IHRA PRESIDENT'S CUP NATIONALS - SAME DAY COVERAGE
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SUNDAY FINAL - Creasy Cruises to First Win in 2008
Bobby Lagana (Top Fuel), Laurie Cannister (Alcohol Funny Car), Mike Castellana (Pro Modified) and Frank Gugliotta (Pro Stock) also claim Ironmen at IHRA President’s Cup Nationals
This season things have not come quite as easily for the Beecher, Ill. resident. Through three national events heading into the President’s Cup Nationals, Creasy had failed to find his way through the field and into the winner’s circle. That all changed when he knocked off Todd Simpson in the final round to claim the Ironman at Maryland International Raceway.
“Today was a day we have been looking for,” Creasy said. “This morning I was wondering if this was going to be a ‘go fast’ kind of race track or if it was going to be tricky. Either way we thought we had something for everyone else. It worked out well. We have a tune-up we run at Grand Bend for a hot race track that we’ve been working on for two years. All the tracks are good until it gets this hot. You can’t do anything with a 140-degree race track.”
Creasy’s ’08 Impala was the strongest car all weekend. He qualified on top of the
“I told my guys before the race that we aren’t doing badly this year, we’re just not doing what we did last year,” Creasy said. “But that was a season where if you would have written it down before-hand no one would have believed it. Everyone is getting tougher in this class and we had to adjust to it. Today we were the best car out there.”
Bobby Lagana Jr. (Scarsdale, N.Y.) also found the
The win was special for Lagana because his father, Bobby Sr., was at MIR with him and his brother Domenick was tuning his car for the first time. Lagana clocked a 4.869/306.40 pass in the final to top Litton’s 4.998/225.82.
“I have absolutely the best deal in life,” Lagana said. “My family is great, I have an awesome girlfriend, my brother is unbelievable. Dom is the most incredible person in my entire life. I told him he was tuning the car this weekend and we never missed a beat. I have everything I could possibly want.”
Mike Castellana proved the nitrous Pro Modifieds are back with a vengeance. Castellana knocked off Ed Hoover in the final round by clocking a 6.097 at 238.93 mph. Earlier in the weekend he posted the fastest speed by a nitrous Pro Modified car in IHRA history, posting a 239.14 mph pass.
Castellana knocked off Pat Stoken, Kenny Lang and Mike Janis to reach the finals.
“This class is very strong,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what round and where someone qualifies. Anyone can win when Sunday rolls around.”
Laurie Cannister (Johnstown, Ohio) continued her dominance in the Alcohol Funny Car class, winning for the third time in four national events. Cannister defeated Paul Noakes in the final round at Maryland International Raceway. Cannister won at MIR last season as well.
Frank Gugliotta (Mt. Airy, Md.) was able to find the winner’s circle for the first time this year, defeating Jason Collins in the Torco Pro Stock final. The win was special for Gugliotta because it came at his home track.
“It feels great to win at home,” Gugliotta said. “I’ve been trying to win in Pro Stock here for a long time. I won in Top Sportsman here before, but winning one in Pro Stock has just eluded me. I’ve runnered-up but it seemed like I could never seal the deal. And I am really happy I could get a win for Bob Yoak. He was the first one to ever put me in a Pro Stock car and I really wanted to win him one. I finally did.”
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Sunday's final results from the Torco Racing Fuels President's Cup Nationals at Maryland International Raceway. The race is the fourth of 10 in the 2008 Knoll-Gas Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series: Photos by Bryan Epps
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SATURDAY QUALIFYING - Rain Washes Away Final Saturday Qualifying Session at President’s Cup Nationals
Fields set for Sunday eliminations with Bruce Litton (TF), Dale Creasy Jr. (Nitro Funny Car), Tommy D’Aprile (Pro Modified), Dale Brand (Alcohol Funny Car) and Jeff Dobbins (Pro Stock)#1 qualifiers
Defending Torco Pro Nitro Funny Car World Champion Dale Creasy Jr. claimed his first #1 qualifying position of the season, clocking a 4.967 during Friday evening qualifying…a number that stood up when all qualifying was said and done. Paul Lee (Wynnewood, Pa.), the winner three weeks ago in Milan, ended up #2 on the ladder while Matt Hagan (Christiansburg, Va.) ended up third and Todd Simpson (Ponder, Tx) fourth to round out the top half of the ladder.
