SHIELDS, MANZO SCORE IN MAPLE GROVE
READING, Pa. – Duane Shields and Frank Manzo each took home wins and the trophies for this weekend’s NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at Maple Grove Raceway. Shield made the trip from Boulder City, Nev., and ran 5.30’s throughout eliminations beating Daniel Page and John Finke on his way to a final round match up with Dan Mercier, LaPrairie, Quebec, CAN., in Top Alcohol Dragster. Shields’ 5.374 second pass at 265.85 mph was enough to hold off Mercier’s 5.398, 266.90, which was his best pass of eliminations.
Manzo continued his dominance in Top Alcohol Funny Car posting low elapsed time in each round of eliminations. The Morganville, N.J., racer faced Todd Veney in the final round running a 5.590 second lap at 260.01 mph to Veney’s 5.716 at 255.05 mph. The win is Manzo’s first divisional win of the year to go along with two national event victories including one last weekend in Topeka, Kan.
Four Pennsylvania racers also made the trip to winner’s circle led by Charlie Greco of Paoli, Pa., in Comp Eliminator who took out David Yediny, Nazareth, Pa., in his ’10 Cobalt. Joining Creco was Don Garbinski, Philadelphia, in Super Street holding off George Forster, Gerrncastle, Pa., Steve Szupka, Willow Grove, Pa., driving an ’85 Camaro in Stock over David Barton, Robesonia, Pa., and Shawn Harp, Schwenkville, Pa., in Super Gas.
In Super Stock it was James Antonette, New Hyde Park, N.Y., winning over Dan Fletcher while Shawn Fricke of Flemington, N.J., outran Chris DePascale, Parlin, N.J., in Super Comp.
Rounding out the winner’s were the division’s Top Sportsman and Top Dragster class with John Prime, Thomastown, Conn., running 6.718 seconds at 202.06 mph in beating Jeff Brooks in Top Sportsman. Brooks went 6.859 at 201.22 in his ’51 Henry J. Scott Luken, Perry Hall, Md., won in Top Dragster against James Bridge with a lap of 7.092 seconds at 190.03 mph.
Northeast Division racers head to Lebanon Valley Dragway for the next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, July 1-3.
The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Maple Grove Raceway:
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:
Round 1
3) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 5.355, 272.23 def. 6) Daniel Page, Hampstead, N.H., 12.753, 81.45
9) Brandon Greco, Roscoe, Pa., 5.536, 256.31 def. 1) Mike Comella, Mentor, Ohio, 5.435, 261.62
2) John Finke, Selkirk, N.Y., 5.444, 259.31 def. 7) Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., 5.499, 256.55
5) Dan Mercier, LaPrairie, Quebec, 5.488, 257.14 def. 4) Karen Stalba, Hammonton, N.J., 5.506, 260.66
Semifinals
Shields, 5.359, 272.83 def. Finke, 5.431, 265.69
Mercier, 5.493, 262.49 def. Greco, 5.581, 251.53
Final
Shields, 5.374, 265.85 def. Mercier, 5.398, 266.90
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:
Round 1
1) Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.603, 259.41 def. 8) Wayne Morris, Lincoln Univ,, Pa., '10 Mustang, foul
2) Paul Gill, Brockton, Mass., '08 Mustang, 5.639, 254.14 def. 7) Eric Lourie, Terryville, Conn., '02 Camaro, 5.811, 246.80
3) Todd Veney, Indianapolis, Ind., '09 Impala SS, 5.700, 254.76 def. 6) Dan Pomponio, Berlin, N.J., '08 Monte Carlo, 5.768, 252.66
4) John Anderika, Wyoming, Pa., '10 Monte Carlo, 5.878, 238.68 def. 9) Marie Ferriolo, Allentown, N.J., '02 Camaro, 5.940, 237.25
Semifinals
Manzo, 5.600, 259.76 def. Anderika, 5.726, 247.43
Veney, 6.018, 239.91 def. Gill, 6.154, 201.10
Final
Manzo, 5.590, 260.01 def. Veney, 5.716, 255.05
COMP ELIMINATOR
Charlie Greco, Paoli, Pa., '10 Cobalt, No Time def. David Yediny, Nazareth, Pa., '71 Opel, No Time
SUPER STOCK
James Antonette, New Hyde Park, N.Y., '98 Grand Am, 9.700, 135.05 def. Dan Fletcher, Churchville, N.Y., '69 Camaro, 9.536, 139.66
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Steve Szupka, Willow Grove, Pa., '85 Camaro, 11.783, 111.62 def. David Barton, Robesonia, Pa., '65 Coronet, 10.207, 127.25
SUPER COMP
Shawn Fricke, Flemington, N.J., dragster, 8.923, 165.86 def. Chris DePascale, Parlin, N.J., dragster, 8.932, 159.06.
TOP SPORTSMAN
John Prime, Thomastown, Conn., '68 Camaro, 6.718, 202.06 def. Jeff Brooks, Fredericksburg, Va., '51 Henry J, 6.859, 201.22.
SUPER GAS
Shawn Harp, Schwenksville, Pa., '57 Bel Air, 9.864, 155.78 def. Alan Kenny, Kutztown, Pa., '03 Corvette, 9.863, 155.56.
TOP DRAGSTER
Scott Luken, Perry Hall, Md., dragster, 7.092, 190.03 def. James Bridge, Napanee, Ont., dragster, 6.893, 187.36.
SUPER STREET
Don Garbinski, Philadelphia, '71 Challenger, 10.944, 133.78 def. George Forster, Greencastle, Pa., '65 Chevy II, 10.940, 141.50.
