2002 NEWS: 

Congratulations to Maple Grove's Marques McClure for winning Super Eliminator at the NED Summit E.T. Finals held at Cecil County this weekend! Team Maple Grove placed in fourth position in their quest for a tenth team championship. EVENT RESULTS

Congratulations to Scott Thompson, Ken Gerberich, Joe Stuebner, Wendy Hand, Dave Sciaretta, Doug Doll, Jr. and Michael Barbato for scoring wins and NHRA Wally at the National Dragster Challenge Sunday, September 22!

Sunday, September 1 - Congratulations to Kevin Robb (Super), Rich Pennington (Heavy), Mike Jetter (Top Bike), Tom Harhart (Street) and Jesse Alberts (JR Dragster) for claiming season titles as part of the 2002 race season. Unfortunately, rain forced the cancellation of the final Sunoco Race Fuels E.T. series event #18.

Team Maple Grove Qualifiers 2002:  SUPER  HEAVY  TOP BIKE  STREET

Congratulations to JR Team Maple Grove for scoring the team championship at the 2002 NED JR Dragster Divisional this past weekend at Mason-Dixon Dragway! Jeneane Cloer scored the win in the 14 - 17 yr. category, Kyle Myers runner-up 8 - 9 yr., Larry Paden, Jr. winner "Race of Champions" and Frankie Markward winner and Justin Belmonte runner-up in the 7.90 index class.
 

Maple Grove Raceway named "2001 NHRA Track of the Year" - Maple Grove Raceway claimed the title at the recently completed NED Awards Ceremonies in January. Maple Grove Raceway has a long list of awards over the past thirty nine years of operation. Maple Grove Raceway has scored the track of the year title eleven times, Team Maple Grove the E.T. Finals Team Championship nine times and JR Team Maple Grove the team championship twice. What will the 2002 season bring during its 40th anniversary?

High School Challenge, Saturday April 27 - the annual event held at Maple Grove Raceway saw over 300 students compete with close to 100 schools be represented. When all was said and done Downingtown High School outscored second place Ephrata HS with 35 points for the overall championship. Ryan Kuhnle representing Downingtown HS, drove his restored 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass to the class win. Kuhnle took the championship defeating Chris Alford in the final match-up of the day with a great .554 reaction time running a 15.137 elapsed time on his 14.92 dial. Alford in a 1989 Ford Tempo posted a .743, 19.364 on his 19.24 dial. Claiming semifinal positions were Jeremy Hine and Chris Gruzioli. In the Parkway JR Dragster final Greg Harnsberger took the win over Mandi Markward. Harnsberger ran a .573, 8.977 on a 8.90 dial to Markward's .675, 8.8333, 9.79 dial. 2001 Parkway Champion Jesse Alberts fell to Harnsberger in the semi.

Sunoco Race Fuels extends series sponsorship of the Sunoco Race Fuels E.T. Money Trail Series. Sunoco, a longtime sponsor at Maple Grove Raceway and supporter of grassroots racing programs at several race facilities, has extended their sponsorship for five additional years. The program provides cash awards to competitors at Maple Grove as part of the Money Trail Series. Sunoco Race Fuels has been associated with Maple Grove Raceway and its competitors for over twenty years and plans to continue the relationship for many more to come. For further information on the Sunoco Race Fuels E.T. Series contact the Maple Grove Raceway office at 610-856-9200 or [race info]

The East Coast Stock/Super Stock Association will hold two events at Maple Grove Raceway June 1 and October 6, 2002. The popular association, headed by Dave Ley, has also scheduled events at ATCO Raceway. For further information on these events and joining the association contact Dave at dley@aol.com or check their site www.eastcoaststocksuperstock.com.

Fleetwood Auto Services, Inc. renews the "best package" program for the Parkway JR Dragster Series - Fleetwood Auto Service owner, Duane Kurzweg, will award the Parkway JR Dragster driver with the "best package" during first round of eliminations 5 gallons of Interstate Racing Fuel (methanol) at all series events during the 2002 season. Kurzweg's son, Kris, competes in Super eliminator in their home built Malibu, that was featured in the National Dragster during the 2001 season. Fleetwood Auto Service, Inc. is located at 120 S. Richmond Street in Fleetwood, PA. Jr racers give Duane a call of thanks at 610-944-7292.
 

