HART AND BURKHART GO ALL THE WAY IN EPPING
EPPING, N.H., – Top Alcohol and Funny Car standouts Josh Hart and Phil Burkhart celebrated in winner’s circle with their teams Saturday at New England Dragway following their final round victories in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.
After beating out Rich McPhillips and Duane Shields in rounds one and two, Hart, Ocala, Fla., squared off against New Hampshire driver Dan Page of Hampstead in the Top Alcohol Dragster final round. The Florida runner blocked out the home crowd as he scored the hole shot victory racing to 5.322 seconds, 271.08 mph vs. Page, 5.296 seconds, 275.62 mph.
The North vs South battle continued into the final round of Top Alcohol Funny Car. This time New York driver, Phil Burkhart hailing from Yorkville brought the Wally Trophy back to the Northeast. Aryan Rochon, Wesley Chapel, Fla., triggered the light late at the tree .442 seconds; and Burkhart took full advantage, leaving him the dust. Burkhart crossed the finish line at 5.572 seconds, 266.27 mph. Rochon registered a pass of 5.728 seconds, 259.46 mph.
New Jersey driver Shawn Fricke, Flemington, N.J., 8.906 seconds, 175.52 mph bested Edward McCleaft, Shinglehouse, Pa., 8.894 seconds, 172.56 mph in the final round of Super Comp.
Derry, New Hampshire drivers Deborah Di Genova and Brian Khoury battled it out for the event Wally in the MX Industrial Top Dragster Challenge final round. Di Genova was quicker off the starting line finishing at 6.834 seconds, 193.35 mph. Khoury was too quick on the track and broke out clocking in at 6.965 seconds, 191.13 mph, handing Di Genova the Top Dragster win.
In the MXI/Magnaflux/Select Top Sportsman final round Larry Willard, Leominster, Mass., got off to a great start and never let Jeff Brooks, Fredericksburg, Va., catch up. The Massachusetts racer completed a winning pass of 7.333 seconds, 185.6 mph vs Brooks who followed up with 6.735 seconds, 203.58 mph.
The other drivers visiting the winner’s circle were Jason Lawrence in Super Street; John MacLean in Super Gas; Trevor Ervin in Stock; Billy Pires in Super Stock; Don Eckel in Comp Eliminator; Aiden Baker in Junior Dragster 6-9; Josh Leblanc in Junior Dragster 10-12; Kyle Murray in Jr Dragster 13-17; Frank Berard Jr in Pro Stock Snowmobile; Jason Kenny Super Gas Top 8; Jason MacNeil Super Comp Top 8; Allison Smyth in Stock Presented by ATI Top 8; and T J Boucher Super Stock Presented By ATI Top 8.
The Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series is set to return to the Northeast division August 4th at Atco Raceway. The following are Sunday’s final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Northeast Division Night of Fire at New England Dragway:
Top Alcohol Dragster
Round 1
5) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 5.316, 276.86 def. 7) Dan Mercier, Saint-Michel, Quebec, 12.758, 70.48;
3) Dan Page, Hampstead, N.H., 5.296, 277.43 def. 8) Tom Pickett, Salem, N.H., 5.575, 256.31;
1) Josh Hart, Ocala, Fla., 5.251, 270.10 def. 6) Rich McPhillips, Phoenixville, Pa., broke;
2) Richard Bourke, Old Tappan, N.J., 5.412, 270.00 def. 4) Jackie Fricke, Flemington, N.J., 6.102, 198.52;
Semi-finals
Page, 5.315, 274.61 def. Bourke, 5.414, 264.96
Hart, 5.238, 271.13 def. Shields, 5.275, 276.01;
Finals
Hart, 5.322, 271.08 def. Page, 5.296, 275.62.
Top Alcohol Funny Car
Round 1
1) Phil Burkart, Yorkville, N.Y., ’16 Camaro, 5.605, 265.17 def. 5) Tyler Scott, Exeter, Ont., ’17 Camaro, 7.592, 126.29;
6) Aryan Rochon, Wesley Chapel, Fla., ’06 Monte Carlo, 5.676, 257.09 def. 4) Eric Lourie, Terryville, Conn., ’03 Camaro, 5.770, 248.48;
2) Fred Tigges, Holbrook, Mass., ’00 Monte Carlo, 5.671, 255.24 def. 3) Matt Gill, West Bridgewater, Mass., ’16 Camaro, 5.690, 263.26;
Semifinals
Rochon, 5.670, 259.11 def. Tigges, 5.740, 252.90
Burkart, 5.823, 204.32 was unopposed;
Finals
Burkart, 5.572, 266.27 def. Rochon, 5.728, 259.46.
