Story by John McCartney

Photos by John McCartney and Dave Milcarek

On back to back picture perfect fall Sundays Island Dragway in Great Meadows, New Jersey put on two great races that brought out races and cool cars.

 

First up, Island Dragway held their Fall Nostalgia Classic this was followed up on the following Sunday with a Stock/Super Stock race. Both events featured plenty of cars and racers ready to do battle.

 

The Fall Nostalgia Classic featured a number of classes from brackets to many club classes as well. First up for those that enjoy the old style dragsters the Backseat Drivers hit the track and when all was done Dan Daughenbaugh took him the win over Joshua Devells.

Devells’ Altered took runner up against Daughenbaugh

Old style gassers in the form of the East Coast Gassers were out in force the final three were made up of Bruce Deming, Pete Boyer and Jim Wheeler.

 

From those three it was Boyer and Wheeler making up the final with Boyer taking home the win.

 

Jim Wheeler wheeled himself to the runner up spot at the East Coast Gassers

The folks from NETO Northeast Timing Organization had their normal two classes at Island to see who would take home the win. In NETO Comp it was the real deal old pro stocker of Wally Booth the Rat Pack now owned and driven by Al Zimbaldi took home the win over Craig Sonderfan.

Steve Consentino in his cool Yankee Clipper Wagon picked up the win over Lou Tarascio. While Tarascio may have lost the battle on this day he won the year end war as he picked up the 2026 NETO Championship.

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The following Sunday Island Dragway hosted their first of what everyone hopes will be many Stock/Super Stock races.

 

Under the guidance and direction of Dave Ficacci a great field of racers came out to do battle. Stock/Super Stock events have been less and less since the East Coast series ended but things look better with Ficacci’s entering the scene After two great wheel standing time shots for everyone it was time to get down to racing.

When all the smoke had cleared it was Sean Conway and Larry Pappas in the final. Conway took home the win over Pappas’ Corvette but no one came home a loser as both racers negotiated a split of the 2,080 dollar winners purse.

Michael Lombardo took home the money for making it to the semi final round. While the Barry Parker’s Best Losing Package in round one and two went to James Perrone and Rich Biebel for their losing efforts.

Big thanks go out to Bill, Russ and Kevin from East Coast Stock/Super Stock Association in helping the event run smooth. In addition to all the racing action in Stock/Super Stock there was a great turnout of test and tune racers with all sorts of great cars as well.