each facility square off in head-to-head competition.
Where: Maple Grove Raceway, Reading. The track is 10 miles south of Reading, off Route 10. From Pennsylvania Turnpike, take exit 298 and go north on Route 10 for six miles.
When: Thursday through Saturday, Sept. 24-26, 2009
Schedule:
Thursday, Sept. 24: Gates open at 7 a.m. Time trials begin at 9 a.m.
Friday, Sept. 25: Gates open at 7 a.m. Final time trials begin at 8:30 a.m. The Race of Champions begins at 4 p.m. Participants in the High School Eliminator presented by Luzerne County Community College are slated to run at 8 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 26: Gates open at 7 a.m. High School Eliminator participants will have a final time-trial run starting at 8:30 a.m., and eliminations for all classes will follow.
Purse: The Summit Racing Series competitors in Super E.T., Pro, Street, and Motorcycle/Snowmobile will compete for cash awards of $46,720. The winners in each category will advance to compete against winners from NHRA’s other six divisions at the Auto Club of Southern California NHRA Finals in Pomona in November. Each will receive $3,500 for competing at the Finals, and the winner in each class will receive an additional $5,000.
Participants in the Race of Champions will compete for a share of the $4,575 purse.
Participants in the High School category compete for trophies.
2008 event winners: Maple Grove Raceway, team champion; Bob Avalos, Super E.T.; Brock Moshier, Pro; Mike VanDenHuevel, Street; Bob Carlson, Motorcycle/Snowmobile; Joe Albrecht, High School