MUSTANGS DOMINATE FUN FORD WEEKEND EVENT

The first Fun Ford Weekend at Maple Grove Raceway in over five years concluded Sunday afternoon with a parade of Mustangs entering PPC Lubricants Victory Lane.

The popular sportscar was the winner in four of the five sportsman racing categories – including Mustang Madness, of course – at the event that was presented by Rousch Yates, JE Pistons and Joe Gibbs Performance Racing Oil.

Sunday’s show also included a car show with over 100 entries, a swap meet and several features including Roy Hill’s Cobra Jets participating in the Aeromotive Cobra Jet Challenge, the 422 All-Stars and the Jersey Thunder Jet Dragster.

In Bracket 1, which was for cars with electronics, Gene Reynold won in his souped-up 1984 Mustang that won with a pass of 9.118 seconds at 148.66 mph. Reynold (Hanover, Pa.) had the race wrapped up when runner-up Chris Taylor (White Hall, Md.) fouled in his ’69 Cyclone.

Reynold’s skills got him to the final as he used a run of 9.088 in the semis that was .008 over his dial-in to beat Bob Kerk (Atco, N.J.).

Jody Ames (Elverson, Pa.), a Maple Grove regular, won the non-electronic Bracket 2 class in his ’98 Mustang. He also won with a red-light final as runner-up Mike Barber (Douglassville, Pa.) jumped the starting line.

In an all-Mustang semis, Ames advanced when he was just .03 above his dial-in to beat Don Raser (Rising Sun, Md.). Meanwhile, Barber raced past Jeff McMillan (New Paris, Pa.).

Wendy Weber (North Wales, Pa.) was the DOT winner in a ’78 Mustang. She defeated John DeBella (Archbald, Pa.) with a pass of 11.812 at 110.49 that was helped by a great reaction time of .027.

Jay Reichenthal (Lititz, Pa.) took Mustang Madness in a ’11 model. His run of 12.451 at 113.05 was enough when runner-up Mike Hartman (Myerstown, Pa.) broke out by .11.

Gerry Capasso (Teaneck, N.J.) won Tough Truck with his ’66 red pickup. His run of 12.807 at 81.08 was more than enough to beat Ralph Liller (Lexington Park, Md.).

Other racer awards on Sunday included the Mustangguys.com Fastest 5.0. Jim Russo (Bohemia, N.Y.) went 129.35 mph in his ’86 Mustang on his first pass of eliminations to win a limited edition custom trophy crafted by S&W Race Cars.

Lizzy Musi was declared the winner of the Cobra Jet Challenge, defeating mentor Roy Hill in the final. She won a trophy and a special jacket.

Saturday, in the Fords vs. The World format, Barber had better luck in the final as he was the only Ford winner of the day. For winning the non-electronic Bracket 2 in his Mustang, Barber took home a $200 bonus.

In the final, he beat Cliff Sebring and his ’63 Savoy with a pass of 10.402 at 119.12. Barber used a great reaction time and was .13 over his dial-in to complete the holeshot.

Don Mattson and his ’05 Chevy-powered Quay dragster won on back-to-back weekends at The Grove. Running electronic-friendly Bracket 1, Mattson defeated another Maple Grove regular, Richard Fox, in the final.

In a close race, Mattson (Mohnton, Pa.) was .004 slower off the line, but ran 7.664 at 165.50 that was .02 over the dial-in. Fox (King of Prussia, Pa.) was .03 going 9.041 at 147.67.

Mark Ketterer (Sellersville, Pa.) kept up the parade of non-Fords to PPC Lubricants Victory Lane in his ’78 Aspen. He bested the ’63 Corvette of Elise Renninger (Leesport, Pa.) with a pass of 14.000 at 96.32 that was .001 over his dial-in. Renninger had a great run, too, with a 12.149 at 110.29 that was .03 over.

In one of the two All-Ford classes, Ken Lowe won Mustang Madness. Lowe (Coatesville, Pa.) was 12.257 at 113.87 that was a perfect hit on the dial. That was a good thing, because runner-up Bill Cummings (Glenmoore, Pa.) was only .06 over.

The day also featured some passes from Hill’s stable of Cobra Mustangs. In a match race between Musi and Bob Romanelii, Musi had the run of the day with a perfect light.
Hill was also on hand to judge the car show with fellow racing legend Hubert Platt and the two made their Top 25 picks.

Results

Sunday

Fun Ford

Bracket 1: Gene Reynold, ’84 Mustang, .008 reaction time, 9.118 seconds, 148.66 mph def. Chris Taylor, ’69 Cyclone, foul -.004, 9.464, 141.53.

Bracket 2: Jody Ames, ’98 Mustang, .022, 9.141, 134.19 def. Mike Barber, Mustang, foul -.005, 20.267, 39.45.

DOT: Wendy Weber, ’98 Mustang, .027, 11.812, 110.49 def. John DeBella, .114, 13.278, 99.11.

Mustang Madness: Jay Reichenthal, ’11 Mustang, .045, 12.451, 113.05 def. Mike Hartman, ’85 Mustang, .074, 14.609, 89.69.

Tuff Truck: Gerry Capasso, ’66 truck, .0158, 12.807, 81.08 def. Ralph Liller, ’12 truck, 1.103, 18.129, 94.14.

Saturday

Ford vs. The World

Bracket 1: Don Mattson, ’05 Quay dragster, .018, 7.664, 165.50 def. Richard Fox, ’57 Belair, .014, 9.041, 147.67.

Bracket 2: Mike Barber, Mustang, .039, 10.402, 119.12 def. Cliff Sebring, ’63 Savoy, .173, 11.872, 114.02.

DOT: Mark Ketterer, ’78 Aspen, .039, 14.000, 96.32 def. Elise Renninger, ’63 Corvette, .071, 12.149, 110.29.

Mustang Madness: Ken Lowe, ’11 Mustang, .095, 12.257, 113.87 def. Bill Cummings, Mustang, .189, 11.666, 115.41.

Tuff Truck: Johnny Lightning, ’99 truck, .085, 9.363, 122.06 def. Eddie Vought, truck, .219, 12.688, 107.75.

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