NC: Norwalk Friday summary

REICHERT, MANZO LEAD LUCAS OIL SERIES IN NORWALK

NORWALK, Ohio -- In the first rounds of qualifying at Summit Motorsports Park for the 2nd Annual B'Laster PB50 Cavalcade of Stars presented by Budweiser, Top Alcohol Dragster driver Bill Reichert and Top Alcohol Funny Car pilot Frank Manzo took the No. 1 qualifying positions in their classes. Both are the reigning NHRA Lucas Oil Series National Champions as well as the event defending champions.

Reichert, of Owosso, Mich., outran the field with a pass of 5.277 seconds at 275.45 mph just missing the track record in both elapsed time and mph that he set at this event last year. Mike Kosky of Cuddy, Pa., put his dragster in the No. 2 spot running 5.346 at 264.70.

Morganville, N.J., resident Manzo, made a 5.573-second, 262.54 mph run to take the pole. His speed of 262.54 set a new track record in the alcohol funny car class bettering his old mark of 262.08 set in June of last year at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series national event. The 11-time NHRA National Champion is also on an eliminations round win streak defeating the last 39 racers he has faced during NHRA eliminations.

Manzo is followed by 3-time North Central Division Champion Mick Snyder posting a run of 5.595 seconds at 255.24 mph.

In the North Central Division's Dart Top Sportsman class, Thomas Stultz ran the quickest with a 6.727 second, 207.27 mph run for the top spot followed by the division's defending champion Mike Coughlin who clocked in at 6.812, 204.26 mph.

Dave Jamison of Twinsburg, Ohio, leads the Spitzer Race Cars Top Dragster class running 6.283 seconds at 214.04 mph with Brooks, Ky., runner Tom Elliott in second at 6.362, 218.87. Jerry Arnold of Kalamazoo, Mich., is No. 1 in Comp Eliminator running 7.989 seconds with Jason Coan of Greentown, Ind., in the No. 2 spot.

Jeff Gillman of Marne, Mich., leads the field of Super Stock entries with a lap of 8.811 seconds followed by Paul Adams of Barboursville, W.V., and Ronnie Terrell, Hebron, Ky., in the No. 2 and 3 spots. In Stock Eliminator, it was four Ohio racers taking the top spots with Chuck Beal of Delaware on top and Keith Lynch in second out of Eldorado. Richard Zink of East Liverpool and Brett McFarland of Manchester are three and four.

Saturday's action will highlight the weekend with the Cavalcade of Stars featuring four 300-mph jet powered dragsters, two being driven by women making for the ultimate male vs. female battle. The jet cars are joined by the 'Cool Bus and Firetruck Wheelstanders, and final qualifying for the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series 270 mph Top Alcohol Dragsters and Funny Cars. Sunday culminates the weekend with championship eliminations for all classes.

Racing continues Saturday at 8:30 a.m. Gates open at 8 a.m. Tickets are just $20 for adults on Saturday and Sunday with free entry to all females on Saturday. Children 6-12 are $5 each day and kids 5 and under are free. For more information, call Summit Motorsports Park (419) 668-5555 or visit www.summitmotorsportspark.com.

The following are Friday's qualifying results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series B'Laster PB50 Cavalcade of Stars presented by Budweiser event at Summit Motorsports Park:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., 5.277 seconds, 275.45 mph
2) Mike Kosky, Cuddy, Pa., 5.346, 264.70
3) Todd Datweiler, Herscher, Ill., 5.390, 264.29
4) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.399, 266.27
5) Tim Bowgren, Valparaiso, Ind., 5.416, 261.57
6) Ken Perry, Richmond Hill, Ont., 5.480, 258.22
7) Noah Condo, Monticello, Ind., 5.513, 227.46
8) Paul Fishburn, Rensselaer, Ind., 5.522, 258.27
Not Qualified
9) Jeff Veale, Hamilton, Ont., 5.529, 244.96
10) Robin Samsel, Marion, Ind., 5.686, 250.32
11) Ray Hack, Valpraiso, Ind., 6.197, 241.41
12) Dave Hirata, Lowell, Ind., 9.149, 88.72

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '08 Monte Carlo, 5.573 seconds, 262.54 mph
2) Mick Snyder, Demotte, Ind., '08 Mustang, 5.595, 255.24
3) Andy Bohl, Racine, Wis., '07 Mustang, 5.629, 257.09
4) Bobby Martin, Beaver Falls, Pa., '07 Charger, 5.651, 251.39
5) John Bojec, Chardon, Ohio, '03 Avenger, 5.675, 255.43
6) Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.804, 246.03
7) John Foster, Davenport, Iowa, '07 Monte Carlo, 5.822, 249.63
8) Mark Poyser, Fort Wayne, Ind., '04 Camaro, 6.004, 230.80

Not Qualified
9) Keeter Ray, Newport Beach, Calif., '08 Mustang, 9.813, 84.69
10) Fred Hagen, Chicago, Ill., '08 Mustang, (no time)
11) Brian Harvanek, Cheswick, Pa., '02 Camaro, (no time)
12) Daniel Wilkerson, Springfield, Ill., '07 Monte Carlo, (no time)

