NC: Norwalk Saturday summary

WORLD CHAMPS LEAD FIELDS AT NORWALK

NORWALK, Ohio -- Reigning NHRA World Champions Bill Reichert and Frank Manzo took the pole positions in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car for this weekend's B'Laster PB50 Cavalcade of Stars presented by Budweiser.

Reichert led an incredibly quick alcohol dragster field under great conditions and a perfect track with a 5.277 second pass and a track record 276.35 mph. Mike Kosky of Cuddy, Pa., and Todd Datweiler of Herscher, Ill., landed in the second and third positions. The 8-car bump of 5.459 is just shy of the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series record of 5.444 set last year in Sonoma, Calif.

The Morganville, N.J., racer Manzo will take his No. 1 qualifying effort from Friday into tomorrow's eliminations where he will be looking to extend his eliminations round win streak that currently sits at 39 which is an NHRA record in sportsman racing. Manzo's 5.573 second, 262.54 mph held off the No. 2 qualifier Bobby Martin in the Parker Racing funny car who jumped to the No. 2 spot running 5.575 at 258.27 mph.

Saturday night's Cavalcade of Stars also included 300 mph jet cars and wheelstanders with Ernie Bogue taking the jet car final over the Queen of Diamonds Jill Canuso in her debut appearance at Summit Motorsports Park. Bogue posted a final pass of 5.263 seconds at 300.93 mph.

Kalamazoo, Mich., resident Jerry Arnold led all Comp Eliminator racers with a run of 7.989 seconds in his '98 roadster followed by Bob Brook of Frankfort, Ill., and Brian Browell out of Indiana.

In Super Stock it was Jeff Gillman of Marne, Mich., and Dave Layer of Dayton, Ohio, in the first and second qualifying spots while Ohio racers grabbed the first four spots in Stock Eliminator. Chuck Beach of Delaware is No. 1, Keith Lynch of Eldorado is No. 2, East Liverpool runner Richard Zink is third and Phil Pierce of New Carlisle if fourth. Arnold, Gillman and Beach will each take home their share of the Coan Engineer Low Qualifier Award in Comp, Super Stock and Stock.

In the divisions Spitzer Race Cars Top Dragster category, Dave Jamison of Twinsburg, Ohio, took the No. 1 spot along with the win in the Ohio Crankshaft Fast Four running a stellar 6.172 second 216.06 mph in the final. Not to be out done, Thomas Stultz went out and did the same in the Dart Top Sportsman class qualifying No. 1 and then running a 6.666 second, 208.75 mph lap over Belva Brinegar for the win in the Ohio Crankshaft Fast Four.

Local motorcycle rider Matt Short of Cleveland, Ohio, beat out Dan Stokes of Green Springs, Ohio, in the motorcycle final with a 9.099 second run at 133.25 mph. Along with the win, he will be of on a Caribbean vacation courtesy of Bay Travel Centers.

Racing continues Sunday at 9 a.m. Gates open at 8 a.m. Tickets are $20 for adults and children 6-12 are just $5 with kids 5 and under free. Summit Motorsports Park is located half way between Cleveland and Toledo; just and hour and half north of Columbus. For more information, call (419) 668-5555 or visit summitmotorsportspark.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 2nd Annual 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, 276.35 mph
2) Mike Kosky, Cuddy, Pa., 5.346, 264.70
3) Todd Datweiler, Herscher, Ill., 5.390, 264.60
4) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.399, 266.27
5) Tim Bowgren, Valparaiso, Ind., 5.416, 261.57
6) Noah Condo, Monticello, Ind., 5.417, 262.59
7) Dave Hirata, Lowell, Ind., 5.454, 260.91
8) Ken Perry, Richmond Hill, Ont., 5.459, 259.21
Not Qualified
9) Paul Fishburn, Rensselaer, Ind., 5.522, 258.27
10) Jeff Veale, Hamilton, Ont., 5.529, 244.96
11) Jeff Bohr, Plymouth, Mich., 5.535, 264.86
12) Robin Samsel, Marion, Ind., 5.567, 250.32
13) Dave Weber, N Ridgeville, Ohio, 5.586, 248.16
14) Ray Hack, Valpraiso, Ind., 6.152, 243.19
15) Robert Ginther, Lansing, Mich., 7.149, 141.45

