Drag Racing Action Online  Images: David Smith/Diane Kubicke

After the news that Atco Dragway was closing, the scheduled Lucas Oil Divisional at the New Jersey track was in jeopardy of being canceled. The NED didn’t need another canceled Lucas race as in 2022 when the VMP event was scrubbed due to weather.

Enter the Koretsky family. Since purchasing the Maple Grove facility, the family has gone the extra mile in putting on great shows at the Pa. track. And once Atco was a no go, the Koretsky’s stepped up and agreed to stage the Lucas event, the fifth of seven scheduled LODRS in D1.

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER

Matt Cummings from Delray Beach Fla. put the McPhillips Racing A/FD in the #1 spot with a 5.239 with Tony Stewark racing out of Columbus Ind. #2 a tick behind with a 5.266.

Stewart, enjoying his second season behind the wheel of the Rich McPhillips tuned Mobil 1 dragster took out the blown car of Mike Hepp from Levitton, Pa and the injected car of Dan Page out of New Hampshire on his way to his third LODRS final of 2023.

On the other side of the ladder, Cummings beat local racer John Ausherman from Harrisburg Pa. and NJ. racer Karen Stalba to meet Stewart for the title.

The race was over at the hit as the fuel pump drive shaft in Cummings’ car broke giving Stewart his second Lucas win of the year and putting the Indianapolis car owner and driver the lead in the Lucas Oil World Championship series.

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

Bridgewater Mass. racer Matt Gill continued his domination of the class with his third win in the East Region and his second in a row at Maple Grove.

After qualifying #1 with a 5.537 in the Moduline Aluminum Cabinets ’16 Camaro, Gill defeated Wayne Morris in R1 and got the bye to the final to meet reigning East champ DJ Cox in the final. Cox, from Whiteford Md., was #2 qualifier with a 5.566 in the DXI Construction ‘Camaro and defeated Brian Gawlik and Fred Tigges to get to the final.  Cox got off the line first with a 0.033 RT to Gill’s 0.55 but spun the tires slowing to a 6.804 as Gill took the win with a 5.572. The win, which was his 15 career Lucas win, gave Gill a huge lead in the Regional points and moved him into #3 in the Lucas World Championship race.

COMPETITION ELIMINATOR

Hired gun, Santo Volpe, who has driven nearly every type of car on the quarter mile, took the Chris Wentzel owned A/EA Bantam to his 10th career Lucas win beating a red lighting Kevin Houghtaling in the finals.  Michele Costa, who qualified her G/EA in the #1 spot with a 0.661 under 8.139 lost in the first round against Houghtaling when Costa had a terrible 0.291 RT putting Houghtaling into the second round where he took out Carl Miller and then Don Eckel to get to the finals .  Volpe, who qualified in the #15 slot, defeated reigning D1 champ Steve Szupka, former NED champ Al Ackerman, and Don Belles to get to the final.

SUPER STOCK

Justin Picillo FROM Warwick, R.I., drove his ‘85 Trans AM SS/BS to the win defeating Herb Sullivan’s GT/IA  ’87 Camaro in the finals. Picillo was off the line first with a 0.018 llight to Sullivan’s 0.050 and hung on for the win with a 9.636 on his 9.60 dial as Sullivan lost with a 9.969 on a 9.93 dial. The win at Maple Grove was Picillo’s 6th career Lucas win.

STOCK

Matt Lisa from Vernon, N.J. loves Maple Grove. Lisa had a great weekend at the Grove during the Dave Stine Memorial race two weeks earlier taking Pro Eliminator on Sunday of the race. This time Lisa drove the family D/SA ’68 Camaro to a win over Hampton N.H. racer Bob Broadbent A/S Camaro.

Broadbent got a slight starting line advantage with a 0.026 RT to Lisa’s close 0.029 but Lisa ran closer to his dial winning with a 10.846 on a 10.82 as Broadbent lost with a 10.232 on his 10.19 dial. The win at Maple Grove was Lisa’s second career Lucas Oil win.

SUPER COMP

Multi time champ Tom Stalba from Hammonton, N.J., drove his ’10 Undercover dragster to the win defeating Hughestown Pa. racer TC Smith’s RED car in the finals. Stalba crushed the tree with a 0.006 light to Smith’s 0.013 and cruised to the win running a 8.915 to Smith’s 8.923.

The win at MG was Stalba’s 29th career Lucas win.

SUPER GAS

Professional Sportsman racer John Labbous Jr. from Goodlettsville, Tenn. Drove his ’63 Corvette to the win defeating local racer Tom Goldman in the finals. Goldman from Allentown Pa. was second off the line with a 0.029 RT to Labbous’ better 0.015 and ran a better but later 9.92 to Labbous’ winning 9.923.

The win was Labbous’ 16th career Lucas win.

SUPER STREET

Tommy Muller from Pennington, N.J. drove his unique ’57 Chevy 210 to his first career Lucas  win defeating the breaking out ’67 Firebird of Darren Wood out of  Barkhamsted, Conn. in the finals.

Wood had the better light with a great 0.006 to Muller’s 0.016 but blew through the 10.90 index running a losing 10.838 to Muller’s winning 10.92.

TOP SPORTSMAN

French Canadian racer Gerard Milette from St Etienne put his ’63 Corvette in the winner’s circle defeating the Chevy S-10 of Brandon Miller in the finals. Miller who has been the class leader with wins at Cecil and the spring race at MG, had a decent 0.027 light to Milette’s better 0.014 and it made all the difference at the stripe as Milette posted a 7.035 on his 7.00 dial as Miller lost with a 7.014 on his 6.99.

The win was Milette’s third Lucas Oil Series Wally. And with the loss, Miller still leads the NED and is in third place for the National title and  will be tough to catch in 2023.

TOP DRAGSTER

In a rare father/daughter final Vince Musolino from Bridgeport N.Y. beat his daughter Natalie for the Top Dragster title.

Natalie, in her first ever NHRA final, was second off the line with a 0.085 light to dad’s 0.012 and although she ran closer to her dial with a 7.065 on her 7.06, the difference off the line was the deciding factor as Vince ran a winning 6.704 on his 6.65 dial.

The win was Musolino’s eighth Lucas Wally and his third of the season. Musolino leads the division and is currently in the 6th spot in the Lucas World Championsip.

 JUNIOR DRAGSTER 13-18

Ryan Schmidt from Berlin, N.J. took the win as his competition, Daniel Spotts from nearby Douglassville, Pa., left too soon giving Schmidt the win.

JUNIOR DRAGSTER 10-12


Third generation racer Michael Antonette from Wantagh, N.Y. was also the recipient of a gift as her competition, Larissa Oles, left too soon putting Antonette in the winner’s circle.

JUNIOR DRAGSTER 6-9

It was another red light as Michael’s brother Nicholas Antonette, left too soon giving Oliva Torchia from Galloway N.J. the win.

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