COMP ELIMINATOR
1) Jerry Arnold, Kalamazoo, Mich., dragster, G/ED, 7.989 seconds, -0.671 (under index)
2) Jason Coan, Greentown, Ind., '32 Bantam, G/EA, 8.315, -0.585
3) Charlie Greco, Berwyn, Pa., '06 GTO, D/AA, 7.701, -0.579
4) Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn., '05 Sunfire, B/SM, 8.104, -0.576
5) Robert Bailey, Wabash, Ind., dragster, A/ED, 6.647, -0.573
6) John Staley, Bellefontaine, Ohio, '05 Civic, CC/AT, 7.311, -0.549
7) Mike Hazlett, Indianapolis, '97 Cutlass, B/A, 7.114, -0.536
8) Rick Brown, Lebanon, Ohio, '00 S-10, B/TA, 8.404, -0.526
9) Pat Ross, Avon Lake, Ohio, '04 Grand Am, F/A, 8.171, -0.509
10) Gary Merrick, Girard, Ohio, dragster, C/ED, 7.374, -0.496

SUPER STOCK
1) Jeff Gillman, Marne, Mich., '05 Sunfire, SS/BS, 8.811 seconds, -1.239 (under index)
2) Paul Adams, Barboursville, W.V., '64 Fairlane, SS/B, 9.013, -1.187
3) Ronnie Terrell, Hebron, Ky., '85 Camaro, SS/JA, 10.123, -1.177
4) John Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, '07 Cobalt, SS/CM, 8.636, -1.164
5) Jeremy Duncan, Charlestown, Ind., '98 Firebird, SS/IA, 9.841, -1.159
6) Gary Russell, E. Sparta, Ohio, '98 Camaro, GT/I, 10.098, -1.152
7) Jim Boburka, Coraopolis, Pa., '05 Cavalier, GT/CA, 9.572, -1.128
8) Irvin Johns, Charlestown, Ind., '08 Cobalt, GT/CA, 9.573, -1.127
9) Jerry Silveus, Van Buren, Ohio, '05 Cavalier, GT/BA, 9.439, -1.111
10) Ray Paquet, Holt, Mich., '64 Thunderbolt, SS/B, 9.109, -1.091

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1) Chuck Beach, Delaware, Ohio, '68 Barracuda, G/SA, 11.054 seconds, -1.246 (under index)
2) Keith Lynch, Eldorado, Ohio, '69 Camaro, B/SA, 10.389, -1.161
3) Richard Zink II, E. Liverpool, Ohio, '89 Mustang, K/S, 11.732, -1.118
4) Phil Pierce, New Carlisle, Ohio, '92 Ram 150, P/SA, 12.654, -1.096
5) Brett McFarland, Manchester, Ohio, '02 Firebird, C/S, 10.626, -1.024
6) Bruce Witherspoon, Lansing, Mich., '90 Corvette, G/SA, 11.276, -1.024
7) Bill Sempsrott, Franklin, Ohio, '66 Nova, K/S, 11.863, -0.987
8) Jason McCormack, Oxford, Mich., '67 Plymouth, A/S, 10.263, -0.987
9) Bob Gere, Salem, Wis., '71 Gran Sport, L/SA, 12.015, -0.985
10) Johnny Williams, Smithfield, R.I., '71 4-4-2, F/SA, 11.166, -0.984

TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Tom Stultz, Terre Haute, Ind., '92 Firebird, 6.727 seconds, 207.27 mph
2) Mike Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, '07 Cobalt, 6.812, 204.26
3) Aaron Glaser, Shepherdsville, Ky., '68 Camaro, 6.890, 198.06
4) Glenn Butcher, Doylestown, Ohio, '68 Camaro, 6.930, 197.25
5) Randy Primozic, Willoughby Hills, Ohio, '01 Cavalier, 6.950, 199.05
6) Greg Burba, Beaver Creek, Ohio, '63 Corvette, 6.955, 195.25
7) Bill Yates, Johnstown, Ohio, '04 Cavalier, 6.957, 200.68
8) Reed Hughes, Terre Haute, Ind., '68 Camaro, 6.963, 193.99
9) Bob Rahaim, Grosse Pte, Mich., '07 GTO, 6.989, 198.23
10) Mark Malcuit, Strasburg, Ohio, '68 Camaro, 6.990, 194.30

TOP DRAGSTER
1) Dave Jamison, Twinsburg, Ohio, dragster, 6.283 seconds, 214.04 mph
2) Tom Elliott, Brooks, Ky., dragster, 6.362, 218.87
3) Mike Didomenico, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, dragster, 6.419, 210.90
4) Dean Karns Jr, Fairborn, Ohio, dragster, 6.602, 203.40
5) Jerry Powell II, Kokomo, Ind., dragster, 6.682, 202.42
6) Dan Leech, Meadville, Pa., dragster, 6.800, 177.39
7) Matthew Albright, N. Royalton, Ohio, dragster, 6.814, 196.85
8) Jeffrey Brown, Marysville, Ohio, dragster, 6.861, 196.50
9) Marco Abruzzi, Warren, Ohio, dragster, 6.869, 195.45
10) Rick Forish, New Palestine, Ind., dragster, 6.908, 193.24

-credit: nhra