NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Twin brothers Byron and Bryan Worner faced off for the Super Stock title at the NHRA New England Nationals and the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series with Byron taking the win, the trophy, and bragging rights at the dinner table. John Labbous also won in Super Gas to continue his racing dominance this year.

Byron, Duncannon, Pa., got the jump off the line by about two-hundredths of a second, then ran 9.736 seconds for the win in his ’94 Camaro forcing Bryan to run too quick at 10.184 on the 10.22 dial. The win was Byron’s fifth to tie him with Bryan at the national event level.

Labbous, White House, Tenn., grabbed his third national event win of the year and second in Super Gas taking out Chuck Rothermel, Kinderhook, N.Y. With four over all wins in Super Gas and three more in Super Comp, Labbous sits on top of the national point’s standings in both classes.

Deborah DiGenova and Brian Sawyer each pocketed their first national wins in their first final rounds while Rich Dorr won his first national event NHRA Wally trophy in his third final round. Local racer DiGenova, Derry, N.H., won in Top Dragster presented by Racing RVs, holding off No. 1 qualifier Scott Hall out of Ledyard, Conn. DiGenova was out first and held on with a 6.826 second lap at 194.60 mph to the hard charging Hall who broke out with a 6.191, 219.65.

Sawyer, Lunenburg, Mass., won a close one in Super Street beating Karri Khoury to the finish by about four feet in his ’67 Camaro and Dorr, Watertown, N.Y., topped Raymond Fredricks in a double break out for the Super Comp win. 

The final in Top Sportsman presented by Racing RVs went back and forth as John Benoit had the early lead on two-time defending event champion Matt Harper who overtook Benoit only to see Benoit come back around at the strip for the win. Benoit, Montpelier, Vt., posted a run of 6.444 at 213.03 mph in his ’16 Corvette to Harper’s 7.441, 178.74. The win was Benoit’s first in Top Sportsman and second at the national level

Rounding out the winners were David Ficacci in Stock, Tii Tharpe in Top Fuel Harley, Dean Marinis in the X-275, and Frank Berard in Pro Stock Snowmobile. Ficacci, Whippany, N.J., defeated red-lighting Thomas Auger in his ’94 Camaro. Tharpe went 6.248 at 227.96 mph to end Rickey House’s day, and Marinis, Whetstone, N.Y., downed Robert Baptista. Berard held off Tiina Duncanson in a close 8.354 to 8.363.

Most of these racers will head to Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J., this coming weekend, June 8-11 for the Toyota NHRA Summer Nationals.

The following are the final results from the NHRA New England Nationals and the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at New England Dragway:

SUPER STOCK
Byron Worner, Chevy Camaro, 9.736, 136.68 def.
Bryan Worner, Camaro, 10.184, 129.34. 

STOCK ELIMINATOR
David Ficacci, Chevy Camaro, 10.197, 113.72 def.
Thomas Auger, Dodge, Foul - Red Light. 

SUPER COMP
Rich Dorr, Dragster, 8.892, 171.23 def.
Raymond Fredricks, Dragster, 8.871, 174.62. 

SUPER GAS
John Labbous Jr, Chevy Corvette, 9.922, 163.93 def.
Chuck Rothermel, Pontiac Grand Am, 9.914, 163.10. 

SUPER STREET
Brian Sawyer, Chevy Camaro, 10.982, 140.28 def.
Karri Khoury, Chevy Truck, 10.921, 142.03. 

TOP DRAGSTER PRESENTED BY RACINGRVS.COM
Deborah DiGenova, Dragster, 6.826, 194.60 def.
Scott Hall, Dragster, 6.191, 219.65. 

TOP SPORTSMAN PRESENTED BY RACINGRVS.COM
John Benoit, Chevy Corvette, 6.444, 213.03 def.
Matt Harper, Pontiac Grand Prix, 7.441, 178.73. 

TOP FUEL HARLEY
Tii Tharpe, Dixie, 6.248, 227.96 def.
Rickey House, Harley, 6.464, 212.90. 

X275
Dean Marinis, Ford Mustang, 4.462, 164.03 def.
Robert Baptista, Chevy Camaro, 5.369, 125.67. 

PRO STOCK SNOWMOBILE
Frank Berard Jr, Ski-Doo, 8.354, 152.85 def.
Tiina Duncanson, Mach Z, 8.363, 155.90.