REICHERT, MANZO CONTINUE MAPLE GROVE DOMINANCE

Words by Eric Lotz
Photos by Richard Muir

Many-time world champions Bill Reichert and Frank Manzo won the Eastern regional Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event over the Memorial Day weekend at Maple Grove Raceway, each for the fourth time in five years. Reichert edged reigning event and world champ Duane Shields in a photo-finish final in Top Alcohol Dragster, 5.452 to 5.457, and Manzo stopped old rival Paul Gill in a trouble-plagued Top Alcohol Funny Car final, 5.83 to 6.07.

Reichert, who also won this race in 2008, 2009, and 2010, edged Shields in perhaps the best round of any race in any class all year. Shields moved first by a thousandth of a second, .050 to .051, and Reichert was quicker by five-thousandths, 5.452 to 5.457, for a four-thousandths margin of victory.

Reichert qualified just sixth in the field and drew the hottest driver in the country, Topeka winner Rich McPhillips, in the first round but advanced with a 5.49 when McPhillips launched into a wheelstand, smoked the tires upon his return to earth, and shut off. In the semifinals, Reichert took out former Division 1 champ John Finke, 5.42 to 5.57.

Shields, who defeated Dan Mercier in last year's final, won a close one over Dan Page in the first round, 5.42 to 5.45, and topped surprise No. 1 qualifier Richard Bourke, who qualified on top for the first time in seven years, in the semi's, 5.40 to 5.55.