Drag Racing Action Online

Images John McCartney, Bob Reed, and Steve Bell

With frost on the pumpkin and the leaves turning golden hues, the final event for the Alcohol Funny Cars of the Northeast was completed at Island Dragway in Great Meadows NJ. The race, the 64th anniversary Funny Car Throwdown, was originally scheduled for August but due to inclement weather, moved to October. To the racers it was a big move to go from a Sunday afternoon race in August went to a Saturday night in October.

But the schedule change didn’t change the turnout and as usual, nearly a dozen of the  quickest nostalgia Alcohol Funny Cars were on hand to thrill the fans and put on a great show.

Two rounds of action were run under beautiful skies with the two quickest cars in R1, coming back and closing out the show in R2. As it turned those cars were the Dazed and Confused Camaro driven by Cody Helger and Jon Wall in Ed Parker’s Cape Codder Plymouth. Helger carded a 6.43 and Wall put down a 6.28 @215 to set up the matchup.

In the final it was all Cape Codder, with a 6.30 211 as Cody ran into issues off the line. With the Low ET Wall won Ricks Towing Low Et Award.

After the second round Wall brought up the Cape Codder for a special run. Wall ran a special tribute pass for Ed Parker, the Cape Codder car owner who recently passed away. With Ed’s family and friends on the line, Jon Wall staged the Codder, took the tree and idled down the track, turning the win light on for Ed one last line.

Wall takes the tree in Ed Parker’s Cape Codder for the last time in 2024

“Another great weekend for Ed Parker’s Cape Codder team.,” said Wall after an emotional weekend. “This was our first race since Ed had passed away on October 4th, but we made him proud. We were able to claim another win as well as reset the Funny Car track record. The 2024 season had to end sometime and somewhere. It might as well be a place that feels like home. Island Dragway is as close as it gets.”

“Mellissa, Carl and the whole staff are always great to us,” Wall continues “I look forward to our trips there every year. I’d like to thank the Parker family. Sean, Kate and Dot for allowing me to finish the season for their father. Another person I’d like to thank is Steve Buckley He’s the backbone to everything we do.”

“We have a great crew with Bob Wall, Dave Pedretti, Michelle Conrad, Steve Conrad and Billy Dee.  I’d also like to give a special thanks to The Helgers, the Massarellas, the Stambaughs the rest of the NJFCM as-well as Jimmy Curtis and Jay Blake for the help this year. Thank you, Ed Parker, for everything you’ve done for everyone. You’ll be forever missed by many!

Runner Up Helger said,” We were very satisfied with our first run .43 at 214 with a 1.00 60ft time.  Islands track prep was on point, that was enough to put us in the final with my good friend Jon Wall.

“A hole shot was going to be key to challenge Wall’s previous .32 but unfortunately, we popped the burst panel when I put it on the 2-step. Very happy for Jon’s win and track record especially in memory of Ed Parker. Couldn’t have gone to a better bunch of guys.”

Melissa Barnard won Ricks Towing best BUG of the event backing up her husband Frank in the Poison Arrow funny car.

Chris Massarella, who in addition to racing and managing his two Funny Cars and is instrumental in booking the cars throughout the season said, “I want to thank Melissa and Carl Milano for all they do to keep Island Dragway alive., In a state where all the other drag strips have gone out of business Island is doing fine. And thanks to them for including the Funny Cars every year in their huge Anniversary Show. It’s become a very special event all the teams and fans look forward to.

In addition to the great Funny Car show featuring the Eastern Raider jet dragster and the Top Secret jet Firebird, nostalgia dragsters, gassers, altereds, and door slammers  were on hand to make runs throughout the day.

For more images from the event go to: