Modified-twin features to shake up Wall standings

By tim morris

Modified-twin features to
shake up Wall standings


JEFF HUNTLEY Morganville’s Frank Manzo (third from left) and his crew try to push his car out of the rain during the Federal Mogul Drag Racing event at Raceway Park in Old Bridge on Saturday. JEFF HUNTLEY Morganville’s Frank Manzo (third from left) and his crew try to push his car out of the rain during the Federal Mogul Drag Racing event at Raceway Park in Old Bridge on Saturday.

Saturday night’s Twin 30s could go a long way towards determining who wins the 2000 Modified Division Track Championship at Wall Stadium.

"The Twin 30s are always an important part of any title winning season," said Dave Michel, the defending champion and a major contender again this year for the title. "The races are of a regular distance so everyone in the field has to drive hard to get to the front as soon as possible.

"It can be a real challenge to come away from these races with two good finishes," he added.

Toms River’s Tim Arre is the current points leader in the division, but Freehold Borough’s Harry Reed, Barnegat’s Tom Mauser, Union’s J.R. Helberg, Toms River’s Charlie Kremer Jr. and Michel, a five-time champion at Wall, are all within striking distance of him. One or more of these drivers could make a big push Saturday night if Arre struggles in one or both of the races.

The Twin 30s event is rescheduled from the Memorial Day weekend rain out. Last Saturday night’s card was also rained out.

It will be a busy evening at the Wall speedway Saturday with four stock car divisions joining the double Modified feature. Also on tap will be the 25-lap main event for the Pro Stocks; the 20-lap feature for the Street Stocks; the Truck Series will race over 20 laps in its main event; and the Legend Cars feature is over 20 laps.

Racing will start at 7 p.m.

It’s a doubleheader racing weekend at Wall Stadium. On Sunday, the speedway will host the 2000 United States Championship Demolition Derby Series. In addition to the bashing for cash, the Street Stocks and Legend cars will race in 25-lap double-points features. Action will start at 7 p.m.

Last weekend’s rain also wreaked havoc at the other area race tracks as East Windsor Speedway and New Egypt Speedway were forced to postpone their programs as well. East Windsor Speedway will pick back up on Friday night at 7:30 p.m., and NES on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

An added highlight to the NES card, which includes Modified, Pro Stock and Sportsman stock car divisions, will be the Kids’ Big Wheel Challenge. During intermission, children will race down the front stretch in their Big Wheels for trophies.

In between the rain drops last weekend, Raceway Park in Old Bridge was able to get the qualifying done in the National Hot Rod Association Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series Northeast Division event, and local driver Frank Manzo of Morganville was the star.

Manzo, the Funny Car defending champion in the series, turned in a track record for elapsed time, 5.592 seconds, during qualifying. He reached 258.96 miles per hour in his record-setting pass.

Second in qualifying was Tony Bartone, 5.606, 258.84 mph, and third went to Paul Gill, 5.623, 257.78 mph.

Manzo, a 10-time Federal Mogul champion, won last year’s event at Raceway Park.

Top qualifier in the Dragster Division was Tony Lebor, who did a pass in 5.483 seconds at 237.63 mph. Runner-up was Rich McPhillips with a 5.589, 237.59 mph, and third was Cliff Bozzelli, 5.597, 252.76 mph.

Because the eliminations could not be contested last weekend, they have been reset for Aug. 25-27 at the Cecil County, Md., dragway, the venue for the next FM Northeast Division event.