NE: West Lebanon Saturday summary

Finke, Darcy and Ditocco Highlight N.Y. Talent in Lebanon.

WEST LEBANON, N.Y. -- Mother Nature forced track and NHRA officials to postpone Eliminations, however qualifying is complete in all classes at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series being held this weekend at Lebanon Valley Dragway. In yesterday's Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car action John Finke from Selkirk, N.Y., and Top Alcohol Funny Car pilot and defending Lucas Oil National Champion Frank Manzo of Morganville, N.J., took the No. 1 qualifying positions in their classes.

Brian Darcy of Newburgh, N.Y., started the weekend off the right way leading the Comp Eliminator class with a pass of 6.906 seconds. In the No.2 spot is Frank Aragona, from Freehold, N.J., who holds the title of Lucas Oil National Champion from this past year. In Super Stock action Angelo Ditocco, of Mahopac, N.Y., leads a talented crew into Sunday's racing. Following close behind was a fellow N.Y. resident, Joseph Franco III of N. Babylon, N.Y., running to a time of 10.082 seconds.

Qualifying first in Stock Eliminator was Cecil Frazier from Canton, Mass., making a pass of 11.593 seconds in his '91 Camaro. 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 Sunday at 9:30 a.m. Gates open at 8a.m. Tickets are $15 for adults, children 6-12 years old $5 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 Saturday's final 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) Angelo Ditocco, Mahopac, N.Y., '98 Firebird, SS/IA, 9.713 seconds, -1.287 (under index)
2) Joseph Franco III, N. Babylon, N.Y., '85 Camaro, GT/HA, 10.082, -1.268
3) John Armstrong, Kingston, N.S., '69 Corvette, SS/AA, 8.782, -1.218
4) Vic Santos, N. Reading, Pa., '85 Firebird, GT/HA, 10.198, -1.152
5) Byron Worner, Duncannon, Pa., '96 Camaro, SS/IA, 9.868, -1.132
6) Bruce Riley, Lake Echo, N.S., '71 Chevelle, SS/EA, 9.544, -1.106
7) Vito Savino, Brewster, N.Y., '95 Grand Am, GT/HA, 10.253, -1.097
8) Frank Aragona, Freehold, N.J., '05 Sunfire, SS/BS, 8.888, -1.062
9) James Antonette Jr., New Hyde Park, N.Y., '98 Grand Am, SS/CS, 9.630, -1.020
10) Greg Gay, Westminster, Vt., '81 Mirada, SS/MA, 11.131, -1.019

STOCK ELIMINATOR

1) Cecil Frazier, Canton, Mass., '91 Camaro, 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, 10.322, -1.228
4) Tom Kreeber, Rensselaer, N.Y., '67 Barracuda, G/SA, 11.083, -1.217
5) Jack Matyas, Bethlehem, Pa., '04 GTO, E/SA, 10.807, -1.193
6) James Conte, Pearl River, N.Y., '69 Mustang, C/SA, 10.511, -1.189
7) Mark Callanan, South Berwick, Maine, '69 Camaro, H/SA, 11.263, -1.187
8) Jim Boudreau, Tewksbury, Mass., '69 Camaro, B/SA, 10.366, -1.184
9) John Shaul, Fultonham, N.Y., '64 Fury, A/SA, 10.119, -1.181
10) Steve Szupka, Willow Grove, Pa., '85 Camaro, J/SA, 11.597, -1.153

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