Barush Leads Winners at FRBR Independence Showdown

Eight racers claimed wins at the FRBR Promotions 7th Annual Independence Showdown at Maple Grove Raceway.

Photos and recap provided by FRBR Promotions / BME Photography

MOHNTON, PA-  FRBR Promotions held their 7th Annual Blittersdorf’s Automotive Independence Showdown on June 26–28, 2026, at Maple Grove Raceway. Although the weekend was challenged by an unfavorable weather forecast, it still featured plenty of exciting racing.

After the decision was made to cancel Saturday’s on-track activities due to weather, officials combined Friday’s and Saturday’s purses and moved the Morris Performance Transmissions Saturday Night Shootouts to Friday evening. Sunday brought perfect racing conditions, with abundant sunshine, and all classes competed as scheduled.

See results below!

Friday Results

Top Bulb

C2 Competition Converters & Machining Top Bulb saw five competitors trying to park themselves on the dance floor and the $22,500 adjusted big check. Marty Flegal’s bid to repeat on the back of the event shirt was ended by Rick Terkowski who overcame a starting line disadvantage to cross first by .001. The only other pair was a dragster showdown between Doc Dougherty and Joe Barush. Dougherty left first with a .005 to Barush’s .015 but took .034 to break out by just .003. Mike Hoff, from Hanover PA went dead 0 on his bye.

In the semi’s Barush pulled another rabbit out of his hat, again benefiting from a breakout run. This time Hoff took over .050 to break out .006. That set the final round matchup with Barush taking on previous event winner Terkowski.

Barush was ready in the final, using a .002 initiated .025 package to lock out the .028 reaction time of Terkowski. This was Barush’s 1st FRBR big check.

No Box

The Road Runner Race Fuels No Box card was full in the quarters, with Dave Dissinger, Jason Lawrence, current NHRA World Champ Mike Fornwalt, Thomas Conrad, J Bros 10K winner Kevin Spencer, two time division 1 Pro ET champion Andrew Bracuto, and Steve Dustin doubled.

Dustin won his first entry against a red lighting Dissinger. Lawrence used a dead 9 run put Fornwalt on the trailer. Conrad had a .011 starting line advantage to force Spencer into a breakout run. Dustin couldn’t stay doubled as he touched the brakes too hard giving away his starting line edge and making Bracuto’s dead zero run good by .007.

Lawrence’s day ended in the semis with a -.003 pushing Dustin into the finals despite a .046 light. Conrad covered up Bracuto on both ends of the race track to put two low 7 second door cars in the title round.

In the final Dustin fell victim at the finish line again, this time taking too much stripe. He took .043 to break out just .003 giving young Thomas Conrad his first FRBR trophy.

Jr. Dragster

Philadelphia Racing Products Jr Dragster also had 8 quarterfinalists. JJ Schonberger of Philadelphia laid down an impressive .025 total to end Levi Knarr’s day. Madelyn Brockmeier put 6-9 winner Haven Allebach on the trailer with a significant starting line advantage. 10-12 winner Abby Novitsky .039 total packed up New Jersey’s Mike Chirico. The final pair saw Jackson Greiner take a seven hundredths starting line advantage to victory over MD’s Bella Casteel.

In the semis Schonberger had his ticket punched by the red light of Brockmeier while young gun Novitsky used a holeshot to take the stripe by just .011 over Greiner.

The final is one Schonberger would like to have back as he gave back a small starting line advantage by never getting in front letting Novitsky cruise to the winners circle running .029 over.

Saturday Shootouts (Contested on Friday)

The Morris Performance Transmissions Saturday Shootouts were also completed on Friday with Dave Harvey Jr winning the $3K Shootout and Jackson Greiner avenging his semi-final loss with the win in Jr. Dragster.

Sunday Results

The final day of the Blittersdorf’s Automotive Independence Showdown, presented by Daryl Tillman reality group saw an increased car count with only sunshine on the radar.

Top Bulb

C2 Competition Converters & Machining Top brought five drivers to the starting line with hopes of the big payday. Dan Northrop held two of them, joined by John Taylor, Mark Kelley, and Jeff Serra. Northrop had one of his only misses of the day turning it -.007 against Kelley, who put down .021 total on his side. Sunday teammates Serra and Taylor squared off with the latter’s .016 package a non factor with Serra red lighting. Northrop sat out the bye.

For the 2nd time in two rounds Northrop and Kelley battled with Northrop laying down a vengeful .007 package leaving Kelley’s .020 pack wasting fuel. Taylor did not take his bye.

In the final Taylor wasted a dead 4 run giving Northrop a .029 starting line advantage and in the word’s of some announcer out there, “He don’t mess them up.” Dan becomes the second in the family to win the FRBR flag trophy, joining nephew Brad.

No Box

Road Runner Race Fuels No Box found 6 competitors battling it out for big money. In the first pair Dicky Bodmer’s .015 total was more than enough to turn away the .024 RT of Kevin Spencer. Kris Conner’s S10 was .008 but it didn’t matter as Kenny Garofalo double stepped and went red. In the tightest pair of the round Trish Witt was .021 total leaving Travis Hill .001 to work with. He took .004 to break out and set the semi-final pairings.

Conner took the only pair of the semis using a .027 starting line holeshot to negate the dead 6 run of Witt. Bodmer clicked it red on the bye.

The day belonged to Conner who found his third .00 light in four rounds to take a three hundredths starting line advantage. Conner followed the be .00 take .00 strategy, running three above to take just .001 at the stripe over Bodmer. This is Conner’s first FRBR win.

Jr. Dragster

Philadelphia Racing Products Jr. Dragster had five drivers in the quarters with dreams of big checks and hardware. 6-9 winner Joey Fordyce was ready for defending MG Champion Charlotte Ecks. He was .010 up front and 2 above to lock her out. Jackson Greiner overcame a .028 starting line deficit against Lorenzo Giantiempo, who could not cover the number. Anna Willing of Pennsburg PA was .024 on her bye.

Both Greiner and Willing were too up on the wheel in the semis with Greiner’s -.003 being the least red. Fordyce completed his bye to set the final.

Greiner was too much for Fordyce, edging him out by .026 at the starting line and running .012 above the dial in to find electricity in his lane. This was Greiner’s 3rd FRBR win, all at the Showdown. He still needs a Saturday win in his collection to complete the set.

Congratulations to all winners and finalists from the FRBR Promotions 7th Annual Blittersdorf’s Automotive Independence Showdown at Maple Grove Raceway.

Next up on the FRBR Promotions schedule is the Keystone Classic coming up on August 21-23, 2026 back at Maple Grove Raceway with $12K daily in Top, $5K in No Box, and $1K for Jr. Dragsters. It’s also the third of four events in the Gauntlet points series in a collaboration by FRBR Promotions and J Brothers Promotions.

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