Tommy D’Aprile (Port Charlotte, Fla.) was the #1 qualifier in the Torco Pro Modified class for the first time this season as his Friday 6.042 at 236.13 was good enough to give him the pole position. Kenny Lang (Grande Pointe, Mb) was second on the qualifying sheet by virtue of his 6.079/239.95 pass. Jim Halsey (Street, Md.) and Mike Janis (Lancaster, N.Y.) rounded out the top four.
Jeff Dobbins (Wilmington, N.C.) claimed his third consecutive #1 qualifying position in the Torco Pro Stock class, piloting his ’06 Escort to a 6.358 at 221.56 mph to claim top qualifying honors. Robert Mansfield (Margate, Fla.) was second on the qualifying sheet with a 6.372 while Tommy Lee (Jacksonville, N.C.) and John Montecalvo (Center Moriches, N.Y.) filled out the top half of the ladder.
All Saturday tickets will be honored at the gate Sunday. Showers are expected to move through the area overnight and the weather forecast for Sunday is for partly cloudy skies with no rain expected. Final professional eliminations will begin as scheduled. The first Pro Stock and Pro Modified elimination round will kick off at 11:00am, with the first Alcohol Funny Car, Top Fuel and Nitro Funny Car elimination rounds scheduled to commence at noon.
First-round pairings for professional eliminations Sunday for the Torco Racing Fuels President's Cup Nationals at Maryland International Raceway, the fourth of 11 events in the 2008 Knoll-Gas Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday.
Top Fuel -- 1. Bruce Litton, 4.699 seconds, 287.90 mph vs. 4. Kevin Jones, 5.091, 232.63; 2. Bobby Lagana Jr., 4.717, 312.13 vs. 5. Spencer Massey, 5.305, 193.27; 3. Mike Strasburg, 5.048, 234.37 vs. 6. Terry McMillen, 5.433, 185.23.
Nitro Funny Car -- 1. Dale Creasy Jr., Chevy Impala, 4.967, 300.40 vs. 5. Mike Smith, Chevy Camaro, 5.214, 279.90; 2. Paul Lee, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.989, 273.22 vs. 6. Terry Haddock, Dodge Stratus, 5.217, 248.89; 3. Matt Hagan, Monte Carlo, 5.082, 285.77 vs. 7. Andy Kelley, Pontiac Firebird, 5.297, 220.48; 4. Todd Simpson, Camaro, 5.205, 272.94 vs. 8. Steven Macklyn, Monte Carlo, 5.330, 275.11.
Pro Modified -- 1. Tommy D'Aprile, Chevy Bel Air, 6.042, 236.13 vs. 9. Billy Gibson, Plymouth Superbird, 6.146, 231.32; 2. Kenny Lang, Chevy Corvette, 6.079, 239.95 vs. 10. Mark Nielsen, Chevy Camaro, 6.155, 234.33; 3. Jim Halsey, Camaro, 6.094, 232.63 vs. 11. Scott Cannon, Pontiac Firebird, 6.175, 234.86; 4. Mike Janis, Firebird, 6.102, 236.05 vs. 12. Mike Stawicki, Camaro, 6.179, 231.20; 5. Thomas Patterson, Dodge Charger, 6.110, 234.57 vs. 13. Quain Stott, Corvette, 6.187, 236.75; 6. Mike Castellana, Firebird, 6.111, 239.14 vs. 14. Pat Stoken, Camaro, 6.193, 233.08; 7. Ed Hoover, Camaro, 6.118, 235.23 vs. 15. Steve Engel, Corvette, 6.225, 211.86; 8. Jason Hamstra, Camaro, 6.134, 232.23 vs. 16. Burton Auxier, Corvette, 6.244, 227.84.
