Drag Racing Action

Images Phil Hutchison, Rob Keister

The week before the season finale at Cecil County Dragway, series president and promoter Rob Keister and his team were looking at the weekend weather report. Too many times during the 2024 season, mother nature put the kibosh on the races the association had scheduled and Cecil, being the last race of the season, was pivotal for the racers wanting to earn more points for the year long points chase.

The decision was made to go ahead with the event with iffy weather forecast for Saturday but beautiful conditions for Sunday.

“Mother Nature also didn’t play nice with having rain at 7 of our 10 events this year, said association president Rob Keister.  “It used to be when racers / track owners see a 70-80% chance of rain they stay home or cancel but this year was a lot of 30-40% chance of rain and racers were just staying home to not risk losing money.”

After only a few classes had a first round on Saturday, wet and windy conditions prevailed, and the decision was made to cancel Saturday and put all the effort on Sunday which turned out to be a perfect day for drag racing.

The 2024vSuper Comp title went down to the final race of the year with two time champion Don Bangs just out of the lead behind Bill Hardifer and Tony Barrett. Bangs had to go rounds on Sunday and that’s exactly what the Southampton PA driver did. He took his Race Tech dragster to a win over series regular Kathy Smulligan in the Sunday finals. Both racers were on their game with a 0.015 RT for Smulligan and a 0.019 light for Bangs.

On the top end it was Bangs for the win as Smulligan pushed her Cressman car 0.005 too far breaking out with an 8.895 and giving Bangs the race win but more importantly, the Super Comp series win.

“We came into the .90 Finale weekend in the #3 spot, 44 points behind point leader Bill Hardifer and just 5 behind Tony Barrett at #2.  After an extremely disappointing first round loss Saturday, a WHOLE LOT of things needed to happen on Sunday to have any shot at grabbing a come from behind MASCA Championship,” Bangs said after the Cecil win.

“In the end, getting the event “W” in a tight rematch of the Sunday Mason-Dixon final over the always dialed Kathy Smulligan proved to be just enough to lock down my third  MASCA series Championship   Congratulations to all the other Mid-Atlantic .90 and Super Series Champs for 2024 after a very trying, season-long battle with Mother Nature. 

“Kudos to Rob Keister for his perseverance and his whole team for all they continually do to make the Series a success.  Thanks to my wife Beth and our Family for their support, the Butlers from Victory Gardens and to Russ, Kellan and the talented folks at Race Tech Race Cars for making a masterpiece out of the twisted mess I dropped off there last November. 

“Shout outs also go to Lee at C2 Competition, the “Eddies” at Select Performance, Roy from Hoosier Tire, Doug at Moroso, Jeff at Road Runner Race Fuels, James at Killerons.com and as always, the ever-present go-to, Tom Goldman and of course, the rest of our “Racing Family”.

Winning Super Gas at Cecil was New Jersey racer Dave Muller. Muller who is usually seen behind the wheel of his Top Sportsman Camaro, took the win over the Corvette roadster of Nicholas Daniels from West Chester PA. Daniels was nearly locked out of a win as Muller had a 0.044 light in his Camaro roadster to Daniel’s 0.051 and ran a right on 9.909 to Daniels 9.915 in the loss.

 

Muller said after his win, “It was awesome to get back in the roadster & get a win at a .90 series race. I’m thrilled with the car & its appearance. Thanks to RaceTech & Korek Designs. Much appreciation to my son Tommy, Rob Keister & his crew for putting on the race, and Jim Halsey & his guys for hosting the race & keeping the track so tight.

Although he went out early in eliminations, Keith Mayers took the 2024 Super Gas championship back to Ellendale DE. The championship was Mayer’s 8th Mid Atlantic title having won Super Street seven times.

“This was the first season running Super Gas in  Rob’s  series after years of competitng in Super Street,” Mayers said.  “Got to race a lot of different people and some very nice cars. I hurt my good motor and finished the season with my backup but by next year I’ll have a new bullet ready for the car.”

“Thanks to Jason A., Hoosier,  VP, Billy Carrol at the Comp Group, Shaggy, Geezer, and Hoopes Fire Prevention.”

Super Street was one of the most hotly contested classes at Cecil with the finals going down to the ’68 Camaro of Mike Giuliano from Wantagh NY up against the Monza of Greg Kelly from Hainesport NJ. Giuliano, a former NED champ, had the better light and the better time with a 0.019 RT coupled with a 10.909 to Kelly’s 0.035 RT and a breaking out 10.888.

Taking the 2024 Super Street title was Scott Lang. Lang from Slatington, Pa. won the title on the strength of his finishes in his trusty ’73 Nova.

“All season long, I played the consistency card,” said Lang. “Coming into the weekend, I was leading the points and had a few competitors that had a chance of taking the championship. Sunday became a long, stressful day with going out in the first round and having to play the waiting game, which was the first race all season that I didn’t at least go onto the second round in the series.”

