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21st Annual NMCA All-American Nationals presented by Sick the Magazine — Friday Coverage

Posted By: Mary Lendzion
After months of anticipation, racers have arrived for the NMCA All-American Nationals presented by Sick the Magazine, which runs through Sunday at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio. The race is the fifth of six in this year's points chase, so we are sure to see some sensational racing. Adding to all of the excitement are the Cobra Jet Showdown presented by Watson Racing, COPO Camaro Shootout presented by Chevrolet Performance and COPO Parts Direct, NMCA vs. Buckeye Stock/Super Stock All-Stars, Sick the Magazine Drag & Drive Invitational and more. Stay with us for daily coverage.



Here's a look at today's schedule, which is packed with action. 


John Vergotz, who competes in NMCA VP Racing Lubricants Xtreme Pro Mod and the R&R Auto Body, DeCerbo Construction and A-1 Automotive Rumble Wars Extreme 8 series at Summit Motorsports Park, was under his car with his son, John Vergotz Jr., this morning to adjust his four-link before qualifying today at the NMCA All-American Nationals presented by Sick the Magazine at Summit Motorsports Park. The Pennsylvanian said he is focused on consistency and competitive elapsed-times in his car powered by a 959 cubic-inch big-block Chevrolet engine by Buck Racing and enhanced with nitrous.


Leonard Long, the reigning Dart NA 10.5 champion, currently has the points lead, and hopes to hold onto it after this event, but he knows that he has his work cut out for him. He exited eliminations in the first round at the race in Michigan, and racers who are close to him in points will finish the makeup rounds from that rain-delayed race here this weekend, which means he could lose his points lead. Rather than focusing on that, Long is focusing on having the best tune-up possible for his 415 cubic-inch Ford which was assembled by Jay Zolko with machine work Ray Barton Racing Engines, and topped with heads and intake by Dave Visner. As usual, Long, who calls that particular engine Evil 4, is rowing the gears of a transmission he built at his business, G-Force Racing Transmissions. “We ran  7.785 at 3,000 feet in a test pass, which was a good number, but now we’re playing with our fuel injectors for our Holley fuel injection and we’re shooting for a better number,” said Long.


Mike DiDomenico and his hardworking team are always exploring ways to excel in VP Racing Lubricants Xtreme Pro Mod. One of his recent endeavors involved replacing his roots supercharger with a PSI screw supercharger to complement the Noonan Hemi in his 1968 Camaro-bodied car, with a tremendous amount of help from Rage Fuel Systems. His tuner — and son — Sal DiDomenico, already has a handle on the tune-up, and the Ohio-based racer clocked a 3.89 at 193 mph in the first round of qualifying today. “Sal will have us ready for war,” said DiDomenico. “No doubt about it.” For a recent story about DiDomenico that was published to our website, click  https://www.nmcadigital.com/blog/didomenico-to-debut-new-paint-power-adder/1858


Qualifying is underway. To check out results as we receive them, click https://www.nmcadigital.com/blog/21st-annual-nmca-all-american-nationals-presented-by-sick-the-magazine-qualifying/1934


VP Racing Lubricants Xtreme Pro Mod driver Craig Sullivan spent about an hour with some very talented and dedicated students from the University of Northwestern Ohio (ONOH) Drag Club today at the NMCA All-American Nationals presented by Sick the Magazine at Summit Motorsports Park. Sullivan talked with them about his car, a fan-favorite 1949 Mercurcy, and his racing, and he heard about the car the students are building with their teacher, Chris Harubin. It’s a 1985 Camaro powered by an LS engine and a turbo from Race Parts Solutions, and it has a fuel management system and ignition system from Holley EFI. The students have performed all of the work on their car, from top to bottom and front to back, and they even painted it. When we asked them about talking with Sullivan, they said it was very insightful.


Summit Motorsports Park is abuzz with the sounds and smells of American horsepower, and things warmed up Friday afternoon as the hitters in Holley EFI Factory Super Cars took to the track with their 1,300-plus horsepower supercharged muscle cars. Holley EFI Factory Super Cars is the home for COPO Camaros, Dodge Challenger Drag Paks and Ford Mustang Cobra Jets. These exciting factory race cars deliver 7-second elapsed times at over 180 mph and they do so running on 9-inch-wide racing slicks. They also feature stock bodies and closely resemble the street-going versions. The Norwalk field is currently comprised of 18 competitors and NMCA features an all-run field, so this will equal five rounds of intense racing. After one round of qualifying, Michigan runner Jim Betz leads the pack with his Watson Racing-prepared 2019 Cobra Jet Mustang. Betz ran 7.82 at 175 mph and is followed by a trio of Challengers including David Davies (7.86/176 mph); Warren Walcher II (7.87/177 mph); Mark Pawuk (7.87/176 mph), and making up the top five is Gardner Stone who ran 7.87 at 176 mph. The quickest COPO Camaro was driven by Tony Scott. He delivered an 8.02 at 171 mph and sits in the 8th spot. The field is scheduled to have three more qualifying runs before eliminations.




American performance is alive and well at the 21st Annual NMCA All-American Nationals presented by Sick the Magazine at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio. Along with the multitude of championship NMCA classes, the All-American Nationals offers a wide array of specialty categories. And one that always excites is the Watson Racing Cobra Jet Showdown. The Showdown offers CJ owners the chance to cut loose on track in a fun Open Comp-style eliminator that welcomes racers whether they are piloting a classic big-block Cobra Jet or the latest fuel-injected model. Cobra Jet Showdown competitors may double-enter into Stock Eliminator or Super Stock Eliminator, as well as a bracket class for a total of 3 categories. In addition, fans will find the quickest Cobra Jets in Holley EFI Factory Stock Showdown. Also included for race competitors and their guests is a special Ice Cream Social on Thursday evening and special luncheons served on location Friday and Saturday.





The popularity of drag racing a street-legal vehicle is growing more than ever and it’s spawned a host of Drag & Drive events where participants spent a week, or at least the better part of one, driving from track to track, while laying down quarter-mile passes along the way. One of the newest and most popular is Tom Bailey’s Sick Week. Sick Week takes place in winter in the Florida sun, but now the Sick Week team has become the presenting sponsor of the NMCA All-American Nationals. And in addition to the championship classes, fans will be treated to a exhibition of speed from some of the Sick Week competitors. “Our organization was founded on the fastest street car concept, so to have Tom Bailey’s racers put on a show for our fans is just amazing,” said Rollie Miller, National Event Director and General Manager of the Red Line Oil NMCA Muscle Car Nationals. Of course, all NMCA and NMRA events offer TorqStorm Superchargers True Street for enthusiasts with street-legal cars and trucks who want to participate in any NMCA or NMRA event. TorqStorm Superchargers True Street gives anyone the chance to do a 30-mile cruise and make 3 passes for awards and prizes. True Street racers also get to make a host of practice runs and can Bracket race on Sunday.


Henry George Jr. is racing his eye-catching 1965 Coronet in MagnaFuel Open Comp this weekend, and we can’t get enough of the old school muscle car. In addition to being beautiful, it’s powered by a 572 cubic-inch  B1 engine that has propelled George Jr. to 9.30s. He doesn’t plan on seeing passes quite that quick this weekend, however, as elevation and conditions are far different here than they are when he runs that quickly, but he is dialing in for 9.50. When he’s not in the driver’s seat of his car, George Jr. helps VP Racing Lubricant Xtreme Pro Mod racer Derek Ward.

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