Alcohol Funny Car -- 1. Dale Brand, Chevy Camaro, 5.716, 247.57 vs. 5. Laurie Cannister, Camaro, 5.827, 243.59; 2. Larry Dobbs, Chevy Corvette, 5.791, 254.14 vs. 6. Paul Noakes, Dodge Avenger, 5.832, 243.72; 3. Mark Thomas, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.814, 246.30 vs. 7. Thomas Carter, Monte Carlo, 5.896, 241.37; 4. Rob Atchison, Monte Carlo, 5.818, 247.47 vs. 8. Terry Munroe, Monte Carlo, 5.923, 239.06.
Pro Stock -- 1. Jeff Dobbins, Ford Escort, 6.358, 221.56 vs. 9. Robert Patrick, Ford Mustang, 6.406, 219.12; 2. Rob Mansfield, Pontiac GTO, 6.372, 220.48 vs. 10. Frank Gugliotta, Mustang, 6.407, 218.37; 3. Tom Lee, Mustang, 6.380, 220.69 vs. 11. Bert Jackson, Chevy Cavalier, 6.426, 216.93; 4. John Montecalvo, Chevy Cobalt, 6.387, 220.12 vs. 12. Richard Freeman, Cobalt, 6.436, 218.48; 5. Jason Collins, Cobalt, 6.389, 219.79 vs. 13. Brian Gahm, Mustang, 6.442, 219.15; 6. Dean Goforth, GTO, 6.392, 219.97 vs. 14. Pete Berner, Pontiac GXP, 6.446, 218.05; 7. Elijah Morton, Mustang, 6.402, 218.90 vs. 15. John Bartunek, Cobalt, 6.449, 218.65; 8. Cary Goforth, Cobalt, 6.405, 220.08 vs. 16. Trevor Eman, Escort, 6.450, 219.08.
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FRIDAY QUALIFYING - Bruce Litton on Top of Provisional Top Fuel Field at IHRA President’s Cup Nationals
Dale Creasy Jr. (Nitro Funny Car), Tommy D’Aprile (Pro Modified), Larry Dobbs (Alcohol Funny Car) and Jeff Dobbins (Pro Stock) also claim provisional #1 qualifier spots Friday at Maryland International Raceway
Fresh off his win at the Motor City Nationals in May, defending IHRA Top Fuel World Champion Bruce Litton thundered to the top of the provisional qualifying sheet in the Torco Pro Nitro Top Fuel class, carding a 4.699 at 287.90 mph at the President’s Cup Nationals in Budds Creek. Litton made a clean pass right down the groove at Maryland International Raceway to move to the top of the sheet heading into Saturday’s two qualifying sessions.
For running the quickest winning pass of the Friday evening session Litton also claimed Last Man Standing honors and the five bonus points that go with it.
“The car was running really good until about 1,000 feet,” Litton, an Indianapolis resident, said. “So I had to back off it a little bit. But I’m glad we were able to move to #1 and I’m happy with winning Last Man Standing. There are a lot of good cars out here and that was a bonus for us.”
Bobby Lagana Jr. (Scarsdale, N.Y.) was right on Litton’s heels, posting a 4.717 at 312.13 mph to end up second on the qualifying sheet.
Litton was not the only defending World Champion in the Nitro ranks to claim the provisional #1 qualifier position. Beecher, Ill. resident Dale Creasy Jr., a two-time defending champion in the Torco Pro Nitro Funny Car class, moved to the top of the provisional qualifying sheet with a 4.967 blast down the track at 300.40 mph.
“We’ve been having some trouble getting the car down the track, and it was mostly the driver,” Creasy said. “I had a little talk with him and we were able to get down the track tonight. I’m happy about that.”
