For the 4th consecutive season – NHRA’s Northeast Division One Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Racers come to Cayuga Dragway…..
NHRA’s PC Richard & Son sponsored National Open series touched down at Toronto Motorsports Park last weekend.
The event which was originally scheduled to be a “double header” affair was curtailed by rain on Saturday — but did run to completion on Sunday.
Welland’s Tony Valerio prevailed to win the event’s featured John Scotti Classic Cars & CDHOF presented Stock/Super Stock Combo eliminator which featured another good showing of class racers (64 entries) from both Canada and the USA.
This was the first season outing for that planned 6-event Stock/SS points series for 2019 which will also include racing at Napierville Quebec and Miramichi NB later this summer.
Valerio, who’s ’68 Camaro H/CM is one of the top rated cars within Eastern Canada’s Can-Am Stock and Super Stock series took out all challengers during a demanding 6-round affair – which was adjusted and run on a 1/8th mile basis due to safety concerns over Sunday’s racing conditions.
Valerio topped fellow Niagara area racer Ryan Boniferro in the championship round running a winning 6.841 secs at 93.95 mph to hold off Boniferro’s ’69 Barracuda which went 6.717 secs at 101.74 mph.
Tony and his wife Anne Marie welcome “Wally” to their racing family.
“To say this weekend was surreal is still an understatement,” Valerio said post race. “In fact the track had nails in it all weekend and that doesn’t happen by mistake – thanks to Toronto Motorsports Park for that. Also thank you John Scotti and Bob Aubertin from the CDRHF for making this race a possibility in our back yard. After poking away for years — we finally have a NHRA Wally!!!”
The event’s Index Combo event which featured NHRA class cars in Super Comp – Super Gas — Super Street was won by Patrick Boniferro who raced the cool topless ’63 Corvette owned by Toronto’s Kevin Orr. Patrick (who is brother to Stock/SS runner-up Ryan) beat New York’s Robert Bauer III in the final round battle of S/ST cars — winning by a 6.875 secs to 6.889 secs margin. Bauer III, was the event’s defending 2018 Index Combo champion.
Patrick Boniferro beat defending event champion Robert Bauer III to the finish line stripe in the NHRA Super Index Combo final round.
The event also featured a full on RCSS (Race Cayuga Sportsman Series) ET bracket battle for NHRA Wally’s too and that was highlighted by wins for Mike Kwiecinski (Super Pro), Bob Richards (Pro), Brandon Satchell (Bike Sled), Spencer Nightingale (Street), David Anthony (Quick Sportsman) and Jacob Ferstl (Junior Dragster).
“We had a very positive weekend — working with a great group of racers and with NHRA,” added Neale Armstrong, Track Manager at Cayuga. “We got a huge amount of compliments about the track and our hard hooking starting line. A big thank you too to John McIntyre and John McIntyre Jr and BlastAll Equipment who presented the overall event. We are looking forward to 2020.”‘
Posted by Bruce Biegler — Photos by Darwin Kent
