NE: Series Englishtown Saturday summary

KOSKY, MANZO LEAD FIELDS AT RACEWAY PARK

ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. (September 12, 2009) -- Mike Kosky and Frank Manzo lead their classes this weekend for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.

Kosky, Cuddy, Pa., clicked off a 5.294 second run at 268.87 mph in Top Alcohol Dragster for his second pole position of the year. Dan Mercier and Jon Finke sit second and third respectively behind Kosky with Mercier, Montreal, Quebec, running 5.349, 266.37 and Finke, Selkirk, N.Y. at 5.378, 270.54.

Manzo, who already has ten wins to his credit this year in defending his national and divisional championships from a year ago, jumped to the top of the Top Alcohol Funny Car field with a lap of 5.582 seconds, 259.81 mph. The Morganville, N.J., racer is followed by Terry Munroe, Beaver, Pa., running 5.639 seconds at 257.43 mph. Manzo will face off against Dan Pomponio of Berlin, N.J., in round one of eliminations on Sunday.

Local runner Russ Linke, Old Bridge, N.J., just missed the No. 1 spot in Super Stock by less than three-hundredths of a second in his '73 Corvette as Bo Kenney, Manassas, Va., grabbed the top spot. Jeffrey Bardekoff and Stephen Szupka round out Saturday's leaders. Bardekoff, Commack, N.Y., is No. 1 in Stock Eliminator and Willow Grove, Pa., resident Szupka is out front in the Comp field.

Racing continues Sunday at Raceway Park. Gates open at 8 a.m. with eliminations at 10 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car round one will begin at noon. Tickets are $20 for adults, children 6-11 are $5 and kids 5 and under are free. For more information, call Raceway Park (732) 446-7800 or visit www.RacewayPark.com

The following are Saturday's final qualifying results and Sunday's first-round pairings for TAD and TAFC at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER

1) Mike Kosky, Cuddy, Pa., 5.294 seconds, 268.87 mph
2) Dan Mercier, Montreal, Quebec, 5.349, 266.37
3) John Finke, Selkirk, N.Y., 5.378, 270.54
4) Darren Nicholson, Mission Viejo, Calif., 5.418, 258.96
5) Brandon Greco, Roscoe, Pa., 5.446, 260.26
6) Darvin Martinets, Lake Jackson, Texas, 5.532, 256.84
7) Richard Bourke, Old Tappan, N.J., 5.542, 262.95
8) Arthur Gallant, Boxboro, Mass., 5.564, 266.37

Not Qualified
9) Bruce Horner, Bergenfield, N.J., 5.632, 250.13
10) Rich McPhillips, Phoenixville, Pa., 5.711, 259.61
11) Ken Winward, Wilmington, Del., 6.276, 192.22
12) Tom Pickett, Salem, N.H., 6.479, 162.12

First round TAD pairings

1) Mike Kosky, Cuddy, Pa., 5.294 seconds, 268.87 mph vs. 8) Arthur Gallant, Boxboro, Mass., 5.564, 266.37

2) Dan Mercier, Montreal, Quebec, 5.349, 266.37 vs. 7) Richard Bourke, Old Tappan, N.J., 5.542, 262.95

3) John Finke, Selkirk, N.Y., 5.378, 270.54 vs. 6) Darvin Martinets, Lake Jackson, Texas, 5.532, 256.84

4) Darren Nicholson, Mission Viejo, Calif., 5.418, 258.96 vs. 5) Brandon Greco, Roscoe, Pa., 5.446, 260.26

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

1) Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.582 seconds, 259.81 mph
2) Terry Munroe, Beaver, Pa., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.639, 257.43
3) Marty Nothstein, Orefield, Pa., '09 Impala, 5.664, 255.10
4) Paul Gill, Brockton, Mass., '08 Mustang, 5.681, 253.95
5) Dan Roman, Wolcott, Conn., '97 Firebird, 5.685, 251.81
6) Eric Lourie, Terryville, Conn., '02 Camaro, 5.740, 250.97
7) DJ Cox, Whiteford, Md., '02 Firebird, 5.743, 247.88
8) Dan Pomponio, Berlin, N.J., '08 Monte Carlo, 5.747, 252.66

Not Qualified
9) John Anderika, Pittson, Pa., '02 Camaro, 5.780, 250.27
10) Scott McNiece, Brick, N.J., '08 Mustang, 5.802, 244.52
11) Frank Schuster, Chesterfield, N.J., '02 Firebird, 5.808, 255.58
12) Wayne Morris, Lincoln Univ, Pa., '09 Mustang, 5.828, 242.54
13) Marc White, Glendale Hts., Ill., '08 Mustang, 5.961, 251.11
14) John Fiorini, Dalton, Mass., '01 Avenger, 6.032, 246.80
15) Fred Tigges, Holbrook, Mass., '01 Avenger, 9.882, 125.01

