It was a successful weekend as 572 cars competed in 10 different classes and the largest crowd in three years was on hand Saturday to watch racing and holiday fireworks.

Three NHRA national records were set during the weekend. On Friday, Carl Milano (Bath, Pa.) went 10.65 seconds at 123.64 mph in a 1965 Mustang in the SS/L Automatic class. Saturday, Vinny Barone (Dix Hills, N.Y.) drove a ’34 Chevy in 7.74 at 171.10 in A/Street Roadster; and Dave Hughes (Nazareth, Pa.) drove a 2006 Cobalt in 6.64 at 210.54 in A/Altered.

Many racers had a chance to try out The Grove’s new track surface. Over the winter, the track undertook a $300,000 project to extend the concrete launch pad to 820 feet and install a new paving mixture to 250 past the finish line.

“It was wonderful and really smooth,” Weaver said. “My 60-foot times stayed consistent with the sun out. It’s a nice improvement, and this track wasn’t bad before.”

“The surface was superb, it held its own,” said Competition Eliminator winner Sal Biondo. “Everything was straight as an arrow.”

Biondo (Maspeth, N.Y.) beat Joe Carnasciale (Cranston, R.I.) in the final. Driving his ’93 Beretta, Biondo made a winning pass of 8.294 at 154.56.

Gary Koebbe (Fairfield, Conn.) took Top Dragster. Using a great reaction time of .007, he raced passed Luc Angers (Lavac, Quebec) with a run of 7.074 at 188.17.

Arthur Decesare (Mooresville, N.C.) had a tight race with Michael Kauffman (Woodcliff Lake, N.J.) in Top Sportsman. However, he pulled way with a finals run of 7.246 at 184.83 in his ’63 Corvette.

In Super Stock, former Maple Grove champion Marty Rinehart (Thomasville, Pa..) made another visit to Victory Lane by taking his ’69 Camaro down the strip after Jack Sepanek (Moosic, Pa.) started too early. Rinehart ran 9.911 at 135.25.

John Shaul (Fultonham, N.Y.) won Stock Eliminator in a ’64 Fury as Matthew Welker (Clear Spring, Md.) fouled at the start. Shaul’s run was 9.941 at 132.61.

Jason Kenny (Kingston, Ontario) took Super Comp with a perfect reaction time off the starting line. He then ran 8.933 at 166.72 to outrace Chris DePascale (Parlin, N.J.).

Frank Abad (Wading River, N.Y.) took his ’68 Camaro to Victory Lane in Super Street, beating Don Garbinski (Philadelphia, Pa.) with a run of 10.909 at 127.02.

Top Alcohol Dragster: Bill Reichert, ‘97 Bowen, .041 reaction time, 5.369 seconds, 268.06 mph def. John Finke, ‘04 McKinney, .045, 9.820, 12.07.

Top Alcohol Funny Car: Frank Manzo, ‘10 Chevy, .088, 5.568, 259.81 def. Thomas Carter, ‘08 Mustang, .118, 9.840, 83.89.

Competition Eliminator: Sal Biondo, ’93 Beretta, .075 reaction time, 8.294 seconds, 154.56 mph; def. Joe Carnasciale, ’92 Camaro, .156, 9.194, 149.35.

Top Dragster: Gary Koebbe, ’03 Undercover, .007, 7.074, 188.17; def. Luc Angers, ’09 Prostart, .055, 6.694, 201.10.

Top Sportsman: Arthur Decesare, ’63 Corvette, .013, 7.246, 184..83; def. Michael Kauffman, ’67 Corvette, .018, 6.952, 201.97.

Super Stock: Marty Rinehart, ’69 Camaro, .033, 9.911, 135.25; Jack Sepanek, ’69 Camaro, -.034, 14.783, 72.91.

Stock Eliminator: John Shaul, ’64 Fury, .092, 9.941, 132.61; def. Matthew Welker, ’68 Camaro, -.011, 15.178, 58.51.

Super Comp: Jason Kenny, ’07 Dan Page, .000, 8.933, 166.72; def. Chris DePascale, ’00 Mullis, .031, 8.904, 161.19.

Super Gas: Bernard Weaver, ’84 Daytona, .038, 9.901, 149.81; def. Todd Logan, ’01 Camaro, .015, 9.935, 151.65.

Super Street: Frank Abad, ’68 Camaro, .024, 10.909, 127.02; def. Don Garbinski, ’71 Challenge, .026, 10.918, 142.81.

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