STREET ELIMINATOR RULES UPDATE - after several weeks of compiling information on the category and canvassing input from the other Division 1 tracks for rules for the Street Eliminator category. The final word is it will revert to the following; street type cars, 12.00 to 19.99 seconds, mufflers and treaded DOT approved tires. NED Division 1 Director, Bob Lang, whole heartedly agrees with the state inspection ruling, but stated that in the other states within NHRA Division 1 inspection laws are much softer then in Pennsylvania. So in an effort to equalize and permit the Street Eliminator racers at Maple Grove Raceway the same opportunities as the other division tracks, we will follow suit as stated above in the NED ruling. So many of you that we have spoken to will not have to change categories as previously stated.

JR Racer Information; schedule, rules special events and payouts.
                                                                                      JR UPDATES.....


Racers meeting results: The annual racer meeting was held this morning at the Park Place Restaurant with over 100 racers in attendance. Results from the survey were read with the racers voting to permit two drivers to use the same vehicle in the same category. It was stressed at the meeting, that those doing this would have to purchase two tech cards, be in the lanes when the class is run (no waiting for second driver) and proper number for each driver. Drivers not adhering to proper numbering would disallow any points earned for either driver for that race day. The remaining topics; change qualifying sessions, more double points weekends and changing the payout round money were all voted down. Qualifying for Super and Heavy are three six race sessions with Top Bike, Street and JR Dragster staying at a full season. FULL STORY

Maple Grove Raceway named "TRACK OF THE YEAR" - Sat., January 12, Hershey Lodge - At the annual 2001 NED Championship Awards Banquet Maple Grove Raceway garnered several highly coveted awards. The first was the Summit E.T. Finals Team Championship, #2 "Track of the Year", plus the distinction of many of it's team racers claiming titles; Brian Crump crowned Div. 1 Super E.T. Champion, Dennis Parisian Div. 1 Street Champion and runner-up in Street at the Summit E.T. National Finals in Pomona, CA, John Ciccarone the 12 yr Champion at the Castrol GTX JR Eastern Conference. plus two Team MG JR racers claiming titles at the NED Divisional JR Championship; Eric Peterka 10-11 yr. and Mandi Markward the 12-13 yr. category. Maple Grove Raceway also lays claim as the quickest and fastest track on the NHRA Powerade Drag Racing schedule. Congratulations to all the NED Champions!

Champions crowned at Money Trail Awards Banquet - The annual Money Trail Awards Banquet was held Saturday evening putting the finishing touches on a highly successful 2001 race season at Maple Grove Raceway. Claiming awards were Jackie Grater (Super), Scott Thompson (Q-16), Jody Ames (Heavy), Butch Zelinsky (Top Bike), John Pehlman (Street) and Jesse Alberts in JR  Dragster. Well known industry journalist, Greg Zyla, MC'd the affair with many quotes on the racing industry. Several announcements were made most notably that Sunoco Race Fuels has re-upped their series sponsorship at Maple Grove Raceway for five additional years. One of the highlights of the 2001 season was the Stock Car Experience, which was provided by Competition Tire East/Goodyear. The Stock Car Experience was awarded to the four points leaders with each having the opportunity to participate at Pocono Raceway driving a Winston Cup racecar at 190 mph. Competition Tire East's Operation Manager, Jim Medaglia, announced they would continue the program along with "Goodyear Bonus Days" in 2002. Other sponsorship news is Coca-Cola will continue to provide support for the Coca-Cola Overall Points Fund. Parkway, Ray's Yamaha/Motor Service and Glick Fire Equipment have also agreed to provide on going sponsorship for their programs. Several companies were given appreciation plaques for supporting programs at Maple Grove Raceway; NorthEastern Dist. Co., Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Grosso Performance, Parkway, Glick Fire Equipment Co. Nucar Chevrolet, Morgantown Auto Parts, Potty Queen, Competition Tire East, Snap-On Tools and Castrol. A special presentation was made to NED Tech Director, Curt LaShure, for his outstanding dedication to Drag Racing. The coveted Alfred S. Stauffer award was presented to RJR/Winston for their twenty-seven years of sponsorship and support to Maple Grove Raceway and NHRA Drag Racing. The sole ambassador award was given to David Schott from NorthEastern Dist. Co. At the conclusion of the awards presentation Maple Grove's, Jim Krassowski, called numbers for door prizes. Banquet Photos 1/26/02

Powerade new NHRA Series Sponsor - after months of speculation NHRA today made the announcement that the new series sponsor will be Powerade. Powerade a sports drink product of Coca-Cola will take over for longtime sponsor Winston. The program will include Coca-Cola and Dasani water which now become official NHRA products. Powerade and Coca-Cola marketing will work along with the NHRA to the help bring NHRA Drag Racing to the next level, stated NHRA President Tom Compton during the announcement. [full story]