Brian Martel wins his first Wally and the Usual Suspects take the rest of the E Town titles |

After the second big rain of the day, a double rainbow came out. I followed it to the winner’s circle at the Toyota Super Nationals at E Town. Actually this is the entrance to the Jersey T Pike at Exit 8A.

It looked like old home week in the winner’s circle as only Super Stock champ Brian Martel driving his SS/BS Cobalt was a first time winner at the 42 Annual Toyota NHRA SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.

The race is already over as James left 0.004 too soon.

In fact, it wasn’t for Martel’s competition, the SS/CS Pontiac Grand Am of current Division One Champ James Antonette, red lighting in the final, it would have been all veterans winning as Martel’s Cobalt stopped at half track and was a sitting duck but some times you gotta have some luck to win and it was Martel’s day at Englishtown.

Gary Wolkwitz gave Martel a first round win, redlighting his chances away with his Hemi Dart

“I used up a years worth of good luck in the finals” said Brian after his win, “The car had been hooking up all day and in the final as the car left the line with the wheels up, the steering wheel came off in my hands and was in my lap before I could react. The front wheels were doing a Funny Car shake and I shut the car off before it got ugly” Brian continued “ It’s tight getting into the car and I have to take the steering wheel off to get in and it’s usually a push and click to get the wheel on, I guess it didn’t click the way it should”

The second of two bye runs put Martel in the finals

Martel, who was runner up at last weeks Lucas Oil Divisional at Maple Grove had the unique position of getting two byes during eliminations, which didn’t hurt his route to the finals. “In a 81 car field there are a few qualifying positions that give a racer a chance for more than one bye, I was lucky and got one”

Car owner and good friend Dave Chiles (left) and Brian with his first Wally

It wasn’t all easy sailing to the finals, as Brian had to get around some of the best Super Stock racers in D1 including the GT/GA Camaro of former Lucas champ Michael Iacono and Ron Morehead’s GT/FA Camaro.

Brian and Michele celebrate his win at the Toyota Supernationals

“Winning the race was ridiculous, amazing, and unbelievable. My dad was here for my first win and that made it special.” Brian continues, “This is the third race with the car and my second final in two weeks. We ran the Richmond Lucas divisional and then had a runner up last week at Maple Grove. The car was all over the place at Maple but we got it quieted down for this race”

The Cobalt, an ex Anthony Bertozzi/East Texas car, had never gone as many rounds as the E Town event and Brian gives a lot of credit to engine builder Joe Clark for the win. In addition to Clark, Brian thanks his dad Karl Martel, his good friend JJ, and the Chiles family led by Dave Chiles and his daughter Michele.

Brian’s dad, Karl was on hand to see his son win his first ever NHRA event

Arnie over Fletch in Comp

Winning Comp Eliminator was multi time champ Arnie Martel from Tewksbury MA driving his SpeedCo D/AA Pontiac GTO. Arnie’s competition in the final was Churchville NY Professional Sportsman racer Dan Fletcher in the Rich Braun B/EA Cobalt. Fletcher got the better light but at the stripe it was Martel with a 0.496 under 7.574 to Fletch’s 0.402 under 7.808.

Arnie Martel was one happy guy after taking Competition Eliminator at E Town

The Lucas Oil world champ showed why he is the king, winning Stock over the Firebird of Eric Cabral

Reigning Lucas Oil Stock World Champ Joe Santangelo took his Bud Rowe D/SA Camaro to a win over Eric Cabral red lighting C/SA Firebird and former Lucas Champ Ray Sawyer from Acton MA won Super Gas over first time finalist Marc-Andre Piche-Nadeau (yeah he’s French Canadian) in a double breakout final. A 9.888 for Sawyer’s ’02 Camaro to a 9.882 for Piche-Nadeau’s ’68 Camaro.

The Super Gas finals had former Lucas world champ Ray Sawyer against first time finalist Marc-Andre Piche-Nadeau

“Score”

Biondo over Butcher in the finals of Super Street

“Score” part two

Peter Biondo who has won in nearly every Sportsman class added Super Street to his resume as he beat 2011 E Town LODRS winner Chris Butcher in another double breakout race. Biondo’s ’69 Camaro ran a 10.887 to Butcher’s 10.883.

Teammates in the finals of Super Comp as Franklin beat Dave for the title

“Score” part three

Franklin DiBartolomeo, who like Brian Martel, just missed a win at Maple Grove last weekend, took the family dragster to the Super Comp title at E Town defeating teammate and defending E Town champ Dave Heuwetter in the final in guess what? Another double breakout final. Dave dragster went a 8.879 to Franklin’s 8.883.

Defending Pro Mod champ Danny Rowe took his blown Sterling Bridge sponsored Camaro to a win over the Jeg’s turbo car of Troy Coughlin running a 5.91 to Coughlin’s red lighting 5.964.

Pro Mod winner Danny Rowe

Greg Anderson’s 6.560 in the brand new Summit Camaro was good enough for the Pro Stock win over teammate Jason Line’s 6.588

Funny Car went to the NTB Dodge of Johnny Gray (near lane) over the low ET car of Ron Capps as Capps blew the tires off at the hit. Earlier during Friday’s night session Capps ran a all time NHRA best ET of 3.964 to pace the field.

Steve Torrence, who continues to be the surprise of 2012, won his second race of the year beating Brandon Bernstein with a 3.800 to Bernstein’s close 3.807.