DiCiacco Doubles-up at Mutt & Jeff Promotions Fall Brawl

DiCiacco, Lewers, Hite, Heaton, Binkle, and Truitt captured wins at the Mutt & Jeff Promotions Fall Brawl at US13 Dragway.

Photos & Write-up provided by Mutt & Jeff Promotions

DELMAR, DE- Mutt & Jeff Promotions started out in 2015 with a couple racing friends wanting to try their hand at putting on a race of their own. That year at South Mountain they had 30 entries show up. It’s safe to say that since that year, Mutt & Jeff Promotions has aged like fine wine, this year their June date at Numidia Dragway sold out all 250 entries in mere minutes and the Fall Brawl Presented by Altronics at US13 Dragway in Delmar Delaware managed 236 even in these trying times. US13 brought on a near sea level track with fantastic fall weather to make for a lot of personal best ET’s. Typically a $10,000-$20,000-$10,000 to win format, Paul decided to up the ante for this show and make it $12,500 to win on Friday and Sunday. 

Thursday opened at noon for a track operated test and tune along with early bird parking.  Many drivers took the opportunity to get familiar with the track and for most northerners the change in elevation tuning that may be required.

Friday $12,500-to-Win

On Friday, the show kicked off with one time shot and right into first round from there. The bottom bulb competitors were competing for a $750 bonus and the right to join the main event at 6 cars. Day 1, the final three off the bottom were David Keyton in his 67 Camaro taking on James Moore in his 83 Mustang, and Robin Lewers in his 71 Camaro with a bye to the final. Keyton used a strong .017 to .052 starting line advantage to dispatch Moore which set up an all Camaro final. David had the lane choice, and the starting line advantage, but at the finish line he dropped too soon allowing Robin to get there first and pick up the win with a .029 initiated 7.459 on 7.44 dial moving him on to 6 cars in the $12,500 to win.  

At 6 cars it would be Dave Slusher Jr in his 94 S-10 taking on No Box winner Lewers, Dalton Weltner in an 88 S-10 against James DiCiacco in his dragster, and Steven Truitt in his 68 R/T getting chased by Alex Bradford in his 96 year dragster.  Slusher used a strong .008 dead on 4 lap to dispatch Lewers .016 mathematically ineligible run. Weltner would grab the .008 to .010 advantage against DiCiacco but couldn’t hold him off as James would put it dead on zero to turn on the win light.  Alex Bradford was .015 up front and 3 above zero to put away Truitt who was .023 and slowed significantly.  

And then there were 3, DiCiacco earned the bye since Slusher had already received one earlier in the day, and Bradford received the task of taking down the s-10. Slusher again with a .008 hit and Bradford flinched red to make it a door truck versus Dragster final.  

In the final, James had to sit for a hair over two seconds after Dave got to take off. Neither driver matched their earlier success on the tree in the final but DiCiacco held the advantage .021 to .036.  At the finish, Slusher knew he was in trouble and tried to throw out the anchor, but DiCiacco goes 4.41 dead on with an 8 to lock up the first big check of the weekend.

32-Car $3,000-to-Win Shootout

A 32 door car shootout was held for a $3000 top prize. When the smoke cleared, Albert Hite in the wagon was able to outlast a -.005 redlighting Sam Boyd.

Sunday $20,000-to-Win

Saturday was the $20,000 Main Event.  A new entry only time shot was given to the few who rolled in late and then right into the show we went.  When the first cars were going down the track we saw a corrected density altitude of -800 feet, and with that most of the opening round pairings were double breakout situations. By the time the afternoon rolled around the racers had it figured out.  

At four cars on the no box side it would be John Binkle in his mustang taking on Dave Heaton in his s-10, and Erik Tenney in a 69 Dart getting chased by James Moore. In the first pairing Binkle kicked it just .003 red sending Dave Heaton to the no box final.  The other pairing saw Erik Tenney use a .006 dead on 6.43 with a 3 to dispatch James Moore. The final round was nearly heads up in all aspects, Heaton dialing 6.48 and Tenney on a 6.43. Heaton took a .004 advantage off the hit and then dropped to send Erik through first to be under only .001 and end his day.  

