NE: West Lebanon Friday summary

Finke, Darcy, and Alessi Jr. Top the Charts in Lebanon

WEST LEBANON, N.Y. -- In the first rounds of qualifying at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series being held this weekend at Lebanon Valley Dragway, Top Alcohol Dragster driver John Finke from Selkirk, N.Y., and Top Alcohol Funny Car pilot Frank Manzo of Morganville, N.J., took the No. 1 qualifying positions in their classes.

Brian Darcy of Newburgh, N.Y., started the week off the right way leading the Comp Eliminator class with a pass of 6.906 seconds. In the Super Stock category Bethpage, N.Y., resident Ed Alessi Jr sits atop the qualifying leader board with a time of 9.103 seconds. Qualifying first in Stock Eliminator was Cecil Frazier from Canton, Mass., making a pass of 11.593 seconds in his '91 Camaro.

Also finding the top spot in Stock Eliminator was Cecil Frazier who hails from Canton, Mass., who drove the strip to a time of 11.593 seconds. The division's Foxwoods Resort & Casino Top Sportsman Series and Northeast Division Top Dragster challenge ran in conjunction with the event. Top Sportsman pilot John Prime of Thomastown, Conn., kept it right down Broadway giving him the top spot. In Top Dragster Frank Zeffiro from Winchester Center, Conn., hit a top speed of 204.11 mph aiding him to the class best time of 6.820 seconds.

Racing continues Saturday and Sunday at Lebanon Valley Dragway. Gates open at 7:30 a.m. Tickets are $15 for adults, children 6 to 12 are $5 each day and kids 5 and under are admitted free. For more information, call Lebanon Valley Dragway, (518) 794-7130 or visit www.dragway.com.

The following are Friday's qualifying results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Northeast Division LODRS 1-4 at Lebanon Valley Dragway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER

1) John Finke, Selkirk, N.Y., 5.435 seconds, 264.96 mph
2) Arthur Gallant, Boxboro, Mass., 5.497, 231.36
3) Rich McPhillips, Phoenixville, Pa., 5.547, 239.78
4) Dan Mercier, Montreal, Quebec, 5.602, 263.41
5) Dave DeAngelis, Middlesex, N.J., 5.686, 252.90
6) Bruce Horner, Bergenfield, N.J., 5.804, 199.40
7) Tom Pickett, Salem, N.H., 6.132, 179.09
8) Gene Arrigoni, Yorktown Hts, N.Y., 6.267, 244.56

Not Qualified
9) Jackie Fricke, Flemington, N.J., 6.335, 156.95

First round TAD pairings

1) John Finke, Selkirk, N.Y., 5.435 seconds, 264.96 mph vs. 8) Gene Arrigoni, Yorktown Hts, N.Y., 6.267, 244.56

2) Arthur Gallant, Boxboro, Mass., 5.497, 231.36 vs. 7) Tom Pickett, Salem, N.H., 6.132, 179.09

3) Rich McPhillips, Phoenixville, Pa., 5.547, 239.78 vs. 6) Bruce Horner, Bergenfield, N.J., 5.804, 199.40

4) Dan Mercier, Montreal, Quebec, 5.602, 263.41 vs. 5) Dave DeAngelis, Middlesex, N.J., 5.686, 252.90

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

1) Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.737 seconds, 254.76 mph
2) Mickey Ferro, Stamford, Conn., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.851, 232.27
3) Fred Tigges, Holbrook, Mass., '01 Avenger, 5.858, 247.84
4) Paul Gill, Brockton, Mass., '08 Mustang, 5.913, 213.60
5) Marty Nothstein, Orefield, Pa., '08 Impala, 5.969, 245.32
6) John Fiorini, Dalton, Mass., '00 Avenger, 6.155, 197.59
7) Frank Schuster, Chesterfield, N.J., '02 Firebird, 6.190, 183.34
8) Nick Bastiao, Sacramento, Calif., '05 Monte Carlo, 6.422, 151.97

Not Qualified
9) John Headley, Newportville, Pa., '00 Mustang, 7.208, 125.08
10) Eric Lourie, Terryville, Conn., '02 Camaro, 15.304, 62.86

First round TAFC pairings

1) Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.737 seconds, 254.76 mph vs. 8) Nick Bastiao, Sacramento, Calif., '05 Monte Carlo, 6.422, 151.97

2) Mickey Ferro, Stamford, Conn., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.851, 232.27 vs. 7) Frank Schuster, Chesterfield, N.J., '02 Firebird, 6.190, 183.34

3) Fred Tigges, Holbrook, Mass., '01 Avenger, 5.858, 247.84 vs. 6) John Fiorini, Dalton, Mass., '00 Avenger, 6.155, 197.59

4) Paul Gill, Brockton, Mass., '08 Mustang, 5.913, 213.60 vs. 5) Marty Nothstein, Orefield, Pa., '08 Impala, 5.969, 245.32