Tommy D’Aprile (Port Charlotte, Fla.) put his Mel Bush-owned ’62 Bel Air on top of the provisional qualifying sheet with a 6.042 pass at 236.13 mph. It was his second-quickest pass of the season, trailing only the 6.038 he ran three weeks ago at Milan Dragway. Points leader Kenny Lang (Grande Pointe, Manitoba) ended up second on the sheet with a 6.079/239.95 pass.
Larry Dobbs (Welland, Ont.) shocked the Alcohol Funny Car class when he posted a sizzling 5.791 at an incredible 254.14 mph to claim the provisional #1 qualifier spot. His speed was a provisional world record, nearly five miles per hour faster than Dale Brand’s standing record of 249.30. Dobbs’ run seemed to come from nowhere as his previous best speed of the season was 247.57.
Defending AFC World Champion Mark Thomas (Louisville, Ohio) appears to have things turned around. The seven-time world champ failed to qualify for the elimination rounds at the previous two races, but his 5.814/246.26 pass put him #2 on the provisional qualifying sheet heading into Saturday’s two qualifying sessions. Thomas also claimed the five Last Man Standing bonus points for being the quickest winning driver in Friday’s evening qualifying session.
Jeff Dobbins (Wilmington, N.C.) kept his streak of strong qualifying efforts alive by jumping to the provisional #1 
position in Pro Stock. The #1 qualifier in Milan three weeks ago clocked a 6.358 at 221.56 mph to move to the top of the sheet Friday night. Dobbins won the Friday Quarter-Max Pro Stock Challenge bonus for being the quickest winning driver of the Friday evening qualifying session, a feat he also pulled off both nights in Rockingham. The winner of the Quarter-Max Pro Stock Challenge receives five bonus points as well as a $500 check from Quarter-Max.
The Torco President’s Cup Nationals will continue Saturday, June 14 with two professional qualifying sessions. The first will begin at 2:00pm with all five professional classes running. The field will finalize after Saturday’s evening qualifying session, which will start at 7:00pm.
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Results Friday after qualifying for the Torco Racing Fuels President's Cup Nationals at Maryland International Raceway, fourth of 11 events in the 2008 Knoll-Gas Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday's final eliminations.
Top Fuel -- 1. Bruce Litton, 4.699 seconds, 287.90 mph; 2. Bobby Lagana Jr., 4.717, 312.13; 3. Mike Strasburg, 5.048, 234.37; 4. Terry McMillen, 9.840, 91.07; 5. Spencer Massey, 9.995, 72.70.
Nitro Funny Car -- 1. Dale Creasy Jr., Chevy Impala, 4.967, 300.40; 2. Paul Lee, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.989, 273.22; 3. Matt Hagan, Monte Carlo, 5.082, 285.77; 4. Todd Simpson, Chevy Camaro, 5.205, 272.94; 5. Terry Haddock, Dodge Stratus, 5.217, 248.89; 6. Andy Kelley, Pontiac Firebird, 5.297, 220.48; 7. Steven Macklyn, Monte Carlo, 5.330, 223.84; 8. Mike Smith, Camaro, 5.355, 270.05. Not Qualified: 9. Jeff Diehl, 5.972, 170.77; 10. Bob Gilbertson, 6.061, 158.33; 11. Cory Lee, 8.086, 110.37; 12. Jack Wyatt, 8.626, 96.99.