With 6 cars remaining the $1000 bonus no box entry of Heaton squared off with the best appearing door car (truck) Tony Tull in his immaculate 00 s-10, Blase Raia versus Alex Bradford in a dragster against dragster matchup, and Friday’s winner James DiCiacco giving chase to Brian Bogle in his 06 chevy. Tony experiences an issue and rolls through the beams to hand the automatic win to Dave Heaton going to 3 cars with a 6.48 dead on zero lap. Raia misses the tree to be .027 up front take .001 and mathematically ineligible against Alex Bradford’s .007 and dead on 4 run. Bogle snagged a 9 thousandths advantage .002 to .011 against DiCiacco, but James works his way around Brian to be dead on 1 punching his ticket down to 3.  Bradford’s 7 bulb at 6 cars earned him the bye to the final where he again lit it up .007.  That Left Heaton to contend with the Juggernaut that was James DiCiacco. Heaton left first with a .035, James following a shade over two seconds later with a .016.  At the finish it was DiCiacco earning his way to his second straight final going 1 above with an 8 against Heaton’s dead on 8 in a losing effort. 

The stage was set for the 20K final between two guys on a mission. Friday’s winner James DiCiacco and Alex Bradford, who lost in the semi’s the night before, each looking for that last win light. DiCiacco nails the tree with a .001 taking a .025 advantage right off the start and holds on to win his second straight Happy Gilmore check. James wrapped it up with a 4.407 on a 4.39 dial in his amazing repeat performance. 

Best Appearing Awards

As mentioned before, Tony Tull won best appearing door car in his S-10, and Bobby Spence in his gorgeous Blue pro-charged dragster took home the open bodied award.

Sunday $12,500-to-Win

Sunday brought the final day of racing, again for $12,500 worth of reasons to be there. As crazy good as the air was on Saturday, Sunday wasn’t to be out done. When the first pairs were headed down the track we saw -1400 corrected altitudes, setting the stage for fast passes. 

The last no box semi final saw a familiar name in John Binkle who would square off with Mike Chronister in an all-Mustang pairing, while the other side of the ladder gave us the willy’s of Andy Purcell taking on the Malibu of Ronald Nichols. Binkle would get to leave first by half of a second, but it would be over before the finish line stripe when Chronister lit it up red.  John carries his .029 and 6.651 on a 6.68 dial to the no box final.  Andy got to watch the Malibu leave first and Ron lights up the red eye punching the Willy’s ticket to face off with Binkle with a .057 initiated 6.049 on a 6.06.  

In the final, both drivers dialed it down. John put on a 6.65 while Andy predicted a 6.05 et.  Heads up on the tree, John took the .030 to .032 ever so slight advantaged and wheeled his mustang to a 6.65 dead on with a 5, earning the $750 bonus and rolling into the main event side.  

At 6 cars there were 4 dragsters and 2 door cars. Randy Krause in the S&W flagship dragster taking on the 67 Pontiac of Billy Groton, Rob Leipziger in his dragster chasing the No Box winner Binkle, and Adam Bochon (who ended the Jimmy DiCiacco reign of terror) in his Pro Charged rail trying to run down Phillip Truitt in his dragster. Krause had to wait 2.7 seconds after Billy left with an .012 before he could run him down with his .009.  Groton has issues shortly after and Randy cruises to the round of 3.  John picked a great time to nail down a .006 reaction time against Leipziger’s .011, but ends up taking too much finish line breaking out 6.626 underneath his 6.64 prediction. Rob sent Binkle through logging a 4.542 on a 4.52 dial on his way to 3.  The final pairing of the quarter finals saw Truitt lay down a .008 reaction time and back into Bochon’s Pro Charged ride with a 4.677 on a 4.66 at only 140.71 mph.  All Adam could do was drop after his .018 at the hit but it doesn’t pan out for him 4.389 on the 4.35 dial.  

3 dragsters left shutting out the door cars on the final day. Phillip gets the free shot to the final, while Krause and Leipziger squared off for the right to face him. Randy takes the reaction time lead, .012 to Rob’s .019, and nails the door closed with a 4.76 dead on with a zero giving him the opportunity to take down the $12,500 prize. Both Krause and Truitt were running right lane all day, so Truitt popped into the left for his solo pass. With Phillip believing lane choice to be critical to his chances, he drills the tree .000 and runs a 4.701 on his 4.66 dial after rattling the tires before the 60 foot timers.  

The last final round of the event was set, and as predicted Truitt would throw Krause into the Left lane.  Both drivers opted to change their dials with Randy dropping to a 4.75 and Phillip going up .02 to a 4.68. At the let go Truitt took a .005 edge with an .011 bulb and by 330 it was evident Krause wouldn’t be able to cover.  Phillip tightens the stripe to .007 and is safely 3 above with an 8 to end the weekend on the highest of highs taking the last win light of the Mutt & Jeff Promotions 2022 season.  

Congratulations to all winners and finalists from the Mutt & Jeff Promotions Fall Brawl at US13 Dragway.

For more bracket racing news from DragChamp, click here.