NE: Englishtown final summary

MANZO WINS FIFTH DIVISIONAL RACE OF THE SEASON, GALLANT GRABS TAD WIN AT RACEWAY PARK

ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. -- Racers in NHRA's Northeast division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series completed the sixth of seven races on the calendar when Raceway Park hosted its 42nd annual division race this weekend. Local favorite Frank Manzo of Morganville scored the win in Top Alcohol Funny Car while Arthur Gallant of Boxboro, Mass., walked away with the win in Top Alcohol Dragster.

Manzo, the event's No. 2 qualifier with a 5.620-second, 260.11 mph run, made his best run of the day in the semi's where he laid down a 5.559-second, 261.57 mph pass against Paul Gill of Brockton, Mass. Gill was the No. 6 qualifier and ran 5.705 seconds at 252.14 mph against Manzo. The final was uneventful as Manzo's opponent, No. 8 qualifier Wayne Morris of Lincoln Univ., Pa., could not get his car started. However, despite having a bye to the winner's circle, Manzo did not disappoint, making a 5.559-second 261.57 mph pass in the final. The win gives Manzo five wins in seven races.

Gallant also went into eliminations as the No. 2 qualifier. He blistered the track in qualifying with a 5.372-second, 272.34 mph run. In the final round, Gallant faced off against Ken Perry, Richmond Hill, Ont. Gallant covered the quarter-mile in 5.524 seconds at 270.81 mph which was just enough to cover Perry's 5.584-second, 235.68 mph pass.

Other local drivers joined Manzo in the winner's circle as Freehold resident Frank Aragon beat David Eaton of Merritt Island, Fla., in Comp Eliminator and Ken Kopecky of Edison drove his '71 Demon to the win in Stock Eliminator over Lee Zane, Perry Hall, Md. In Super Comp, Scott Albrecht of Sewaren grabbed the win over Jeff Szilagyi, Hellerton, Pa., and Brick resident Martin Ganjoin Jr. took the win in Super Street, beating Donald Harrell, Lansdale, Pa.

In Super Stock, Gary Richard, Bay Shore, N.Y., defeated Billy Leber, Tonawanda, N.Y., in the final. And Super Gas racer Mike Sawyer, Acton, Mass., got the win when he beat Frank Altilio of Ocoee, Fla.

Northeast Division racers head to Atco Raceway in Atco, N.J., for the final NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event on the schedule, October 3-5.

The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Raceway Park:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER

Round 1
8) Richard Bourke, Old Tappan, N.J., 5.664, 249.21 def. 1) Dan Mercier, Montreal, Quebec, foul

2) Arthur Gallant, Boxboro, Mass., 5.406, 258.71 def. 7) Bruce Horner, Bergenfield, N.J., 16.701, 31.09

3) Mike Kosky, Cuddy, Pa., 5.366, 266.27 def. 6) Rich McPhillips, Phoenixville, Pa., 68.056, 146.89

4) Ken Perry, Richmond Hill, Ont., 5.442, 265.97 def. 5) John Finke, Selkirk, N.Y., 5.465, 270.92

Semifinals
Perry, 5.453, 257.73 def. Bourke, 5.730, 259.71
Gallant, 5.493, 272.23 def. Kosky, 5.852, 186.25

Final
Gallant, 5.524, 270.81 def. Perry, 5.584, 235.68

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

Round 1
4) Marc White, Glendale Hts., Ill., '08 Mustang, 5.703, 255.82 def. 5) Dan Roman, Wolcott, Conn., '97 Firebird, 8.573, 102.42

6) Paul Gill, Brockton, Mass., '08 Mustang, 5.751, 251.95 def. 3) John Anderika, Pittson, Pa., '02 Camaro, 10.059, 79.21

2) Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '05 Monte Carlo, 36.814, 37.52 def. 7) Lou Sgro, Slatington, Pa., '05 Monte Carlo, broke

8) Wayne Morris, Lincoln Univ., Pa., '06 Stratus, 6.041, 241.71 def. 1) Mickey Ferro, Stamford, Conn., '05 Monte Carlo, 11.517, 69.97

Semifinals
Morris, 5.840, 247.57 def. White, 7.055, 136.25
Manzo, 5.559, 261.57 def. Gill, 5.705, 252.14

Final
Manzo, 5.587, 260.56 def. Morris, broke

COMP ELIMINATOR

Frank Aragona, Freehold, N.J., '32 Bantam, G/EA, 8.275, 150.21 def. David Eaton, Merritt Island, Fla., '32 Bantam, A/AP, 6.742, 181.59

SUPER STOCK

Gary Richard, Bay Shore, N.Y., '07 Cobalt, GT/AA, 9.249, 138.37 def. Billy Leber, Tonawanda, N.Y., '04 S-10, SS/TB, 13.161, 71.27

STOCK ELIMINATOR

Ken Kopecky, Edison, N.J., '71 Demon, E/SA, 10.992, 118.44 def. Lee Zane, Perry Hall, Md., '98 Firebird, D/SA, 10.921, 116.47

SUPER COMP

Scott Albrecht, Sewaren, N.J., dragster, 8.900, 176.33 def. Jeff Szilagyi, Hellerton, Pa., dragster, 8.906, 172.89

SUPER GAS

Mike Sawyer, Acton, Mass., '03 Cavalier, 9.933, 153.07 def. Frank Altilio, Ocoee, Fla., '01 Mustang, 9.879, 159.55.

SUPER STREET

Martin Ganjoin Jr., Brick, N.J., '69 Camaro, 10.889, 132.91 def. Donald Harrell, Lansdale, Pa., '75 Vega, 10.942, 146.65

-credit: nhra