Second time a charm for Money Trail winners

Words by Evan Jones

Some racers on the Sunoco Race Fuels Money Trail were able to earn a second visit to Victory Lane Saturday night, Aug. 21, at Maple Grove Raceway.

Bob Willing (Super Eliminator) and Robert Smith (Pro Eliminator) were able to put their cars there after a very long day. The Money Trail race was part of the Rumble at The Grove that featured two races from the Northeast Outlaw Pro Mods, the Summer Flea Market, two jet dragsters and a wheel stander.

Willing (Pennsburg, Pa.), who last won Aug. 1, drove his 1999 S&W-built dragster to victory by beating Steve Terkowski (Gilbertsville, Pa.), with a run of 7.605 at 173.76 mph. The pass was just .02 over Willing’s dial-in of 7.58.

Willing had a similar close call in the semifinals against Nick Reginella (Elizabethtown, Pa.). He and Reginella were just .01 over their respective dial-ins, but Willing had the reaction time advantage. In the quarters, Rich Rogge (East Norriton, Pa.) had a big advantage off the starting line, but broke out to let Willing advance.

Terkowski had a single in the semifinals and won his quarterfinal race when Mark Price (Collegeville, Pa.) fouled at the start.

Smith (West Chester, Pa.), who scored his first victory in two months, forced Tim Rambo (Kenhorst) to settle for his third runner-up finish of the season. Driving a ’66 Chevy II, Smith clinched the win when Rambo fouled.

Smith had a close race with Matt Jolley (Birdsboro, Pa.) in the semis. Both had close reaction times and Smith got the nod when his was just .03 over his dial-in, while Jolley was .04. In the quarters, Smith survived a double-breakout race with Dave Leonard (Manchester, Pa.) has he was closer to the his dial-in, missing it by only .02, while Leonard was off by .03. Rambo had a single in the semis and survived a double-breakout against Mike Barber (Douglassville, Pa.) in the quarters.

In Street Eliminator, Doug Myers (Manheim, Pa.) won for the first time this year by beating John Pehlmann (Birdsboro, Pa.) in the final with a pass of 12.307 at 106.80 in his ’69 Camaro.  It was a double-breakout, but Myers managed to stay closer to his 12.32 dial-in.

Myers beat Leroy Sensing (Lititz, Pa.) in the semis when Sensing broke out and beat Charles Broadbelt (Honey Brook, Pa.) in the quarters by going just .01 over his dial-in. Pehlmann had a single in the semis and got through the quarters when Sheri Lee (Narvon, Pa.) broke out.

Cory Stuebner (Hamburg, Pa.) beat his dad, Joe, in the Top Bike final for his fourth win of the season. Cory took his ‘86 Kawasaki to pass of 9.292 at 132.20, while Joe (Hamburg, Pa.) couldn’t keep up on his ‘90 Kawasaki.

Cory had a bye in the semis and hit his dial-in in the quarterfinals against Neil Senft (Spring Grove, Pa.). Joe advanced after Andrew Dempsey (Narvon, Pa.) fouled in the semis.

Karl Leed (Myerstown, Pa.) prevented Lynne Epprecht (Harleysville, Pa.) from getting her second Trophy win. Leeds drove his ‘65 Mustang to a run of 12.755 at 104.03.