BIONDO BEST AT MOROSO BRACKET BASH

Words and photos by Ian Tocher

Fittingly, Peter Biondo won the 20th Annual Moroso 5-Day Bracket Championship based on consistency throughout the event. Despite not winning on any one day, Biondo lasted long enough each day to rack up 121 points for the overall title over approximately 380 entries. Day-3 winner Scott Weney finished second with 93 points, with Mike Bloomfield third at 85 points, followed by Day-4 winner Nick Folk (82) and Dick Arbitelle (81).

Martin Gantoin from Brick, NJ, winner of Sunday's "Duck" race, lights up the tires of his 454-powered '69 Camaro in front of Moroso Motorsports Park's unique pedestal tower. The 20th Annual Moroso 5-Day Bracket Championships were staged Nov. 14-18, with Peter Biondo, from Mt. Laurel, NJ, declared the overall winner when the final points were tallied.

Biondo's best finish -- and his biggest challenge -- came on Day 2. In his semi-final match against Mimer Clough he actually broke on the starting line, but Clough broke out, handing the win back to Biondo. Still, he didn't have time before the final to properly repair the transmission of his 2001 S&W dragster and Biondo went to the line as a footbraker against Jeff O'Neill. After dialing in at 8.50, Biondo deep-staged and had a .631 light, but O'Neill's .613 start followed by a 7.751 on a 7.73 dial took care of the 8.492 breakout in Biondo's lane.

In his 20th attempt at Moroso's 5-Day spectacular, Sarasota, FL's Randy Folk finally wound up on top after defeating Bob Harris from Pittsboro, NC, in Day 1's final, and Weney took out Arbitelle in the last round on Day 3.

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