Bangs, Schurman, Mayers clinch 2014 Mid Atlantic .90 Champs

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The Mid Atlantic .90 Association closed out its 2014 season in style under clear and sunny skies at Atco Dragway in Atco, NJ. Two days of non-stop .90 action hit the track on Saturday morning and they didn't disappoint all the way up till Sunday Night.

Going into Race #9 on Saturday Super Gas racer Matt Schurman had a significant lead over 2006 World Champ Iggie Boicesco. Coming into the event both drivers were replacing events and with a good showing Boicesco could pass Schurman if Matt went out early. Unfortunately Boicesco lost a heart breaker in the first round opening the door for Schurman to clinch the championship on Saturday Night. Schurman decided to go out in style as he roughed his way through 6 tough rounds of racing with victories over Justin Lopes in the 3rd, Jack Simmerman in the 4th and a bye in the 5th to match up with muti-time MASGA champ Tom Goldman. Goldman had worked his way through to the finals with victories over Pete Luciano in the 3rd, Joe Eckel in the 4th and Frank Volpe in the Semi's. In the finals it was anyone's race as both were pretty even off the line (.018 to .021 in favor of Goldman) but, Goldman was just a little too fast and lost a close double-breakout 9.888 to 9.894 handing the victory and clinching the championship for Schurman. On Sunday it another champ taking the victory as IHRA Division 1 champ Jerry Pierce took the victory back to Albany, NY. Pierce started his march to the winner circle with a victory in the 3rd round over Boicesco, then a victory over Jay Neville in the 4th to receive the bye-run in the 5th. Waiting for Jerry was Joe Eckel and his 92 Camaro. Eckel worked his way through the field with victories over George Smith (3rd), Lucky Luciano (4th) and Paul Schonberger in the semi's. In the finals both driver played it safe at the tree (.015 to .018 in favor or Pierce) and with that slight advantage it forced Eckel to break-out with a 9.892 to Pierce's winning 9.913.

Turning our attention to the 10.90 class and MASSA. Jimmy Stack held a slim 2 point lead over Pittsburgh, Pa's Jeff Fisher going into event #9. Early exits by Fisher & Keith Mayers opened the door for Stack to build a lead that could not be overcome. Stack made it to the semi-finals and padded his lead to 22 points going into race #10 on Sunday. Claiming the victory on Saturday was Bob Kodadek and his sharp looking Corvette. Bob who was making his 1st race of the season after an off season motorcycle accident made the best of his comeback. Kodadek took down Frank Quarno in the 3rd round, then Stack in the semi's. Waiting for Kodadek was NESSA president Kenny Vangorder and his Vega. At the tree Kodadek took a huge advantage (.022 to .083) and parlayed that into a 10.920 to 10.903 victory and his first MASSA victory. Entering Race #10 the cards were all out on the table. Five drivers had a shot at the Championship, now it was time to settle the score. Things got interesting in the first round as a match-up of the Frank Quarno & Marty Ganjoin would eliminate one from the chase. Quarno took the victory eliminated Ganjoin. Then Stack turned on the red-light to Jason Lawrence followed by Fisher who did the same to Vangorder eliminating Fisher. This would leave Quarno, Mayers and the leader Stack for the championship. Third round would eliminate another contender as Quarno took on Mayers. Mayers took the victory and with that he actually tied Stack going into the fourth round. Mayers was then defeated by Ron Ross driving the Penco Tech Camaro in the semi's. Ross then took that motivation to match up yet again with Vangorder in the finals. Ross laid down a 21 thousandths package in the finals and Kenny couldn't do much with that as Ross took his first MASSA Victory. Onto the championship battle. Since Mayers & Stack were both tied it came down to season victories. Mayers had two & Stack had one which means that Keith Mayers is the 2014 MASSA Champion.

Well as they say, you always save the best for last and MASCA didn't disappoint. Going into the event 2 time champ Joey Cambria held a 2 round lead on about fourteen eligible drivers but, one problem....Cambria was in Ohio for business so he couldn't be there to help his cause. Knowing things wouldn't pan out till Race #10 racers still battled it out for the Event #9 victory. Ken Moses hadn't ran too many MASCA races this season but, wheeled his American Race Cars digger to the finals with victories over Rich Biebel in the 3rd, Jeff Livezey Sr. in the 4th and a bye in the semi's. Waiting for Moses in the finals was Ash Senft. Ash had taken down Frank Lauria in the 3rd, Rich Dorr in the 4th and Chase Fahnestock in the semi's. In the finals Senft took a huge advantage (.018 to .051) over Moses but, with the sun down and the lights on both drivers set-up way to quick with Senft breaking out the worst and handing the victory to Moses (8.861 to 8.865). After Race #9 Cambria's lead was cut down to 1 round but, he was still in the lead after Race #9. As Race #10 opened up there were 8 drivers who still had a shot at the championship. Senft & Mac Dougherty both lost in the 1st round eliminated them from the hunt, Fahnestock would join them after 2nd round. Still in the hunt were Walter Olt, Kevin Scholl, Dave Long & Don Bangs. Long would take out Olt and Scholl was upended by Joe Gallucci III ending their hopes. As the night got longer it was going to come down to Long and Bangs in the finals. Long beat Dave Stine in the Semi's and Bangs got the bye-run. By now both drivers had passed Cambria for the Championship. This would set-up a winner take all 2014 MASCA Championship final round. At the hit Bangs took the advantage (.028 to .040) and held that advantage all the way to the finish line in a 8.928 to 8.923 victory and his first MASCA Championship.

Congrats to all 3 Champions and everyone who won a event this season and last but, not least....THANK YOU to all the racers who came and supported the series in 2014!!!