Pennsylvania Dutch Classic at Maple Grove

Words compiled from press releases
Photos by Don Carrick / Studio 413

The final race of the year in NHRA’s Northeast Division at Maple Grove attracted a car count of over 450, and saw eight champions crowned in their classes, a set of numbers that makes the twin feats of Erich Bollman and Joe DiPasquale winning their classes for the second years running an even more impressive task. The two joined Jim Daniels, who clinched back-to-back wins at The Grove in the Mopar HEMI Challenge earlier in the day.


 
Bollman (Newark, Del.) won in Competition Eliminator, taking his 1992 Probe to Victory Lane once again. He beat Pat Ross (Avon Lake, Ohio) in the final when Ross left the starting line too early. Bollman still made a good pass of 7.705 seconds at 176.07 mph. He advanced to final when Richard Schonberger (Southampton, Pa.) fouled in the semifinals.

DiPasquale (Palmyra, N.J.) took Top Dragster by beating Bob Cireddu (Perry, Ohio) in a holeshot, running 7.072 at 184.95 with a reaction time of .004. Before taking a single in the semifinals, DiPasquale, a regular at Cecil County Dragway, had a close race with John DiBartolomeo (Beaver Springs, Pa.) in the quarterfinals, running just .005 above his dial-in, while DiBartolomeo was .007.