Lancaster Dragway
DALE ECKERT CASHES IN ON DOUBLE BUYBACKS AT LANCASTER
Wins Top & Mod ET despite losing first round in both classes
LANCASTER, NY – Sometimes in life you don’t get a second chance, but on Friday night at Lancaster National 
Dragway Dale Eckert got two second chances and used them to win both Top Eliminator and McGard Mod ET.
The 11-time track champion from South Wales, N.Y. lost in the first round of both Top & Mod, but used buybacks to be reinserted into the bracket of both classes. Buybacks allow to competitors to pay a second entry fee to continue racing if they lost in the first round. The investment paid off for Eckert as he advanced all the way to the finals in each class.
Eckert went up against Tony Galuzzi in the Top final in an almost heads-up race as the drivers’ dial-ins were separated by only .09 seconds. Galuzzi cut a near perfect light at the starting line, but could not catch Eckert at top end. He didn’t have to work as hard in the McGard Mod final as his opponent, Robert Hetrick, triggered the red light at the starting line, which allowed Eckert to cruise to victory. The wins give Ecekert three overall victories in 2018, including back-to-back wins in Mod ET.
In other Franco’s Pizza Friday Night IHRA Drag Racing action, Mike Nowak of Lancaster took the win in Top 8 Eliminator over Zell Gaymon. Nowak blistered the dragstrip with an elapsed time of 4.998 seconds and average speed of 139.37 mph.
SOBCZYNSKI, HITCHCOCK, ECKERT, SALEMI & SEMLITSCH TALLY VIP NIGHT WINS AT LANCASTER
LANCASTER, NY – Three new winners and two repeats winners topped their respective classes on VIP Night at 
Lancaster National Dragway on Friday. The Franco’s Pizza Friday Night IHRA Drag Racing winners included: Jeff Sobczysnki of Depew, N.Y. in Top 8 Eliminator, Brian Hitchcock of Amherst, N.Y. in Top ET, Dale Eckert of S. Wales, N.Y. in McGard Mod ET, Angelo Salemi of Wheatfield, N.Y. in Hebeler’s Sales Bikes & Sleds and “Fast Eddie” Semlitsch in Tread City Tire Street.
The race of the night was the final in Top ET as Hitchcock and Mike Swinarski lined up for a heads-up race with identical dial-ins. Hitchcock left the starting line first in his rear engine dragster while Swinarski gave chase. Swinarski was a little too fast in his pursuit as he broke out at top end by just .003 seconds to hand the win to Hitchcock.
Jeff Sobczynski picked up his first win of the year Top 8 Eliminator. Sobczysnki held off Zell Gaymon in the final round as Gaymon could not make up the difference on the starting tree. The McGard Mod ET final came down to two drivers both looking for their second wins of the year in Dale Eckert and Ryan Ricketson. Eckert got the victory in a double breakout finish.
JEWELL & SCARLATA TAKE BUFFALO STREET OUTLAWS WINS AT LANCASTER
Semlitsch advances to two final rounds
LANCASTER, NY – Lancaster National Dragway hosted the Buffalo Street Outlaws for the first time in 2018 on 
Friday night. The fan-favorite group of racers brought in 20 cars to compete as part of the Franco’s Pizza Friday Night IHRA Drag Racing program.
Rachel Jewell of Rochester took top honors for the Buffalo Street Outlaws in her 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle. Jewell defeated former Lancaster BSO winner Moe Alfaqih in the final round. In 2Fast Garage Limited Street, Chris Scarlata of Bergen, N.Y. overcame time lost on the starting line to beat Anthony Tondryk at top end.
“Fast Eddie” Semlitsch of W. Seneca, N.Y. managed to make the final round in two classes on Friday night. Semlitsch came up on the short end of the Tread City Tire Street finals as he lost to Matt Hughes of Tonawanda, N.Y., but bounced back in McGard Mod ET where beat Jeff Kerl to score his first win of the season.
In Top 8 Eliminator, Wayne Cleveland of Cheektowaga, N.Y. in 1923 Ford T-Bucket held off Mike Mallare in the final round for the victory. Both drivers matched their dial-ins, but Cleveland crossed the finish line first. Defending Top ET track champion, Dale Eckert of S. Wales, earned the first win of his title defense on Friday. Eckert got the win over Bill Bigham after Bigham broke out.
JET FUNNY CARS LIGHT UP OPENING NIGHT AT LANCASTER DRAGWAY
Herbold, Nugent, Talmadge, Ricketson, Babiak & Fix score season-opening wins
LANCASTER, NY – Any memories of the long, cold and wet Western New York winter were melted away on Friday 
night at Lancaster National Dragway as the 2018 Franco’s Pizza Friday Night Drag Racing program kicked off the 2018 regular season with the fire and fury of Al Hanna Racing’s Jet Funny Cars.
The First Strike Jet Funny Car of Rich Hanna of Middletown, CT edged the Top Secret: Eastern Raider jet car piloted by Ken Hall of Pottstown, PA in a pair of thrilling, side-by-side match races. Both jet cars torched Lancaster’s ?-mile dragstrip in just four seconds at speeds of 200 mph.
