UPDATE: March 5th @ 3:40 pm – Please read the news article released by NHRA regarding sponsorship for the NHRA Nationals. The article is linked below.
UPDATE: March 5th @ 3:40 pm – Please read the news article released by NHRA regarding sponsorship for the NHRA Nationals. The article is linked below.
November 2, 2020 @ 10:24 AM – A huge congratulations to Joe McLaughlin on this past weekend’s performance! Joe took home the 2020 NHRA Summit Sportsman National Championship in Las Vegas! This was a well deserved victory for a humble gentleman after many years of unwavering dedication to the sport of drag racing. Congratulations once again Joe!
Maple Grove Raceway has closed for the 2020 season. Maple Grove would like to thank all their fans, racers and employees for sticking with them through a year full of new challenges. The 2020 season consisted of adapting to new circumstances and learning the safest way to run the facility during a worldwide pandemic. It was clear that this would come with a few frustrations and changes that never could have been expected.
That being said, no one was going to let this new challenge take away from the 2020 season. This season came with some incredible moments. Ranging from Maple Grove’s first Off the Trailer event, a .90 series being introduced, and Maple Grove taking home the team Championship at 2020 Bracket Finals. The ‘Decorate your Mask’ contest brought out the creative side from some of our Jr. Racers. The spring/summer and fall swap meets had a great turn out, and Boo Bash allowed the kids (and adults) to have some fun with a costume contest and candy.
Check out some photos from this year HERE, or go under the “Racer’s Corner” tab and click “Galleries & Videos.” There are albums from Victory Lane, the mask contest, and Bracket Finals.
This year held some great memories for everyone. Thank you again to the hard working employees, dedicated racers and amazing fans for allowing Maple Grove to have a great 2020 season!
The staff at Maple Grove is already starting to plan and prepare for the 2021 season. NHRA announced the 2021 Nationals schedule and they are quickly working to get tickets ready to go on sale. Those that do not know, the event will be held September 10th -12th next year at Maple Grove. More information about the NHRA National event can be found under the “Nationals” tab near the top of our website.
Tickets for the 2021 NHRA National event are NOT on sale yet! They are working as fast as possible to get everything finalized for the event. Maple Grove looks forward to seeing you next year!
NHRA Division One Bracket Finals took place this past weekend (9/18/20 – 9/19/20) with beautiful and chilly weather at Numidia Dragway. Maple Grove wants to congratulate Marty Flegal for his win in Pro and Joe McLaughlin for his win in Sportsman. It was because of these fine gentleman and the entire Team MG giving this weekend their best that we are also excited to announce Team Maple Grove is your 2020 ET Finals Team Champion! Congratulations to the entire Team Maple Grove on an awesome weekend!
When it comes to grassroots, Motorsports no group is more dedicated and passionate than the NHRA Sportsman Racers. In the northeast, Sportsman racing is better known as a religion with many national championships being won from the northeast. On the weekend of September 12th and 13th, many racers from all over the country traveled to Maple Grove Raceway for the revival of the .90 Nationals and Top Shootout. Beautiful weather left the racers with a great day for a test and tune on Friday, qualifying on Saturday and eliminations on Sunday. In Super Street, maple grove hometown hero Dan Walleigh picked up a huge and exciting win over Christopher DePascale in the popular 10.90 index class. In Super Gas, a class designed for roadsters and door cars, running a index of 9.90, Division 1 legend Tom Stalba picked up the win over Kevin Maupin. Super Comp, a class designed for Dragsters running a index of 8.90, saw respected division 1 legend, Jeff Kundratic sweep the weekend with a win over hometown hero Chase Fahnestock. Also on hand were the always exciting Top Sportsman and Top Dragster classes, with Top Dragster legend Al Kenny picking up the win over hometown hero Dave Batchelor. In Top Sportsman it was a battle of the Dave’s with Dave Muller picking up the win over Dave Miller. As a prelude to the final eliminations on Sunday, a special high roller race was held for all .90 classes and Top Dragster and Top Sportsman. Super Street saw Dom Burgese take the win over Ed Mccleaft. Super Gas saw Bill Phillips take the win over Rich Price. Super Comp saw Jeff Kundratic score the first half a double up over Joe Gullucci Jr. In a combine high roller race for Top Sportsman and Top Dragster we saw hometown hero Phill Mollichella pick up a popular win over Greg Kelly. Join in on congratulating your winners from this past weekend!
