PHIL HUTCHISON DRAG RACING ACTION ONLINE
IMAGES DAVID SMITH, DIANE KUBICKE, AND PHIL HUTCHISON
After two great days of the NHRA Northeast Division Lucas race, the schedule called for Saturday’s hosting qualifying and class eliminations in Stock and Super Stock. The weather for Sunday looked bleak and NED DD Mark Dawson and his crew along with Jim Halsey and his Cecil gang decided to go for it and complete the race on Saturday. Qualifying, class eliminations and all.
It took a while with winners crowned and photos taken well after midnight but the race was finished, and the rain did move into the area early morning Sunday making the decision the right one.
Michael Daniele from Manorville N.Y continued his hold on the Northeast Division Top Sportsman class with a win on Saturday at the first annual Testo NHRA Chesapeake SPORTSnationals at Cecil County Dragway Daniele struck gold, or diamonds in this case taking his ’05 Cavalier to a win over former D1 champ Jeff Brooks’ Henry J From Fredricksburg Va. in the finals.
Daniele, who won the D1 Divisional on Friday had a 0.033 light against Brooks’ better 0.025 but ran dead on with a two 6.842 on his 6.84 dial as Brooks took the stripe a little too quick running out by -0.005 with a 6.325 on a 6.33 dial.
With ten Lucas Oil wins, the SPORTSnationals victory was the New York racers first ever NHRA national title.
“After winning the NED divisional on Friday we went into the SPORTSnationals full of confidence,” Daniele said. “With my first round opponent broke, we got another free time run for the second time that weekend.”
In round two Daniele was against the Mopar of Mike Daymude. Daniele kept it on the right side of his dial winning with a dead on 6.865 on his 6.86 dial as Daymude who had nearly the same RT as Daniele, went -.005 under his 6.70 dial in the loss.
Mike Daymude from West Virgina is just outside the NED Top Ten in his Mopar
“It was a great race against Daymude. Really tight. Then I had my buddy Ronnie Riegel in a hole shot win.”
“We got the competition bye run to the finals against another good friend, Jeff Brooks. A good run but it was getting late. I was a little nervous as dew was setting in but Halsey’s Cecil crew did a great job of track prep to ease my mind.
Brooks who got by the red lighting Corvette of Canadia Gerard Milette in the semis was ready for the finals.
“Had a great race with Jeff. He had me on the tree, but I managed to run almost right on the dial and he broke out I couldn’t believe it. I blew my voice out in that car in the shutdown celebrating so much it didn’t feel real. The most epic moment out of my racing weekends.”
Brooks’ JEB 4 Team said after the final. “Great weekend for the Kaeser Henry J. Our third final of the year and our third runner up finish. Congrats to Mikey – it was a close race – lost on breakout by .005.”
“We keep getting closer to getting a Diamond Wally. We will try again at Epping. In October the team looks forward to representing Division 1 at the JEGS All Stars in Dallas and running the Divisional, All Star Event and Fall Nationals there.”
TOP DRAGSTER
Robb. far lane, took a close Top Dragster final over Peter Biondo in Anthony Bertozzi’s dragster
In the finals Saturday night, former World Champ and Spring Fling bracket coordinator Peter Biondo from Maspeth N,Y. was up against Kevin Robb from Denver Pa. in the finals with both drivers having something to prove, The two had been in the Top Dragster semifinals of Friday’s Lucas race with Biondo making it to the finals losing to Brooke Warren Foley while Robb had to settle for a semifinal loss.
But at Cecil one of them was going home with the coveted Diamond Wally.
Biondo driving Anthony Bertozzi’s red dragster got the early lead with a great 0.013 to the 0.032 RT of Robb’s A1 Mulch dragster. Biondo’s lead evaporated on the top end as Robb chased him down wining with a 6.614 on his 6.60 dial as Biondo had to settle for runner up again losing with a 6.914 on his 6.86 dial.
Robb, who had four Lucas National event wins adding his fifth, said after the Cecil victory, “Our day started out early. After finishing the divisional race Friday evening when our day ended in the Semifinals, I was doing our normal engine maintenance when I found a rocker arm issue. Luckily, we were at Cecil County only minutes from Wilson Race Engines; Chirs Wilson opened up shop early to help us rebuild a faulty rocker.
“We returned to the track to put things back together and be ready for the Sports Nationals as our first National event of the year and possibly our only other one beside Dallas where we will compete in the All Stars. Maple Grove not being on the schedule this year had us disappointed.”
“The day was going to be full since NHRA and Cecil County decided to try and make this a one-day race due to rain. I was actually excited figuring hey let’s keep rolling and hope we find ourselves night racing. Sure enough with some luck, a great race car and some good finish line driving we were able to find ourselves in the final.”
“All of our rounds were tough and no freebies besides the bye in the semifinals which put us up against our old Comp and bracket race competitor Peter Biondo, not much else needs to be said, if your racing Pete in the final you have your hands full, but we haven’t lost a national event final yet and after the win light came on we still haven’t lost a national event final and we now have a national win in 4 different categories.”
“I feel very blessed to have accomplished so much in my career, but all of it comes from the people you surround yourself with and I have an amazing team/family. From the car owners Mike and Deb Coomes, my wife Michelle, my son Kyle, his girlfriend Jennifer, my daughter Shelby, her fiancé Dawson. My Dad, my brother Rob Robb, Paul and Bonnie Thimm, Paul Thimm Jr and his wife Erin, kids Cylas and Brystan. They all provide unquestionable love and support!
