
Fricke and McCulloch take Top Titles at Epping

DRAG RACING ACTION ONLINE
IMAGES DAVID SMITH- KUBICKE PHOTOGRAPHY
Jackie Fricke and Jeff McCulloch scored Top Alcohol wins as the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Northeast Division was in action at New England Dragway.
The NHRA Northeast division was back in Epping NH the week before the US Nationals. For racers heading to the Big Go in Indy, the fifth race of eight Lucas events in D1 was a chance to get their tuneup ready. For the rest, it was a good time to add points to their NED total.
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
Jackie Fricke already had her Finke Equipment A/FD in the lead of the East Region and the Flemington NJ driver added to her total with a win in the finals at Epping defeating the blown dragster of Tom Fox. Jr in a great final.
Fox, knowing he had to put down a perfect run, left first with a great 0.040 light and was in the lead for nearly the entire quarter mile but Fricke caught the Cinnaminson NJ racer with a 5.285 to Fox’s losing 5.331.
The win at Epping was Jackie’s 21st career Lucas win and her third for 2025.
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
It was a case of David vs Goliath with Canadian racer Jeff Mc Culloch up against Missouri driver Bob McCosh who was leading the NHRA Central division. McCulloch, in his first ever NED final made the best of it beating McCosh with a 6.014 to an off pace and traction plagued and losing 8.909
COMPETITION ELIMINATOR
Joe Carnasciale, who like Fricke, has had a tight hold on the points in D1, put more points in his column with a win over former NHRA champ Al Ackerman from Hague NY.
Ackerman, took a big CIC hit in his win over Don Eckel in the semis, was first off the line but his 0.372 under 8.038 his F/D wasn’t enough to hold off Carnasciale’s I/SMA Caviler’s 0.570 under 8.950. The win was his 11th Wally and the Rhode Island driver third of the season.
SUPER STOCK
Division Three racer Ron Richards from Dublin Ohio took his GT/JA Firebird to his second career Lucas win over the SS/CS Camaro of Bob Lasko. Lasko, a long time D1 racer from Wilton Conn., left too soon with a -0.037 red light giving Richards the win.
Rochester NY racer Pete D’Agnolo continues to lead the division in Super Stock with a big lead going into the final races of the season in Richmond Va. and Cecil County.
STOCK
Ken Robinson from Toms River N.J has been racing in D1 what seems like forever and at Epping Robinson took his third career Oil Series Wally.
Racing against veteran racer Don Pires in the finals, both drivers were nearly dead even at the tree with both drivers pushing the envelope too far in a double breakout. Robinson’s -.004 under 10.676 was less worse, that Pires’ -0.006 under 11.734.
SUPER COMP
Tiana Zarella from Beverly Mass., drove her ’14 S&W dragster to her first ever win in her first ever NED final. Tiana stayed above the 8.90 index with a 8.932 as her competition William Worters from Charlton, Mass. went under with an 8.876 in his ’04 Race Tech dragster.
SUPER GAS
Michael Handras who calls Fort Mill S.C. his home, took the Muscle Milk ’03 Cavalier, to a win over former D1 champ Rich Price from Royersford, Pa. Price’s ’04 Corvette Roadster was first off the line with a great 0.028 to Handras’ 0.067. In another case of who went under the most, lost. Price went a 9.865 to Handras’ 9.883.
The win at Epping was Handras’ 6th career Lucas win and his second of 2025.
SUPER STREET
Ray Knight from Fall River Mass won his first ever Luas divisional in his first NHRA final round. Knight put his ’93 Mustang in the winner’s circle in a double breakout final as his competition, the ’68 Nova of Jason Mazzotta from Bradford, Mass. went 10.873 to the winning 10.876 of Knight. Both drivers had great lights with Mazzotta cutting a 0.004 to Knight’s 0.012.
TOP SPORTSMAN
Bell, near lane, defeated the ’55 Chevy of Lee in the finals at Epping
Top Sportsman had a great turnout with nearly two dozen door slammers on the grounds. After four rounds it was down to local racer Hong Lee up against fellow New Hampshire racer Brian Bell from East Hampstead.
Bell had the better light and the better run with a 7.341 on a 7.33 dial as Lee lost with a breaking out 7.314 on a 7.33 dial.
The win at Epping was Bell’s fourth Lucas win and his second in Top Sportsman
TOP DRAGSTER
DiGenova, far lane, was the recipient of Bell’s red light in the finals of Top Dragster
Deb DiGenova, no stranger to the Epping winner’s circle as the local racer from Deery NH took the easy win when her competition, Richard Bell from Merrimac N.H. left too soon giving Di Genova her third NHRA Lucas Wally.
JUNIOR DRAGSTER 11-18
James Libby from Kingston took the win over Mason Varin from Coventry R.I.
Both racers had nearly identical reaction times, but it was a 7.904 on a 7.90 dial of Libby, near lane, taking the win over the 8.971 on a 8.94 dial of Varin
JUNIOR DRAGSTER 6-10
Sandown N.H racer David Scranton put his dragster in the win column over Aubrey Brion from Weare, N.H.
Scranton had the better light and hung on for the win with a 8.959 on a 8.90 dial to the 8.962 on a 8.90 for Brion in the loss.