Pro Modified -- 1. Tommy D'Aprile, Chevy Bel Air, 6.042, 236.13; 2. Kenny Lang, Chevy Corvette, 6.079, 239.95; 3. Jim Halsey, Chevy Camaro, 6.094, 232.63; 4. Mike Janis, Pontiac Firebird, 6.102, 236.05; 5. Thomas Patterson, Dodge Charger, 6.110, 234.57; 6. Ed Hoover, Camaro, 6.118, 235.23; 7. Jason Hamstra, Camaro, 6.134, 232.23; 8. Mark Nielsen, Camaro, 6.155, 234.33; 9. Scott Cannon, Firebird, 6.175, 230.06; 10. Quain Stott, Corvette, 6.187, 236.75; 11. Pat Stoken, Camaro, 6.193, 233.08; 12. Steve Engel, Corvette, 6.225, 211.86; 13. Burton Auxier, Corvette, 6.244, 227.84; 14. Milt Decker, Corvette, 6.245, 223.80; 15. Mike Stawicki, Camaro, 6.335, 208.97; 16. Jason Stock, Corvette, 6.345, 228.92. Not Qualified: 17. Frederick Scriba, 8.836, 100.48; 18. Billy Gibson, 8.998, 101.07; 19. Larry Plummer, 9.894, 82.85; 20. Mike Castellana, 14.179, 59.37; 21. Chris Russo, 16.910, 59.84.
Alcohol Funny Car -- 1. Larry Dobbs, Chevy Corvette, 5.791, 254.14; 2. Mark Thomas, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.814, 246.26; 3. Rob Atchison, Monte Carlo, 5.818, 247.47; 4. Laurie Cannister, Chevy Camaro, 5.827, 243.59; 5. Paul Noakes, Dodge Avenger, 5.832, 242.67; 6. Melinda Green-King, Ford Mustang, 5.960, 238.13; 7. Rocky Hummel, Camaro, 6.093, 233.68; 8. Bunny Burkett, Avenger, 6.482, 145.44. Not Qualified: 9. Dale Brand, 6.816, 187.65; 10. Neal Parker, 8.053, 113.87; 11. Tim Stevens, DQ; 12. Thomas Carter, DQ.
Pro Stock -- 1. Jeff Dobbins, Ford Escort, 6.358, 221.56; 2. Rob Mansfield, Pontiac GTO, 6.372, 220.48; 3. Tom Lee, Ford Mustang, 6.380, 220.69; 4. John Montecalvo, Chevy Cobalt, 6.387, 220.12; 5. Jason Collins, Cobalt, 6.389, 219.79; 6. Dean Goforth, GTO, 6.392, 219.97; 7. Elijah Morton, Mustang, 6.402, 218.90; 8. Cary Goforth, Cobalt, 6.405, 220.08; 9. Robert Patrick, Mustang, 6.406, 219.12; 10. Frank Gugliotta, Mustang, 6.407, 218.37; 11. Bert Jackson, Chevy Cavalier, 6.426, 216.93; 12. Richard Freeman, Cobalt, 6.436, 216.69; 13. Brian Gahm, Mustang, 6.442, 218.83; 14. John Bartunek, Cobalt, 6.449, 218.65; 15. Trevor Eman, Escort, 6.450, 219.08; 16. Chuck DeMory, Mustang, 6.458, 215.03. Not Qualified: 17. John Konigshofer, 6.461, 218.41; 18. Kelly Martin, 6.512, 216.65; 19. Doug Kirk, 6.514, 215.34; 20. Ron Miller, 6.545, 216.13; 21. Steven Boone, 6.587, 191.51; 22. Daniel Seamon, 6.644, 215.96; 23. Pete Berner, 7.305, 126.89; 24. John Pluchino, 7.337, 142.40; 25. Michael Bruno, 7.704, 132.57; 26. Bob Bertsch, 8.901, 93.75; 27. Ned Katuran, 9.490, 94.06; 28. Sylvester Barnes, 21.983, 49.44.
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EVENT PREVIEW - CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLES HEATING UP THIS WEEKEND IN MARYLAND
With three races in the book heading into Maryland International Raceway, the 2008 IHRA championship points chases are starting to take shape. One thing is for sure, this season’s Torco President’s Cup Nationals will force each and every race team to swing for the fences if they want to be players in this season’s title hunt.
The President’s Cup Nationals have typically taken place later in the season, usually in the cool fall September air. This season things will be different as the crew chiefs will have to figure out the exceptional racing surface at Maryland International Raceway in the June summer heat. With five professional Ironmen up for grabs the fans in Budds Creek will witness the top race teams the sport has to offer performing at the top of their game.
