McLeansville, North Carolinas’s T.G. Paschal is not unfamiliar with the winners’ circle at Rockingham Dragway, but few victories were more satisfying than the one he earned Sunday in the final race in the 2018 Hoosier Tires Carolina Coalition Series.

 

A terrific final round with Joe Foley of Mooresville in which the margin at the finish line was less than .001 of a second not only earned Paschal the final big paycheck of the Coalition season, it also helped secure his first championship.

 

“Good weekend for the Paschals. Michael cracked yesterday and I got ‘em today,” Paschal said, touting his brother’s Saturday win over Cory Funderburk. “Congrats, Joe on your runner up. Good final. Both of us .00 (in reaction time) and .0002 (margin of victory).”

 

In Footbrake, Bostic’s Kelly Stevens leapfrogged over Ernie Humes of Troutman and Rickey Greer of Advance with a Saturday win and a Sunday runner-up. Trey Sikes, the pharmacist from nearby Hamlet, won Sunday’s competition driving the Chris Johnson owned Chevy.

Nichole Zuccarelli, Rockingham’s 2018 Jr. Dragster champion.

 

Saturday’s Jr. Dragster race was won by Conner Caulder over Branson Hutchens and the Sunday winner was Gavin Whisnant over newly crowned track champion Nichole Zuccarelli. The Jr. Dragster championship is yet to be determined after Michael Hypes of Blacksburg, VA, and Cam Whisnant of Dallas finished the series tied at the top.   [09/10/18]

Duane Shields (shown) and Matt Gill raced to victory at this weekend’s NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at New England Dragway, the final stop in the NHRA Northeast Division Lucas Oil Series.

 

Shields, Boulder City, NV, collected his fourth win of the year having won earlier at Gainesville Raceway, Lebanon Valley Dragway and Maple Grove Raceway. Shields qualified number one in Top Alcohol Dragster and took out Dan Page in the semifinals to advance to the final round against Josh Hart who was coming off a big win at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. Shields saved his best run of eliminations for last as he crossed the finish line in 5.213 seconds at 278.92 mph to defeat Hart.

 

Gill, Brockton, MA, faced off with regional points leader Dan Pomponio Jr. in the Top Alcohol Funny Car money round with Gill laying down a 5.643 second lap at 265.33 for the win and the trophy. The win is Gill’s second of the year having won the season opener at Virginia Motorsports Park.

 

Former NHRA Lucas Oil World Champion Iggie Boicesco went dead-on in his Super Gas final round with Chuck Rothermel and Chip Ippolito closed the deal on Gary Guarriello for the win in Comp Eliminator. Boicesco went 9.900 on the 9.90 dial for his 15th Lucas Oil divisional win and Ippolito grabbed his first in five finals. Ippolito, Laconia, N.H., won on a holeshot posting a 7.621, 172.36 mph run.

 

In the Top Sportsman and Top Dragster classes it was Eric Cabral and Van Di Genova posting the wins respectively. Cabral used a stellar .003 second reaction time for the early lead and a combined .020 package for the win over Jeff Brooks. Di Genova was better at the start against Mark Payne and held on for her first win with a 6.701, 195.73 pass.

 

The NHRA Summit Jr. Drag Racing League Northeast Division Direct Cabinet Sales Series was also in action this weekend with Albert Gouveia beating Cody Cumming in the 6-9 class; Tyler Christopher took out Brandon Miller in 13-17; and Paul Stalba won over Christopher Khoury in 10-12.

 

While this event wraps up the Northeast Division Lucas Oil divisional schedule, racers can still compete outside their division and at national events. Most of these racers will head to Maple Grove Raceway, Reading, PA, for the Dodge NHRA Nationals and the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series this weekend Sept. 13-16.

 

 

SUPER STOCK: Timothy Stickles, Dover, NH, '90 Oldsmobile, GT/KA, 10.538, 125.47 def. Jeff Roell, Danbury, CT, '10 Cobra, FSS/G, 9.396, 141.42.

