Drag Racing Action Online  Images: Phil Hutchison and Rob Keister

After a condensed racing schedule, the Mid Atlantic Series finishes up the 2023 season with the finals at Maple Grove Sunday October 15 in a one race finale to decide who will be the champs.

Racers in Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street along with the Top 32 Challenge and Jr Dragster will be battling it out to see who the champion in each category will be. The event has the makings of the best one day 0.90 race in the history of the series.

Series founder and president Rob Keister said, ““The 2023 season for the Mid Atlantic super series comes to a close at Maple Grove Raceway. A season that started out promising to be the best season on record with the addition of Top Dragster & Sportsman and Junior dragsters to the series quickly turned to a mad scramble to find dates after Atco Dragway closed abruptly.”

Kevin Scholl leads Super Comp going into the last race of 2023

Leading Fuel Factory Super Comp is Eagleville Pa.  driver Kevin Scholl in the S&W dragster. Scholl has 252 points over his closest competitors Dave Rowe in his Blue Chip entry and 2022 champ Chase Fahnestock tied at 229. . Maple Grove LODRS winner Dave Long is 4th with 221 and Amanda Boicesco is two points behind Long with 219.

Dave Rowe

 The series uses the NHRA divisional point system which means any of the above could take the class at Maple Grove

Points leader Kevin Scholl said going into the final event,” It’s a one race shootout essentially. One qualifier to set up the ladder and see how it shakes out. Every round is important and whomever comes out on top when the day ends will have earned it. Glad I have the lead going in but in no way is it safe so I’m approaching it like I must win the day. The Mid Atlantic .90 series is stacked with talent and there are no easy rounds.”

Chase Fahnestock would love to repeat his 2022 title

2022 champ Fahnestock said, “We’re just looking to go and have some fun. Of course, we’re always trying to win, though. After winning last year’s championship, it would be cool to go back-to-back, but finishing in the top 5 three years in a row is an accomplishment in itself, so we’ll be content with that, if that’s what is in store for us.”

Bob Phillips in his Mopar leads  Super Gas 

Super Gas, as in Super Comp, is crowded at the top with some of the best Northeast Division racers in the hunt. Leading Fuel Factory Super Gas is veteran racer Bob Phillips from Oley Pa in his Dodge Neon. Phillips’ 241 leads former Indy champ Iggie Boicesco and Hank Smith who are tied at 220. Nick Volpe is right there with 197.

Iggie Boicesco’s Corvette is in the #2 spot going into the finale 

Second place Boicesco had this to say about his chances at the finale,” Bob Phillips, who is in first place, is one of the best Super Gas drivers in the country. He is going to be very tough to overtake but as always, I’ll give it my best and we’ll see what happens when it happens.”

Volpe has had a great 2023 in the family Super Street Mustang 

Fuel Factory Super Street is less crowded with Frank Volpe III and Dom Burgese on top of the points race for the championship. Volpe from New York and leads the class with 272 points said, “I’ve been blessed with a great year so far. Sadly with the closing of Atco our season was cut in half, but Rob worked very hard with Maple Grove to get this last race on our schedule and I think for that, all of us racers are thankful. I don’t take any of my competition in Super Street lightly so I definitely have my work cut out for me to hold this championship in the last race but I am certainly going to give it my all.

Cecil Country winner Dom Burgese is a tick behind Volpe with 263 points.

Jarrod Kissinger’s blown dragster does a burnout at the Dave Stine race

New to 2023 are the always exciting Top Sportsman and Top Dragster classes dueling it out in a combo Top 32 Challenge which pits the winners of the two classes against each other. Going into the final race of the year is the blown dragster of Jarrod Kissinger from Bernville Pa. Kissinger who won at the Uncle Buck race at Cecil said,” With leading the points coming into the last race, I’m not sure if I should be doing a rain dance or saying let’s get it on. Either way we are coming to take the championship.”

 Bear Del. racer Donnie Teague is in second place with his beautiful ’67 Nova with 167 points with Mike Grafas and Dave Muller right behding with 156 and 145 points respectively.

All the fun at Maple Grove is reserved for the adults as Jr Dragster is also up for grabs at Maple Grove with Francis Vignola #1 with 259 points and Frank Aragona III and Alfonse Magliocco tied for second with 227.

Erin Willing and Connor Boyd are tied for third with 216 points.

“Thanks to the Korestky family and Maple Grove raceway for offering up a one day shootout at their facility to settle the points champions,” Keister said. “We know the season was a guessing game for our members after Atco closed and I’m sure our points leaders were hoping the season ended after Cecil in August but, we wanted to make sure the series was fair and we put 110% effort into getting additional dates.”

“I’m excited to have a one-day shootout to settle the champs and top ten finishers as we honor all of them at our banquet individually on March 16th. We want to thank all our racers and members for sticking with us this year in these tough times and look forward to providing a great schedule once the NHRA D1 schedule is released as we will look into visiting new venues and revisiting some old friends! We’d love for everyone to come out and race with us in 2024!”