Drag Racing Action Online   Images Mike Gregg and courtesy Franklin DiBartolomeo

After a weekend that included a thrash to get his Super Comp dragster in shape to race and add in issues with the z-Max  timing system, Franklin DiBartolomeo, from Huntersville NC  had his S&W DRC Race Products dragster in the finals. DiBartolomeo, son of Drag Racing Action Online founder,racer, and journalist John DiBartolomeo, had to settle for a runner up in the always tough Super Comp class in the  finals at the Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals.

DiBartolomeo, who lives which is like a stones throw from the North Carolina facility got through five rounds in what ended up being a long weekend for  the Sportsman racers.

“We ended up running after the Pros were finished,” DiBartolomeo said. “There was a problem with the timing system that pushed us back. And after a few false starts by the officials calling us up to the lanes only to send us back due to scheduling and TV coverage,”  

“Sunday morning, I was suited up in the car ready to go and was told to go back to the pits and wait.”

After an epic semifinal round against the always tough Jimmy Williams, a race which DiBartolomeo took the win light with a nearly dead on 8.909 to Williams’ breaking out 8.885, it was DiBartolomeo up against Division 3 racer Tony Collier for the Wally.

Collier’s semifinal win over John Labbous was huge and made for a great matchup for the finals, a final that would be Collier’s third try for an NHRA win. Collier was second off the line with a good 0.017 to DiBartolomeo’s .better 013 but at the finish line, Franklin took too much stripe breaking out with an 8.876 as Collier ran a 8.903 for his first career NHRA win.

“While not exactly the outcome we were hoping for, it was still a better weekend than expected given how it started out with numerous problems with the car and trailer,” DiBartolomeo said “Luckily Charlotte is only 30 minutes from the house, and we were able to get everything taken care of enough to race by Thursday afternoon but still have a lot of work to do before the next race.

Franklin, Evan, and Jen chill out between rounds at z-Max

“I am always appreciative of the support of my family, especially my wife Jen and my son Evan. I wouldn’t be able to do this without their support. Having my mom, wife and son all cheering me on through the rounds was special and I wanted to win it for them more than me.”

DiBartolomeo, who has won NHRA events at the national and divisional level continued, “I also must give thanks to John Labbous Jr. for helping me out with the car and advice between rounds this weekend. Those discussions were calming influence that allowed me block out a lot of the other distractions.”