 

STOCK ELIMINATOR: Shane Oakes, Ottsville, PA, '83 Camaro, G/SA, 10.925, 111.51 def. Allison Smyth, Uxbridge, MA, '98 Firebird, B/SA, 10.349, 126.45.

 

SUPER COMP: Kyle Bigley, West Milford, NJ, '14 Undercover, 8.909, 169.83 def. Michael Handras, Hicksville, NY, '12 Racetech, 8.923, 166.19.

 

SUPER STREET: Shawn Fricke, Flemington, NJ, '02 Firebird, 10.874, 131.88 def. Don Garbinski, Philadelphia, PA, '71 Challenger, 10.871, 144.07.

 

PRO STOCK SNOWMOBILE: Mark Wakem, Poland, ME, '03 Skidoo, 8.385, 158.69  def. John Parenteau, Brentwood, NH, '12 Artic CAT, 8.497, 154.09.   (Ron Lewis photo) [09/10/18]

Ronny Young's "Blue Max" will be making its first appearance of the year.  (Tera Graves photo)

 

With 28 Funny Cars pre-entered into Funny Car Chaos Sept. 14-15 at North Star Dragway, the stage is set for what will be the largest Funny Car race in decades to be hosted in the Lone Star State. This event will mark the fifth Chaos event for the new 'outlaw' series that debuted in Denton, TX, in the fall of 2017. With it's no rules approach to engine combination and body styles, flopper teams from across the country have found a home in this unique take on funny car competition.

 

Eleven states will be represented including the Nevada-based "Little City Cuda" of Chris and Mike Morel, the Colorado-based "High Heaven" of Keith Jackson, local Texas hitter "One Bad Texan" driven by John Hale, and the exciting return to Funny Car competition for 2017 U.S. Nationals Top Fuel runner up Kebin Kinsley, who has been on a five-year hiatus from FC racing in his "Wild Child" Mustang bodied fuel coupe.

Ken Singleton's "High Risk" TA/FC team is looking to return to action after winning the 'A' field at the first two events of the year at Mo-Kan Dragway and Amarillo Dragway. (Wes Ramsey photo)

 

The most recent event held at Central Illinois Dragway was won by Mike McIntire Jr. in the 'A' field. The date for next year's return has been confirmed for July 26-27 in Havana, IL, as Funny Car Chaos will headline the track's 50th Anniversary celebration.    [09/10/18]

Ken Singleton also runs his car as an AA Fuel Altered. He currently is second in OFAA points, just two points out of first place.

 

Back to back weekends of competition are up next as the Outlaw Fuel Altered Association heads to San Antonio on Saturday, Sept. 22, and Evadale Raceway on Sept. 29 before closing the season at Xtreme Raceway Park on Oct. 13.   [09/10/18]

Chris VanBaalen was the winner in Cayuga, Ontario, on Aug. 4, and leads the points heading into the final weekend of competition. (Stacee Richards photo)

 

The championship weekend for the 12th season of TNT Super Series competition is Sept. 14-16. Friday will see the rescheduled August event at the Lancaster, NY, drag strip. Saturday and Sunday will be held at Empire Dragway in Leicester, NY. All events will be run to the eighth mile.

 

All three races count for points toward the championship, which will include a $4,000 champion’s prize package.    [09/10/18]

On Nov. 15-18 the 14th edition of the Street Car Super Nationals will utilize all four lanes of The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s unique layout in order to provide an all-new experience that also expedites the racing from class to class.

 

The plan, spearheaded by SCSN Promoter Mel Roth and Director of Racing Operations for The Strip Jeff Foster, calls for standard slick tire classes to be run on the west track with radial tire classes on the east track. The lanes will be used in an alternating format, eliminating the need to slow the program in order to prep for the upcoming class. In addition, prep specialist Kurt Johnson has been hired by the track to assist in this massive undertaking.

