LODRS Div. One at Richmond

2008 Lucas World Champs win at Richmond. Fetch doubles up in Super Stock and Stock.

Words and photos by Phil Hutchinson

2008 Lucas Oil World Champions Frank Manzo and Bill Reichert took the Top Alcohol honors at the NHRA Northeast Division 1 divisional at Virginia Motorsport Park in Dinwiddie VA. Joining the two world champs in the winner’s circle was Belleville NJ racer Anthony Fetch winning both Super Stock and Stock eliminators.

Manzo, who qualified the Lucas Oil Monte Carlo on the Top Alcohol Funny car pole with a 5.554  259.51  faced #2 qualifier John Anderika from Pittson PA in his '02 Camaro in the finals with Manzo’s 5.583 @ 238.02 easily defeating the shutting off 5.916 of Anderika. 

Just like their fiberglass brethren, Top Alcohol Dragster featured a stellar field with 2008 Top 10 finishers Bill Reichert, John Finke, Duane Shields, and Arthur Gallant making the show. Finke was low qualifier with a 5.382 as the blown car of Mike Kosky was #2 with a 5.385. Holding down the bump was the Wilmington DE car of Ken Winward with a 5.566.

In the finals it was Reichert beating the Nevada car of Shields with a 5.379 to Shield’s close 5.444. The win was Reichert’s second in a row having won the week before at the Division 3 event at Indianapolis.