COMP ELIMINATOR

1) Brian Darcy, Newburgh, N.Y., dragster, A/ND, 6.906 seconds, -0.594 (under index)
2) Frank Aragona, Freehold, N.J., '32 Bantam, G/EA, 8.317, -0.573
3) Al Ackerman, Saddle Brook, N.J., dragster, F/D, 8.118, -0.572
4) Sal Biondo, Maspeth, N.Y., '93 Beretta, I/AA, 8.233, -0.557
5) Lee Zane, Perry Hall, Md., '32 Bantam, L/AA, 9.012, -0.538
6) Doug Doll Jr., Lititz, Pa., dragster, F/ED, 8.323, -0.507
7) Stephen Szupka, Willow Grove, Pa., dragster, F/ED, 8.375, -0.455
8) Michael Iacono, Wading River, N.Y., '04 Cavalier, E/SM, 8.828, -0.312
9) Paul Talarowski, Blue Anchor, N.J., dragster, A/ED, 7.014, -0.206
10) Steve Levine, New Windsor, N.Y., '23 roadster, AA/AM, 7.510, 0.440

SUPER STOCK

1) Ed Alessi Jr., Bethpage, N.Y., '87 Pontiac, GT/DA, 9.103 seconds, -1.697 (under index)
2) John Armstrong, Kingston, N.S., '69 Corvette, SS/AA, 8.849, -1.151
3) Angelo Ditocco, Mahopac, N.Y., '98 Firebird, SS/IA, 9.865, -1.135
4) Vic Santos, N. Reading, Pa., '85 Firebird, GT/HA, 10.223, -1.127
5) Joseph Franco III, N. Babylon, N.Y., '85 Camaro, GT/HA, 10.228, -1.122
6) Byron Worner, Duncannon, Pa., '96 Camaro, SS/IA, 9.880, -1.120
7) Vito Savino, Brewster, N.Y., '95 Grand Am, GT/HA, 10.283, -1.067
8) Bruce Riley, Lake Echo, N.S., '71 Chevelle, SS/EA, '91 Camaro 9.618, -1.032
9) Greg Gay, Westminster, Vt., '81 Mirada, SS/MA, 11.131, -1.019
10) James Antonette Jr., New Hyde Park, N.Y., '98 Grand Am, SS/CS, 9.638, -1.012

STOCK ELIMINATOR

1) Cecil Frazier, Canton, Mass., K/SA, 11.593 seconds, -1.357 (under index)
2) Gene Monahan, Brockton, Mass., '90 Firebird, J/SA, 11.511, -1.239
3) Jeffrey Bardekoff, Commack, N.Y., '64 Fury, B/SA, 10.337, -1.213
4) Tom Kreeber, Rensselaer, N.Y., '67 Barracuda, G/SA, 11.104, -1.196
5) Jim Boudreau, Tewksbury, Mass., '69 Camaro, B/SA, 10.366, -1.184
6) Jack Matyas, Bethlehem, Pa., '04 GTO, E/SA, 10.821, -1.179
7) James Conte, Pearl River, N.Y., '69 Mustang, C/SA, 10.522, -1.178
8) John Shaul, Fultonham, N.Y., '64 Fury, A/SA, 10.129, -1.171
9) Steve Szupka, Willow Grove, Pa., '85 Camaro, J/SA, 11.606, -1.144
10) Mark Callanan, South Berwick, Maine, '69 Camaro, H/SA, 11.322, -1.128

TOP SPORTSMAN

1) John Prime, Thomastown, Conn., '68 Camaro, 6.662 seconds, 207.72 mph
2) Joe Dunne, Wolcott, Conn., '04 Grand Am, 6.665, 206.48
3) Chris Rini, Carmel, N.Y., '08 Stratus, 6.708, 208.46
4) Fred Gallo, Shirley, N.Y., '08 Cobalt, 6.872, 201.37
5) Michael Kaufman, Woodcliff Lake, N.J., '67 Corvette, 6.968, 198.99
6) Todd Fontana, Fair Lawn, N.J., '63 Corvette, 6.996, 198.20
7) Frank Maiolo, Mt. Vernon, N.Y., '07 GTO, 7.184, 190.48
8) Dennis Gaboriault, Millbury, Mass., '07 Mustang, 7.219, 189.71
9) David Sottice, Simsbury, Conn., '63 Corvette, 7.288, 188.94
10) Mark Parente, Englishtown, N.J., '05 GrandAm, 7.292, 188.65

TOP DRAGSTER

1) Frank Zeffiro, Winchester Center, Conn., dragster, 6.820 seconds, 204.11 mph
2) Wayne Hofmann, New Preston, Conn., dragster, 6.912, 194.72
3) Paul Neal, Everett, Mass., dragster, 7.069, 188.57
4) Michael Galofaro, Lincoln Park, N.J., dragster, 7.082, 196.64
5) Gary Koebbe, Fairfield, Conn., dragster, 7.097, 188.96
6) Mike Sullivan, W Peabody, Mass., dragster, 7.101, 188.04
7) Glen Crane, Wethersfield, Conn., dragster, 7.216, 184.35
8) Debby DiGenova, Derry, N.H., dragster, 7.235, 185.00
9) Hong Lee Jr, Durham, N.J., dragster, 7.257, 184.12
10) BJ Masiello, Shelton, Conn., dragster, 7.298, 184.37

-credit: nhra