Drag Racing Action Online  Phil Hutchison and Rob Keister

Images Rob Keister and Phil Hutchison

After an abbreviated event at Mason Dixon, Rob Keister, Dana Nahill, and the rest of the Mid Atlantic .90 Association were hoping for a perfect weekend of racing at Cecil County Dragway.

They got most of their wishes with two days of racing, but Friday’s Test n Tune was a washout and the residual water from all the rain over the past week at the Maryland track affected the racing surface forcing the owner Jim Halsey and Keister to make the tough decision to go to an 1/8 mile format for Saturday’s eliminations.

For the .90 racers, eight mile is different but doable. Super Comp would go off at a 5.70 index, Super Gas 6.30 and Super Street a 6.90.

Top Sportsman and Top Dragster run eight mile at PDRA events and Keister’s series so they were ready. Stock and Super Stock, now that was a different story as it is rare that NHRA Sportsman runs the short track.

In Super Stock it was multi-time National & Divisional Event winner Byron Worner taking the win, Worner had to say “With only one time shot it was a guess on what to dial in. This was our first time out with the freshened stuff, and we didn’t know how the car would perform.”

For Worner it was moot point as the Duncannon PA driver figured it out quickly. In the finals he faced Robert Costantin and his “Crazy Horse” Mustang. Worner got a huge advantage at the hit and only being 1/8 mile was in full control by going 6.076 on his 6.070 dial in.

Winning Super Comp on Saturday was Steve Everett beating former NHRA D1 champ and good friend Tom Stalba in the finals. Everett got the better light and won in a double breakout 5.683 to Stalba’s 5.679. Everett had to say after the win “This was a long time coming for me, I was playing double duty this weekend as I debuted the fan favorite truck back into competition in Super Street, so the way the rotation panned out there wasn’t much time for R&R. Jim Halsey and his crew had the track on kill all weekend and it was cool to run under the lights which look amazing.”

Super Gas champ Tom Goldman from Allentown PA is no stranger to the .90 winner’s circle having won his share of Keister’s races over the years and the win at Cecil was his first of the year having scored a runner up at Mason Dixon earlier.

Goldman, in his ’58 Corvette roadster was up against fellow fabrication expert Dave Muller in his Camaro roadster in the finals and got the better light and like Super Comp, it was a double breakout with Goldman’s 6.29 the deciding factor over Muller’s 6.259.

“Great day and night of racing today at the Mid Atlantic Super Gas race today at Cecil County,” Goldman said after his win.  “Jim Halsey and crew did of great job of getting the track in shape after all the rain we had.”

“Rob Keister and the Cecil crew made the right decision going to 1/8 mile. Not something we do often but we all adapted well. Big thanks to Kathy S. Purcell, Don Bangs, Roy Freeman and Hoosier Mid Atlantic, ATM Innovation ,Comp Cams and Edelbrock Group, Fuel Factory and Select Performance.”

In Super Street it went down to the black Mustang of James Moshier up against the Olds of Neal Vaccaro. Moshier had the better light and took the win with a breaking out 6.89 on the 6.90 but Vaccaro’s throttle stop never activated as he tried to pace Moshier but went way too quickly with a 5.995 in the loss.

In Top Dragster, it was Paul Kelley out of New Jersey taking the win, the Kelley boys of Paul and his brother Greg have made Cecil their new home after the closing of Atco. In the finals it was Kelley taking the win over New York’s Mike Esposito. Kelley had the advantage at the hit and paced Esposito down the track for the win and his first in the Top Dragster series of Keister’s as he had won an event in Super Comp trim a few years back.

In Top Sportsman, it was Mount Airy. Md own Vince Forcade Jr. taking the win in his Camaro over the beautiful truck of Star Machines owner Tony Hill. The final was a great match-up as it was decided at the starting line with Forcade grabbing a .006 advantage at the start and that was the difference at the stripe as both went dead on 4 of their dials.

Forcade had to say after his first win in TS with the series “I want to thank Mom & Dad for the opportunity to do this, Maximum Race Oils, Team Overlook, Saffelle Racing for a great car, Mike Scott at Right Trailers and Rob and his team.” “We decided to run this series full time in 2025 to give Rob the support because he works hard for us racers and we need more guys out here supporting him.”

The Mid Atlantic Junior series saw a record car count with 54 juniors hitting the track on Saturday, the series is separated into 3 age groups till they get down to 8 cars or less then it’s a combined group.

Taking home his first 6-9 year old medal was Lorenzo Gianatiempo over Braxton Sencindiver out of West Virginia, in the 10-12 year olds it was Kole Paone taking the win in that age group, Paone would carry that momentum over to the combined age group where he found himself in the finals against Charlotte Ecks.

Ecks who was looking to become the first ever Mid Atlantic 2x event winner and follow in her brothers’ footsteps of his 2024 championship took the advantage at the tree and never looked back as it became a whomping fest at the top end with Ecks going 7 over her dial to Paone’s 8 over his dial.   

Sunday’s weather was beautiful, and the track conditions improved to the point that full quarter mile racing was on tap for the .90 and the Stock/Super Stock racers.

Winning an emotional final in Super Comp was former Mid Atlantic champ Chase Fahnestock in his DWM dragster.Chase, who lost his grandmom a few weeks earlier had something to race for at Cecil. In the finals Chase would be up against Mason Dixon runner up David Rowe in a great matchup..

