Driver Blogs - Vinnie Cicerale

July 26, 2006
The Stocker

My first experience driving the B/SA 1969 Camaro was interesting to say the least. Coordination is a necessity with that car, and having to do so many things before the first 60 feet was difficult to get used to. Let me give you an idea of what I have to do. In addition to staging the car precisely, I have to set the two-step by pressing the button on the shifter, mash both the gas and the brake pedal, find my spot on the tree to cut a good light, release the brake and the two-step button at the same time, shift second in the air, and make sure that the car lands straight. That’s all in the first 60-80 feet down the track. Now while I realize that there are numerous drivers out there who do the same thing I do when I am in the car, I am sure they went through the coordination difficulties like I did when they first started.

The first outing in the car was the Atco National Open in March. That weekend was just getting used to the car, not really about winning. However, winning was not out of the question. Unfortunately, a misadjusted carburetor prevented me from winning first round. I raced Gary Richard, and while I covered him on the tree, the car broke up badly in second gear. I was pretty upset about it because I figured I could have one at least a couple rounds, but not that weekend. Overall, though, the weekend running the car was great. I enjoyed pulling wheelies and driving one of the nicer stockers on the circuit today.

The next race in the car occurred a couple months after the open: Englishtown National Event. I was a little apprehensive going into this race, considering my track record at nationals are not very good, and I had very little seat time in the car. Moreover, I never experienced class eliminations before, so I did not know what to expect.

Thursday was pretty hectic, starting with one timeshot and then directly into first round of class. I knew there were a couple cars faster than I, but class really is not anything more than glory, a small Wally, and a couple hundred bucks. First round I raced Michael Iacono, and was fortunate enough to win. Second round, however, I had no chance. My opponent had me covered by a tenth, and in an attempt to shave the tree as close as I could, went red by a few thousandths. It ended up being a Shelby Mustang sweep for class anyways, with all three cars winning in A/SA, B/SA, and C/SA.

Friday was wholly uneventful. I did race down the track at all, yet I did get to watch Frankie race and unfortunately lose. Some of my friends came down that day, and while they did not get to see me run, it was their first experience with Professional cars, and they were completely blown away.

Saturday was my day to shine. First round I raced ever-tough Billy Pires, number four finisher in the division last year. We were dialed pretty close, and he had me on the tree by about a hundredth, but I was able to squeak it out by two thousandths. When the car left, I felt like I was on the bumper, so I knew we were going to be fast, so I tightened up as mush I could. Second round I raced Jeanne Linke, who just won an eight round marathon a couple weeks ago at the Maple Grove Open. I had her on the tree and forced her to breakout. If that wasn’t enough, third round I raced Lincoln Morehead. I treed him as well and pulled it out at the finish line. Man was I happy to see that win light, because that meant I raced on Sunday, Father’s Day.

All good things must come to an end as I raced early on Saturday. The air was bad, and we dialed up almost a tenth and a half. I treed my competitor, Norm Hall, another tough competitor, but gave it back by six thousandths of a second. I was pretty upset with my performance, because I feel I may have made it as far as the semis maybe even the finals. Unfortunately, the plan in my head never coincides with reality. I am sure if I get one more chance in the car, the results will be a lot better.

July 24, 2006
The Monte Carlo

It has been quite a while since I have written a blog entry, and for that I apologize. This entry is about my wonderful Monte Carlo, detailing all the happenings and mishaps of the trusty 1983 Monte Carlo that I bracket race weekly at Island Dragway in Street and Pro.

The year started out real well. I lost to Frankie in the semi-finals of Street by only two thousandths of a second to open the year. I lost in Pro in the third round, so overall it wasn’t too bad of a start. After that, however, things went downhill as we struggled with the consistency of the car. We have changed some things in hopes that we have solved the problem. I am sure we will get it figured out, but for now, the frustration continues.

Watching my brother do well, however, is a relief. He is always there with the Nova in Street, and while Pro is a bit of a challenge, I can say he has succeeded in both. He qualified for the Bracket Finals in Street for the first half, so now he can concentrate on winning money, an oxymoron when it comes to drag racing.