All credit for the written recap goes to Billy Kleinspehn!
SPORTSMAN NATIONALS CHUTES OUT WEEKEND RECAP. When you think of Drag Racing on Labor Day weekend the first thing that comes to mind is the famous NHRA Nationals. For the many sportsman racers on the east coast, one race that comes to mind is the Sportsman Nationals. In only it’s third running year at it’s new host track, Maple Grove Raceway, the Sportsman Nationals has grown into one of the many key Sportsman races of the year. Racers packed the pits at the grove and were greeted by three days of beautiful weather. Due to safety issues on Saturday with an issue in the track lighting, the Saturday portion of the race was unable to be completed. The purse was split between the remaining racers in each class. Sunday was an incredible day of racing in all classes. Super Pro saw longtime racer Jerry Sheaffer pick up the win over former track champion Bill Carrol. Pro Eliminator saw the return of Steve Long in the winners circle with a win over Mike Mowday. The 2020 season in Jr. Dragsters has been dominated by a young man named Garrett Sprague, who earlier this year picked up a win at the prestigious Eastern Conference Finals. Sprague added a win in Jr. Dragster to fill in more among his growing resume when he took the win on Sunday. Also on hand was the always exciting northeast index series which features some of the toughest sportsman racers running in 8.50, 10.0, 11.50 and 12.50 index along with pro dial. 8.50 index saw Harry Gerb return to victory lane with his win in 8.50 index. Gerb is also a former track champion in 8.50. 10.0 index saw Ron Reiss pick up a popular win. Hometown hero Charles Augustine was the last man standing in 11.50. Elise Renninger, the second women to ever win a track championship at maple grove returns to victory lane in 12.50. John Binkle, a longtime and respected bracket racer in the northeast, picked up a popular win in pro dial over hometown hero Tim Allebach. Join in on congratulating your winners from this past weekend!
All credit for the recap goes to Billy Kleinspehn!
.90 and Top Challenge Chutes Out Recap.There is a whisper that has always flowed around the drag racing community about the sportsman racers in the northeast. Many national champions have always said that the road to the Lucas Oil National Championship always goes through Division 1. That was the case on August 30th, when many of the mid Atlantic and Northeast racers descended on Maple Grove Raceway for the .90 and Top Challenge Series. Due to rain on Friday and Saturday racing was only run Sunday under beautiful sunny skies and a nice breeze that gave the racers awesome conditions on the track. In Super Comp, two Maple Grove Hometown Heroes made it to the final, with Lee Ream defeating Kevin Scholl. In Super Gas Hank Smith defeated Division 1 legend Bob Phillips. Super Street saw leading lady Kelli Barbato make it back into the winners circle when she defeated Sean Lanigan in the final. Also on hand was the always exciting 200 mph Top Sportsman and Top Dragster classes in the Top Challenge Series. Top Dragster saw Mark Kelley take the win on a single after his opponent Marty Jones broke. In Top Sportsman, Ron Riegel, a 3 time Top Sportsman champion at Maple Grove kept his season undefeated when he defeated Joe Saluta in the final. The future of the sport, Jr. Dragster and Jr. Street also took part in the days action with James Stack winning over Cylas Thimm in Jr. Dragster. Olivia Mowday picked up her first win in Jr. Street over Carter Ormsbee. Join in on congratulating our winners this past weekend!
All recap credit goes to Billy Kleinspehn!
Sean Kimble is a drag racing enthusiast who took a cruise with his wife about six years ago. By pure coincidence he shared a hot tub with Ron and Shelly Capps and struck up a conversation. Sean brought his company, USA Compression of Austin, Texas, to DSR and the NAPA Funny Car team as an associate sponsor. Ron has made annual visits to USA Compression facilities and with USA Compression guests at NHRA events including Maple Grove.
Several years ago Sean decided to add a vintage dragster to add to his car collection in Omaha. An online search led him to Andy Good in Ephrata and a 1960’s Chevy Powered B/Dragster. It was painted white but turned out to be a car once called “Smarty Pants” and built by George Weiler of Birdsboro, PA, the man who approached Alfred Stauffer in 1961 and presented the idea to build the drag strip which opened as Maple Grove Park Drag-O-Way in 1962. “Smarty Pants” is now in Sean’s collection and being restored to its original blue colors.
After watching Ron run 339 MPH at Maple Grove in 2018, Sean flew to Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School last week to earn his Super Comp license at, where else but Maple Grove!
