Title battles frame upcoming 5th Annual Ross Pistons NMCA race at The Grove
(8-20-2006) READING, PA - With the race and the hype associated with the Super Bowl of drag racing now a memory, all eyes are focused on the upcoming 5th Annual Ross Pistons NMCA Hot Rod and Muscle Car Nationals event at Maple Grove Raceway near Reading, Pa., August 25-27.
Although last year’s event was cancelled due to rain on Sunday, it held promise to be one of the largest events in the history of the Edelbrock Drag Racing Series, and this year there’s no reason to believe the number of participants won’t match or surpass 2005 numbers.
Heading into the fifth race of the eight-race NMCA season, there are a number of racers poised to grab the lead in a number of class championship points races.
In Denso Pro Street Vinny Budano (pictured above) still holds a little more than a two round lead over Randall Haynes with Troy Coughlin less than three rounds back. With a points race this close, anything can happen. If Budano falters and Haynes and Coughlin go rounds, we could see a very close three-way race heading into the final races of the season.
In Nitto Tire Super Street 10.5W, Bill Glidden leads the chase, but Dan Millen is only a couple of rounds behind. 2005 Champ Bryan Markiewicz and his new Camaro could be the wildcard at Maple Grove, that is if he and the crew have had a chance to sort out the car, which gave him a fit in Joliet.
While Tony Nesbitt holds a commanding lead in GM Performance Parts Nostalgia Pro Street, he proved he wasn’t invincible at Rt. 66 after losing in the early rounds, which allowed John Baio (pictured at right) to gain a few points on the two-time champ. If Baio has a shot at this year’s crown, Nesbitt must slip again in Maple Grove and Baio will need to capitalize. However winning will not be easy for either Nesbitt or Baio as this race attracts some of the quickest cars in the Northeast who don’t tour with the series, but are eager to mix it up with the NMCA regulars.
Other heads-up classes have very tight points battle as well. In Vortech Xtreme Street Cameron Coble now has the lead over Tony Orts by virtue of his win at Joliet in a five-round affair. Coble became the fourth different winner in the class this year, and is fewer than 200 points ahead of Orts and less than 300 in front of Jimmy Byrne. If Coble does well in Pennsylvania he could inch himself closer to his first ever class title. In Car Craft Street Race there have also been four different winners this year. As a result there is a three-way battle heading into the Ross Piston’s NMCA event. Larry Hourcle stands on top at the moment, but Mike Fratena and ’05 class champion Mike Dezotell are within striking distance. A good race in Reading by any of these three combined with a poor showing by the other two could prove pivotal heading into the final stretch.
Another class, which has seen parity among the ranks, is BF Goodrich Mean Street as Jeff Swanson stands atop the heap after his first win of the season at the recent “Super Bowl”. Swanson leads Gary Duncan by more than 400 points heading into Maple Grove and could further pad that lead with a good showing.
John Langer is just about positioned to close the door on Jamie Stanton’s bid to repeat as TCI Pro-X champion for the 2006, but he’ll need to do well at Maple Grove if he wants to gain any breathing room on the 2005 champ. Stanton won’t go down without a fight making this class one to watch.
While the heads-up classes have several tight battles shaping up heading into the race weekend, the nostalgia classes are even tighter. As in years past, championships won’t be decided until Memphis, but a win at Maple Grove by one of the title contenders will certainly aide their cause. In Hamburger’s Performance Nostalgia Super Stock, Valerie McCombs holds only a one round advantage over Jay Adams and Heath Shemwell. David Wright is on top of the leaderboard in OPG Nostalgia Muscle Car, but has both Robert Berkebile and Jim Barr well within striking distance – a slip by any of these drivers at this point in the season could spell disaster for their title chances.
Heading into “The Grove”, Superchips Open Comp is still up for grabs as leader Steve Wilson leads Frankie Radake, Joe Honeycutt, Jamie Rickman and Les Bigelow in the ’06 title chase. It’s just as tight for the top two in Motive Gear SuperTruck as Michael Roup holds a 200-point edge on Doug Winters and is up four rounds on James Smith who began his season with a win in Ohio.
Perhaps on of the most anticipated classes heading into Maple Grove is MSD True Street. Historically, Maple Grove has featured the largest fields the class has experienced and this year there could be as many as 40 street-driven cars entered; several of them capable of digging well into the eight-second zone.
Gates open on Friday at noon with a test and tune session scheduled from 5 until 10 pm. On Saturday gates open at 9 am, with qualifying beginning at 10:30. Eliminations begin Sunday at 10 am.
