Mon, 2 Oct 2000, 11:58 AM Go west! Drivers Take Aim at National Title

Courtesy of NHRA Marketing

DELMAR, Del. -- Opening day of the Northeast Division, Summit Racing E.T. Finals got underway today with ideal weather conditions at the U.S. 13 Dragway in Delmar, Delaware. The event is expected to draw more than 900 racecars from 20 competing tracks, representing 18 teams. Each winner from the Super, Heavy, Street, and Motorcycles/Snowmobiles classes will have a chance to compete against the winners from the other six divisions at the World Championships in Pomona, California.

"This is really exciting with all these cars here," said U.S.13 Dragway competitor Shawn Riley. "This is what racing is all about. This is what I try to pass on to my kids." NHRA Northeast Division Director Bob Lang. added, "Great forecast, cool weather, and capacity cars start the Summit E.T. Finals with a bang. Also adding, "I think that what Summit has done to their E.T. racing program has really brought to the forefront the support that the racers have been looking for." Finally, the excitement of a World Championship has added more esteem to E.T. racing. "It makes it a little more competitive and interesting when so much is on the line," said Lang.

Thursday's time trials running in preparation for the S&W's Race of Champions to be held on Friday. Time trials continue Friday at 8:30 a.m. with High School Eliminator scheduled around 8:00 p.m.

Four drivers from the Northeast Division will pack their bags and head west for the Summit Racing Series National Championship, to be held at the historic Pomona Raceway in mid November. "The Summit Bracket Racing E.T. National Championship is a great effort on the part of Summit Racing. The local bracket racer can show their stuff in what the racers have deemed the "The Big One". Just the idea of being a National Champion is the pinnacle of their sport.

"It just makes it all worth while," said Numidia Raceway's track announcer Dave McMeans. The four drivers that have qualified for the Summit National Championship in Pomona will each receive $3,500 when they arrive at the California track, then compete against six other racers for four event titles, with the winner in each category receiving an additional $5,000.

The drivers that have qualified for the all-or-nothing event by virtue of their victories at the Division 1 Summit E.T. Finals are: Allan Glah in Super Pro, Anthony Fetch in Pro, Matt Rosen in Sportsman, and Butch Zelinsky in Motorcycles/Snowmobiles. The team title went to ATCO Raceway with 77 total points. Kristen Gagnon representing Lebanon Valley Dragway took top honors in the High School category. Finally, collecting the Team Spirit award was Numidia Raceway of Numdia, Pa.

Said Super Pro driver Allan Groh of Capitol Raceway, "I am ecstatic that I can represent Capitol raceway at the National Championships. Hopefully, I'll be able to bring home the big prize."

In the Pro category, Old Bridge Township Raceway's own Anthony Fetch, took the top honors beating friend and competitor Jeff Pasquarillo.

"I have been waiting for this for a long time. To see all my time and effort pay off is awesome," said Fetch. In the Motorcycle/Snowmobile class, Butch Zelinsky of Numidia Raceway rode his '95 Ninja to a victory over his close friend Chuck Kiger with and elapsed time of 8.586 seconds at 145.65 miles per hour. In probably the most competitive category, Sportsman racer Matt Rosen of ATCO Raceway narrowly beat Jamie Schrieter, who is also from ATCO Raceway with a terrific run of 14.015 and 96.69 mph.

In other racing news, Friday night's winners in the tenth annual Race of Champions include Benny Parks of Salisbury, Md. -More- in Super Pro, Dahrl Clark of Everett, Pa. in Pro, Jon Tisdale of East Hartford, Conn. in Motorcycle/Snowmobile, and Brian Correll of West Chester, Pa. in Sportsman. Sadly, Vinnie Napp, 58, track owner of Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, passed away this morning after a long battle with cancer. Flags at U.S.13 Dragway were flown at half-mast and a moment of silence was observed for his passing.

The following are the final results from the NHRA Summit Racing Series Northeast Division Finals at U.S.13 Dragway, Delmar, Delaware:

SUPER PRO
Quarterfinals
Ben Calhoun, Capitol Raceway, 7.797, 169.26 def
Butch Henry, Cecil County, 10.141, 130.56

Ray Keegan, Old Bridge Township, 9.786, 134.54 def
Melvin Thomas, U.S.13 Dragway, 10.119, 131.54

Allan Glah, Capitol Raceway, 8.325, 154.58 def
Joseph Seibert, Old Bridge Township, 7.889, 167.00

Semifinals
Calhoun, 7.826, 156.93 def Keegan, 9.806, 134.32
Glah, 8.309, 159.01 Single