First round TAD pairings
1) Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., 5.277 seconds, 276.35 mph vs. 8) Ken Perry, Richmond Hill, Ont., 5.459, 259.21
2) Mike Kosky, Cuddy, Pa., 5.346, 264.70 vs. 7) Dave Hirata, Lowell, Ind., 5.454, 260.91
3) Todd Datweiler, Herscher, Ill., 5.390, 264.60 vs. 6) Noah Condo, Monticello, Ind., 5.417, 262.59
4) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.399, 266.27 vs. 5) Tim Bowgren, Valparaiso, Ind., 5.416, 261.57

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.573 seconds, 262.54 mph
2) Bobby Martin, Beaver Falls, Pa., '07 Charger, 5.575, 258.27
3) Mick Snyder, Demotte, Ind., '08 Mustang, 5.595, 255.24
4) Andy Bohl, Racine, Wis., '07 Mustang, 5.620, 257.09
5) John Bojec, Chardon, Ohio, '03 Avenger, 5.649, 255.43
6) Daniel Wilkerson, Springfield, Ill., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.718, 253.47
7) Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.795, 246.03
8) Keeter Ray, Newport Beach, Calif., '08 Mustang, 5.811, 251.11
Not Qualified
9) John Foster, Davenport, Iowa, '05 Monte Carlo, 5.822, 249.63
10) Mark Poyser, Fort Wayne, Ind., '02 Camaro, 6.004, 230.80
11) Brian Harvanek, Cheswick, Pa., '02 Camaro, 6.235, 232.23
12) Fred Hagen, Chicago, '08 Mustang, (no time)

First round TAFC pairings
1) Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.573 seconds, 262.54 mph vs. 8) Keeter Ray, Newport Bch, Calif., '08 Mustang, 5.811, 251.11
2) Bobby Martin, Beaver Falls, Pa., '07 Charger, 5.575, 258.27 vs. 7) Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.795, 246.03
3) Mick Snyder, Demotte, Ind., '08 Mustang, 5.595, 255.24 vs. 6) Daniel Wilkerson, Springfield, Ill., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.718, 253.47
4) Andy Bohl, Racine, Wis., '07 Mustang, 5.620, 257.09 vs. 5) John Bojec, Chardon, Ohio, '03 Avenger, 5.649, 255.43

COMP ELIMINATOR
1) Jerry Arnold, Kalamazoo, Mich., dragster, G/ED, 7.989 seconds, -0.671 (under index)
2) Bob Book, Frankfort, Ill., dragster, A/D, 6.388, -0.652
3) Brian Browell, Lafayette, Ind., dragster, D/D, 7.173, -0.647
4) Robert Bailey, Wabash, Ind., dragster, A/ED, 6.626, -0.594
5) Jason Coan, Greentown, Ind., '32 Bantam, G/EA, 8.307, -0.593
6) Steve Ambrose, Woodhaven, Mich., '23 roadster, J/AA, 7.817, -0.583
7) Charlie Greco, Berwyn, Pa., '06 GTO, D/AA, 7.701, -0.579
8) Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn., '07 Sunfire, B/SM, 8.104, -0.576
9) John Staley, Bellefontaine, Ohio, '05 Civic, CC/AT, 7.292, -0.568
10) David Billingsley, Decatur, Ill., '93 Cutlass, A/EA, 7.353, -0.547

SUPER STOCK
1) Jeff Gillman, Marne, Mich., '05 Sunfire, SS/BS, 8.811 seconds, -1.239 (under index)
2) Dave Layer, Dayton, Ohio, '08 Cobalt, GT/EA, 9.734, -1.216
3) Ronnie Terrell, Hebron, Ky., '85 Camaro, SS/JA, 10.095, -1.205
4) Irvin Johns, Charlestown, Ind., '08 Cobalt, GT/CA, 9.508, -1.192
5) Paul Adams, Barboursville, W.V., '64 Fairlane, SS/B, 9.013, -1.187
6) Jeremy Duncan, Charlestown, Ind., '98 Firebird, SS/IA, 9.817, -1.183
7) John Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, '07 Cobalt, SS/CM, 8.627, -1.173
8) Jerry Silveus, Van Buren, Ohio, '05 Cavalier, GT/BA, 9.383, -1.167
9) Jim Boburka, Coraopolis, Pa., '05 Cavalier, GT/CA, 9.536, -1.164
10) Bob Schroeder, Peconic, N.Y., '69 Camaro, SS/EA, 9.551, -1.099

