Sportsman Shine At The NHRA Reading Nationals Sponsored by Nitro Fish Ultimate Gear

DRAG RACING ACTION ONLINE

Images Mashie Mihalko and Phil Hutchison

It was one of the best weekends for drag racing in the history of the event. Celebrating the 40^th running of what was originally and still called by the racers, and fans, The Keystones. Perfect weather. No rain. Huge Crowds. Who could ask for more.

History was made in the finals as a half dozen racers won their first ever NHRA event at Maple Grove outside Reading Pennsylvania .

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER

Noonan Race Engineering owner Jamie Noonan, drove his A/FD to a first ever win beating Anthony Troyer in the finals. Noonan had the better light and the better ET winning with a 5.259 to Troyer’s losing 5.278.

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

The finals featured two of the best racers in the country with Oregon’s Brian Hough’s Chevy Camaro up against Jim Whiteley’s Camaro out of Colorado. Hough had the jump at the green and ran a 5.613 in the win as Whiteley, charging down track to catch Hough, banged the blower losing with a 6.631. The win was Hough’s 14^th career Wally.

COMPETITION ELIMINATOR

Long time D1 racer Mark Hopkins who has been close to a win before finally getting it done at Maple Grove taking his D/A Chevy Beretta to a victory over the A/SMA Mopar Avenger of Paul Ricci in the final. Ricci had a terrible RT with a 0.406 and was never in the race as Hopkins ran a 0.534 under for his first ever NHRA Wally.

SUPER STOCK

Canadian racer Louis Gill took his red and white GT/FA Chevy Cavalier to his first ever win beating Anthony Bongiovanni’s FSS/C Mustang in the final. Bongiovanni had a great 0.007 light but ran an 8.793 on his 8.76 dial as Gill cruised to a winning 9.536 on a 9.52

STOCK

Former NHRA World Champion Michael Iacono took his G/SA Chevy Camaro to his 20^thNHRA national win beating the B/S Corvette of Dave Casey in a double breakout Iacono ran a 11.237 on a 11.25 dial as Casey ran quicker with a 10.476 on a 10.49 in the loss.

SUPER COMP

Dave Long took his dragster to a long overdue win at Maple Grove defeating former D1 champ Amanda Boicesco in the finals. Amanda had a slight lead at the hit but both drivers pushed it too much going under the 8.90 index. Long was the lesser of the infraction with a winning 8.898 to Amanda’s losing 8.892.

SUPER GAS

Super Gas It was another first time winer as Michael Reynolds, drove his Chevy Vega to a win over former D1 champ Canadian Charlie Kenopic. Both drivers ran nearly identical ETs but Reynolds better light gave him the historical win. 9.931, 134.63 def. Charlie Kenopic,

TOP SPORTSMAN

Another long time D1 racer, Vincent Fourcade finally broke through for a win driving his Chevy Camaro. In the finals it was George Forster’s Monte Carlo in the other lane and Fourcade chopped the tree down with a 0.004 light. Forster was extremely late with 0.360 RT and Fourcade took an easy 7.395 win on a 7.23 dial as Forster wasn’t close running a 7.331 on his 7.14 dial.

FACTORY STOCK SHOWDOWN

Indy US Nationals winner Taylor Dietsch made it two in in row in his Ford Mustang running a 7.727, 178.35 as his competition the Camaro of Scott Libersher spun the tires slowing to a losing 9.891.