SE: Orlando final summary

LOCAL FAVORITES CONNER, MC INERNY WIN AT ORLANDO SPEED WORLD DRAGWAY'S LUCAS OIL SERIES EVENT

ORLANDO, Fla. (March 8, 2009) -- NHRA's Southeast division racers are now half way through the 2009 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series season. With the completion of the event this weekend at Orlando Speed World Dragway, racers have completed three of six events slated for the year and two local competitors made it to the winner's circle. Oviedo resident Ed Conner wheeled his '63 Corvette to the win in Super Gas while Titusville's Greg Mc Inerny grabbed the win in his '89 Camaro Super Streeter.

Anthony Bertozzi scored a double win, ousting Arnie Martel, Tewksbury, Mass., in the Comp Eliminator final and David Simmons of Suwanee, Ga., in the Super Stock final. This is the second straight Super Stock win for the Ashland, Va., racer who is also the division's reigning Super Stock champ as well as the Northeast division's Comp Eliminator titlist.

In Stock Eliminator, Butch Payne of Rome, Ga., drove is '98 Firebird to the win over Russell Johnson, Sharpsburg, Ga., in his '67 Fairlane. The Super Comp win went to Don Higgins, Mapleton, Ill., who beat out Tim Nimmo, Lake Worth, Fla. Conner defeated Melrose, Fla., resident Gene Abbott and Mc Inerny took out Charlie Fitzsimmons, Chattanooga, Tenn. Top Sportsman racer Frank Maiolo, White Plains, N.Y., won over Mike Thompson of Naples, Fla., while the win in Top Sportsman went to Anthony Montella. The Deerfield Beach, Fla., racer beat Jason Folk of Bradenton, Fla.

NHRA Southeast division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competitors will head to South Georgia Motorsports Park for the next event. The Cecil, Ga., facility will play host April 3-5.

The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Orlando Speed World Dragway:

COMP ELIMINATOR

Anthony Bertozzi, Ashland, Va., dragster, D/ED, 7.439, 168.53 def. Arnie Martel, Tewksbury, Mass., '07 GTO, F/AA, 8.045, 154.33

SUPER STOCK

Anthony Bertozzi, Ashland, Va., '98 Grand Am, SS/AS, 9.404, 133.76 def. David Simmons, Suwanee, Ga., '98 S-10, GT/TA, 10.261, 120.22

STOCK ELIMINATOR

Butch Payne, Rome, Ga., '98 Firebird, E/SA, 10.856, 122.02 def. Russell Johnson, Sharpsburg, Ga., '67 Fairlane, E/SA, 10.989, 119.32

SUPER COMP

Don Higgins, Mapleton, Ill., dragster, 8.929, 156.53 def. Tim Nimmo, Lake Worth, Fla., dragster, 8.963, 181.76

SUPER GAS

Ed Conner, Oviedo, Fla., '63 Corvette, 9.873, 153.44 def. Gene Abbott, Melrose, Fla., '38 Chevy, 9.870, 146.37

SUPER STREET

Greg McInerny, Titusville, Fla., '89 Camaro, 10.866, 125.74 def. Charlie Fitzsimmons, Chattanooga, Tenn., '68 Barracuda, 10.862, 130.38

TOP SPORTSMAN

Frank Maiolo, White Plains, N.Y., '07 GTO, 7.190, 191.32 def. Mike Thompson, Naples, Fla., '03 Cavalier, 7.548, 174.57

TOP DRAGSTER

Anthony Montella, Deerfield Beach, Fla., dragster, 7.616, 177.04 def. Jason Folk, Bradenton, Fla., dragster, 7.119, 181.28

-credit: nhra