Mon, 10 Oct 2011, 09:16 AM Patience Pays Off

By Kelly Wade Photo copyright 2011 Auto Imagery, Inc.

MOHNTON, Pa. --

Bryan Balducci, Peter Biondo, Joe Santangelo and Lenny Williams

Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competition at this season's Auto- Plus NHRA Nationals in Reading was a disjointed affair, but the untraditional nature of the event failed to disrupt the charge of four victorious souls who were rewarded for their patience with event trophies: Joe Santangelo (Super Stock), Lenny Williams (Stock Eliminator), Bryan Balducci (Super Comp) and Peter Biondo (Super Gas).

Mother Nature was unkind to Maple Grove Raceway before the originally scheduled first day of the Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals, and a saturated pit area necessitated a breaking in two of the run-off of the Lucas Oil categories. Last weekend's winners were crowned on Monday, with Mike Kosky scoring in Top Alcohol Dragster after a decade-long dry spell, Frank Manzo clinching the championship and taking home the event title in Top Alcohol Funny Car and Bo Butner winning for the second consecutive year in Reading, this time in Comp - last season he earned the Stock Eliminator Wally.

The big story out of Reading this weekend was Biondo's near double; in addition to a triumphant Super Gas finish, the Maspeth, N.Y., resident just missed the Super Stock victory. It was not the first time that Biondo fell a tiny bit short of a double-up at Maple Grove - he was a finalist in both Super Stock and Stock at the event in 2002, when Mark Faul and Kevin Fogerty snatched away the respective trophies.

Biondo vs. Koncen

In fact, Division 1 bruiser Biondo has had much success at the event - a high percentage of his 40+ overall wins were earned there, and the Super Gas win this weekend counted as his seventh in national event competition at the facility. He won Stock Eliminator in Reading in 2007 and was the Super Stock winner in Maple Grove for three consecutive years (1994-1997), won the category there again in 1997, and then once more in 2001.

Biondo, a versatile driver with wins across five categories (Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp and Super Gas), has so far had a remarkable season to date in Super Gas. He entered the event leading the national points with the aid of four divisional wins in four finals, and earning his first national event win of the season in the category was another gold star. His last Super Gas national win was at the fall event in Charlotte last year.

This time he got it done with a successful stop of 2001 Englishtown winner Dale Koncen, a fellow Corvette campaigner who was out of the gate first, .011 to .016, but overly enthusiastic at the top end. The Chaptico, Md., driver broke out by .057 to Biondo's winning 9.911 on the 9.90 index.

Santangelo vs. Biondo

After defeating Larry Paden Sr. in the first round, Biondo advanced when Tom Goldman broke out in round two, won a double break-out with Ray Sawyer in the fourth round, and was .005 at the tree to beat Jake Barbato on a holeshot and grab the bye run into the final.

While Biondo has been remarkable in 2011, Santangelo has certainly been no slouch. Racing in his third national event final of the season, the Stock Eliminator championship-hopeful made his first money round of the year in Super Stock and got the win light over Biondo, who entered the event as the category front-runner in the national standings.

GT/HA Camaro wheeler Santangelo was first to launch in their final-round meeting, .023 to .039, and crossed the finish line .018-second over his 10.30 dial to top GT/DA Firebird driver Biondo's breakout 9.667 on a 9.69 target.

Santangelo, of Marlborough, Conn., made his way to his first Maple Grove final with triumphant performances over Angelo DiTocco and Byron Worner before emerging on the fast side of a heads-up GT/HA round with Gianni Cantusci, 10.152 at 129.88 mph to 10.198. 129.11. The eventual winner was .008 at the tree and 10.309 on a 10.31 dial to Michael Iacono's .046 and 9.761 (9.79) in the quarterfinals and then .013 at the hit and 10.304 on his 10.28 goal to Joe Lisa's .044 and .008-too quick 10.242.

Williams vs. Lisa

Williams and Balducci were both first-time winners making the first national event final round appearance of their respective careers.

In the Stock final, F/SA Gran Sport driver Williams was the automatic winner when Lisa's hope of earning his own first national event title was squashed by a .018 red light. D/SA Camaro driver Lisa had been to one previous money round - at the 2005 event right there in Reading, and Mickey Whaley got the win.

Poughkeepsie, N.Y.-based Williams began eliminations with a win over Mike Ficacci and victories over Tex Miller, worse-offender of a double-breakout Kevin Fogerty Jr., a broken Steven Welker and James Perrone, who ran closer to his dial but was second-best in reaction time in the semifinals.

The Super Comp hardware went to Balducci by a super narrow .0017-second margin, or approximately five inches. The deciding factor was his performance at the starting line, where a .010 bested eight-time national event finalist Dan Northrop's none-too-shabby .017 reaction. Although Northrop ran closer to the 8.90 index with an 8.912, Balducci's 8.918 would be good for the holeshot.

Balducci vs. Northrop

The trip over from Voorhees, N.J., was rewarded with six consecutive win lights illuminating the way to the celebration circle for Balducci. He first defeated Debra Moses, of Colonia, N.J., and then won a very close match with Tom Stalba Jr., who was .005 at the start to Balducci's .007 but .012 over the index to his opponent's winning .11-over. The margin of victory was .0012, right about four inches.

Balducci was strong at both ends of the track in the third round, clocking a .010 reaction and finishing a thousandth over the target to Al Kenny's .034 and breakout 8.894, and Tom Hunter's .009 red light start came with a gift of a bye run into the final.

It's tough to say goodbye to Maple Grove Raceway for another full season, but the Full Throttle Series winds down in the West with the final three races of the year. The next stop on the tour is the NHRA Arizona Nationals near Phoenix, Oct. 14-16, where Lucas Oil Series competitors will continue to rally for event wins and those dwindling points. See you there!

The following are Saturday's final results for the Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals and the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at Maple Grove Raceway:

Super Stock
Joe Santangelo, Marlborough, Conn., Camaro, 10.318, 120.26 def. Peter Biondo, Maspeth, N.Y., Firebird, 9.667, 136.25.

Stock Eliminator
Lenny Williams, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Gran Sport, 10.939, 118.99 def. Joe Lisa, Vernon, N.J., Camaro, foul.

Super Comp
Bryan Balducci, Voorhees, N.J., Dragster, 8.918, 164.41 def. Dan Northrop, Doylestown, Pa., dragster, 8.912, 158.93.

Super Gas
Peter Biondo, Maspeth, N.Y., Corvette, 9.911, 170.17 def. Dale Koncen, Chaptico, Md., Corvette, 9.843, 158.84.

Last Monday's final results.

Top Alcohol Dragster
Mike Kosky, 5.285, 265.59 def. Joey Severance, 5.324, 269.24.

Top Alcohol Funny Car
Frank Manzo, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.419, 264.60 def. Andy Bohl, Ford Mustang, 5.520, 259.51.

Comp Eliminator
Bo Butner, Cobalt, 8.932, 111.57 def. Sal Biondo, Cavalier, broke.

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