“It has been one heck of a season this year.  I owe a special thanks to my brother Sean for giving me a very competitive car to race and thank Rob and his crew for giving us fun weekends of racing.”

Top Sportsman at Cecil went to the beautiful Camaro of Ron Riegel from Fairless Hills PA. Riegel defeated the ’67 Nova of Delaware racer Don Teague in the finals with a 0.007 aided 4.419 on a 4.38 dial. Teague lost with a 4.625 on his 4.59 dial.

Aston PA’s Joe Heffernan won the 2024 Top Sportsman/Top Dragster Top 32 series in his ’68 Camaro.

“I really like racing at Rob Keister’s events. Two races in one weekend,” Heffernan says. “At other events I have to get there on Thursday to set up but it’s not like that at these races. Also, Jim Halsey and his crew are simply the best in track prep. No other track has this kind of maintenance. Other tracks will just spray if things aren’t good, but Halsey knows how to get the best out of the track.”

Winning his first ever Mid Atlantic Top Dragster trophy was Larry Waters. Waters from Fort Washington PA put a 4.88 dial on his dragster and ran a 4.895 as his competition, Butch Bucher from Howell NJ was locked out of a win as Waters crushed the tree with a 0.003 RT to Bucher’s 0.021.

“I would like to thank Rob Keister, his Mid Atlantic .90 Associates, Jim Halsey and his staff for a well run race day,” Waters said. “It was a great family friendly event. Especially the potluck supper. Having my sons and grandsons celebrate the win with me made it extra special. I look forward to participating in more of Rob’s races in the future.

New for 2024 was the Mid Atlantic Stock/Super Stock series. The series, which was a continuation/rebirth of the East Coast Stock/Super Stock circuit gives the door slammers another venue to race in addition to the NHRA Lucas events. If 2024 is any indication, it will become a popular class going forward in 2025.

The finale at Cecil went to the refrigerator white ’69 Camaro of Joe “Zoom” Mocci from Wayside NH. Mocci used a 0.010 light and a nearly right on 10.875 on his 10.87 dial to beat the Firebird of Todd Hoven. Hoven ran a 10.204 on a 10.17 dial in the loss.

Hoven didn’t leave Cecil empty handed as the Nazareth PA driver won the 2024 Mid Atlantic Stock/Super Stock series.

The first ever champ in the first year said, “I’m thrilled, honored, and humbled to have won the 2024 Inaugural Mid Atlantic S/SS Championship. I started out with just wanting to support the new venue, not expecting much. I was running my own car that I haven’t driven since 2016. The car and my luck far exceeded my expectations. I want to thank first and foremost Robert Keister. It’s because of him we have a great new venue to race away from the NHRA.

“I want to thank Jim Halsey and the great people from Cecil County Dragway for giving us a great facility to race and hosting the Mid Atlantic series. To all the S/SS racers in the area, please come race with us next year and support these guys. You won’t find better racing, or people to race with. And I’d like to thank all the sponsors who came on board to support us as well.”

Finally, it was the Jr’s turn to shine and has been for the entire season, a big turnout of racers was on hand at Cecil to decide the championship.

Abby Martin from Eagleville PA took her dragster to the Cecil win with a 7.92 on a 7.90 dial as her competition, Morgan Harp from Souderton PA couldn’t run the number losing with a 8.106 on a 8.01 dial.

“I felt good going into Sunday’s race because I was hitting the tree during Friday’s test session and had two good hits on the tree on Saturday before the rain came,” Abby said after her Cecil win.  “I stayed focused on Sunday and kept my eye on the prize and was lucky enough to end up in the winner’s circle. I’d like to thank my crew (mom and dad) for keeping the car dead on all day. Thanks to my sponsors PowerTube TV, HC Martin Body Co, Branca Construction, CRC, Levan Machine and Marschan Motorsports.”

Austin Ecks from Quarryville PA.  won the year long series after a great start at the first two races. His weekend at Cecil wasn’t what the Pennsylvania team was hoping for going out early both days but on the strength of his earlier round wins, took the title. Ecks won the 2024 title by the slimmest of margins. One point.

Ecks said “I was shocked and very happy when they announced me as the champion. It was my goal to make it into the top 10.”

His mom Nicole Ecks adds,” We are so proud of Austin and his recent championship win. He is in his rookie year of juniors and has done a great job behind the wheel. He has such a great attitude with the sport and loved being a part of the Mid Atlantic series this year.”

Mid Atlantic president and promoter Rob Keister said, “The 2024 season was one of perseverance, with everyone feeling the crunch of the economy, racers were picking and choosing what events they would attend. I am looking forward to the addition of Stock / Super Stock and Junior Street to the series next season,”

“Hopefully the 2025 season Mother Nature will be a lot nicer to us. Congrats to Don on his 3rd Championship along with Keith on his 8th, Scott, Joe & Austin on their 1st.”