The weekly racers of LND’s of Franco’s Pizza IHRA Drag Racing program finally got their first taste of competitive racing with the weather-delayed first night of home track points. It was a fantastic opening day turnout with 150 competitors filling the pit area.
The Joe’s Transmission TNT Super Series headlined the event with Mark Herbold of Elma, N.Y. picking up the win after Pete Maduri, Jr. ran under the 7.00 index in the final round.
LANCASTER NATIONAL DRAGWAY CANCELS TEST & TUNE
Cold temps make it difficult to provide safe racing conditions
LANCASTER, NY – Lancaster National Dragway has been forced to cancel the Franco’s Pizza IHRA Drag Racing Test 
& Tune session for Friday, May 11.
The cold temperatures made it difficult for Dragway officials to prepare a safe racing surface for competitors. Rubber and track prep materials were not sticking to the concrete, which helps provide traction for racers.
“We’ve put too much into the new concrete, asphalt and bulbs to get off to a bad start.” said Tim Packman, Track President. “Also, the temps at 8 p.m. will be in the 40s and then rain is scheduled to start at 9 p.m. We do not want to get our racers and fans here, only to shut it down and send them home after a few hours.”
Lancaster National Speedway & Dragway Announces 2018 Schedules
LANCASTER, NY – While race teams, fans and partners are looking for the perfect gift to give their loved ones this holiday season, Lancaster National Speedway & Dragway is giving their own gift to its racing family.
The 2018 Franco’s Pizza Friday Night IHRA Drag Racing and X-Press Signs Stock Car Series track schedules have finally come together and are ready for release.
Lancaster National Speedway & Dragway will begin its 59th consecutive season of operation on Saturday, April 21 at 2 p.m. featuring the annual Queen City Clash for the Stock Cars. The Dragway season opener is Friday, April 27 with tech inspection and time trials.
LANCASTER NATIONAL SPEEDWAY & DRAGWAY SALUTES CHAMPS AT SEASON AWARDS BANQUET
LANCASTER, NY – Lancaster National Speedway & Dragway celebrated the 2017 season for both the Franco’s Pizza IHRA Drag Racing program and X-Press Signs Stock Car Series this past weekend during the annual Season Awards Banquets, held at the Variety Club Banquet Hall in Lancaster.
Lancaster National Dragway’s track champions were honored on Friday evening. Leading the list of Franco’s Pizza IHRA Drag Racing track champs was Dale Eckert in Mallare Enterprises Top ET. It was Eckert’s first Top title after winning ten championships in Mod ET.
LANCASTER NATIONAL DRAGWAY CROWNS 2017 TRACK CHAMPIONS
LANCASTER, NY – Lancaster National Dragway’s 2017 season came to an end on Friday after the final Franco’s Pizza IHRA Drag Racing event of the year was rained out. With the schedule now in the books that means the 2017 drag racing track champions have been decided, and they will be honored at the Season Awards Banquet on Friday, November 10.
Dale Eckert captured his first career Mallare Enterprises Top ET championship following a run of 10 titles in 11 years while competing in Mod ET. Eckert edged Jan Winkowski by just ten points to lock up the title.
MASULLO, SOBCZYSNKI, RICKETSON, PETERS & FIX TAKE THURSDAY NIGHT WINS AT LANCASTER
LANCASTER, NY – Lancaster National Speedway & Dragway held a Thursday night show for the Franco’s Pizza 
IHRA Drag Racing program as a special opening act for U.S. Open weekend. Thank You Thursday was also special treat for fans as they were able to catch the next-to-last drag race of the 2017 season for just $5.
In Top 8 Eliminator, Joe Masullo of Buffalo scored his first win of the season while denying Brian Hitchcock his third-straight Top 8 victory. Masullo took advantage of a breakout by Hitchcock to score the win.
Jeff Sobczysnki of Depew, N.Y. picked up the win in Mallare Enterprises Top ET over class points leader Dale Eckert. Eckert handed Sobczysnki his first Top win of the season by breaking out by just .02 seconds. He now holds a slim 10 point lead over Jan Winkowski going into the final race of the season.
AL MARTORINO SETS TRACK RECORD IN PRO MOD SHOOTOUT VICTORY
LANCASTER, NY – Al Martorino of Coburg, Ontario, Canada left his mark on the Lancaster National Dragway 
record books on Tuesday night during his win in the third annual Pro Mod Shootout.
Martorino reset the track record for fastest average speed by a Supercharged Doorslammer during his winning run in the final round. His speed of 185.66 mph beat the previous track record of 181.45 mph that was set 20 years ago by Fred Hahn in 1997. Martorino defeated Steve Easton of Brisbane, Australia in the finals with elapsed time of 4.157 seconds compared to Easton’s 4.238 ET.
In other Franco’s Pizza IHRA Drag Racing action, Jeff Sobczysnki of Depew, N.Y. won the $1,000-to-win Box Shootout. Sobczysnki held off Pete Maduri on the finals to take the victory. Thomas Fletcher of Churchville, N.Y. won the $1,000-to-win No-Box Shootout over Robert Warrington. Paul Cavallaro of Rochester won the final Tuesday night Senior Nostalgia race of the season in 1957 Chevy.