COMP ELIMINATOR
Don Eckel, Piscataway, N.J., ’09 Prostart, C/DA, 7.017, 176.17 def. Michele Costa, Freehold, N.J., ’01 dragster, F/ED, 8.156, 161.05.
SUPER STOCK PRESENTED BY ATI
Billy Pires, Dighton, Mass., ’85 Trans AM, SS/BS, 9.722, 111.33 def. Jeff Roell, Danbury, Conn., ’10 Cobra, FSS/G, foul.
STOCK ELIMINATOR PRESENTED BY ATI
Trevor Ervin, Nerepis, N.B., ’70 Nova, B/SA, 10.633, 97.27 def. Joseph Santangelo, Marlborough, Conn., ’95 Camaro, B/SA, 15.880, 64.86.
SUPER COMP
Shawn Fricke, Flemington, N.J., ’11 Racetech, 8.906, 175.52 def. Edward McCleaft, Shinglehouse, Pa., ’06 BOS, 8.894, 172.56.
SUPER GAS
John MacLean, Oleary, P.E., ’63 Corvette, 9.910, 161.56 def. Frank Altilio, Apopka, Fla., ’01 Suncoast, 9.906, 162.43.
SUPER STREET
Jason Lawrence, Hamilton, N.J., ’72 Duster, 10.900, 123.75 def. Bill Arpine, Hamden, Conn., ’05 GTO, 10.924, 130.14.
TOP SPORTSMAN
Larry Willard, Leominster, Mass., ’68 Camaro, 7.333, 185.64 def. Jeff Brooks, Fredericksburg, Va., ’51 Henry J, 6.735, 203.58.
TOP DRAGSTER
Deborah Di Genova, Derry, N.H., ’03 Dan Page, 6.834, 193.35 def. Brian Khoury, Derry, N.H., ’12 Dan Page, 6.965, 191.13.
JUNIOR DRAGSTER 13-17
Kyle Murray, S. Hampton, N.H., ’10 Halfscale, 8.532, 73.19 def. Joseph Cirillo, N Brunswick, N.J., ’07 Hardys, 8.031, 80.51.
JUNIOR DRAGSTER 6-9
Aiden Baker, Cumberland, R.I., ’99 BOS, 12.323, 52.14 def. Gavin St.jean, Pelham, N.H., dragster, 14.054, 44.98.
PRO STOCK SNOWMOBILE
Frank Berard Jr, Troy, N.Y., ’12 Ski-doo, 8.482, 149.51 def. Tiina Duncanson, Acton, Ont., ’10 Ski-doo, 8.371, 151.34.
JUNIOR DRAGSTER 10-12
Josh Leblanc, Manchester, N.H., ’97 Putnam, 9.008, 71.91 def. Kyle Rice, Leicester, Mass., ’02 BOS, 9.023, 72.39.
SUPER STREET TOP 8
Carl Ravesi, Maynard, Mass., ’70 Mustang, 10.882, 126.82 def. Jared Kinson, Plaistow, N.H., ’68 Camaro, foul.
SUPER GAS TOP 8
Jason Kenny, Kutztown, Pa., ’03 Corvette, 9.900, 164.11 def. Chuck Rothermel, Kinderhook, N.Y., ’01 Pontiac, 9.912, 160.50.
SUPER COMP TOP 8
Jason MacNeil, Stellarton, N.S., ’97 Spitzer, 8.915, 157.54 def. Stephen Logan, Weymouth, Mass., ’00 Dan Page, 8.923, 170.13.
STOCK PRESENTED BY ATI TOP 8
Allison Smyth, Uxbridge, Mass., ’98 Firebird, A/SA, 10.229, 126.87 def. Michael Ingram, Nova Scotia, N.C., ’68 Chevelle, G/SA, 11.347, 115.91.
SUPER STOCK PRESENTED BY ATI TOP 8
T J Boucher, Assonet, Mass., ’97 Firehawk, GT/FA, 9.747, 134.16 def. Joe Hertline, Penfield, N.Y., ’67 Camaro, SS/FA, 9.645, 137.08.
