NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Division 1 Super Stock racer Justin Picillo had an August to remember with back-to-back Lucas Oil Series titles and as a result, he could be in line for an NHRA national championship in November. He also happens to be our Peak Performance Racer of the Month for August.

Picillo has been solid all season with his SS/CM Firebird with two wins and a runner-up earlier this year. In August, Picillo entered his first national event, the Testo Chesapeake NHRA SPORTSnationals and secured a victory. A week later, he went to his home divisional event in Epping, N.H., and scored again.

At this point, Picillo’s divisional scorecard is nearly flawless with three wins, a runner-up and a round three finish to his credit. He’s only attended two national events so he’s got plenty of chances to earn points. In fact, his next two starts will count as full scores, so he’s guaranteed to better his existing total of 555 points, which currently leads the class.

Picillo is already entered for the inaugural NHRA event in Rockingham, N.C., and its hard to imagine he won’t attend at least one other race during NHRA’s ongoing 75th anniversary celebration. Should he go on to claim the the championship, Picillo will likely remember his August wins as the key to his success.

Honorable Mentions

Michael Daniele is solidly in the Top 10 in Right Trailers Top Sportsman and a lot of that has to do with his sweep of the Division 1 event, and the Testo NHRA Chesapeake SPORTSnationals held at Cecil County Dragway. Daniele ran the table at that event, winning the divisional event over Kevin Edmonds. Two days later, he doubled up by beating Jeff Brooks to complete the clean sweep.

Another D1 racer, Jeff Kundratic, grabbed two Wallys in August when he drove his Lucas Oil Dragster to a win at the Testo NHRA Chesapeake SPORTSnationals followed by the Epping divisional. Kundratic, who is also currently ranked in the Top 10, now has two diamond Wally trophies to add to the one earned by his daughter, Kelly, earlier this year in Gainesville.

Division 3 Comp racer Greg Kamplain made the list after a pair of runner-up finishes in Bowling Green, Ky, first at the annual Division 3 event and a second at the JEGS NHRA SPORTSnationals two days later.

Technically, the first of his two wins came on the last day of July, but two-time Comp champ Dean Carter also makes our list thanks to a clean sweep of the double-header Lucas Oil Series event at Woodburn Dragway.