8/14/21
HEBIG SCORES FIRST S/P VICTORY
SOME POINTS SHUFFLE WITH TWO TO GO
Con nor Hebig has been the seat of the S&W dragster for only about two years and had never before won an event. Regardless, the second generation driver from Orefield is a major player in the points program based on going rounds and stands a chance to finish in the top three or four spots depending on how he does over the next two weeks as well as the performance of several racers currently ahead of him. This weekend Connor broke through for the Super Pro title in fine fashion when he handed points leader and four time finalist Richie Williams his first defeat of the season. And with Todd Martin and Elyse DeCarlo exiting in the first round, Hebig advanced to third in overall points and putting pressure on Robbie Boyd and Williams in the process.
Hebig took out DeCerlo, Bryan Mirsky and Wayne Rudy on his way to the deciding race as Richie Williams and his Chevelle looked headed for a fourth win of the year, by far the best record of any in the bracket. Both finalists got lucky when they needed it and Hebig caught a slight advantage on the tree in the final. That p;rovrf rnough as both cars ran abolut a hundredths off the dial and Williams suffered his first defeat at 7.73, 132.36 and put Hebig in the winner’s circle via his 6.80 at 149.43.
Pro class again had the biggest turnout and Mike Franek collected h is first win of the year by defeating Joe Focarino. Franek had tio\o get by points leader Rob Zetterberg in the quarters as Focarino bumped Bill Wackermann from the field. P{aul Northrup bested Kelly Conway and Scott Embley ran solo. Franek treed Embley in the semis to run a 10.15 to 9.37 win and Focarino squeezed past Northrup 9.76 against a 13.25. The final ended swiftly when Focarino went red on the line and dropped to second place on a tiome of 9.76 and 127.71 i9n his Monte Carlo. Franek pushed his Dodge Swinger to a 10.29 and a slowing 112 effort.
Scott Franks Sr won the Sportsman award by outlasting Jon Northrup . Michael Franks lost to Northrup in the QF along with John Hedenbrg IX falling to Gary Agar’s Camaro and Franks taking out Connie Wackermann. Northrup was a solo in the semis and Franks won a double run out contest with Agar. Franks hung a holeshot on Northrup for the tiotle and breezed to a 12.38 at 98.79 ticket. Northrup came in second place when he posted a 13.13 at 87.25.
Chris Miele holds what appears to be a commanding lead in Bike but the next two slots are up for grabs. Don Hookway, who once lead this bracket, began the day in fourth place but got back in the top three as he faced a toughened Barry Stephens, who has not had a banner year. Earlier in the event Stephens beat Jacob Teats and Hookway took care of Miele to set the final pairings. Only .004 difference in RT made for a race where neither rider dared to lift and sure enough it worked oput to be a dual breakout. Stephens emerged with the trophy on a 9.79 and 133 effort to Hookway’s 9.23 and 145.89.
Harley Parson was better than Al Magliocco for J/D and Anna Sawicki beat Sean Conway Jr in J/ST. Parson ran a 7.95, 76.33 to overtake an 8.97 and 71.99 for her title. Sawicki’s Mustang rang up a 9.07, 76.72 in besting Conway’;s 11.36, 65.45.
Dick Copertino was the champ i9n Concolatioon One over Bryan Mirsky. The CT based RED machine hit a swift 6.07 at 162.16 that was slightly less under his dial than Mirsky’s 8.03 at 125.79.
Four rounds of Consolatioon Two brought Jim Trommelen’s AMC pentry to face the Mustanf of Mitch Speert. Speert miscued and went red and dropped the final at 14.44, 96.49. Trommelen ran an 11.17 at 118.17 for the money.