Beyond our team I need to thank the following:
A-1 Mulch
A-1 Motorsports
A-1 Towing
A-1 Service
Mickey Thompson Tire (Jeff and Chris)
Wilson Race Engines (Chris and Rachel)
Shorty’s Race Engines (Shorty and Paul Sr)
Joey D Transmissions
Abruzzi Converters
Paintin Place (Glenn and Tim)
Awesome Vinyl and Lettering & Graphics (Hank and Lorrie)
“Lastly, I would like to dedicate this win to longtime friend Kevin Horst, who passed away recently, one of the original owners of Gold Rush Trailers, he worked for Warren and Kurt Johnson as Kurt’s Crew Chief for many years and continued to work with other teams as well.”
The win at Cecil put Robb in the Top Ten in the 2026 NHRA points chase.
Always unassuming, win or lose, Biondo said after his second runner up of the weekend, “Racing in D1 with friends brought back decades of great memories and some of the competitive fire I used to live by.”
“Making both TD finals was cool, even if coming up short stings a bit. Brooke and Kevin are tough competitors, and they earned it. Still an awesome weekend! Hats off to Mark Dawson, D1, and the Cecil County crew for pulling off two full events in three days.”
COMPETITION ELIMINATOR
Another racer seeking another chance at a Diamond Wally was D2 racer Monty Bogan from Boiling Springs S.C. Bogan, who leads the Lucas Oil points in both Super Stock and Comp brought two cars up to Maryland hoping to add to his point total.
On Friday Bogan took his SS/BS Camaro to a runner up to Avery McLawhorn in the finals of Super Stock. On Saturday Bogan had his E/SMA Pontiac G5 in the finals of Comp. In the other land was the D/A Baretta of long time division racer Mark Hopkins from Phoenixville Pa. Hopkins who had not been catching great reaction times throughout eliminations, continued his trouble with the tree in the final losing to Bogan with better time. Saddled with a 0.125 light at the hit, Hopkins had no chance of catching Bogan running a better -0.546 under 8.17 to the winning -0479 under 8.371 of Bogan. The win at Cecil was Bogan’s eighth career NHRA National event Wally.
“We had a great week at Cecil County Dragway,” Bogan said. The NHRA and crew did a great job keeping the track in great shape all week.
“Our cars were fast, and I managed not to mess up too much. We also did very well in Super Stock with a runner up and semi finish.”
“Thanks to Lee and Carolyn Sharp for a fast hot rod. Team Elite, WTS Of Jonesville, Fuel Factory and Elite Performance.”
SUPER STOCK
Picillo, near lane, won his second career NHRA National Event at Cecil over Ghent’s Camaro
Super Stock racer Justin Picillo from Cranston R.I. is having the year in Division One. With wins at MIR, Lebanon Valley and a runner up at Numidia, Picillo leads the NHRA D1 points in his Eddie Bloom owned SS/CM Firebird. And after Cecil, is currently in 6th spot in the National points chase.
In the finals at Cecil, Rusell Ghent from Mooresville N.C. had his GT/JA Camaro in the finals after beating Herbie Null’s Camaro and Friday’s Lucas winner Avery McLawhorn’s Nova to get to the finals.
Picillo took out Comp winner Monty Bogan’s Camaro and Bunk Miller’s Cuda to meet Ghent.
Ghent had the better light but went too quick losing with a -0.003 under 9.867 on his 9.87 dial as Picillo won his second NHRA National event with a 9.372 on a 9.35 dial.
“The dream season continues, and this event was certainly a marathon,” Picillo said. “One qualifying run, class, and then six rounds of eliminations that even included a police officer on the property because we were well past the midnight curfew.”
“I was able to turn on the last win light in Super Stock and I couldn’t be happier! As always, none of this would be possible without Eddie Bloom. He provides me with an amazing race car that prints tickets. He is a great friend, mentor, and car owner.”
“I would also like to thank my girlfriend Amy, my parents, my kids, Reid’s Automotive, Select Performance, John’s Racecraft, Book Racing Ent, friends, family, and the entire D1/Cecil County staff. I also would like to shoutout Nic and McKenna who stayed up until the end and brought the generator and battery charger to the lanes. You guys rock!”
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Harper, near lane, went too quick in the finals against Gilstrap giving the South Carolina driver his first ever NHRA win and his 75th Anniversary Diamond Wally
D2 racer Mark Gilstrap from Woodruff, S.C., not quite a household name yet, brought his ’15 Camaro FS/C to Maryland to see what the car would do against some of the best in the East.
In the final, Gilstrap was against the C/SA Nova of Will Harper from Brimfield Mass. Gilstrap had the better reaction time forcing Harper to break out by a mere 0.005 giving Gilstrap his first ever win in his first ever NHRA final.
“I bought my 2015 COPO Camaro in late March 2026 and won the very first race I entered with it at Greer Dragway,” Gilstrap said. “That win encouraged me to pursue NHRA divisional racing, taking the COPO to Maryland, Michigan and Pennsylvania while figuring out a new car and learning along the way.”
“Before heading to Cecil County Dragway, I added 200 pounds and moved the COPO to FS/C. Duanne Page of Page Racing Engines brought his 442 Oldsmobile Stock Eliminator, and the two of us headed north from South Carolina for Division 1 competition.”
“From the moment we arrived, the people at Cecil made these two good ole boys from South Carolina feel right at home. Everyone was friendly and welcoming, and the track itself was exceptional.”
Gilstrap, near lane, lost Class to engine wizard David Barton but bounced back in his COPO to win the event.
“After losing first round on Friday, Saturday turned into a comeback. It never gets old learning what this car wants and trying to get a little better every round.
I came to Cecil still learning the COPO and left with my first NHRA Wally – a special 75th Anniversary Diamond Wally. It was a weekend I will never forget.”