Currently, I would like to qualify for the Bracket Finals in Pro, that way I can stay away from Frankie. I think it would be cool to qualify for the Finals in Pro, with the ultimate goal of Frankie and I winning and both going to California together, him in Street and I in Pro. My father would pull his hair out.’

That’s it for now as far as the Monte Carlo. When I win some races and put together a few close packages I will fill you in. Hopefully I can knock off a double-double win like I did last year when I made it to four finals in two weeks with three wins. If so, my next blog will be a ¼ mile long!

Monday, March 20, 2006
Happy Spring!

Happy First Day of Spring! This is Vinnie Cicerale and I am starting a blog. The winter went by so fast, I barely realized we were so close to the racing season. In two weeks, I hop into my new ride: a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, contesting in B/SA. The car owners are the storied “Good Bad Guys”: “Coney Island” Ralph and Adam Landolfi of Landy’s Performance. Check out their website, www.iwantthatmusclecar.com for any of your muscle car needs.

I was really surprised when I got the phone call to drive their car. Actually, I did not even receive the phone call, my father, Frank Cicerale, the patriarch of Tax Bracket Racing, received the call and parlayed the message to me. At first I thought he was joking or maybe saying that Mr. Landolfi was only thinking of it. It was when I went to their shop and got a huge bear hug from Adam that I thought that maybe the ride is more than just a “would-be-nice” kind of thing.

I started driving racecars when I was nine, in a junior dragster. I enjoyed moderate success until I stopped at 17. I won my fair share of local bracket races, but only one big race, the 2001 Division 1 Race of Champions, so I believe I could have been more successful. If I knew then what I know now, forget about it. Then again, I would not be where I am today NOT knowing what I did back then. At any rate, my first huge success came in my first year behind the wheel of my 1981 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, when I won the Bracket Finals and I was the 2003 Sportsman National Champion. It was a great success and a huge deal for someone just getting into a full size racecar. After that, I followed up with a track championship at Island Dragway and a poor showing at the two Bracket Finals following the win.

When not racing the Monte, my father owns a 1987 Ford Thunderbird that I drive in Super Street. The ‘Bird will go 10.90 at 131 on a good day, and I know for a fact it will go 9.83 at 138 because one day I accidentally turned the stop off and ran it out. I LOVE that car. The T-Bird pulls about three foot wheelies, and sets ‘em down right before the 60-foot clock. I shift all three gears by myself, and visibility is limited. Before we got the suspension set up correctly, I was constantly putting the car back in the groove when it made a move. I remember when I ran Tommy DePascale in the fourth round of the Dutch Classic. I was determined to beat him, so I never lifted when the car moved around a little. I got the win, but not without the yelling from my father for not following one of the many golden rules of drag racing: “It’s better to lift and save your car than to try and save it, and put not only your car in danger, but yourself. You can always come back another day.” Ah, I owed Tommy one though. I also beat my mentor and car builder, Glenn Winzer, at this race. It certaintly was mixed emotions, beating a former Division 1 Super Street champion who is also like a second father.

Going back to the Stocker, I am truly excited about this opportunity. Stock and Super Stock are my favorite classes, and I think foot braking, or leaving off the bottom bulb, is the ultimate test of a driver’s concentration. Bottom bulb racing is all I know, and I will never turn my back on this kind of racing, even if I can only afford a dollar Nova to run in Street and Heavy. I look forward not only to help revive the Landy’s Performance name, but also putting myself out there as a good driver in Stock. Is that cocky? No, only a goal, and there isn’t a driver out there that can ever say they haven’t thought the same. My father and the Tax Bracket Racing Team have instilled a desire, a passion, and a necessity to win. I don’t play around. Even if some people out there think I have already accomplished a lot, I believe I have not accomplished enough. I am taking my shot, and where it lands, who knows. All I know is wherever it lands, I am going to make sure that shot is a hard one, maybe even a knockout.