Nicholson and Manzo Tops at Lebenon Valley

Nicholson and Manzo Capture D-1 Victories

Top Alcohol Dragster pilot Darren Nicholson from Mission Viejo, Calif., and Top Alcohol Funny Car driver Frank Manzo, of Morganville, N.J. captured victorys during eliminations at the fourth NHRA Northeast Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event held at Lebenon Valley Dragway.

Nicholson, picked up his first win of the season in his third divisional start of the season. In the finals, the 1998 US Nationals Top Alcohol Dragster champion traveled the quarter-mile 5.600 seconds at 256.45 mph to defeat Rich McPhillips of Phoenixville, Pa.

The man who has captured more 'Wallys' than any other drag racer in history, Manzo added another one this past weekend. In the final round, Manzo ran a 5.647-second elapsed time at 254.76 mph to beat Paul Gill from Brockton, Mass. "The Ace" captured his third divisional win of the year and cement his place at the top of the Northeast and National points standings.

Here are the round by round results courtesy of Drag Race Central


TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:

Round 1
5) Darren Nicholson, Mission Viejo, Calif., 5.576, 253.37 def. 4) Darvin Martinets, Lake Jackson, Texas, 5.814, 229.43;
3) Richard Bourke, Old Tappan, N.J., 5.550, 261.17 def. 6) Tom Pickett, Salem, N.H., 5.926, 244.52;
2) Rich McPhillips, Phoenixville, Pa., 5.573, 242.63 def. 7) Bruce Horner, Bergenfield, N.J., 5.718, 240.29;
1) John Finke, Selkirk, N.Y., 5.522, 265.69 def. 8) Mike Kosky, Cuddy, Pa., foul;

Semifinals
McPhillips, 5.483, 253.95 def. Bourke, 7.572, 122.03; Nicholson, 5.549, 256.94 def. Finke, 5.553, 261.83;

Final
Nicholson, 5.600, 256.45 def. McPhillips, 5.696, 228.89.

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:

Round 1
3) Paul Gill, Brockton, Mass., '08 Mustang, 5.775, 244.21 def. 6) Frank Schuster, Chesterfield, N.J., '02 Firebird, 5.846, 210.90;
2) Eric Lourie, Terryville, Conn., '02 Camaro, 5.838, 239.06 def. 7) Fred Tigges, Holbrook, Mass., '01 Avenger, 5.906, 243.99;
4) Paul Noakes, London, Ont., '98 Mustang, 6.063, 229.12 def. 5) John Fiorini, Dalton, Mass.,
'01 Avenger, 6.894, 152.57;
1) Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.643, 256.65 was unopposed;

Semifinals
Gill, 5.812, 224.06 def. Lourie, 5.799, 246.26; Manzo, 6.103, 230.65 def. Noakes, 6.155, 223.50;

Final
Manzo, 5.647, 254.76 def. Gill, 5.803, 245.23.