Phil Hutchison Drag Racing Action Online

Images Phil Hutchison and Rob Keister

In a year that was affected once again by Mother Nature, Rob Keister’s Mid Atlantic Super Series had their last race in 2025 under beautiful Maryland skies.  It was the series second trip to the Boonsboro Md. facility in 2025.

Saturday’s rainstorm canceled most of the action on day 1, but Sunday dawned beautifully with mild temperatures and low humidity.

Jr Dragster 6-9 was the only class run to completion on Saturday before the rain came and Cassidy Fields took the win. 

After a time shot for all the competitors, Sunday’s racing got underway. Being the last race of the season, there were special incentives such as a Wally for each eliminator winner. In addition, more than one Mid Atlantic class champion for 2025 had not been decided to add some drama to the action.

Winning the Jr Dragster 6-9 was Kylar Paone. The win, his first ever in Mid Atlantic competition, was over Zannis Anagnostou as Paone was the recipient of Anagoustou’s red light.

“It was really cool winning my first Wally,” Paone said.  “I’ve been wanting one for so long. I was so happy when mom and dad came down on the quad with it. Now I match my brothers!”

Mom Ashely Kubicke who works with Rob and Dana at the Mid Atlantic series adds, “Kylar has been wanting one for so long, he would get so close each time, and he finally did it. I’m so beyond proud of him, going to the finals the day before and then sealing the deal the next! This has been one of his best seasons yet with the number of wins and final rounds he has had and more to come! Even his brothers are super proud of him.”

The Combined Junior title went to Anabella Casteel as she took down 2025 series champ Paul Stalba in the finals. Stalba who had the jump off the line, had dialed in at a 7.95 but slowed to a 8.067 to Casteel’s 9.192 on her 9.13 dial.  

Runner up and 2025 series champ Paul Stalba had this to say after his MD experience “Going into the weekend I knew there was still a decent chance for the people behind me to catch me. I just had to go in do my job and execute. Roll around to first round of Saturday and I am -.004 red to my opponents -.006 red. I unfortunately lost that round as there was no true start and I left first. Thinking about the points and watching people behind me win first round I had slightly been worried. But thankfully the weather helped in my situation and the day had been canceled right in the middle of second round.”

The next morning, after struggling to find the tree the past 2 days, I borrowed a buddy’s set of big tires as a last effort to help my reaction time. From there on it was go time. Winning round after round and having a very good race against multiple friends. Most memorable round I was .008 and left second. Cole Rudy was .001 but thankfully I managed to get around him to take the big round win.

Getting closer to the end I raced some of the people I’ve grown up with for maybe the last time ever. It really made me think about how it’s almost over. Rolling into the final round I had by then clinched the championship and was still hungry for the win. Being .020 in the final and giving it back by .001 was tough to swallow for runner up but to watch the excitement of the other family celebrating their kid’s first win brought joy to me, because I was once that kid. As much as it sucked to lose, I was happy to walk away from the weekend with the main goal accomplished, winning the 2025 Junior dragster points championship title.

“Major thanks to my family they drag me around to these races to compete at a high level and their belief in my abilities really pushes me to prove what I am capable of. Big thanks to Rob Keister as well and his crew, I give him a lot of credit for his continuous years of the .90 series and managing every detail and situation that comes up at these events. And thanks to my sponsors A.A. Auto Salvage Craws Racing Hoosier Tire VP Race Fuels and Lubricants.”

Super Street went down to recently crowned 2025 champ Keith Mayers and James Mosher. Mayers who already had the title sewed up in his Porsche, was second off the line to the Mustang of Mosher and it made the difference as both racers ran below the 10.90 index with Mosher winning with a 10.894 to the losing 10.875 of Mayers. 

Mike Lang from Coopersburg PA, drove his Pontiac to a very important victory at Mason Dixon as the guy in the other lane, former .90 champ Bob Phillips and Lang were in a death match in the final with winner take all. Win the event, win the Mid Atlantic Super Gas title.

