FRICKE FAMILY WINS BIG AT MAPLE GROVE
Reading, Pa.- The Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series hit the Northeast division, for the second time of 2017. Fans were in attendance as racers from all over the nation visited the drag strip to compete on Memorial Day Weekend. Husband and wife Shawn and Jackie Fricke, led the winners circle at Maple Grove Raceway Sunday, along with their nephew Cory Ream.
Top Alcohol Dragster champion, Jackie Fricke worked her way through the field, facing off against Richard Bourke in all New Jersey Top Alcohol Dragster final round. Fricke of Flemington, didn’t have too much trouble returning to winner’s circle as Bourke of Tappan tripped the red light at the starting line. Jackie Fricke recorded a victory pass of 5.284 seconds, 277.66 mph.
The Top Alcohol Funny Car final round featured an east versus west coast battle. Sean Bellemeur, Placentia, Calif., ran 5.470 seconds, 267.91 mph edging out Northeast TAFC standout Phil Burkart, Yorkville, N.Y., who runner upped at 5.553 seconds, 267.06 mph.
The Fricke’s finished up nicely on Sunday. Shawn, Flemington, N.J., didn’t face much resistance from William Phillips, Monroe Township, N.J., in the Super Street final round. Williams punched the throttle too soon, signaling the red light and giving Fricke the easy win. Fricke finished at 10.952 seconds, 123.08 mph.
Cory Ream, Narvon, Pa., ran 8.172, 75.02 defeating Santina Santamaria, 7.991, 81.20 in the Junior Dragster 13-17 final round. Dave Barton, Robesonia, Pa., beat out fellow Pennsylvania racer Don Belles of Lansdale in the Super Stock Presented By ATI final round. Barton cruised to 8.951, 143.34, Belles came in second at 8.361, 161.25.
In the final round of MXI/Magnaflux Top Sportsman presented by Select Performance, Michael Cerro, Mineola, N.Y., and Daniel Hill, Thomaston, Conn., took the starting line. Cerro took the stripe by 0.0110 seconds, as Hill broke out. Cerro took home the event Wally trophy closing the show at 7.016, 195.45; Hill 6.894 194.46. In the Mxi/Magnaflux Top Dragster Presented By Select Performance final round Nick Willard, Leominster, Mass, started fast and never let up, clocking in at 6.869, 196.70 to defeat Rick Bell, Merrimack, N.H., 6.947, 185.26.
The other drivers visiting the winner’s circle were Christopher Valentine in Stock; Frank Aragona in Super Comp; Calvin Hill in Comp Eliminator; Heath Smith in Pro Stock Snowmobile; John Maggiulli in Super Street Quick Eight; Frank Volpe in Super Gas Quick Eight; Kathy Smulligan in Super Comp Quick Eight; Allison Smyth in Stock Quick Eight; Herbie Null in Super Stock Quick Eight; Tyler DePascale in Junior Dragster 6-9; and Bobby Pennabaker Jr. in Junior Dragster 10-12.
The Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series is scheduled to visit the Northeast Division next on June 30th at Lebanon Valley Dragway. The following are Sunday’s final results from NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Northeast Division Showdown at Sundown:
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:
Round 1
1) Josh Hart, Ocala, Fla., 5.306, 267.59 def. 8) Earl Nichols Jr., Wilmington, Del., 5.691, 214.14;
3) Dan Page, Hampstead, N.H., 5.332, 264.80 def. 6) Tom Fox Jr., Shamong, N.J., 5.374, 264.29;
2) Jackie Fricke, Flemington, N.J., 5.275, 277.94 def. 7) Wayne Morris, Lincoln University, Pa., 5.569, 258.81;
4) Richard Bourke, Old Tappan, N.J., 5.315, 272.45 def. 5) Rich McPhillips, Phoenixville, Pa., 5.364, 266.27;
Semi-Finals
Bourke, 5.413, 270.32 def. Hart, 5.331, 269.40;
Fricke, 5.257, 278.40 def. Page, 5.387, 258.22;
Finals
Fricke, 5.284, 277.66 def. Bourke, foul.
