ESZ WINZ FUNNY CAR FRICKE AND NOBILE MAKE IT A FAMILY AFFAIR AT LEBANON VALLEY LUCAS OIL DIVISIONAL

Phil Hutchison Drag Racing Action Online

Images David Smith and Kalyn Rose Guenther

On a perfect July 4^th weekend, the NHRA Northeast Division held the second of eight Lucas Oil divisional events at Lebanon Valley Dragway in upstate New York. And the racers showed up. After the rain impacted the season opening race at Maple Grove, over 400 racers came out to the track to soak up the sunshine and racing action.

 

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

Esz, near lane, set Low ET in the finals over McCosh

Division Three racer Phil Esz apparently likes the NHRA Northeast Division as the Ohio driver took his second win in D1 beating Bob McCosh from Columbia Missouri in the quickest side by side TA/FC in Lebanon Valley history.

 Esz, who put his UltraSonic LLC Camaro on the pole with a 5.541 took the lead at the hit with a 0.047 light to McCosh’s right there 0.067 RT. On the top end it was tight with Esz taking the win with a Low ET 5.532 to McCosh’s close 5.544. The difference at the stripe was less than a car length.

“It’s always a tough race against McCosh,” Esz said. “Les Davenport has really got this thing hauling. Jerry and the crew gave me a great race car to drive for a close win. This made our 3rd regional win in a row. How exciting for Team UltraSonic LLC!”

When asked why the team was concentrating on the East Region, Esz replied, “We started in the East Region in Gainesville and the with nitro cars running in the North Central region. I decided to run the East region and will be able to run the Jegs all stars in Dallas.”

 The win at LV was his sixth career and his third Lucas win of the year. Coming off his win at the Norwalk Lucas race, Esz is currently in third place in the Lucas World Championship and is on his best career start.

 

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER

Flemington NJ racer Jackie Fricke loves racing at Lebanon Valley. The track, nestled in the hills of upstate New York, is car owner and tuner John Finke’s home track and the location of many wins for the Finke Equipment dragster over the years.

Fricke qualified the A/FD in the #1 spot with a track record 5.239 @ 281.44 MPH to lead the eight car field. On her way to the finals, Fricke beat Maple Grove winner Richard Bourke in R1 and third generation racer Brett Winward in the semis to meet John Ausherman in the finals.

Ausherman, near lane, had nothing but problems in the final against Fricke dropping cylinders in his A/FD

Ausherman driving the JC Auto Glass car was having a great weekend having qualified the Wilmington DE based car in the #5 spot with a 5.593 and defeated Tom Fox and Megan Smith on his way to the finals.

At the green it was all Jackie Fricke. Ausherman got the better light, but Fricke made up the difference quickly passing Ausherman winning with a 5.429 to Ausherman’s slowing 5.955 as his car had wet pipes all the way down the track.

“Finke racing swept the weekend, number 1 qualifier, we set both ends of the track record”, said Fricke after the win. “And we won the event at Johns home track in front of Finke Equipment employees & customers. To put the cherry on top I was able to double with my niece Taylor. You dream about weekends like that, and they rarely come true.”

The win at LV was Jackie’s 20^th career Lucas win and her second of the year putting her first in the East Region and second in National points a tick behind Matt Cummings who leads the 2025 chase.

 

COMPETITION ELIMINATOR

Joe Carnasciale from Ashaway, R.I. continued his winning ways in New England taking his I/SM ’07 Caviler to a victory over the Pro Start C/DA of Don Eckel III in the finals at Lebanon Valley.

Carnasciale, who won the recent NHRA New England Nationals in May, wheeled his little Chevy through four rounds of racing to meet Eckel who won the season opening race at Maple Grove.

Carnasciale got a telepathic 0.007 light and never looked back as his 0.543 under 8.937 held off the 0.478 under 7.062 of Eckel.

“We saved the best for last,” said Carnasciale. “I was .007 and he was .013.  I went fifty four under and he went forty eight under. There wasn’t any CIC penalties due to breakage or red lights.”

Pete D`Agnolo continues to lead the D1 Lucas Oil points with Eckel in third and Carnasciale in 5^th spot with his 9^th career Lucas win.

SUPER STOCK

It was another Rhode Island racer taking Super Stock with Warwick’s Justin Picillo taking his ’85 SS/BS Pontiac Trans Am to a win over the ’80 Dodge Marada GT/LA of Greg Gay from N. Walpole NH in the finals at LV

Picillo got the better light with a 0.013 RT and ran 0.030 over 9.49 for the win as Gay ran closer to his 10.78 dial with a 10.801 but the race was won at the starting line with Picillo’s reaction time.