Earlier Rowe defeated 2024 series champ Don Bangs in a double breakout race and Fahnestock took out Nick Gianatempo on a hole shot as both racers ran dead on 8.90. Chase had an 8.906 to Nick’s better but losing 8.902.

In the finals the race was over at the line as Rowe left 0.007 too soon giving Fahnestock his first win for 2025. Chase would have been tough to beat as his dead on 8.902 coupled with a 0.017 light was a great combination.

After the win Chase said, “After the passing of my grandmother on Easter Sunday, it was clear to me that the next trophy I won needed to go to my mom, who was by her side until the day she passed.”

“I came up short at Mason Dixon but kept my focus on that Sunday at Cecil County. Going into the final, I hoped I’d have the opportunity to give her that trophy, and all came together thankfully. Must thank Rob, Dana and the entire Cecil County crew for giving us a place to race and a killer track surface all weekend.”

Super Gas had another emotional winner as Mike Lang who has not been in the winner’s circle since 2016, took the title at Cecil took the win. Lang defeated the Camaro roadster of Dave Muller in the finals with a 9.916 to Muller’s 9.939. Muller, who had beat Keith Mayers and George Stack to make the finals had a 0.038 RT to Lang’s better 0.019 and that made the difference as Muller was locked out of a win.

“It’s been a long time coming with the new car. Lot of changes in over the years. I thought it would never happen again.” Lang said. 

“I have to thank Don Miller for giving me the semi finals as I forgot to close the lean out valve. I was toast.  And thanks to my girlfriend Karen who is a big help at the races and to Sean for helping me get the car ready.”

Saturday’s Super Street winner James Moshier was once again in the finals on Sunday but this time he was against multi time Mid Atlantic and NHRA champ Keith Mayers. Moshier had an uncharacteristic reaction time that nearly started with a two, which is the death in .90 racing. Mayer’s had a great 0.018 light and took the win with a 11.055 to Moshier’s better 10.965.

“I left the line and since my car is faster, I usually have to catch up to the competition,” Mayers said.  “I caught up to him and wondered what was wrong with my car, but I kept the old Porsche out in front and took the stripe. It was a good weekend as I went rounds in Super Gas with the other car.” 

The Stock/Super Stock racers turned out in force for the event with a full field of racers, most were out for the first time in 2025.

Bryon Worner winner of Saturday’s Stock/Super Stock made it a double with a win on Sunday over Herb Sullivan. Sullivan behind the wheel of his GT/IA Camaro was dialed in at a 9.84 and ran a right on 9.843 with a 0.029 RT. Worner driving the Worner and Sons Motorsports Camaro, dialed in with a 9.61 ran a 9.619 but his 0.022 light made the difference at the stripe.

“Didn’t have any expectations coming in due to it being the first runs down a race track this season with a fresh motor, Worner said. “I raced really well at Cecil County last season winning the points race and messed up the finish line in the quarter finals of the last Mid Atlantic race.”

“It felt like I picked up right where I left off. The car was very consistent, and I was driving the finish line very well. I guess I can’t wait to get back for another race at Cecil.”

Top Sportsman winner John Richmond III is on a roll in the Top 32 Challenge with his second win in three races. At Cecil it was a battle of blue Chevy Novas in the finals as Richmond’s ’64 took the measure of Don Teague in his ’67 Nova.

Both drivers had nearly identical reaction times so it came down to who could run closer to their dial without breaking out. Richmond, dialed in with a 5.17 put down a 5.183 to the breaking out 4.616 on a 4.63 dial of Teague.

Top Dragster champ Butch Butcher from Howell NJ came into Cecil with a plan. The weekend marked the one-year anniversary of his brother Lenny’s death, and the team came to Cecil to celebrate his brother’s life.

Bucher had his car going rounds all weekend defeating local racer Ron Anders in the semifinals to face Fort Washington PA racer Larry Waters for the money.

Both racers had great lights as Bucher was off the line first with 0.015 to Water’s 0.021 and at the stripe Bucher took the win with a 4.657on a 4.65 dial to the losing 4.833 on a 4.83 dial of Waters. It was tight on the top end.  

“This was a very emotional weekend for me and my family. It would be one year since my brother Lenny had passed,” Bucher said after his poignant win. “I wasn’t putting pressure on myself to “win for Lenny” but to have some fun and celebrate his life with friends and family.”

‘After Saturdays semi final finish, on Sunday I felt locked in and could do no wrong. To get the win on the day of his passing was very special moment and is a memory I will cherish forever.”

The Mid Atlantic series has been a boon to the Junior Dragster racers. At Cecil, over 110 cars total showed up for the two day event.

Winning `the Junior 6-9 class was Gibbstown NJ racer KJ Brooks.

Taking the 10-12 age group was Evan Stack who just like Paone the night before took that momentum all the way to the finals to match up against Island Dragway’s Shawn Sanseverino.

Sanseverino took the 13-up age group #1 qualifier which put him on a roll to the finals against Stack, at the hit both racers were dead even with identical .076 lights but Stack took too much stripe breaking out with a 8.953 on the 8.96 dial and Sanservino followed through to take the win. This was Sanseverino first event with the series and had nothing but great things to say about their first experience with the group. 

Next Mid Atlantic event July 26-27 at Cecil County Dragway for the granddaddy of them all and the Uncle Buck Pig Roast.

Go to: https://www.facebook.com/midatlantic90association or www.midatlanticsuperseries.net for info and ways to pre-register for events.