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JOLIET, Ill. (June 10)– Ten time NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car champion Frank “Ace” Manzo topped the list of winners from the 23rd annual JEGS Allstars race held during the NHRA Torco Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill. Manzo drove his Monte Carlo to a 5.510 in the final round to beat Jay Payne and win his sixth-career JEGS Allstars title. Manzo’s win also helped the Division 1 team successfully defend its overall points title in the Allstars competition.
Manzo was one of four Division 1 winners at the event, which showcases the best racers in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. Competitors from each of NHRA’s seven geographic divisions qualify to attend the $100,000 JEGS Allstars race via a year-long points competition. In addition to Manzo, Sal Biondo (Comp), Michael Iacono (Super Stock) and Russ Linke (Stock) also claimed wins for Division 1, helping the team accumulate 1,300 points, 300 more than the second place Division 4 team. For the victory, the members of the Division 1 team split a $20,000 bonus from JEGS Mail Order.
Former national champion Biondo helped the Division 1 team take the points lead when he defeated Division 2 racer Larry Pritchett of Clarkrange, Tenn., in the Comp final. A short time later, Iacono sealed the victory when he downed Division 6 representative Sean Cour of Brush Prairie, Wash., with a run of 9.97-seconds.
Spencer Massey of Ft. Worth, Texas narrowly defeated defending Jegs Allstars champ Marty Thacker in the Top Alcohol Dragster final. Massey ran a 5.37 to a 5.39 for Thacker.
In Stock, Linke won his first JEGS Allstars title with an 11.64 to beat Mark Faul of Tacoma, Wash., whose runner-up finish helped the Division 6 team secure a third place finish.
Current NHRA champion Ron Erks, of Clinton, Ohio claimed the lone win for the Division 3 team when he beat Johnny Gross in the Super Comp final. The race ended early when Gross, of Sedro-Woolley, Wash., fouled at the starting line.
The Division 7 team picked up a win when Ed Olpin of Pleasant Grove, Utah drove his ’63 Corvette to a 9.90 to win the Super Gas title over defending Allstars champ Rock Haas of White Lake, Mich.
Finally, Craig Abbott of Strawn, Texas helped the Division 4 team to a second place finish by winning the Super Street final against Division 7 racer Dwight Downing of Glendale, Ariz.
Top Alcohol Dragster
Spencer Massey, Ft. Worth, Texas (dragster) 5.379, 267.27 def.
Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill. (dragster) 5.396, 265.48
Top Alcohol Funny Car
Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J. (’05 Monte Carlo) 5.510, 263.56 def.
Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif. (’07 Mustang) 5.606, 260.71
Competition
Sal Biondo, Maspeth, N.Y. (D/EA ’93 Beretta) 8.227, 158.24 def.
Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn. (A/SM ’06 Sunfire) 8.077, 167. 88
Super Stock
Michael Iacono, Wading River, N.Y. (GT/DA ’87 Camaro) 9.973, 121.96 def.
Sean Cour, Brush Prairie, Wash. (GT/BA ’05 Cavalier) 9.552, 139.17
Stock
Russ Linke, Old Bridge, N.J. (I/SA ’85 Camaro) 11.647, 108.80 def.
Mark Faul, Tacoma, Wash. (C/SA ’69 Chevelle) 10.930, 114.82
Super Comp
Ron Erks, Clinton, Ohio (dragster) 8.861, 181.32 def.
Johnny Gross, Sedro-Woolley, Wash. (dragster) 8.890, 171.66
Super Gas
Ed Olpin, Pleasant Grove, Utah (’63 Corvette) 9.901, 160.02 def
Rock Haas, White Lake, Mich. (’05 Corvette) 9.915, 154.17
Super Street
Craig Abbott, Strawn, Texas (’76 Vega) 10.950, 133.22 def.
