Drag Racing Action Online

Images David Smith Diane Kubicke, and Bob Reed

The event, the last Lucas Oil divisional in D1, was originally scheduled at Virginia Motorsports Park in September, but inclement weather scuttled those plans and the decision was made to run the event at Maple Grove Dragway in conjunction with the annual Dutch Classic.

As expected, car count was great, and the weather cooperated all weekend.

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER


Jackie Fricke from Flemington N.J. took the Finke Equipment A/FD to a convincing win over her good friend John Ausherman from Manchester, Pa.

Ausherman got the better llight with a 0.034 to Fricke’s 0.059 but Fricke made up the time quickly posting a 5.261 to a losing 5.386 of Ausherman.

Fricke leads the East Region with 298 points

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR


Lincoln University, Pa. owner and driver Wayne Morris took his ’18 Camaro to the win at Maple Grove with a  5.841 @ 261.57 to defeat John Headley from Newportville, Pa. in his ‘00 Mustang’s 6.379, 178.80.

COMPETITION ELIMINATOR


Carl Miller from Stockholm, N.J. has been racing his F/A ’89 Corvette for what seems like decades and after so many years of trying, finally captured his first ever Lucas Wally in his first ever final.

Miller was up against the A/SMA Mopar of Paul Ricci  in the finals but the race was over on the line as Ricci left too soon handing Miller the historic and emotional win.

SUPER STOCK


A red light also decided the winner as Marty Rinehart from Thomasville PA left 0.009 too soon giving Troy Huntzberry from Hagerstown, Md. his second Lucas win in 2024.

Huntzberry driving his SS/IA, ‘87 Camaro earlier defeated Duane Hoven, Anthony Fetch and Byron Worner on his way to the finals. Rinehart, in his SS/EA ’69 Camaro defeated Landon Huntzberry, Bill Kennedy and Melinda Hurley to get to the money round.

By going rounds at Maple Grove, former Lucas champ Byron Worner is the 2024 NED Super Stock champ.

STOCK ELIMINATOR


Joe Mocci from Ocean, N.J. drove his K/SA ’69 Camaro, to the win defeating Dean Ribeiro’s C/SA ’94 Camaro, C/SA. Mocci was off the line first and never looked back winning with a 11.868 on his 11.85 dial as Riberio lost with a 10.731 on a 10.74 dial.

The win was Mocci’s first career Lucas win

SUPER COMP


Mike Robilotto, from Sophia, N.C. took his dragster to a second 2024 Lucas win beating a red lighting Thomas Smith from Hughestown, Pa.

Robilotto and Smith had been cutting down the tree throughout eliminations as Robilotto took out former D1 champs Tom Stalba and Tom Slater and Smith beat Robilotto’s daughter Heather Fetch and Jack Sepanek on his side of the ladder.  

The win at Maple was Robilotto’s seventh divisional Wally

SUPER GAS


Former D1 champ Canadian racer Charlie Kenopic had his Corvette on track hitting the tree all throughout eliminations. Stalba was right there with Kenopic with his Corvette roadster  in reaction times and the finals looked to be a super race between champs.

Stalba got off the line first but at the stripe it was Kenopic truring on the win kight with a 9.945 to Stalba’s uncharacteristic 10.03.

The win was Kenopic’s seventh Lucas win.

SUPER STREET


Two of the best Super Street races got togher in the finals at Maple Grove New York racer Frank Volpe put his ’90  Mustang in the winner’s circle defeating Jay Neville from Franklinville, N.J. Neville’s 79 Camaro was behind at the start with a 0.045 light to Volpe’s 0.010 and it was Volpe’s 10.931 taking the win over the 10.95 of Neville.

The win was Volpe’s fourth Lucas Oil Wally .

TOMMY TAPE TOP DRAGSTER PRESENTED BY SELECT PERFORMANCE


2023 Lucas Oil World Champ Vince Musolino drove his ’13 Racetech dragster to what became a perfect ending to his 2024 season as the Bridgeport New York driver won the 2024 D1 championship. With strong finishes at Lebanon Valley and an out of division win at Dallas, Musolino won his second in a row D1 title .

In the finals Musolino had Wally Zalak  from  Huntington, N.Y.,  in the other lane Musolino had a 6.52 dial and ran a 6.532 for the win as Zalak was off  his dial a little bit with a 6.557 on a 6.58 dial   

In addition to winning the division, the win at Maple Grove was Musolino’s’ seventh Lucas Oil Wally

TOMMY TAPE TOP SPORTSMAN PRESENTED BY SELECT PERFORMANCE

There’s not much more than defending 2023 champ Brandon Miller can accomplish. National event wins, divisionals  ,PDRA wins, the  Canterbury Connecticut driver drove his ’00 S10, to a win at Maple running a 6.825, 198.15 on a dial to defeat Salem New Hampshire’s Robert Hyatt’s ’92 Cutlass.

Miller was second off the line but ran closer to his dial with a 6.825 on a 6.81 as Hyatt was 7.334 on a 7.31 dial.

The win was Miller’s ninth Lucas Oil Wally and his second for 2024 and cemented his 2024 Divisional championship. Miller only went to one NHRA national event and still finished 16th in the world for 2024.

Other Winners at Maple Grove

JUNIOR DRAGSTER 6-10


Kole Paone, Galloway, N.J., dragster, 9.086, 71.88  defeated Graysyn Lang, Slatington, Pa., Mike Bos, foul. 

JUNIOR DRAGSTER 11-18

Michael Antonette, Wantagh, N.Y., ’05 Half Scale, 8.917, 77.05  defeatedAlfonse Magliocco, Erial, N.J., ’16 Half Scale, foul. 

SUMMIT PRO BIKE


Keith Alesin, Mohnton, Pa., ’90 Sport HD, 10.268, 123.61  defeated Levon Currie, Glassboro, N.J., ’00 Hayabusa, foul. 

11.50 INDEX


Jeff Rahner, Califon, N.J., ’68 Skylark, 11.498, 116.56  defeated. Rich Wendler, Bensalem, Pa., ’86 Camaro, 11.469, 114.95. 

10.00 INDEX

Kevin Spencer, Conowingo, Md., ’89 Mustang, 10.236, 111.21  defeated. Michael Card, Lansdale, Pa., ’01 S-10, broke. 

8.50 INDEX


Carl Blase, Galloway, N.J., ’00 Mustang, 8.536, 156.79  defeated Brian Marko, Myerstown, Pa., ’69 Camaro, 8.519, 157.61. 

HEMI SHOOTOUT


Stephen Comella, Webster, N.Y., ’68 Barracuda, SS/AH, 11.479, 78.84 defeated. Bucky Hess, Bunker Hill, W.V., ’68 Cuda, SS/AH, foul. 

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