Both Canadian John Carinci and local driver Mitch George were safe after their bizarre and scary final round in the K&K / Advanced Door Technology Heavy Street class. And it continued a dubious Shakedown tradition of using up every second before the noise curfew takes effect.
 
Carinci, in the left lane, wrestled with his '70 'Cuda by midtrack. However, it drifted too far to the left and touched or crossed a white boundary line just inside the guardwall for an automatic disqualification.
 
George's Monte Carlo then got out of shape near the top end because of fluid on his tires, and the car barrel-rolled into the left lane, frighteningly close to Carinci's car. But officials determined that George crossed the center line after traveling past the finish line. He was declared the winner, because Carinci committed his infraction first (triggering the so-called "first is worse" rule).    
 

Both Canadian John Carinci and local driver Mitch George were safe after their bizarre and scary final round in the K&K / Advanced Door Technology Heavy Street class. And it continued a dubious Shakedown at E'town tradition of using up every second before the noise curfew takes effect.
 
Carinci, in the left lane, wrestled with his '70 'Cuda by midtrack. However, it drifted too far to the left and touched or crossed a white boundary line just inside the guardwall for an automatic disqualification.
 
George's Monte Carlo then got out of shape near the top end because of fluid on his tires, and the car barrel-rolled into the left lane, frighteningly close to Carinci's car. But officials determined that George crossed the center line after traveling past the finish line. He was declared the winner, because Carinci committed his infraction first (triggering the so-called "first is worse" rule).    
 
George said the car, which belongs to Jon Boer, is fixable. But he took no real joy in accepting the $5,000 winner's check. Instead, he offered apologies and expressed his gratitude and relief.
 
"I feel bad what happened. I want to thank the Lord for letting me walk away from it," George said.
 
The Hoptacong, N.J., resident who was one of the original eight Shakedown competitors, paid tribute to the late Leo Barnaby, the fabricator and fellow Raceway Park regular who installed the safety equipment in this particular ride. "I want to thank Leo Barnaby to build a car like that, where I can just get out and walk away from it. I want to thank the Raceway Park paramedics. They checked me out. Everything is fine. I just want to apologize to Jack Boer for basically destroying his car."   
 
Carinci took $2,000 home to Woodbridge, Ont., after clocking a 7.444-second E.T. (He received no speed.)
 
Gary Naughton's  6.806-second E.T. and 212.79-mph speed that earned him the No. 1 qualifying position held up as best of the meet.

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