Div 1 - LODRS RESULTS

MANZO, FINKE BIG WINNERS IN E-TOWN

ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. -- Frank Manzo picked up his tenth win of the year in Top Alcohol Funny Car while John Finke picked up his third in Top Alcohol Dragster at this weekend's NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.

Manzo of Morganville, N.J., scored his fifth divisional win to go along with his five national event wins for a perfect season in scored events. The alcohol class racers count their best 5 of their first 8 events towards the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series National Championship.

Manzo barely held on to beat former Olympic Gold Medalists Marty Nothstein, Orefield, Pa., in the final round of a race that was as close as you can get. Manzo's ran 5.614 seconds at 260.71 mph to Nothstein's quicker 5.611 second, 253.28 mph pass out of the No. 3 qualifying position. Manzo's holeshot starting line advantage of three thousandths of a second proved to be the difference with the computer scoring margin of victory of less than an inch.

Finke ran consistent all day clocking off 5.20 and 5.30 second laps with a 5.368 second pass at 272.23 mph in the final round against Darren Nicholson, Mission Viejo, Calif., who ran 5.427, 262.95 mph. The Selkirk, N.Y., resident beat out Darvin Martinets and Dan Mercier on his way to the final.


TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:

Round 1

8) Arthur Gallant, Boxboro, Mass., 5.400, 267.06 def.
10) Rich McPhillips, Phoenixville, Pa., 5.466, 263.15

2) Dan Mercier, Montreal, Quebec, 5.445, 255.15 def.
7) Richard Bourke, Old Tappan, N.J., 5.462, 261.02

4) Darren Nicholson, Mission Viejo, Calif., 5.452, 255.92 def.
5) Brandon Greco, Roscoe, Pa., 5.489, 258.86

3) John Finke, Selkirk, N.Y., 5.284, 272.28 def.
6) Darvin Martinets, Lake Jackson, Texas, 5.548, 252.33

Semifinals
Nicholson, 5.412, 260.61 def. Gallant, 5.384, 268.06
Finke, 5.318, 275.39 def. Mercier, 5.336, 269.08

Final
Finke, 5.368, 272.23 def. Nicholson, 5.427, 262.95

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:
Round 1

4) Paul Gill, Brockton, Mass., '08 Mustang, 5.646, 255.53 def.
5) Dan Roman, Wolcott, Conn., '97 Firebird, 5.758, 249.90

3) Marty Nothstein, Orefield, Pa., '09 Impala, 5.834, 252.10 def.
6) Eric Lourie, Terryville, Conn., '02 Camaro, broke

2) Terry Munroe, Beaver, Pa., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.661, 255.05 def.
7) DJ Cox, Whiteford, Md., '02 Firebird, 6.169, 176.47

1) Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.609, 257.78 def.
8) Dan Pomponio, Berlin, N.J., '08 Monte Carlo, 5.877, 249.44

Semifinals
Nothstein, 5.681, 256.02 def. Munroe, 5.680, 254.28
Manzo, 5.639, 259.11 def. Gill, 5.649, 257.92

Final
Manzo, 5.614, 260.71 def. Nothstein, 5.611, 253.28 (DEAD HEAT IN THE FINAL) MOV 0.0000 carried out to MANZO.

Courtesy of NHRA Communications