Finals
Glah, 8.366, 143.12 def Calhoun, Broke

PRO
Quarterfinals
Dave Tolley, 75-80 Dragway, 10.412, 127.24 def.
Ken Gerberich, Maple Grove, 10.203, 130.30

Jeff Pasquarillo, ATCO Raceway, 10.080, 135.91 def
John Binkle, Cecil County, 10.617, 123.50

Anthony Fetch, Old Bridge Township, 10.706, 125.22 def
Matt Bonocore, ATCO Raceway, 10.220, 130.92

Rich Pennington, Maple Grove, 10.097, 130.75 def
Bob Green, Island Dragway, 11.214, 115.78

Ken Garofalo, Old Bridge Township, 11.823, 113.47 def
Charles Dehaven, 11.134, 115.35

Semifinals
Pasquarillo, 10.080, 135.78 def Garofalo, 14.671, 70.79
Fetch, 10.716, 122.58 def Pennington, 10.092, 130.96
Tolley, 10.419, 127.53 Single

Finals

STREET(Sportsman)
Quarterfinals
Jamie Schrieter, ATCO Raceway, 15.411 seconds, 73.69 mph def
Clayton Garber, 75-80 Dragway, 14.874 seconds, 88.07 mph

Mike Myers, 75-80 Dragway, 12.140, 105.65 def
Dwayne Myers, Mason-Dixon Dragway, 12.847, 103.21

Louie Romanell, 75-80 Dragway, 14.873, 89.62 def
P.J. Thomas, Island Dragway, 12.331, 108.21

Matt Rosen, ATCO Raceway, 14.043, 96.74 def
Doug Gould, Old Bridge Township, 14.054, 99.77

Ray Darroch, Keystone Raceway Park, 13.418, 92.61 def
Brian Mullaney, ATCO Raceway, 15.225, 89.9

Diane Hurlburt, Spencer Speedway, 16.114, 59.24 def
Brandon McMillan, Cecil mCounty Dragway, 13.216, 103.37 (Foul)

Semifinals
Schrieter, 15.240, 88.20 def Myers, 12.137, 108.21
Darroch, 13.468, 96.47 def Hurlburt, 13.881, 101.76
Rosen, 13.994, 96.73 def Romanell, Broke

Finals
Rosen, 14.015, 96.69 def Schrieter, 15.125, 88.61

MOTORCYCLE/SNOWMOBILE
Quarterfinals
Butch Zelinsky, Numidia Raceway, 8.590, 150.42 def
Tom Cobb, U.S.13 Dragway, 11.666, 105.54

Chuck Kiger, Numidia Raceway, 8.683, 135.93 def
Danny Boyer, Cecil County Dragway, 9.662, 130.17

Tom Sheidy, Maple Grove, 9.001, 142.36 def
Olin Gould, ATCO Raceway, 9.752, 137.78

Kevin Wuest, ESTA Safety Park, 11.050, 114.08 Bye Run

Semifinals
Kiger, 8.701, 135.37 def Wuest, 11.129, 112.42
Zelensky, 8.615, 140.20 def Sheidy, 9.064, 137.36

Finals
Zelinsky, 8.586, 145.65 def Kiger, 8.687, 141.55

HIGHSCHOOL
Quarterfinals
Kristen Gagnon, Lebanon Valley Dragway, 11.855 seconds, 109.13 mph def
Bryan Balducci, ATCO Raceway 13.481 seconds, 100.96 mph

Marques McClure, Maple Grove Raceway, 13.268, 100.81 def
Lindsay Standifer, 75-80 Dragway, 14.719, 93.07

Jeremy Manford, Mason-Dixon Dragway, 15.352, 87.73 Bye Run

Semifinals
McClure, 13.313, 92.68 mph def Manford, 15.319, 87.73
Gagnon, 11.578, 112.07 Bye Run

Final
Gagnon, 11.862, 109.63 mph def McClure, 13.117, 92.21 mph

TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Final team championship results:
1 ATCO Raceway 77
2 Old Bridge Township 75
3 Capitol Raceway 72
4 Maple Grove 65
5 Numidia Raceway 64
6 Cecil County 63
7 U.S. 13 Dragway 56
8 Mason-Dixon Dragway 52
9 Island Dragway 48
10 ESTA Safety Park 46
11 75-80 Dragway 42
12 Long Island Motorsports 37
13 Lebanon Valley Dragway 37
14 Keystone Raceway Park 35
15 Spencer Speedway 25
16 South Mountain Dragway 21
17 Fairmont Dragway 21
18 Team Canada 18