Fri, 27 Oct 2006, 02:05 PM NHRA Lucas Oil Racers Gear Up for Title Fights as Northeast Division Season Draws to a

Courtesy of NHRA Marketing

ATCO, N.J. -- Close NHRA Northeast Division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competitors will close out the 2006 season at Atco Raceway October 27-29. The race is the last of six on the division's schedule and will feature drivers in eight classes, including 260 mph Top Alcohol Dragsters and Top Alcohol Funny Cars, vying for points leading to divisional and national titles.

With three straight trips to the winner's circle, Dan Mercier could be poised to take over the Top Alcohol Dragster points lead from reigning division champ Arthur Gallant. In July, Mercier, a resident of St. Timothee, Que., went into the event at Virginia Motorsports Park in Richmond, Va., in eighth place in the point standings. After beating Boxboro, Mass., resident Gallant in the final, he moved in to fourth place. Another win at Cecil County Dragway in Rising Sun, Md., bumped Mercier to third place and a win at Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J., put him in second place behind Gallant. The win in Englishtown marked three trips to the winner's circle in five races for Mercier.

In Top Alcohol Funny Car, longtime division rivals Frank Manzo and Bob Newberry have been battling it out for the title. Newberry is the defending divisional and national champion but before that it had been a decade since the Schenectady, N.Y., racer had earned a championship. Manzo, on the other hand, had won not only 10 straight division titles but seven successive national crowns.

Manzo, a Morganville, N.J., resident, has made four final-round appearances in five races, scoring three wins and beating Newberry in the final at Lebanon Valley (N.Y.) Dragway and at Raceway Park. Newberry has five runner-up finishes on the season and in another NHRA division that might be enough to claim the championship outright. But in the NHRA Northeast region it means a close battle for the crown.

Although the race at Atco Raceway will conclude the NHRA Northeast division season, Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competitors may continue to earn points at out-of-division races. However, there are only three more races slated to the end of the season: Silver Dollar Raceway in the Southeast division, Thunder Valley Raceway in the South Central division, and Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the Pacific division.

Gates at Atco Raceway open at 7 a.m. each day. Qualifying and time trials start Friday at 9 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car will have two qualifying runs Friday set for 1 & 5 p.m. On Saturday, qualifying will continue at 9:30 a.m. for most categories. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car will run elimination rounds at 12 noon, 3 p.m. and 5 p.m Eliminations for all other classes will start Sunday morning at 9:30.

Tickets for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event are $20 Friday, $20 Saturday and $18 Sunday. A three-day pass is $55. A $5 discount is available for all active military personnel. Children 6 to 11 years old are $1 each day and kids 5 and under are admitted free with a paid adult.

Atco Raceway is located at 1000 Jackson Drive in Atco. For more information call the track, (856) 768-2167, or visit http://www.AtcoRace.com.

NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES FACT SHEET

WHAT: Franklin Trailers NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, where drivers earn points leading to divisional and national championships. Categories include Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The event is the last of six in Northeast Division competition.

WHERE: Atco Raceway, Atco, N.J. Track is located at 1000 Jackson Drive, Atco, N.J.

WHEN: Friday through Sunday, October 27-29, 2006

SCHEDULE: Time trials and qualifying schedule for the Franklin Trailers NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event:

FRIDAY, Oct. 27 -- Gates open at 7 a.m. Qualifying and time trials begin at 9 a.m. Comp Eliminator qualifying is scheduled at 2 & 4 p.m. and Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car qualifying sessions are scheduled at 1 & 5 p.m.

SATURDAY, Oct. 28 -- Gates open at 7 a.m. Final qualifying and time trials are scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. Comp Eliminator round 1 is slated for 11:30 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car will run elimination rounds at 12 noon, 3 p.m., and 5 p.m.

SUNDAY, Oct. 29 -- Gates open at 7 a.m. Eliminations begin at 9:30 a.m.

TICKETS:
GENERAL ADMISSION/PIT PASS -- $20 Friday, $20 Saturday, $18 Sunday. A three-day pass is $55. Children 6 to 11 years old are $1 each day. Kids 5 and under are admitted free with a paid adult. Active Military personnel may receive a $5 discount each day. For more information please call Atco Raceway, (856) 768-2167.

PURSE: The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competitors will vie for cash and contingency awards of $177,250, as well as a chance at a share of the year-end purse of more than $560,000.

2005 EVENT WINNERS: Mike Kosky, Top Alcohol Dragster; Frank Manzo, Top Alcohol Funny Car; Michael Hardee, Comp Eliminator; Larry Miller Jr., Super Stock; Billy Pires, Stock Eliminator; Chris DePascale, Super Comp; Iggie Boicesco, Super Gas; Lynn Hoosigian, Super Street

BONUS PROGRAMS:
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES POINTS FUND -- a $561,000 point fund from Lucas Oil, which will be shared by 2006 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series divisional champions and national champions. Divisional awards include $8,500 each to the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car champions; $3,000 to the champions in both Competition and Super Stock; $2,000 each to the champions in Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The seven national champions will share a bonus of $135,000.

AEROMOTIVE LOW QUALIFIER BONUS: A $3,500 bonus fund paid to the low qualifiers in Comp Eliminator, Super Stock and Stock Eliminator at each of the division's seven races. The best qualifying driver in Comp Eliminator and Super Stock will each get $200 per event, while the best qualifier in Stock Eliminator will get $100 per race.

JEG'S ALLSTARS: The best of the best from each of NHRA's seven divisions will compete for a share of the $100,000 point fund from Jeg's High Performance. The 2007 Jeg's Allstars event will culminate a year-long points battle between drivers in each of NHRA's Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series' eight classes. The top points earner in each category will qualify to represent his/her division at the 2007 Jeg's Allstars. Points are based on in-division races only.

The winning division's team will share $20,000 and individual awards include $7,000 each to the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car champions, $6,000 to champions in Comp Eliminator and Super Stock, and $4,500 to the Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street champions. Runners-up in all categories will earn $2,000 apiece. Each Allstars competitor will also receive a share of a $20,000 towing fund to get to the event.

Event sponsor, Jeg's High Performance, is offering a "double up" bonus to Jeg's Allstars participants. Any 2007 Jeg's Allstars champion who also wins the national event will have his/her Allstars prize doubled.

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