RINI, MURILLO, BLANKENSHIP GRAB WINS AT THE 5TH ANNUAL JE PISTONS MUSCLE CAR NATIONALS AND AEROSPACE COMPONENTS NHRA UNLEASHED

RINI, MURILLO, BLANKENSHIP GRAB WINS AT THE 5TH ANNUAL JE PISTONS MUSCLE CAR NATIONALS AND AEROSPACE COMPONENTS NHRA UNLEASHED IN MICHIGAN

MILAN, MI. – Content muscle car enthusiasts got their fix this past weekend at the 5th Annual JE Pistons Muscle Car Nationals and Aerospace Components NHRA Unleashed at Milan Dragway in Milan, MI. Eleven racers made it to the top of their class, and earned them a coveted Wally trophy.

In the Kooks Custom Headers Pro Street, Alex Viscardi, Bill Lutz, Chris Rini and Joe Dunne were in the top of their class in round one. In round two, Dunne defeated Viscardi, and Rini got the better of Lutz. In the final, Rini in his ’69 Camaro ran a 6.1137 at 234.35 mph defeating Dunne, who ran 6.26 at 204.55 mph.

San Antonio, TX, Mike Murillo was the best of the bunch in the Mickey Thompson Super Street 10.5 W class posting a 7.134 second pass at 162.47 mph against Edgar Rice of Springfield, TN, for the win and his second Wally trophy of the year. Murillo beat Brian Hicks, Genoa, IL, in round two, and Tony Nesbitt, Lombard, IL, in round three. Murillo also won at the 10th annual Quick Fuel Technology NMCA Muscle Car Nationals/Aerospace Components NHRA Unleashed event in Bowling Green, KY., earlier this month.

Robbie Blankenship of Hudson, FL, scored another win in Comp Cams Pro Stock. In the final round, Blankenship ran 8.4801 at 158 mph to defeat top qualifier Michael Demayo of West Sanbury, PA. Blankenship ran very consistent in his ’04 Mustang with runs of 8.5619 seconds and 8.5331 seconds in rounds one and two knocking out John Langer of PA, and Don Bowles, Madisonville, KY. Blankenship also won the 10th annual Quick Fuel Technology NMCA Muscle Car Nationals/Aerospace Components NHRA Unleashed event earlier this month.

In CFE Xtreme Street, the final round was between New York state racers Jamie Stanton and Bill Travato. Stanton’s better reaction time took the win in his ’02 Camaro. Stanton set the bar consistently throughout qualifying with a first round bye run, taking down David Hutnick, Valparaiso, IN, in round two, and Bob Kurgan, Raselton, GA, in round three.

Don Baskin, Covington, TN, scored another class win in BF Goodrich Mean Street ousting Shawn Johnson with at 9.9072, 132.61 in his ’66 Chevy. Baskin also picked up a win at the NMCA/NHRA Unleashed event at Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, KY.

Walker, LA, resident Jeff Colletta and his ’69 Camaro celebrated in the winner’s circle running down Andy Voght of Des Plains, IL, to win ARP Nostalgia Pro Street.

In Hawk Performance Open Comp, Tim Swisher, Ashleyville, OH, got the better of Jon Pickering, Troy, OH, to win. In his ’80 Camaro, Swisher posted a 10.701 at 123.21 mph to Pickering’s 9.175 at 144.63 mph.

Other winners included Georgegina Buckley of Lakeville, IL, in the ATI Performance 275 Drag Radial, Kurt Neighbor, Twinsburg, OH, in the Indy Cylinder Heads Nostalgia Super Stock, Andy Warren, Rineyville, KY, in the Mr. Gasket Nostalgia Muscle Car, and Edgar Perez of Howell, NJ, in the EATON Posi Late Model EFI.

NMCA/Aerospace Components NHRA Unleashed will head to Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, Oct. 6-9. For the latest information about NMCA/Aerospace Components NHRA Unleashed, please visit www.nhraunleashed.com or www.nmcadigital.com.

The following are the final results from the 5th Annual JE Pistons Muscle Car Nationals and Aerospace Components NHRA Unleashed at Milan Dragway in Milan, MI:

Kooks Custom Headers PS

Winner: Chris Rini, 6.1137, 234.35, .0581

R/U: Joe Dunne, 6.2600, 204.55, .002

Mickey Thompson SS 10.5W
Winner: Mike Murillo, 7.1347, 162.47, .0052
R/U: Edgar Rice, 9.0711, 104.86, .1069

ARP Nostalgia Pro Street
Winner: Jeff Colletta, 7.3317, 189.79, .0471
R/U: Andy Vougt, 7.3771, 187.32, .0179

CFE Xtreme Street
Winner: Jamie Stanton, 7.904, 177.93, .0649
R/U: Bill Travato, 8.0671, 171.11, .0069

Comp Cams Pro Stock
Winner: Robbie Blankenship, 8.4801, 158, .0858
R/U: Michael Demayo, 8.4801, 158, .0308

ATI Performance 275 Drag Radial
Winner: Georgegina Buckley, 8.3569, 169.06, .0571
R/U: Jason Lee, 8.5510, 173.76, .058

Indy Cylinder Heads Nostalgia Super Stock
Winner: Kurt Neighbor, 9.2581, 144.75, .0388
R/U: Douglas Poskevich, 11.9399, 110.07, .0649

Mr Gasket Nost Muscle Car
Winner: Andy Warren, 10.5009, 121.60, .0240
R/U: Cindee Hall, 12.977, 104.13, .0788

Hawk Performance Open Comp
Winner: Tim Swisher, 10.701, 123.21, .0291
R/U: Jon Pickering, 9.175, 144.63, .099

BF Goodrich Mean Street
Winner: Don Baskin, 9.9072, 132.61, .0709
R/U: Shawn Johnson, 10.029, 133.55, .029

EATON Posi Late Model EFI
Winner: Edgar Perez, 10.5079, 121, .071
R/U: Doug Winters, 13.9297, 100.86, .0432

Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., NHRA is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2011. As the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States, NHRA presents 22 national events featuring the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and the NHRA Drags: Street Legal Style presented by AAA. NHRA also offers the Jr. Drag Racing League for youth ages 8 to 17. In addition, NHRA owns and operates five racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Atlanta Dragway in Georgia; National Trail Raceway in Ohio; Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis; and Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Southern California. For more information, log on to NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

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