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:
Round 1
1) Sean Bellemeur, Placentia, Calif., ’17 Camaro, 5.479, 267.69 was unopposed;
6) Phil Burkart, Yorkville, N.Y., ’15 Camaro, 5.602, 266.48 def. 3) Dan Pomponio, Berlin, N.J., ’10 Monte Carlo, 5.665, 257.14;
2) Dj Cox, Whiteford, Md., ’13 Monte Carlo, 5.495, 268.28 def. 7) Marie Ferriolo, Allentown, N.J., ’14 Mustang, 5.877, 210.83;
4) Mathew Gill, West Bridgewater, Mass., ’16 Camaro, 5.936, 253.71 def. 5) Tyler Scott, Exeter, Ont., ’17 Camaro, 6.253, 240.85;
Semifinals
Burkart, 5.541, 266.95 def. Cox, 6.816, 146.08;
Bellemeur, 5.498, 268.22 def. Gill, 5.638, 263.05;
Finals
Bellemeur, 5.470, 267.91 def. Burkart, 5.553, 267.06.
COMP ELIMINATOR
Calvin Hill, Tamaqua, Pa., ’09 Grand AM, D/EA, 8.202, 163.83 def. Gregory Mannix, Oxford, Pa., ’09 dragster, B/ED, 6.962, 192.11.
SUPER COMP
Frank Aragona, Freehold, N.J., ’16 American, 8.902, 176.65 def. Chase Fahnestock, Newville, Pa., ’99 Dragster, foul.
SUPER STREET
Shawn Fricke, Flemington, N.J., ’02 Firebird, 10.952, 123.08 def. William Phillips, Monroe Township, N.J., ’82 Camaro, foul.
SUPER STOCK PRESENTED BY ATI
David Barton, Robesonia, Pa., ’14 Cobrajet, FSS/D, 8.951, 143.34 def. Don Belles, Lansdale, Pa., ’08 Cobra Jet, FGT/B, 8.361, 161.25.
STOCK ELIMINATOR PRESENTED BY ATI
Christopher Valentine, Baltimore, Md., ’86 Camaro, H/SA, 11.328, 113.37 def. Mathieu Beriault, Richeliea, Quebec, ’69 Nova, G/SA, 11.337, 114.33.
MXI/MAGNAFLUX TOP SPORTSMAN PRESENTED BY SELECT PERFORMANCE Michael Cerro, Mineola, N.Y., ’63 Corvette, 7.016, 195.45 def. Daniel Hill, Thomaston, Conn., ’69 Camaro, 6.894, 194.46.
MXI/MAGNAFLUX TOP DRAGSTER PRESENTED BY SELECT PERFORMANCE Nick Willard, Leominster, Mass., ’11 Undercover, 6.869, 196.70 def. Rick Bell, Merrimack, N.H., ’16 Dan Page, 6.947, 185.26.
PRO STOCK SNOWMOBILE
Heath Smith, Westmoreland, N.Y., ’03 Ski-doo, 8.421, 153.61 def. Tiina Duncanson, Acton, Ont., ’10 Skidoo, broke.
SUPERSTREET QUICK EIGHT
John Maggiulli, East Hanover, N.J., ’69 Camaro, 10.912, 142.04 def. Kevin Tiedemann, E Chester, N.Y., ’70 Nova, 10.994, 128.05.
SUPER GAS QUICK EIGHT
Frank Volpe, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., ’00 Mustang, 9.934, 165.90 def. Charlie Kenopic, Renfrew, Ont., ’63 Corvette, 9.968, 151.37.
SUPER COMP QUICK EIGHT
Kathy Smulligan, Coopersburg, Pa., ’99 Cressman, 9.001, 154.71 def. David Long, Wallingford, Pa., ’93 S & W, 10.145, 100.31.
STOCK QUICK EIGHT
Allison Smyth, Uxbridge, Mass., ’98 Firebird, A/SA, 10.214, 128.14 def. Sean Conway, Long Valley, N.J., ’82 Malibu Wagon, N/SA, 12.871, 94.05.
SUPER STOCK QUICK EIGHT
Herbie Null, Greencastle, Pa., ’87 Camaro, GT/IA, 10.051, 124.69 def. Joe Lisa, Vernon, N.J., ’87 Camaro, GT/JA, 10.358, 113.94.
JUNIOR DRAGSTER 6-9
Tyler Depascale, , , ’02 Halfscale, 12.706, 46.59 def. James Antonette, Wantagh, N.Y., ‘xx Dragster, 15.121, 40.60.
JUNIOR DRAGSTER 10-12
Bobby Pennabaker Jr., Morgantown, Pa., ’05 Halfscale, 9.059, 70.74 def. Kate Hall, Nokesville, Va., ’17 BOS, 8.991, 72.14.
JUNIOR DRAGSTER 13-17
Cory Ream, Narvon, Pa., ’06 Halfscale, 8.172, 75.02 def. Santina Santamaria, Holland Patent, N.Y., ‘xx Bozz, 7.991, 81.20.