Before Saturday’s rain, two rounds of Super Gas were run with points being awarded. Phillips went to round two and Lang went out in R1 giving Phillips a 21-point lead going into Sunday’s race. 

Lang crushed the tree with a 0.001 RT to Phillips’ 0.034 and essentially locked Phillips out of a win with an 9.913 on the 9.90 index to the breaking out 9.879 of Phillips. With a qualifying bonus of one point, Lang took the series title by one point. 

“Going into Sunday race I knew there was a chance of getting the championship but didn’t really think of it as special after the front end of the car getting busted up on the time shot,” Lang said. “But with the help of my son Sean and Louie, they got it fixed well enough to race.” 

“You know at some time you need a lucky round and that came in the semis. I would like to thank Rob and his staff for giving us a place to race, ET Transmission, Dave George Race engines my son Sean for all his help and my other son Scott his girlfriend Kathleen and their kids and My girlfriend Rosalie for making it a real family experience that makes it all worth it.” 

If Super Gas had drama, Super Comp was right there with it. Going into Mason Dixon three racers had a legitimate chance of taking the title. New Jersey racer Tom Stalba, David Rowe from Pottstown PA, and Tony Barrett from Bayville NY.   

Stalba lost early in eliminations, leaving Rowe and Barrett. As it worked out for fans of a final round winner takes all. Both racers were on opposite sides of the ladder and met in the finals.

Rowe made the best of it, cutting a 0.005 light to Barrett’s good 0.020 but at the stripe it was Rowe taking the win and the Mid Atlantic title with 8.913 to Barrett’s breaking out 8.891. 

Runner up Barrett said after the race,” This was one of the most exciting runs I have ever made. To have the event win, a Wally and the Championship all on the line for one run is just awesome. I want to congratulate Dave on a great run and season. Well deserved. I also want to thank the team at Mason Dixon for hosting another great event. Most of all I want to thank Rob and his team for another great season. I appreciate all the hard work they do.”

Null, far lane, chances for a 2025 series title went down in R3

Last year the Mid Atlantic Super Series added the popular East Coast Stock/Super Stock series to the mix and at Mason Dixon 20 Stock /SS door slammers were on hand. Again, the title would be decided on Sunday. Herbie Null needed to make the semi-finals to take the title, but Null went out in R3 against eventual winner Bunk Miller. This allowed Old Bridge NJ racer Bubba Linke to slip in taking the Mid Atlantic title with a second-round loss. 

In the finals at Mason Dixon, Miller driving his big block SS/GA Barracuda was up against the GT/MA Firebird of Bill Kennedy. Both drivers had nearly identical reaction times and at the top end it was Miller with a right on a 9.88 on a 9.88 dial to Kennedy’s close 10.348 on a 10.34.

“I didn’t know how close the final was until I got back to the trailer and looked at the time slip,” Miller said. “I love going to Mason Dixon as it is close to my home in Gettysburg. I’ve been racing there since the 90’s.

“So far, I’m happy with what Rob is doing with the Stock/Super Stock. It helps with his car count and it’s good for the racers.”

“It’s funny, back at home after my win, my wife who wasn’t with me at the track as she usually is. She had to work Sunday, and I told her to come on down to the track after she got off and she said by the time she got there the race would be over. But as it worked out, we ran later in the afternoon. My daughter Jordan who helped me on Sunday has been razzing her for not being there for my win.”

Steve Morgret took his supercharged dragster to a win in Top Dragster defeating the quick Procharger powered car of Scott Lucken in the finals. 

Morgret was the recipient of a few breaks during eliminations as Butch Bucher, the 2025 Top Dragster champ went red in the semis and Luken did the same in the finals leaving -0.004 too soon handing Morgret who lives in nearby Hagerstown MD, the easy win. 

“Had an awesome day today at the Mid Atlantic.90 challenge,” Morgret said.  “Got the win in Top Dragster. I feel like I’ve been driving good the last few weeks, and the car has been awesome all year We just needed a few little things to fall my way and finally today they did. Have to say thanks to Robert Keister and the whole Mid-Atlantic crew. They do a great job with their events.” 

