Words by NHRA Communications and AA/FD
Sunday at the NHRA New England Hot Rod Reunion concluded at New England Dragway provided a final day of exciting quarter-mile drag racing and classic car browsing to fans in the Northeast.
Eliminations in each of the racing categories took place during the day with exciting on track action. Winners of the car show portion of the event were announced as well.
In Nostalgia Top Fuel, Tony Bartone continued his winning ways with solid performances all weekend. The defending winner posted a 5.601-second pass at 248.93 mph to defeat Dusty Green, who fouled out on the starting line.
For the second consecutive season, Long Island City’s Tony Bartone clinched the Heritage Series Top Fuel Championship at the New England Hot Rod Reunion, one race before the season has even finished.
After his nearest contender for points, Bill Dunlap, red-light fouled in the first round of eliminations, Bartone became the NHRA Heritage Series Champion. To prove he deserves the 2015 Title, in the final round “T-Bone” won this decisive event with a swift ¼-mile elapsed time of 5.601 seconds at a speed of 248.93 mph, numbers which earned his Steve Boggs-tuned entry Low ET and Top Speed of the Meet.
“We didn’t want them to think we didn’t have it tuned up,” Bartone declared, after watching his final round foe, Dusty Green, also red-light foul. “We are running good. We got a good program, a good crew and Steve Boggs is on the money.”
In the other categories raced during the weekend, Rick Bernasconi won 7.0 Pro, William Masiello took home the top spot in 7.5 Pro. In Competition Eliminator, Stephen Broad was the winner, Scott Lucky Hudson took the title in Gas Eliminator and Norbert Viveiros Jr. was the Modified Eliminator champion.
Nostalgia Super Stock was secured by Earl Storey, Mike Clifford won Top Stock Eliminator with Jason Mazzotta winning the Hot Rod Eliminator category. Wayne Hofmann was victorious in Pro Comp, Doug Adams took home the victory in Flat Head Inline and Frank Silva picked up the victory in East Coast Gassers. Fred Clark was the winner in Top Sportsman.
The day came to a thrilling conclusion when the final exhibition of jet cars rocketed down the dragstrip, officially ending the third edition of the New England Hot Rod Reunion.
“We’ve had great weather and it really puts people’s attitudes in a good place,” said Steve Gibbs, event director. “There was something for everybody at this Reunion. It was a car show, a race and a social event. It was a chance to rub elbows with legendary racers of the past. It was definitely a one-stop shop to see the better elements in drag racing.”
The final event in the 2015 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series event is the 24th California Hot Rod Reunion at Auto Club Famoso Raceway on October 23 – 25.
Tickets are available at: 24th California Hot Rod Reunion