 

A tip of the Agent’s fedora for the creative thinking for a fan-friendly way to utilize the track and keep the show moving.  (Ron Lewis photo)    [09/10/18]

Jimmy Hidalgo Jr. raced his way into the final round in not one by two classes this weekend for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at South Georgia Motorsports Park and took home the win in Stock Eliminator.

 

The second-generation driver worked his way through the fields in both Stock and Super Stock and posted a solid .024 second package in Stock to take out Daniel Young, Palm Harbor, FL, for the first half of the possible double-up. Young ran too quick as he tried to chase down Hidalgo’s 2004 GTO.

 

In the Super Stock final, Hidalgo, Donaldsonville, LA, faced off with Jeff Longhany, Wade, NC, who got the jump off the start and took the win as Hidalgo was forced to run too quick in his ’99 Firebird and broke out. Longhany posted a 9.842 second lap at 133.91 mph.

 

Van Puckett, Monroe, GA, returned to the winner’s circle for the first time since 2009 in taking the Comp Eliminator trophy over Jim Kimbrough, while Mark Jones and David Marcus each won for the first time in the Lucas Oil Series. Puckett wheeled his ’05 Cavalier to an 8.286, 163.26 mph run as Kimbrough slowed with problems. Jones and Marcus both won via the starting line with Jones taking the holeshot in the Top Dragster to defeat Elie McGee and Marcus took the win in Super Gas as James Justice left early with a red light. Jones went 6.259, 223.25 on his victory lap and Marcus was 9.909 on the 9.90 index to capture the win.

 

Wrapping up the weekend’s winners were Dylan Stott with a big holeshot over Bruce Duncan for the Top Sportsman crown; Ray Miller III grabbed his second win of the year to oust Buck Holmes in Super Comp; and Matt Weston won on a double breakout over Jesse McKnight in Super Street.

 

The NHRA Summit Jr., Drag Racing League was also in action this weekend at South Georgia with Michael Carpenter leading the charge with a win in the 13-17-year-old class. Carpenter beat out Carson Brown with a lap of 8.012 at 77.67. Dylan MacNicol downed Hayden Miller in the 6-9 class and Budd Trammel II upended Wyatt Palmatier in the 10-12.

 

NHRA Southeast Division racers head to Silver Dollar Raceway in Reynolds, GA, for the next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, September 28-29.    [09/10/18]

Thanks to Chilly Willys, builder of a compact engine cooling unit, the 16 quickest Pro Mods will be known as Chilly Willys Qualifiers at the $50,000-to-win Elite 16 Mid-West Pro Mod Series event. In addition, Jim Phillips Collision Center of Evansville, IL, will pay a bonus to the number-one starter.

 

Despite winning the season-opening PDRA event in North Carolina with veteran driver James Hancock III behind the wheel of his nitrous-boosted ’69 Camaro, Chilly Willys owner Brian Shaw says the team, based in Virginia, will not travel to Texas Motorplex to race in the Elite 16 event on Nov. 1.    [09/10/18]

While electronic fuel injection may offer better efficiency and automatic tuning capabilities, they are not as “plug-and-play” as an old school Holley 4 BBL or quadrajet, and when fuel problems arise, troubleshooting the issue can be difficult. With Trans-Dapt’s versatile and affordable line of carb adapters, engine builders and owners can mix and match carburetor and intake manifold combinations to achieve optimum performance, and avoid the hassle of settling for an outdated carburetor with difficult-to-find parts. To replace leaky Rochester carbs, Trans-Dapt  developed part #2062, a tapered, cast aluminum adapter that lets you install a modern Holley or AFB 4-BBL carburetor onto your small Rochester intake manifold. The tapered ports on Trans-Dapt’s #2064 carb adapter lets you bolt a large or medium base Holley or AFB 4BBL onto smaller 4 BBL intake manifolds. With a slim ½” design, both carb adapters keep the carburetor low to maximize hood clearance. Each carburetor adapter comes complete with gaskets and mounting hardware. [09/10/18]