After sixty years of hosting American drag racing, the Stauffer Family sold Maple Grove Raceway to veteran NHRA racer Kenny Koretsky in the Spring of this year. Located just outside of Reading PA, the fan favorite facility has been home to a NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series event for nearly four decades. It has also been the hometown track for the Koretsky family and Kenny’s son Kyle, who won his first NHRA Pro Stock race last season.
Koretsky enters the Countdown to the Championship at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals as a top contender for the NHRA 2022 title in Pro Stock. Year-after-year the family-friendly track has provided a great vibe for die-hard NHRA race fans as they topped the hill to enter the historic facility. Kyle grew up racing Jr Dragster at Maple Grove Raceway in the heart of Amish Country, where you can still hear locals speaking Pennsylvania Dutch.
As the six-race Countdown to the Championship kicked off at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals over the weekend, the third-generation drag racer qualified third behind Bo Butner III and Pro Stock points leader Erica Enders. Driving his Lucas Oil KB Racing Chevrolet Camaro, Koretsky scored Number One qualifier at Phoenix and has been in the hunt at three other events. Kyle picked up his first career Pro Stock win at Charlotte last season.
Enders In Search of a Fifth Pro Stock Title
Erica Enders entered the Countdown to the Championship in perfect fashion coming off a dominant performance throughout the 2022 NHRA Camping World season. The driver of the Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro is looking for her seventh win of the season and her fifth Pro Stock World Championship. Not only would a win pad her lead in the points race, but it would also be her first Wally earned at the historic Maple Grove Raceway.
On Sunday, Enders posted wins against Alan Prusiensky and Matt Hartford before her holeshot win in the semis eliminated the local favorite Kyle Koretsky. Troy Coughlin Jr. reached the final round in Pro Stock for the fourth time this year. After eliminating Cristian Cuadra in Round One, Coughlin Jr took out the Number One qualifier Bo Butner before sending the legendary Greg Anderson home in the semifinals. The Pro Stock final was one of the day’s best races as Enders posted a 6.582 ET to Coughlin Jr’s 6.601 elapsed time.
Gladstone Moves to Second in Countdown Points
A native of West Chester, Joey Gladstone grew up not far from the Maple Grove track and has plenty of two-wheel trophies to show for his youthful efforts. But, the 31-year had a tough 2021 season in NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle that started when he and his Reed Motorsport Suzuki teammate (Cory Reed) collided at 190 mph just after the finish line following an elimination run at zMAX Raceway in Charlotte.
After consecutive final round appearances, Gladstone won his first career Wally at Sonoma Raceway and followed it up with a victory at the next event for Pro Stock Motorcycles at the Menards NHRA Nationals in Topeka. On Sunday, Gladstone eliminated Hector Arana Jr, number one qualifier Matt Smith and Marc Ingwerson enroute to the Final. Angie Smith beat Ron Tornow, Eddie Krawiec and Steve Johnson to earn her matchup with Gladstone. Anxious to help her husband maintain his points lead, Smith left early but was no match for Gladstone’s 6.869 ET.
UP COMING:
Teams head south for the second round of the Countdown to the Championship for the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series on September 23-25 for the Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte, NC.