Dwight Downing, Glendale, Ariz. (’79 Arrow) 10.940, 133.92
Final points standings
Division 1 1,300 points
Division 4 1,000 points
Division 2 700 points
Division 6 700 points
Division 7 600 points
Division 5 400 points
Division 3 300 points
Manzo wins sixth JEGS Allstars title as Division 1 claims overall championship
JOLIET, Ill. (June 10)– Ten time NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car champion Frank “Ace” Manzo topped the list of winners from the 23rd annual JEGS Allstars race held during the NHRA Torco Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill. Manzo drove his Monte Carlo to a 5.510 in the final round to beat Jay Payne and win his sixth-career JEGS Allstars title. Manzo’s win also helped the Division 1 team successfully defend its overall points title in the Allstars competition.
Manzo was one of four Division 1 winners at the event, which showcases the best racers in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. Competitors from each of NHRA’s seven geographic divisions qualify to attend the $100,000 JEGS Allstars race via a year-long points competition. In addition to Manzo, Sal Biondo (Comp), Michael Iacono (Super Stock) and Russ Linke (Stock) also claimed wins for Division 1, helping the team accumulate 1,300 points, 300 more than the second place Division 4 team. For the victory, the members of the Division 1 team split a $20,000 bonus from JEGS Mail Order.
Former national champion Biondo helped the Division 1 team take the points lead when he defeated Division 2 racer Larry Pritchett of Clarkrange, Tenn., in the Comp final. A short time later, Iacono sealed the victory when he downed Division 6 representative Sean Cour of Brush Prairie, Wash., with a run of 9.97-seconds.
Spencer Massey of Ft. Worth, Texas narrowly defeated defending Jegs Allstars champ Marty Thacker in the Top Alcohol Dragster final. Massey ran a 5.37 to a 5.39 for Thacker.
In Stock, Linke won his first JEGS Allstars title with an 11.64 to beat Mark Faul of Tacoma, Wash., whose runner-up finish helped the Division 6 team secure a third place finish.
Current NHRA champion Ron Erks, of Clinton, Ohio claimed the lone win for the Division 3 team when he beat Johnny Gross in the Super Comp final. The race ended early when Gross, of Sedro-Woolley, Wash., fouled at the starting line.
The Division 7 team picked up a win when Ed Olpin of Pleasant Grove, Utah drove his ’63 Corvette to a 9.90 to win the Super Gas title over defending Allstars champ Rock Haas of White Lake, Mich.
Finally, Craig Abbott of Strawn, Texas helped the Division 4 team to a second place finish by winning the Super Street final against Division 7 racer Dwight Downing of Glendale, Ariz.
Top Alcohol Dragster
Spencer Massey, Ft. Worth, Texas (dragster) 5.379, 267.27 def.
Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill. (dragster) 5.396, 265.48
Top Alcohol Funny Car
Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J. (’05 Monte Carlo) 5.510, 263.56 def.
Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif. (’07 Mustang) 5.606, 260.71
Competition
Sal Biondo, Maspeth, N.Y. (D/EA ’93 Beretta) 8.227, 158.24 def.
Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn. (A/SM ’06 Sunfire) 8.077, 167. 88
Super Stock
Michael Iacono, Wading River, N.Y. (GT/DA ’87 Camaro) 9.973, 121.96 def.
Sean Cour, Brush Prairie, Wash. (GT/BA ’05 Cavalier) 9.552, 139.17
Stock
Russ Linke, Old Bridge, N.J. (I/SA ’85 Camaro) 11.647, 108.80 def.
Mark Faul, Tacoma, Wash. (C/SA ’69 Chevelle) 10.930, 114.82
Super Comp
Ron Erks, Clinton, Ohio (dragster) 8.861, 181.32 def.
Johnny Gross, Sedro-Woolley, Wash. (dragster) 8.890, 171.66
Super Gas
Ed Olpin, Pleasant Grove, Utah (’63 Corvette) 9.901, 160.02 def
Rock Haas, White Lake, Mich. (’05 Corvette) 9.915, 154.17
Super Street
Craig Abbott, Strawn, Texas (’76 Vega) 10.950, 133.22 def.
Dwight Downing, Glendale, Ariz. (’79 Arrow) 10.940, 133.92
Final points standings
Division 1 1,300 points
Division 4 1,000 points
Division 2 700 points
Division 6 700 points
Division 7 600 points
Division 5 400 points
Division 3 300 points