“It feels really great to get a win this early in the D1 season,” said Picillo after his win. “It was a bit of a tricky race, as each day had its own unique weather conditions. None of this would be possible without Eddie Bloom. He provides me with an amazing race car that only required a front shock adjustment all weekend. He is a great friend, mentor, and car owner.”

 “I also must thank my girlfriend Amy, my parents, Reid’s Automotive, Select Performance, John’s Racecraft, friends, family, and the entire D1/Lebanon Valley staff.”

The win at LV was Picillo’s career eighth Lucas win and put him in the Top Ten in NED points after only two races.

STOCK ELIMINATOR

John Gray from Hudson Mass. drove his fan favorite ‘69 Camaro AA/SA to the win at Lebanon Valley defeating N.J. racer Joe Lisa in the finals

Lisa had nothing but problems in his D/SA ‘68 Camaro at the hit and was not a factor as Gray, seeing Lisa’s car slow, cruised to an easy 10.463 on his 10.00 flat dial.

“Heading into Lebanon Valley, my season had been going well, with a win at the Gatornationals and a runner-up finish at the Maple Grove Divisional,” said Gray. “I was optimistic about keeping that momentum going into Lebanon Valley, even though the conditions there are notoriously tricky. I judged the wind and rising temperatures as best I could and made calculated guesses on the dial.”

“In the fifth round, I had a perfect .000 light, which earned me the bye into the final. In the final round, I lined up against Joe Lisa, but unfortunately for him, he broke on the starting line—securing the win for me.”

The win at Lebanon Valley was Gray’s fifth career Lucas Wally and puts the Massachusetts driver firmly in first place in the NHRA D1 Stock chase with only three races claimed.

SUPER COMP

With so many former winners at Lebanon Valley it was time for some new faces in the winner’s circle with TC Smith from Hughestown Pa. taking his ’08 Racecraft dragster to his first career Lucas Oil win.

In the final Smith was up against multi time champ Joey Cambria from Shillington Pa. It was dead even at the green with both drivers having identical reaction times. So it was down to who ran closest without breaking out, and for Smith after so many trips to the finals in his career, the win light came on in his lane with a winning 8.905 to Cambria’s 8.911.

“To say it was an exciting win is to put it lightly,” Smith said after his emotional win at the New York track.

“After a total of 14 trips to a final for a Wally between S/G and S/C in 3 years I was getting a little complacent with a RU finishes.’’

“It was a tough go getting through rounds. There were no easy ones. Even Jason (Kenny) second round, who went red was tough because they had the red bulbs blinded for both sides. Made me feel like a rookie. Each round I made it through was tough, between the weather changes and lane changes. Thank God we got a handle on it quick. Also, it was a day that I could see good, which older racers like me will understand.”

“It was hot and humid and us bigger guys bodies don’t appreciate that kind of weather very much. so, to say it was an uphill battle all day is an understatement. In the final, me and Joey were dead even on the tree and I was confident in the car. I did what I needed to do and took what I needed to take and that’s all there was. It’s a game of thousandths and I was closer this time. Joey did a great job.

“I will say one thing. That Wally felt really good in my hands, and it made me hungry again. I liked taking it home. I’ll be gunning for more!! Special thanks to GOD My wife Lori and my kids Theo and Logan, Jack and Katie Sepanek at Sepanek Transmission, Ken and Deb Moses at Ken Moses transmission, and trackside sales and service Roy Freeman at Hoosier tire Jeff Stricker at roadrunner VP fuel sales ,Joey Hessling at APD race engines and fuel delivery, Kent Hanley and The Ken Racing crew.”

SUPER GAS

It was a battle of current and former NED Super Gas champs in the finals at LV with 2024 champ Keith Mayers from Ellendale Del. in his ‘88 Spider up against 2019 champ Charlie Kenopic in his ’63 Corvette roadster.   

Kenopic got the better light with a 0.022 to Mayers’ 0.035 but took too much stripe breaking out with a 9.899 to Mayers’ 9.920.

“Snuck another win in today in the Alfa, two divisional races two wins,” Mayers said after his win.

“This one was kind of special because one of my closest friends Charlie Kenopic was in the other lane. He broke out by .001 making this a very tight race. Congratulations to Charlie on his runner-up.