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, 10.332, -1.218
3) Richard Zink II, E. Liverpool, Ohio, '89 Mustang, K/S, 11.663, -1.187
4) Phil Pierce, New Carlisle, Ohio, '92 Ram 150, P/SA, 12.590, -1.160
5) Johnny Williams, Smithfield, R.I., '71 4-4-2, F/SA, 11.034, -1.116
6) Bob Gere, Salem, Wis., '71 Gran Sport, L/SA, 11.900, -1.100
7) Briane Philbrick, Vineland, Ont., '76 Monza, R/SA, 13.299, -1.051
8) Joe Martens, N. Olmsted, Ohio, '69 Camaro, B/S, 10.463, -1.037
9) Jeremy Duncan, Charlestown, Ind., '98 Firebird, B/SA, 10.513, -1.037
10) Mike Fuller, Belleville, Mich., '69 Camaro, B/SA, 10.518, -1.032

TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Tom Stultz, Terre Haute, Ind., '92 Firebird, 6.720 seconds, 207.72 mph
2) Mike Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, '07 Cobalt, 6.787, 205.22
3) Ralph Crocker Sr., Waterford, Mich., '02 Cavalier, 6.800, 204.76
4) David Roemer, Avon, Ohio, '04 Cavalier, 6.833, 160.69
5) Stephen Brinegar, Germantown, Ohio, '97 Probe, 6.844, 201.46
6) Greg Burba, Beaver Creek, Ohio, '63 Corvette, 6.857, 201.70
7) Benjamin Board, Spirit Lake, Iowa, '03 S10, 6.857, 181.28
8) Belva Brinegar, Middletown, Ohio, '03 Mustang, 6.876, 200.17
9) Gary Wojnowski Jr., Brunswick, Ohio, '96 Monte Carlo, 6.890, 202.30
10) Aaron Glaser, Shepherdsville, Ky., '68 Camaro, 6.890, 198.06

TOP DRAGSTER
1) Dave Jamison, Twinsburg, Ohio, dragster, 6.216 seconds, 215.79 mph
2) Tom Elliott, Brooks, Ky., dragster, 6.362, 219.15
3) Mike Didomenico, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, dragster, 6.417, 214.21
4) Don Hurst, Tell City, Ind., dragster, 6.560, 209.98
5) Dean Karns Jr, Fairborn, Ohio, dragster, 6.566, 203.40
6) Brad Kerry, Painesville, Ohio, dragster, 6.568, 208.23
7) Jerry Powell II, Kokomo, Ind., dragster, 6.616, 204.85
8) Bob Cireddu, Perry, Ohio, dragster, 6.722, 192.96
9) Jeffrey Brown, Marysville, Ohio, dragster, 6.752, 199.55
10) Dan Leech, Meadville, Pa., dragster, 6.800, 177.39

PRO STOCK SNOWMOBILE
1) Edwin Wirbel, Midland, Mich., dragster, 8.551 seconds, 144.46 mph
2) Ron Bray, Anoka, Minn., '07 Ski Doo, 8.699, 148.25
3) Tina Duncanson, Acton, Ont., dragster, 8.731, 144.49
4) Tim Spencer, White Lake, Mich., dragster, 8.759, 148.02
5) Mike Golaski, Lindstrom, Minn., '03 Mach Z, 8.768, 147.97
6) Rich Daly, Union Spgs, N.Y., '02 Ski Doo, 9.109, 148.85
7) Joe Riccardi, Milford, Mich., '05 Ski Doo, 9.546, 133.83
8) Rich Stumpf, Almont, Mich., dragster, 10.840, 110.66

-credit: nhra