Story by Phil Hutchison Photos by Diane Kubicke and Phil Hutchison
Under gray, but dry skies, the Cecil Country Lucas Oil divisional was completed with the winners being crowned at the Maryland facility. The event, 6th in a series of seven NHRA Lucas Oil events in the Northeast featured veteran racers taking the lion’s share of the titles. Only Top Dragster winner Greg Kelly was a first time winner in the NED.
Kelly slows his Pro Charger powered dragster down after a qualifying pass on Saturday
Kelly, from Hainesport NJ, driving his unique Pro Charger powered big block Chevy dragster, beat reigning D1 Top Dragster champ Jason Hoff in the finals after Hoff went too quick in his dragster running a 6.898 on his 6.90 dial while Kelley ran a 6.787 on his 6.78 to pick up the win.
Jason Hoff defeated points leader Bill Russell in the semis to get to the finals
Earlier Kelly defeated recent Atco winner Mike Sullivan, and Ken Moses to make the finals while Hoff took out series points leader Bill Russell and local racer Paul Messick to get his ticket stamped for the title round.
Paul Messick from nearby Chesapeake City MD, had his Viper Venom dragster on the back wheels all weekend to the delight of the partisan crowd
Crazy Ed over Arty in the finals of Top Sportsman
In Top Sportsman presented by MXI/Magnaflux, it was long time racer “Crazy” Ed Foley taking his ’03 Cougar to the winner’s circle defeating Arty DeCesare’s Corvette in the finals. As in Top Dragster, Foley’s competition ran too quick giving him the win. DeCesare ran a 7.117 on his 7.15 dial as Foley ran a 7.193 on his 7.17 dial,
Foley had to get around defending NED Top Sportsman champ Ryan Ondrejko’s 2012 Camaro and Chuck Mohn’s ’69 Camaro during eliminations and DeCesare defeated Atco winner Wayne Horton and Todd Fontana to reach the finals.
It was an all Camaro final in Super Stock with Worner (far lane) beating Joe Lisa
Getting one car to the finals in the NED Stock/Super Stock classes is hard enough, but Vernon NJ race Joe Lisa got two cars to the money round at Cecil. Joe had both of his Chevys in the finals after over 5 rounds in each class. Unfortunately for Joe, the storybook finish ended in the finals as Lisa went 0 for 2.
In Super Stock, many time winner Bryan Worner from Duncannon PA put his ’90 Camaro GT/EA in the winner’s circle defeating Lisa’s ’87 Camaro GT/FA,. Worner ran a 9.843 on a 9.84 to Lisa’s too quick 10.156 on his 10.17 dial.
Lisa’s D/SA Camaro
Minutes later Lisa was also in the Stock final with similar results. Lisa’s ‘68 Camaro D/SA ran too quick against Dave Ficacci’s B/SA Camaro giving Ficacci, who races out of Whippany, N.J, the win.
The finals of Stock, just like Super Stock, had a pair of Camaros fighting for the Wally
2011 Englishtown SuperNationals winner Dave Heuwetter from Iselin, N.J won Super Comp defeating Kyle Cultrera from Eliot Maine in the finals in one very close race. Cultrera got the better light but gave it away at the stripe running a 8.993 to Heuwetter’s 8.919.
Heuwetter and the Di Bartolomeo crew celebrate Dave’s Super Comp win
Green Brook NJ Super Gas racer Matt Schurman, who is in the hunt for the NED title, did as much as he could at Cecil in his ’96 Beretta taking the Chevy to the finals against Dan Northrop from Doylestown PA. Unfortunately for Schurman who was 2010 NED champ, ran too quick in the finals with a 9.897 to Northrop’s winning 9.905. The runner up at Cecil has Schurman in the #2 spot behind leader and recent Atco champ Mike Sawyer. Sawyer lost in the semis to eventual winner Northrop in a double breakout race.
Northrop over Schurman for the Super Gas title at Cecil
Dan and good friend Jackie Fricke in the winner’s circle. Jackie failed to get in the T/AD field but Dan brought his Super Comp car to Cecil for Jackie to drive. Jackie also has a birthday tomorrow!
Super Street saw former LODRS winner Robbie Welch from Mechanicsville MD put his super clean ’66 Ford Fairlane in the winner’s circle with a 10.937 to Dan Scardelli’s breaking out 10.984 in his 1964 Chevelle. Two-time 2012 winner Casey Grubb continues to lead the division with Don Garbinski in second place.
Robbie Welch (far lane) who won the rain delayed E Town event at Cecil a few years ago, won once again at the Traction Capitol of the East in Super Street
The NED LODRS continues the week after Indy at Englishtown for the season finale.
