NE: Maple Grove final summary

ARAGONA, WALLEIGH WIN IN READING

READING, Pa. (May 24, 2009) -- In the final results from Maple Grove Raceway and the NHRA Northeast Division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series former division champion Frank Aragona Jr., Freehold, N.J., won in Comp Eliminator and local racer Dan Walleigh of Reading, Pa., won in Super Street.

Aragona turned on the win light with his '32 roadster when Stephen Szupka, Willow Grove, Pa., broke in the final round.

Walleigh picked up his first NHRA win driving his '60 Falcon past Scott Steiner of New York, while defending division champion Mike Sawyer of Acton, Mass., drove to the win over Jason Kenny, Kingston, Ont., in Super Gas.

Joining in with victories of their own were John Benoit, Montpelier, Vt., and Don Milson of Richmond, R.I. Benoit went 6.801 seconds, 203.37 mph in beating Robert Tagliareni, Oakland, N.J., in the Speed Shop Top Sportsman class and Milson held off Laura Zeffiro, Winchester Center, Conn., in the Mx Industrial.com Top Dragster class running 78.450 seconds, 181.50 mph

Three racers had to go seven rounds before heading to the winner's circle as James Antonette Jr., New Hyde Park, N.Y., beat Sean Gaffney in Super Stock, David Barton, Robesonia, Pa., won over Ken Kopecky in Stock, and Thomas Slater, Colonia, N.J., ousted Derek Clark in Super Comp.

Saturday night's action included the first pair of racers taking home trophies this weekend when Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., out ran John Finke, Selkirk, N.Y., in Top Alcohol Dragster with the quickest lap of the event at 5.310 seconds, 270.70 mph. In Top Alcohol Funny Car it was Mickey Ferro knocking out the reigning national champion and defending event champion Frank Manzo in the money round. Ferro used a hole shot starting line advantage to win with a 5.650 second, 256.45 mph run.

Northeast Division racers head to Atco Raceway for the next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, June 19-21.

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

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:

Round 1

1) Mike Kosky, Cuddy, Pa., 5.466, 259.31 def. 8) Bruce Horner, Bergenfield, N.J., 6.295, 170.02

2) Bill Evans, Miramar, Fla., 5.515, 259.96 def. 7) Ken Winward, Wilmington, Del., 6.183, 166.95

3) John Finke, Selkirk, N.Y., 5.418, 265.64 def. 6) Darvin Martinets, Lake Jackson, Texas,

5.664, 213.23

4) Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., 5.423, 265.90 def. 5) Darren Nicholson, Mission Viejo, Calif., 5.514, 259.11

Semifinal

Reichert, 5.323, 271.19 def. Kosky, 5.429, 246.75

Finke, 5.288, 271.52 def. Evans, 5.397, 264.80

Final

Reichert, 5.310, 270.70 def. Finke, 5.435, 270.37

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:

Round 1

4) Marc White, Glendale Hts., Ill., '08 Mustang, 5.638, 255.05 def. 5) Dan Roman, Wolcott,

Conn., '97 Firebird, 5.740, 242.63

3) Mickey Ferro, Stamford, Conn., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.655, 255.82 def. 6) John Anderika, Pittson,

Pa., '02 Camaro, 11.506, 76.54

2) Marty Nothstein, Orefield, Pa., '08 Impala, 5.741, 253.04 def. 7) Terry Munroe, Beaver, Pa.,

'05 Monte Carlo, 5.726, 253.04

1) Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '08 Monte Carlo, 5.595, 258.02 def. 8) Lou Sgro, Slatington,

Pa., '05 Monte Carlo, 7.358, 121.69

Semifinals

Ferro, 5.671, 255.68 def. Nothstein, foul

Manzo, 5.578, 258.27 def. White, 5.630, 254.71

Final

Ferro, 5.650, 256.45 def. Manzo, 5.638, 255.77

COMP ELIMINATOR

Frank Aragona Jr., Freehold, N.J., '34 Bantam, G/EA, 10.444, 85.13 def. Stephen Szupka, Willow Grove, Pa., dragster, F/ED, broke.

SUPER STOCK

James Antonette Jr., New Hyde Park, N.Y., '98 Grand Am, SS/CS, 9.702, 131.69 def. Sean Gaffney, Clarence Creek, Ont., '66 Chevy II, SS/GA, 9.915, 130.18.

STOCK ELIMINATOR

David Barton, Robesonia, Pa., '65 Coronet, AA/S, 9.881, 131.60 def. Ken Kopecky, Edison, N.J.,'71 Demon, E/SA, 10.846, 120.27.

SUPER COMP

Thomas Slater, Colonia, N.J., dragster, 8.902, 170.34 def. Derek Clark, Maugansville, Md., dragster, 8.884, 165.38.

SUPER GAS

Mike Sawyer, Acton, Mass., '03 Cavalier, 9.893, 162.06 def. Jason Kenny, Kingston, Ont., '03 Corvette, 9.892, 163.10.

SUPER STREET

Dan Walleigh, Reading, Pa., '60 Falcon, 10.902, 107.44 def. Scott Steiner, New York, '72 Chevelle, 10.910, 125.83.

TOP SPORTSMAN

John Benoit, Montpelier, Vt., dragster, 6.801, 203.37 def. Robert Tagliareni, Oakland, N.J., '63 Corvette, foul.

TOP DRAGSTER

Don Milson, Richmond, R.I., dragster, 7.450, 181.50 def. Laura Zeffiro, Winchester Center, Conn., dragster, 7.093, 187.42.

-credit: nhra