Mayers win was his 15^th career Lucas Wally and his second of 2025. The win, in only his second Lucas race for 2025, solidly puts the Delaware driver in first place and in a good position to defend his title.

 

SUPER STREET

 Joining her aunt Jackie in the winner’s circle was third generation racer Taylor Nobile from Commack N.Y. In an all female final, Nobile in her Elite-Burnyzz Chevy S-10 truck defeated the ’68 Nova of Laura Leque from Troy N.Y.

Just as Kenopic did in the Super Gas final, Leque had the better reaction time but gave it away on the top end dipping too far below the 10.90 index losing with a 10.885 to Nobile’s 10.913.

After her win Nobile said, “Before the weekend even started, we were not even sure we were going to attend the race. We had just been in Norwalk Ohio for a double divisional and national event, so we were not sure we wanted to do 3 in a row but thank goodness we did because it ended great.”

“The weekend was a very relaxing weekend with only 3 of us driving. My dad who hadn’t raced super comp in a few years was driving, Jackie, my aunt running T/AD and me in S/ST. Normally in a weekend we have 8-10 entries so only having 3 we didn’t know what to do with all the extra time we had. Thankfully Saturday Jackie kept us busy by being number 1 qualifier with a 5.23 and winning the race.

“I was able to pick up the E1 win Saturday and head into Sunday with hopes of a long day. I woke up to an awesome surprise Sunday morning because my husband Vincent drove 3 hrs. to spend the day with us since he stayed home to work instead of racing.

“I was able to go 5 rounds Sunday and pick up my 5th NHRA Division 1 race Wally, but it was the first win since getting married and having our daughter Riley. Having your daughter in the winner circle and cheering you on all day makes winning so much more special.”
 

With the win in New York, Nobile left the track with a nearly 80 point lead in the NED Super Street points chase.

UNITED TRAILERS TOP SPORTSMAN PRESENTED BY SELECT PERFORMANCE

Connecticut Top Sportsman racer “Fast” Freddy Perkins continued his success at Lebanon Valley with a win over the ’57 Chevy of Larry Willard. Perkins had the better RT and kept his ’69 Chevy Nova out front all the way down track posting a 4.935 on his 4.91 dial as Willard was closer to his 4.69 dial with a 4.701 but Perkins’ reaction time gave him the win.

“It was remarkable to win at Lebanon Valley,” Perkins said. “This is my eighth divisional counting the PC Richard opens. My first win was at Lebanon valley in 2012 and last year I won here so I have gone back to back at LV.”

“After I got off the line, I knew I had him and took it easy on the top end, so I didn’t break out.”

“I got to thank my girlfriend Amber Schnurer for her crewing the car throughout the weekend. And I could not do this without the generosity of all our sponsors. Maxima Racing Oils for their amazing product that supersedes your expectation, along with Mickey Thompson racing tires that just repeat all day. Thank you to Bobby V and Tommy Tape for their belief in us. Also Select Performance for the amazing service, products and support and A&C Performance for the best bullet in not only one of the cars but all three. Shawn Waddell for the racing electronics radios that work flawlessly. Aero All Gas for the NOS and other compressed gases

“And a big thanks to Affordable CDL Training School. I approached them on helping sponsor the car and they jumped on for a two race deal. And I ended up winning for them. The owners of Affordable had to leave early and missed the win but they got to watch it live on NHRA TV. They were ecstatic.”

HOOPES FIRE PREVENTION TOP DRAGSTER BY SELECT PERFORMANCE

Joining the first time club was Top Dragster winner Jamie Dymond. Dymond racing out of Kerhonkson N.Y. put his ’05 Miller chassis car in the winner’s circle beating Walter Zalak in the finals  Zalak out of Huntington N.Y. was right behind Dymond at the green with a 0.028 light to Dymond’s better 0.017 and it made the difference on the top end as Dymond’s dead  on 4.551 on a 4.55 dial took the win over Zalak’s 4.296 on his 4.29 dial. The difference was 0.005.

 Dymond who had success in Summit Super Pro winning the NED 2022 championship, moved up to Top Dragster and is seeing the fruits of his labor in the quick class.

After his first win in Top Dragster Dymond said, “What an unforgettable weekend of racing at Lebanon Valley! With my wife Stefanie working most of the weekend, she gave me the green light to enter her car in Top Dragster — and I’m so glad she did. We had to crank up the baby blower with a little extra boost just to sneak onto the bump spot, and the car responded better than expected.”

