NE: Series Rising Sun final summary

NHRA Competitors Crowned at Cecil County

RISING SUN, Md. (August 30, 2009) -- The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Cecil County Dragway is in the books with Top Alcohol Dragster pilot Duane Shields of Boulder City, Nev., and Top Alcohol Funny Car driver Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., taking home the goods. This event completes the fifth of seven in Northeast division competition.

Shields worked his way from the No.6 qualifying spot all the way to the Top Alcohol Dragster final to pick up the win. Dan Mercier of Montreal, Quebec, the No.1 qualifier, had him off the line but Shields was able to reel him in by posting a 5.423 second, 272.12 mph pass to secure the win light.

Top Alcohol Funny Car was mastered once again by Manzo, picking up back to back wins and his third in Northeast division competition. He grabbed his 102nd divisional win of his career when Scott McNiece of Brick, N.J., fouled at the starting line. This marks Manzo's 13th divisional victory at Cecil County Dragway.

Dan Fletcher, Churchville, N.Y., continued his winning streak by winning the Comp Eliminator title. This marks back to back Northeast divisional victories to go along with his national event win at Maple Grove last weekend.

Other drivers who received the prestigious Wally trophy included Frank Ferrucci, Paterson, N.J., in Super Stock; Tim Worner, Duncannon, Pa., in Stock Eliminator; Jackson, N.J., resident Scott Albrecht in Super Comp; John Asta, Levittown, Pa., Fortson, Ga., in Super Gas; and George Forster of Greencastle, Pa., in Super Street.

Northeast division racers head to Old Bridge Township Raceway for the next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, held September 11-13.

The following are Sunday's final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Northeast Division LODRS 1-5 at Cecil County Dragway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:

Round 1
4) John Finke, Selkirk, N.Y., 5.440, 264.08 def. 5) Arthur Gallant, Boxboro, Mass., 5.492, 261.78;

1) Dan Mercier, Montreal, Quebec, 5.440, 265.33 def. 8) Brandon Greco, Roscoe, Pa., 5.582, 256.36;

6) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 5.341, 272.89 def. 3) Darren Nicholson, Mission Viejo, Calif., 5.416, 260.76;

2) Bill Evans, Hialeah, Fla., 5.446, 253.71 def. 7) Rich McPhillips, Phoenixville, Pa., 5.613, 237.50;

Semifinals
Shields, 5.355, 272.78 def. Evans, 7.072, 130.75; Mercier, 5.462, 266.11 def. Finke, broke;

Final
Shields, 5.423, 272.12 def. Mercier, 5.582, 227.34.

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:

Round 1
6) Scott McNiece, Brick, N.J., '08 Mustang, 5.747, 246.93 def. 3) Dan Pomponio, Berlin, N.J.,

'08 Monte Carlo, 5.967, 204.42;

2) Frank Schuster, Chesterfield, N.J., '02 Firebird, 5.694, 254.81 def. 7) Wayne Morris, Lincoln Univ, Pa., '09 Mustang, 7.081, 158.76;

5) DJ Cox, Whiteford, Md., '02 Firebird, 5.795, 246.03 def. 4) Paul Gill, Brockton, Mass., '08 Mustang, 5.778, 249.26;

1) Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.629, 255.48 def. 8) John Anderika, Pittson, Pa., '02 Camaro, 5.671, 249.49;

Semifinals
McNiece, 5.756, 320.20 def. Schuster, 5.710, 253.33; Manzo, 5.673, 255.24 def. Cox, 5.845, 234.49;

Final
Manzo, 6.158, 180.14 def. McNiece, foul.

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '06 Monte Carlo, 6.158, 180.14 def. Scott McNiece, Brick, N.J., '08 Mustang, foul.

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 5.423, 272.12 def. Dan Mercier, Montreal, Quebec, 5.582, 227.34.

COMP ELIMINATOR
Dan Fletcher, Churchville, N.Y., '08 Cobalt, C/EA, 8.103, 154.85 def. Michael Hardee, Hampstead, N.C., '05 Sunfire, E/SM, 8.507, 156.23.

STOCK ELIMINATOR
Frank Ferrucci, Paterson, N.J., '63 Belvedere, J/SA, 11.828, 111.05 def. Matt Welker, Clear Spring, Md., '68 Camaro, E/SA, 11.047, 115.28.

SUPER STOCK
Tim Worner, Duncannon, Pa., '88 Cutlass, GT/JA, 10.768, 109.82 def. Joe Santangelo, Marlborough, Conn., '90 Camaro, GT/HA, 10.922, 94.06.

SUPER COMP
Scott Albrecht, Jackson, N.J., dragster, 8.881, 167.05 def. John Ciccarone, West Chester, Pa., dragster, 8.861, 179.80.

SUPER GAS
John Asta, Levittown, Pa., '07 Cobalt, 9.938, 158.41 def. Oscar Olt, Medford, N.J., '06 Don Davis, 9.983, 147.17.

SUPER STREET
George Forster, Greencastle, Pa., '65 Chevy II, 10.901, 144.21 def. Dennis Altman, Polk City, Fla., '00 Camaro, 10.900, 130.96.

-credit: nascar