Hills East Grad Needs Your Vote to Win Entry to $50K Drag Race

Vincent Nobile has heard from a "pretty reliable source" that he's second in the voting to claim an entry into a $50,000 drag race in Ohio.

Now it's time to push him into first. 

Nobile, a 2010 graduate of and current rookie on the NHRA Pro Stock tour, is competing with 25 other racers for the eighth and final entry into the K&N Horsepower Challenge to be held later this month.

Click here to vote for Nobile. Voting ends at 6 p.m. Friday.

The first seven positions in the "all-star race" were determined by points earned during races.

"The reason I didn't earn a spot is because i didn't race last year to accumulate points," Nobile explained, "so I'm banking on fans voting me in."

Nobile, who just finished his freshman year at Adelphi University, began racing at age 8 as a "junior dragster."

"I raced when I was 8 and 9, but from then on, I didn't do anything but watch my father," Nobile said of John Nobile, a long-time Pro Stock competitor.

"He taught me everything I know so he's my inspiration and everything having to do with racing," the 19-year-old from Dix Hills added. 

Win or lose the fan vote, Nobile is quickly making a name for himself on the circuit--he's taken part in eight races--reaching four final rounds and winning one, good enough to claim the fourth spot on the Pro Stock points leaderboard.

"The year has been really good so far," he said.

If he gets a shot to race for a $50,000 first prize, it could quickly get a whole lot better.