“After some good early round races against tough competitors, we made it to the final against Wally Zalak. We knew he was going to be tough as he was coming off a divisional win at Maple Grove. With hot, sticky weather pushing 90 degrees and 125 water grains, the 60’ times were falling off, so I decided to dial up slightly. Both cars ran dead on, and when that win light came on in my lane, it felt incredible”

“My first Top Dragster Wally! Huge thanks to Stefanie, my family, Turco’s for the power, our amazing Lebanon Valley racing family, and of course our circus ringleader Wayne Delmonte and the track crew for giving us a killer surface and facility every weekend.

 

 

JUNIOR DRAGSTER 11-18

 Brother vs sister in the finals is unique and the finals at Lebanon Valley were no different. Paul Stalba, son of drag racing nobility with mom Karen former NED Top Alcohol Dragster division champ and dad, Tom, multi time NED and NHRA World champ was against his sister Emily.

Paul in his last season in the class as he is aging out of the Jrs, was second off the line as Emily had a 0.026 light to her brother’s 0.038 and looked to be the winner but big brother ran dead on his 7.96 dial with a 7.964 to the losing 7.989 on a 7.97 dial of Emily.

Paul who is already racing the big cars in Stock Eliminator in a quick B/SA Corvette said after his win, “Racing my sister is always fun. I dialed close to heads up with her on purpose and when we left, I knew she was slightly better on the tree, as I was going down the track I just thought to myself, well if you take double 00 and lose then Emily deserves that win and I’m ok with that.”

“But I wasn’t going to give up so I just took as little as I could and when my scoreboard lit up, I just smiled and thought she’s going to be upset no matter who won the race I’m glad I got to race her again as my time in the junior dragster comes to an end.”

Emily, the gracious loser added, “It’s always fun racing my brother and especially because it’s his last year. At first, I thought I had him, which I did, but when I saw his light come up, I was just happy for him because it is his last year. No matter what we always hug each other and the end and that’s what I love about our sibling rivalry. I hope I can beat him one last time before his career comes to an end.”

JUNIOR DRAGSTER 6-10

Paige Doney from Folsom Pa. already had a D1 win under her belt with a win at the season opener at Maple Grove. At LV Doney continued her winning ways as she drove her ’00 06 Lightning car to a win over Jayden Rogers from Hudson Falls N.Y.  

Paige, far lane, got the better light and ran a dead on 8.969 on a 8.96 dial as Rogers, having a terrible light, pushed the car to a breaking out 12.717 on his 12.79 dial.

“It feels really good to win but it feels awesome to win twice in a row,” Doney said after her win. “In the final round as I pulled into the water box, I was a bit nervous but focused. I did my burnout, and my dad pulled me to line. I knew I hit the tree and was catching my opponent fast, so I knew I had to whomp it. I then saw my win light come on and I was so excited that I screamed so loud!”

“I would like to thank my dad for getting my car ready and on point for me to race. My mom for being my #1 cheerleader by y side and Douglas Fellenbaum Jr. for being my mentor from the start. I would also like to thank Tom Stalba for giving me some good advice. I also need to thank my sponsors Paramount Solar, JFM Mechanical, D&H Truck Refinishing, Comfort Zone Mechanical, and LPW Race Products. A huge thanks to AA Auto Salvage and Craw’s Racing along with Bryan Blittersdorf for sponsoring the Jr dragsters.”

After such a successful race, D1 Coordinator Steve Rhoads had this to say, “Finally, Mother Nature gave us a great weekend of racing at Lebanon Valley. Huge thank you to all the racers and crews that attend for a great event with close racing. Wayne and his staff have gone above and beyond to make Lebanon Valley Dragway a great place to race.”

Echoing Rhoads’  sentiments was NHRA D1 Director Mark Dawson who said, “Last year, this event was a tough one for us to start with. This year, it came full circle. Thanks to the 400+ racers, the Lebanon Valley crew, and the D1 team for a smooth weekend with zero oil downs.”

Finally, Lebanon Valley track manager Wayne Delmonte said “We started off with a little rain on Thursday for the Track rental but come Friday, the weather was perfect throughout the weekend. We were very happy with the results of going 8^th mile with Top Dragster and Top Sportsman. Also set track record side-by-side passes in funny car. great racing and some great champions in the winner’s circle.”

Next race for NHRA Division One- Numidia Dragway July 31-August 3

For more images from the event, visit