WINNERS CROWNED AT NHRA NORTHEAST DIVISION OPENER

RICHMOND, VA – In the results from Virginia Motorsports Park and the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Justin Ashley, Plainview, N.Y., and Mathew Gill, Brockton, Mass., took home the wins in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car respectively.

Ashley, worked his way through the field and ran 5.238 seconds at 277.89 mph in his final round victory over Jared Dreher, Clinton, Ind., who clocked in at 7.614 seconds, 120.22 mph.

Gill faced off against DJ Cox Jr., Whiteford, Md., and posted a winning run of 5.508 seconds, 268.22 mph in his ’16 Camaro. Cox suffered mechanical issues in his runner up finish.

In the MXI/Magnaflux Top Dragster and Top Sportsman presented by Select Performance it was a busy weekend for local racer Mark Payne, from Waynesboro, Va., who raced in both classes taking home victory in Top Dragster and a close runner up finish in Top Sportsman.

Payne made a pass of 7.210 seconds at 162.68 mph taking the win against Joe Di Pasquale, Palmyra, N.J., who fouled at the line.

Ronald Proctor, Harpers Ferry, W.Va., was quick off the line claiming his victory against Payne with a run of 6.804 seconds, 202.24 mph in his ’09 Cobra.

Other racers visiting the winner’s circle this weekend were Doug Doll Jr., Douglas, Mass., in Comp Eliminator; Joseph Santangelo, Marlborough, Conn., in Super Stock; Thomas Fletcher, Churchville, N.Y., in Stock; Chris Garretson, Middletown, Del., in Super Comp; Jim Perry, Niota, Tenn., in Super Gas; Don Garbinski, Philadelphia, Pa., in Super Street and Benny Rosado, Sansown, N.H., in Pro Stock Snow Mobile.

Winners in the division’s Direct Cabinet Sales Jr. Dragster class were Justin Blythe, Sedley, Va., in the 13-17 year old category; Kenneth Turner Jr., Crewe, Va., in the 10-12 year old category and Addison Depascale, Parlin N.J., in the 6-9-year old category.

Northeast Division racers head to Maple Grove Raceway for the next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, May 25-27.

The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Virginia Motorsports Park:
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
Round 1
5) Jared Dreher, Clinton, Ind., 5.198, 277.37 def. 4) Josh Hart, Ocala, Fla., 14.882, 49.01;
2) Justin Ashley, Plainview, N.Y., 5.141, 278.81 def. 7) Julie Nataas, Santa Barbara, Calif., 5.553, 227.80;
3) Dan Page, Hampstead, N.H., 5.198, 280.19 def. 6) Troy Coughlin Jr., Delaware, Ohio, 5.203, 276.07;
8) Doug Foley, Mooresville, N.C., 8.039, 236.71 def. 1) Richard Bourke, Old Tappan, N.J., 8.607, 137.25;

Semifinals
Dreher, 5.223, 276.46 def. Foley, 5.343, 266.00;
Ashley, 5.158, 280.66 def. Page, 5.381, 276.46;

Final
Ashley, 5.238, 277.89 def. Dreher, 7.614, 120.22.

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:
Round 1
1) Annie Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., ’15 Camaro, 5.413, 274.11 def. 8) Kris Hool, Evansville, Wyo., ’16 Camaro, 8.027, 121.83;
7) Mathew Gill, Brockton, Mass., ’16 Camaro, 5.556, 247.57 def. 2) Dan Pomponio, Berlin, N.J., ’10 Monte Carlo, 5.834, 227.61;
4) DJ Cox Jr., Whiteford, Md., ’17 Camaro, 5.386, 272.28 def. 5) Aryan Rochon, Wesley Chapel, Fla., ’06 Monte Carlo, 5.683, 259.36;
3) Phil Burkart, Yorkville, N.Y., ’15 Camaro, 5.795, 257.58 def. 6) Mike Burns, Bisbec, Ariz., ’17 Camaro, broke;

Semifinals
Gill, 5.614, 265.59 def. Burkart, 5.856, 261.22;
Cox Jr., 5.486, 264.96 def. Whiteley, 5.416, 273.55;

Final
Gill, 5.508, 268.22 def. Cox Jr., broke.

COMP ELIMINATOR
Doug Doll Jr., Douglas, Mass., ’07 Mckinney, F/DA, 8.097, 154.46 def. Mark Moreland, Edenton, N.C., ’98 Grand AM, H/SMA, 9.026, 148.23.

SUPER STOCK PRESENTED BY ATI
Joseph Santangelo, Marlborough, Conn., ’87 Camaro, GT/JA, 10.058, 117.53 def. Shane Oakes, Ottsville, Pa., ’83 Camaro, SS/KA, 10.806, 115.01.

STOCK ELIMINATOR PRESENTED BY ATI
Thomas Fletcher, Churchville, N.Y., ’15 Camaro, FS/F, 10.339, 121.29 def. Randy Parker, Four Oaks, N.C., ’80 Mirada, I/SA, 11.097, 117.97.

SUPER COMP
Chris Garretson, Middletown, Del., ’95 Ed Quay, 8.940, 120.46 def. Chuck Harris, New London, N.C., ’01 Worthy, 8.906, 169.34.

SUPER GAS
Jim Perry, Niota, Tenn., ’00 S-10, 9.906, 155.60 def. Dale Koncen, Chaptico, Md., ’63 Corvette, 9.887, 163.29.

SUPER STREET
Don Garbinski, Philadelphia, Pa., ’71 Challenger, 10.884, 144.09 def. Donald Webb, Four Oaks, N.C., ’70 Chevy, 10.880, 132.87.

MXI/MAGNAFLUX TOP DRAGSTER PRESENTED BY SELECT PERFORMANCE
Mark Payne, Waynesboro, Va., ’01 Undercover, 7.210, 162.68 def. Joe Di Pasquale, Palmyra, N.J., ’12 Miller, foul.

MXI/MAGNAFLUX TOP SPORTSMAN PRESENTED BY SELECT PERFORMANCE
Ronald Proctor, Harpers Ferry, W.V., ’09 Cobra, 6.804, 202.24 def. Mark Payne, Waynesboro, Va., ’06 Cavalier, 6.737, 211.49.

ULTIMAX PRO STOCK SNOWMOBILE
Benny Rosado, Sansown, N.H., ’03 Ski-doo, 8.465, 151.85 def. Gary Schweikert, Slatington, Pa., ’14 Ski-doo, 8.724, 146.51.

DIRECT CABINET SALES PRESENTS JUNIOR DRAGSTER 13 – 17
Justin Blythe, Sedley, Va., ’15 Assassin, 8.058, 79.81 def. Tori Iacono, Shamong, N.J., ’14 KCS, foul.

DIRECT CABINET SALES PRESENTS JUNIOR DRAGSTER 10 – 12
Kenneth Turner Jr., Crewe, Va., ’18 Mike BOS, 8.978, 71.54 def. Kate Hall, Nokesville, Va., ’17 BOS, 9.049, 73.23.

DIRECT CABINET SALES PRESENTS JUNIOR DRAGSTER 6 – 9
Addison Depascale, Parlin, N.J., ’03 Halfscale, 15.612, 42.08 def. James Stack Jr., Gilbertsville, Pa., ’04 Halfscale, 14.062, 44.60.