First round TAFC pairings

1) Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.582 seconds, 259.81 mph vs. 8) Dan Pomponio, Berlin, N.J., '08 Monte Carlo, 5.747, 252.66

2) Terry Munroe, Beaver, Pa., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.639, 257.43 vs. 7) DJ Cox, Whiteford, Md., '02 Firebird, 5.743, 247.88

3) Marty Nothstein, Orefield, Pa., '09 Impala, 5.664, 255.10 vs. 6) Eric Lourie, Terryville, Conn., '02 Camaro, 5.740, 250.97

4) Paul Gill, Brockton, Mass., '08 Mustang, 5.681, 253.95 vs. 5) Dan Roman, Wolcott, Conn., '97 Firebird, 5.685, 251.81

COMP ELIMINATOR

1) Stephen Szupka, Willow Grove, Pa., dragster, F/ED, 8.065 seconds, -0.765 (under index)
2) Dave Yediny, Nazareth, Pa., '71 Opel GT, L/A, 8.837, -0.653
3) Charlie Greco, Paoli, Pa., '06 GTO, D/AA, 7.621, -0.629
4) Al Ackerman, Saddle Brook, N.J., dragster, F/D, 8.014, -0.626
5) Vinny Barone, Dix Hills, N.Y., '34 Chevrolet, A/SR, 7.776, -0.624
6) Joe Carnasciale, Cranston, R.I., '92 Camaro, I/SM, 9.046, -0.624
7) Dan Fletcher, Churchville, N.Y., '08 Cobalt, C/EA, 8.017, -0.613
8) Frank Aragona Jr., Freehold, N.J., '32 Bantam, G/EA, 8.269, -0.581
9) Fred Gallo, Shirley, N.Y., '08 Cobalt, A/AA, 6.570, -0.580
10) Kevin Robb, Denver, Pa., dragster, D/DA, 7.365, -0.555

SUPER STOCK

1) Bo Kenney, Manassas, Va., '08 Cobalt, GT/BA, 9.219 seconds, -1.331 (under index)
2) Russ Linke, Old Bridge, N.J., '73 Corvette, SS/JA, 9.992, -1.308
3) Tom Sheehan, Belle Vernon, Pa., '00 Sebring, GT/IA, 10.250, -1.250
4) Joseph Franco III, N. Babylon, N.Y., '85 Camaro, GT/HA, 10.135, -1.215
5) Vito Savino, Brewster, N.Y., '05 Cavalier, GT/FA, 9.891, -1.209
6) David Barton, Robesonia, Pa., '68 Barracuda, SS/AH, 8.542, -1.208
7) Byron Worner, Duncannon, Pa., '96 Camaro, SS/IA, 9.813, -1.187
8) Norm Hall, Waldorf, Md., '05 Cavalier, GT/CA, 9.525, -1.175
9) Kent Hanley, Newtown, Conn., '94 Cavalier, GT/BA, 9.380, -1.170
10) Jim Daniels, Yardley, Pa., '68 Dart, SS/AH, 8.593, -1.157

STOCK ELIMINATOR

1) Jeffrey Bardekoff, Commack, N.Y., '64 Fury, B/SA, 10.298 seconds, -1.252 (under index)
2) Joe Cokinos, Elmwood Park, N.J., '96 S-10, P/S, 12.406, -1.244
3) Gary Richard, Bay Shore, N.Y., '69 Camaro, C/SA, 10.484, -1.216
4) Mike Moyer, Sandston, Va., '78 Firebird, J/SA, 11.558, -1.192
5) Steve Szupka, Willow Grove, Pa., '85 Camaro, J/SA, 11.567, -1.183
6) David Ficacci, Whippany, N.J., '69 Camaro, A/SA, 10.124, -1.176
7) John Shaul, Fultonham, N.Y., '64 Fury, A/SA, 10.125, -1.175
8) Jeanne Linke, Old Bridge, N.J., '85 Camaro, K/SA, 11.790, -1.160
9) Shane Oakes, Pipersville, Pa., '86 Camaro, G/SA, 11.141, -1.159
10) Jack Matyas, Bethlehem, Pa., '00 Trans Am, B/SA, 10.392, -1.158

-credit: nhra