MANZO, KOSKY LEAD WINNERS IN ATCO
ATCO, N.J. – Frank Manzo extended his Top Alcohol Funny Car points lead in the NHRA Northeast Division picking up his third divisional win of the year this past weekend at Atco Raceway and the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event presented by PCRichard.com and Franklin Trailers. The Morganville, N.J. racer qualifier No. 1 and dominated the field advancing through eliminations and beating Eric Lourie, Terryville, Conn., in the final with a lap of 5.620 seconds at 259.21 mph. The win also gave Manzo the National points lead over Tony Bartone who has led the funny car points most of the season.
In Top Alcohol Dragster it was Mike Kosky breaking into the winner’s circle for the first time in 2011. Kosky, Cuddy, Pa., defeated John Finke, Selkirk, N.Y., and Rich McPhillips, Audubon, Pa., in rounds 1 and 2 before facing Karen Stalba, Hammonton, N.J., in the final. Kosky’s 5.467 second lap at 259.36 mph was too much for Stalba’s 5.874, 232.15.
Four other New Jersey racers joined Manzo with victories including Stalba’s husband Tom, who beat Charlie Yannette, Alpine, N.J., in his ’63 Corvette running 9.917, 149.80 in Super Gas. Richard Leone, Manalapan, N.J., defeated fellow New Jersey, resident Chris DePascale of Parlin, with a near perfect 8.908 second run on the 8.90 dial for the Super Comp win while Jay Neville, Franklinville, N.J., won in Super Street and his ’79 Camaro over Edward Brooks, Deer Park, N.Y. Jeff Tripp, Jackson, N.J., rounded out the home state winners in taking the Super Stock trophy from James Antonette, New Hyde Park, N.Y.
The Comp Eliminator title went to Kyle Cultrera, Eliot, Maine, driving his ’32 roadster against Sal Biondo, Maspeth, N.Y., and Billy Pires, Dighton, Mass., took the Stock Eliminator honors, ousting David Barton, Robesonia, Pa.
Northeast Division racers head to Cecil County Dragway for the next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, August 19-21
The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event presented by PCRichard.com and Franklin Trailers at Atco Raceway:
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:
Round 1
6) Richard Bourke, Old Tappan, N.J., 5.563, 263.31 def. 3) Dan Mercier, LaPrairie, Quebec, 5.553, 265.64
4) Mike Kosky, Cuddy, Pa., 5.725, 229.98 def. 5) John Finke, Selkirk, N.Y., 5.787, 247.29
7) Karen Stalba, Hammonton, N.J., 5.823, 250.51 def. 2) Dan Page, Hampstead, N.H., broke
1) Rich McPhillips, Audubon, Pa., 5.678, 237.00 def. 8) Tom Pickett, Salem, N.H., foul;
Semifinals
Kosky, 5.525, 252.71 def. McPhillips, 5.511, 258.17
Stalba, 5.468, 263.00 def. Bourke, 5.559, 261.93
Final
Kosky, 5.467, 259.36 def. Stalba, 5.874, 232.15
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:
Round 1
5) DJ Cox Jr., Whiteford, Md., '09 Monte Carlo, 5.728, 253.90 def. 4) Dan Pomponio, Berlin, N.J., '10 Monte Carlo, 5.787, 254.14
2) Eric Lourie, Terryville, Conn., '02 Camaro, 5.788, 250.92 def. 7) Wayne Morris, Lincoln Univ, Pa., '10 Mustang, 5.948, 244.47
6) Melinda Green-King, Norfolk, Va., '10 Mustang, 5.839, 248.98 def. 3) John Anderika, Pittston, Pa., '10 Monte Carlo, 6.089, 234.45
1) Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '10 Monte Carlo, 5.609, 260.71 def. 8) Marie Ferriolo, Allentown, N.J., '02 Camaro, 5.961, 241.32
Semifinals
Lourie, 5.779, 249.07 def. Green-King, 6.311, 170.71
Manzo, 5.637, 259.31 def. Cox Jr., 5.766, 250.83
Final
Manzo, 5.620, 259.21 def. Lourie, broke
COMP ELIMINATOR
Kyle Cultrera, Eliot, Maine, '32 Bantam, H/EA, 9.058, 136.50 def. Sal Biondo, Maspeth, N.Y., '07 Cavalier, I/AA, 8.169, 165.21
SUPER STOCK
Jeff Tripp, Jackson, N.J., '84 Monte Carlo, SS/AM, 9.281, 122.10 def. James Antonette, New Hyde Park, N.Y., '98 Grand Am, SS/CS, foul
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Billy Pires, Dighton, Mass., '72 Nova, G/SA, 11.677, 102.63 def. David Barton, Robesonia, Pa., '65 Coronet, A/SA, 10.041, 132.10
SUPER COMP
Richard Leone, Manalapan, N.J., dragster, 8.908, 166.56 def. Chris DePascale, Parlin, N.J., dragster, 8.923, 166.81
SUPER GAS
Tom Stalba, Hammonton, N.J., '63 Corvette, 9.917, 149.80 def. Charlie Yannetti, Alpine, N.J., '27 roadster, 9.864, 156.43
SUPER STREET
Jay Neville, Franklinville, N.J., '79 Camaro, 10.917, 121.88 def. Edward Brooks, Deer Park, N.Y., '82 Camaro, 10.886, 140.87
