Butcher Brings Home a Race #4 Win!

By Christian and Tyler Fillipone: August 16^th, 2025

Race #4 took place on August 16^th, 2025, and brought 49 racers to New England Dragway for a double-header weekend. With a great weather forecast, these 2 races would solidify the ladder for the 16-car Gutters by Design All-Star Shootout. Of the 49 racers, Henry Specht took the #1 qualifying spot earning himself the round 1 bye!

Jumping into round 4, only 7 drivers remained. Ed Bednaz in his Nova would take on Gary Parker in his Corvette. Bednaz, with the starting line advantage, was able to take the win with a 10.346 (10.33), as Parker broke out trying to stay in front of Bednaz by running a 11.164 (11.22).

Up next was Chris Butcher in the Camaro and DJ Pires in the Firebird. This matchup was an H/SA heads-up, where DJ’s starting-line advantage wasn’t enough to get around Butcher’s 10.805 on the 12.15 index (-1.345 under). Tom Boucher would then take on Pat Aubin for a chance to advance to the semifinals. Aubin, with a better reaction time by .016, was able to get to the finish line first by .003 to run 10.312 (10.29) to hold off Boucher’s 9.679 (9.67). The final competitor in round 4 was Richard Preiser with the laddered bye-run. Preiser elected to break-the-beams to prepare for his semi-final matchup against Butcher.

4 racers remained in the round 5 semi-final, starting off with Butcher and Preiser. Butcher, coming off a round 4 heads-up, matched his dial to his previous run’s ET at a 10.80. Butcher left the starting line first and had the reaction-time advantage by .044. Preiser took the finish line by .012 to break out running 10.209 (10.25) to give Butcher the win with his 10.815 (10.80). The second semi-final matchup was between Pat Aubin and Ed Bednaz. Bednaz would have the head start by .04, where he turned it -.013 red to give Aubin the go ahead to the final round, against Butcher.

Butcher and Aubin faced off in their Camaros for a chance at an ASRA race #4 win. Butcher dialed a 10.80 and would leave first against the 10.29 dial of Aubin. With both drivers away clean off the starting line, Butcher earned himself an advantage of .024. At the finish line, Butcher was able to get there first to run a 10.824 (10.80) to best the 10.333 (10.29) of Aubin. Congratulations to the Butcher family on their win!

Special Award Winners:

Boucher's Racing Engines Bounty Hunter: Tony Fillipone

Seacoast Auto Repair #1 Qualifier: Henry Specht

D.I.P.G. Awareness Take Out the #1 Qualifier: Paul Sutherland

Eric Merryfield's Best Losing Package Rd #1: Brady Jezewski

Deanco Automotive Dead on the Dial: Ed Bednaz

Nexus Consulting Best Winning Package: Pat Aubin

Deanco Automotive "Its Been Awhile": N/A

Boucher's 50th Anniversary Winner's Bonus: N/A