Wed, 5 Oct 2011, 10:12 AM Not For The Faint Of Heart

By Kelly Wade Photo copyright 2011 Auto Imagery, Inc.

MOHNTON, Pa. --

Manzo vs. Bohl

Excessive rain preceding the event and a soggy pit area necessitated a separation of Lucas Oil Series racing at the Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, and only Competition Eliminator and the alcohol categories were run on the same weekend as the pros. There was certainly no shortage of excitement, though, as Mike Kosky (Top Alcohol Dragster), Frank Manzo (Top Alcohol Funny Car) and Bo Butner (Comp) made big moves and took home trophies - and in one case, a championship.

Title chaser Tony Bartone had already fulfilled his national quota with a perfect record in claimed events, so he came to Maple Grove with one mission: to block 14-time world champion Frank Manzo from claiming world title No. 15. Troubles came early for Bartone, however, when he surprisingly ended up as the No. 2 qualifier with a quick 5.540 to Manzo's pack-leading 5.491 and was unable to effectively block his heavily-horsepowered challenger.

Bartone got past tire-spinning first-round opponent Wayne Butler, but in the quarterfinals it was John Anderika getting the win as parts in Bartone's engine failed past the 330-foot timer and smoke trailed from the car. The driver of the Centre Pointe Collision Center Mustang then took on the role of spectator to Manzo's charge and pinned his hopes on the Permatex Follow A Dream Impala driver Todd Veney. If Veney could eliminate Manzo in the semifinals, Bartone would need to go on and win two more divisional events, but his championship hopes could remain alive a bit longer.

Manzo had been powerful all weekend with 5.4 and 5.5 second passes, but Bartone's hope was at least somewhat reasonable. Anything can happen, and No. 5 qualifier Veney looked strong at Maple Grove Raceway as he soldiered to a career best 5.548 in round one and then got around Dan Pomponio in the quarterfinals. A great big something DID happen, and it wasn't in Bartone's favor; Veney got into trouble early and Manzo roared down the track in his Al-Anabi Racing Monte Carlo to a 5.411 at 264.44 mph for the national record - and the championship.

In the final, Andy Bohl and his Competition Products Mustang put up a fine fight in their first money-round appearance, nearly matching Manzo in reaction time and clocking his quickest pass of the weekend, a 5.520 at 259.51 mph, but the freshly crowned champ hadn't yet cooled from his hot semifinals performance and backed up the record with a 5.419 at 264.60 mph for the event win.

Kosky vs. Severance

The Top Alcohol Dragster victory went to Kosky for the first time since 1999, when he won the Reading title. This year's victory was his ninth national event win overall and third at Maple Grove Raceway. Kosky had been to a final at least once every year since 2008 and was the recent runner-up in Englishtown, where Duane Shields got the win, but he was finally able to return to the winner's circle with a final-round triumph over Joey Severance.

Severance was .017 at the tree to Kosky's .052 but the winlight was flashing for Kosky and the blown American Flyer rail after he made his quickest pass of the weekend, a 5.285 at 265.59 mph, to get around Severance and his 5.324, 269.24. The margin of victory was by a matter of 23 inches and the difference was .0048-second on the clock.

No. 3 qualifier Kosky had a freebie in the first round, his 300th in Top Alcohol Dragster competition, after Tom Pickett broke on the burnout. Robin Samsel was a no-show in the quarterfinals, and Duane Shields went right up in smoke at the hit of the throttle in the semifinals, allowing Kosky to take the win on a 5.334 pass.

Division 6 racer Joey Severance was a long way from home in his Severance Racing blown alcohol dragster, and making the journey to Maple Grove all the way from Woodburn, Ore., might have been impossible were it not for the help of friends in the racing community who contributed generously to make it happen. Severance, who came to the event with 36 wins and 36 losses in national event rounds, made good on promises to do his best and qualified in the No. 4 position.

True to character, Severance was remarkable at the starting line, recording a .007 light and pairing it with a 5.337 to beat John Finke's season-best 5.295 on a holeshot in the second round round. The semifinals presented the opportunity to knock defending world champ Bill Reichert right out of contention for another title, and Severance seized it with another holeshot win (.001 to .057) and the quickest and fastest pass of his career, a 5.266 at 271.30 mph to Reichert's 5.248, 271.02.

At the end of the extended weekend, Severance was perched in the No. 3 position in the national standings, just 23 points behind points leader Shields.

Bo Butner

Butner, the Stock Eliminator victor in Reading last season, scored a second consecutive title at the facility when he got the nod over a broken Sal Biondo in the Comp final. Biondo was shut off before the match as fluids were leaking from his Vinny Barone-owned I/AA Cavalier.

The path to the final Butner, of Floyd Knobs, Ind., included a first-round victory over red-lighting Pat Ross and then an automatic advancement when Kenny Voight was a no-show for their Monday morning-delayed second round match.

E/SMA Cobalt pilot Butner went .57-under the 9.03 index to defeat Gerry Russo, who was .004 at the starting line to his .025 and clocked a .53-under the 8.57 index. In the semifinals it was Butner taking an early advantage as he was out of the gate in .003-second to Charlie Greco's .021 and went .59-under the 8.96 target to surpass Greco's .56-under the 9.25.

It was Butner's 9th national event win in his 15th final and Gainesville winner Biondo's 29th national event final of his career. Biondo continues to lead the charge in the series standings.

The remaining Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals sportsman categories - Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp and Super Gas - are scheduled to be run at Maple Grove Raceway this coming weekend, Oct. 7-8, and the next Full Throttle Series event for the Lucas Oil Drag Racing competitors is the Arizona NHRA Nationals at Firebird Raceway in Phoenix, Oct. 14-16.

Monday's Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series final results from the 27th annual Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.

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.

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