Spencer Massey (Fort Worth, Tex.) took the Torco Pro Nitro Top Fuel class by storm this season, winning the first two national events to take the early-season points lead. Defending world champion Bruce Litton (Indianapolis, Ind.) lost to Massey at the first two events, but got his redemption at the Motor City Nationals in Milan, Mich. Litton topped Massey in the semifinals at Milan Dragway en route to his first national event victory of the season and moved to within 19 points of the points lead.
Litton knows Massey will not be his only tough competition in Maryland.
“He’s a good kid who’s beat up on me, but that’s a good team they have over there,’ Litton said. “But there are a lot of good teams out there and the season’s just getting started. So we have to watch what we do out there every round because any one of the eight cars that qualify can win the race.”
The Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Funny Car points chase is wide open, with four drivers within 57 points of current leader Paul Lee (Wynnewood, Penn.). Lee claimed the points lead with a victory at Milan Dragway, but in three races three different drivers have found the Nitro Funny Car winner’s circle this season.
Steven Macklyn (Salt Lake City, Utah) captured the Ironman in San Antonio while Matt Hagan (Christiansburg, Virg.) took the title at the IHRA Spring Nationals. Lee knows the Nitro Funny Car class is wide open this season.
“IHRA has a fantastic program right now,” he said. “You look at Top Fuel and look at Nitro Funny Car…there are competitive racers from top to bottom. There are good, quality cars in all eight positions in the field and anyone can win these races. It’s a great program they have, probably the best it’s been in many years. And it’s just going to get better.”
IHRA’s Torco Pro Modified class has always been a battle between classic supercharged and nitrous-assisted doorslammers. This season has seen epic performances from Pat Stoken (Eureka, Mont.) and Mike Castellana (Westbury, N.Y.) in the nitrous ranks and a dominant Kenny Lang (Grande Pointe, Mtb.) on the supercharged side.
Lang claimed the points lead with strong showings at the IHRA Spring Nationals in Rockingham and the Motor City Nationals at Milan Dragway, where he captured both event titles and put his ’53 Corvette on top of the qualifying sheet. Stoken and Castellana set the Pro Mod world on its ear with some huge numbers in Milan…a 6.052/236.96 mph pass for Castellana before Stoken one-upped him with a 6.022/237.13 in the first round of eliminations.
“That was something,” Stoken said of his quickest and fastest NOS run in drag racing history. “I’m shooting to get into the fives…maybe in Maryland.”
While the nitrous Pro Mod drivers are shooting for the five-second range, Alcohol Funny Car driver Tom Carter (Cuero, Tex.) has a different number on his mind…250 miles per hour. Carter shattered Rob Atchison’s two-year-old world speed record at the Motor City Nationals, shooting through the traps at 249.30 mph to establish a new standard. In Milan he also became the first driver to knock off Laurie Cannister in a competitive round this season. Cannister (Johnstown, Ohio) holds a sizable points lead heading into Budds Creek, 108 points clear of Rob Atchison in the 2008 points standings, but with plenty of racing left on the schedule there are plenty of points left on the table.
The 2008 Torco Pro Stock class is off to its typical chaotic start. Three races, three different winners and three different drivers within a couple of rounds of points leader and Motor City Nationals champion Jeff Dobbins (Wilmington, N.C.). John Montecalvo (Center Moriches, N.Y.) went to the first two final rounds of the season, winning in San Antonio, and currently sits in second place…just 15 points behind Dobbins. Elijah Morton (Jacksonville, N.C.) won in Rockingham and is 36 points out while Milan runner-up Pete Berner sits fourth with 211 points.
The Torco President’s Cup Nationals will begin Friday, June 13 with professional and sportsman qualifying starting at 9:00am. Saturday will feature two Nitro qualifying sessions and IHRA’s legendary “Night of Fire” featuring the Xtreme Machine 200mph jet truck. Final eliminations will be held Sunday, June 15.
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