Maryland International Raceway competitors won three of the five main event classes during the 2024 WDRA Summit Eastern Bracket Finals.
NEW ALEXANDRIA, PA: The WDRA crew traveled to the northeast for the next stop on the WDRA Summit Bracket Finals presented by Laris Motorsports Insurance tour. Keystone Raceway Park hosted the event for the second year and welcomed teams of racers from Sumerduck Dragway, Beaver Springs Dragway, Maryland International Raceway, Empire Dragway, US 13 Dragway, and Lancaster Dragway.
Maryland took the top spot in the Team Standings with 73.5 points, followed by Beaver Springs (56), Keystone (44), Empire (39), Lancaster (37), US 13 (35), and finally Sumerduck with 18 points.
Early arriving racers could participate in Thursday’s test and tune session for extra passes before entering the always-fun pit vehicle race. It was an all-Keystone final round, with Matt Brehm earning the first winner’s circle celebration after defeating Levi Lear.
The Fuel Factory Race of Champions was contested on Friday, where the track champions from each facility battled for bragging rights in their respective classes. Michael DiLorenzo from US 13 Dragway earned the Box win over Matt Brehm, representing Keystone Raceway Park. The No Box final started with a pair of .005 reaction times, but Lancaster’s Ryan Ricketson breaks out at the finish line while Bobby Mattera takes the win for Maryland. Empire Dragway’s Tyler Spialek runs dead on his 7.72 dial in to earn the Sportsman win over Jen Whalen from Keystone. Sumerduck Dragway earns a pair of Race of Champion victories with Brooklynn Bunch defeating Austin Keys (Maryland) in the Junior Dragster class and Mike Schulz taking the Motorcycle win over Mike Peters (Lancaster).
Friday also featured a Gamblers Race with $3,000 going to the winner in both the Box and No Box classes and 80% payback for the Sportsman, Junior Dragster, and Motorcycle classes, respectively. Jesse Azzato from Keystone earned the Box win over Kevin Williams from Maryland. In No Box, Empire Dragway’s Kevin Fuller sealed the deal over Ryan Ricketson of Lancaster. Kyle Rhoads ran dead on his dial to earn Beaver Springs a win, while Pat Manners from Lancaster must settle for runner up. Junior Dragster driver Calvin Weaver (Maryland) takes the win over Cody Shondelmyer in his home court. Mike Schulz (Sumerduck) runs dead on his dial to secure another Motorcycle win over Jimmie Miller (US 13).
Saturday’s Main Event is where the on-track action began to intensify, with every round win equaling one point for that racer’s team and getting them one step closer to the WDRA Summit Eastern Bracket Finals victory. Over 300 racers staged up in various classes throughout the event, but eventually, only one winner would be holding the WDRA Rod Trophy etched with the word Champion.
The Box Main Event $5,000 final featured two dragster drivers representing Maryland International Raceway. Ben Calhoun had a .02 starting line advantage but ran .0005 under his dial-in beside Buddy McGowan, who ran 4.601 on his 4.60 dial for the win.
Another Maryland match-up occurred in the No Box $5,000 final, where Bobby Mattera continued his winning ways by running two above his dial while Keven Yates broke out four thousandths for the runner up honors.
It was all Keystone-on-Keystone crime in the Sportsman final when Bradley Knauff laid down a .015 total package to take the $1,000 win over Joe Fox, Sr., who was left with virtually no chance with his .015 reaction time.
It didn’t take long for Calvin Weaver to return to the winner’s circle, this time using a significant starting line advantage to earn the $1,000 win over Madison Gordy, who was representing US 13 Dragway. This also marks back-to-back WDRA Summit Eastern Bracket Finals Champion titles in the Junior Dragster ranks for Maryland International Dragway.
Mike Schulz appears seemingly unstoppable as he rides his Motorcycle into another final round, this time to face Dave Carpenter of Beaver Springs. Schulz takes full control at the starting line with a .016 light and runs three above his dial to take the $1,000 win over Carpenter.
Saturday’s Gamblers Race included sponsorship from various companies interested in drag racing. Each class winner would earn a 2025 WDRA membership free of charge. In the Outlaw Trailers Box class, Joe Martin from Maryland earned the win over Paul Cochi from Lancaster Dragway. Nick Bowman earned the Technocraft Trailer Cabinets No Box win over Scott Campbell in an all-Keystone final round. Lancaster’s Austin Abel secured his first-ever race win in the Funny Bone Embroidery & Screen Printing Junior Dragster class over Gillian Mattera from Maryland. In the Spears Motorsports Sportsman class, Dale Rhoads from Beaver Springs won over Jess Goodman from Sumerduck Dragway. ProGraphic Ink sponsored the Motorcycle class where Jimmie Miller (US 13) took the win over Louis Green Jr (Maryland).
Aside from racing, numerous Special Awards were presented to racers and teams during the WDRA Summit Eastern Bracket Finals presented by Laris Motorsports Insurance. Mark Cathell from US 13 Dragway won the Track Operators Race over Megan Bunch. Jeff Flick’s .0061 total package earned the Laris Motorsports Insurance Best Package Award during first round of the Main Event.
Sumerduck Dragway brought the Best Team Spirit, Keystone Raceway Park won Best Decorated Grandstand with their Flintstone theme, and Empire Dragway can boast about being the Best Appearing Team. Speaking of looking good, Jimmy Tayman from Maryland was awarded Best Appearing Open-Bodied Car, while Lancaster Dragway took the titles of Best Appearing Full-Bodied Car and Junior Dragster with JC Hutchinson and Austin Abel, respectively.
Next on the schedule is the WDRA Summit Northern Bracket Finals presented by Laris Motorsports Insurance which will be contested at US 131 Motorsports Park. Only three events remain before the best-of-the-best converge at Montgomery Internation Dragway in October for the WDRA Summit World Championships presented by SunCoast Performance.
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