“A big thanks to the crew of Mason Dixon Dragway. They do a great job as always as they do every week. Thanks to my dad coming down to help me. He puts in a lot of time helping me. I had some good fortune in the final, but the same thing happened to me a few weeks back. It all evens out.”

2025 Top Dragster Butch Butcher had this to say after the race. “We had a good year. Winning early in the season helped. I need to thank my wife Heather, my daughter Morgan, my son Austin, Scott Aubrecht, Gary Eitel, Bryan Blittersdorf and of course my bother Lenny.”

Just a few weeks removed from his Top Sportsman runner up on the NHRA stage at the Reading Nationals at Maple Grove, George Forster from Greencastle PA. continued to go rounds bagging the win at Mason Dixon.

In the finals, Forster driving his ’98 Monte Carlo was up against the Corvette of Pat Hahn. At the green Forster had the better RT with 0.006 to Hahn’s 0.015 and with a 4.921 on a 4.91 put the Vette of Hahn on the trailer losing with a 5.075 on a 5.05 dial

Forster said after his win, “With proper timing of the lucky rabbit’s foot and reaction times that were damn near picture perfect when needed at the moment it was absolutely necessary, I found myself in the winner’s circle at the last race of the Top Sportsman 2025 season. The only way this day could have ended better is if my friend, crew chief, confidant and mentor Mr. Tony Barrett could have pulled off the win in the final in Super Comp. With his loss in the final, he ended up 13 points shy of winning the championship in SC.” 

“I would also like to thank Elmer and Jake for hosting the .90 and Top/Top assoc. at what is my local track conveniently located just 30 minutes or so from my house and where I learned the bones of drag racing some 35 years ago when I got out of the Marine Corp. I would also like to thank my grandson Cameron and his lovely girlfriend Leandra for crewing for me all weekend. And of course, I would like to thank my beautiful, loving, caring wife Angela who allows me to continue my addiction to glamping and drag racing when weather permits.”

“And finally, I must thank Rob and Dana, and the folks help run the Mid Atlantic series. They are the glue that hold this thing all together.”

After the event, track owner Elmer Wachter said, “The weather man didn’t help but we provided a good track. It can and will get better going forward. More New Jersey cars showed up this year. We had a competing event that pulled some of the Top Sportsman racers away.” 

“I know Rob and the racers had a good time and I fully expect them to come back next year. It was good for the racers.” 

Series president Rob Keister adds, “Once again a Mid Atlantic Super Series Season has come and gone for me, this was my 15th year of being the president of the series and I swear the years go by quicker and faster each year. I want to thank all the racers who came out and supported the finale at Mason Dixon, I know everyone is counting pennies these days and any chance of weather is making a lot of people stay home instead of taking the risk of coming to race, unfortunately both our events at Mason Dixon had weather this year which hurt the car counts.”

“We all wish Atco or Englishtown were back open but to keep this series alive and well we have to explore different avenues and tracks that might take a few more hours to get too. Elmer and his staff opened their doors to us last season and even though it’s a smaller track, the racers who have visited it have raved about the track and its track prep. Elmer’s son-in-law Jake has been my go-to guy with track prep and this year they even supplied Wally’s to us for the Finale that even though it was a day late we handed out to the winners on Sunday and made 9 racers very happy at days end.”

“I hope Elmer and his staff welcome us back for 2026 and more racers make the trip to this track; we must keep supporting these tracks and series or they are going to fade into the sunset. Congrats to all the 2025 Champions, we crowed 6 brand new champs, and our Super Comp & Gas championships were decided in the finals by a winner take all scenario and Stock / SS was decided by 1 point which is a testament to how tough this series truly is, we can’t wait till March to celebrate these new champs in Trevose, Pa.” I have already started working on new things for the 2026 season and gearing up for year #16 which will be here in no time.