Georgia Drag Racing News

Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Friday Night Drags Presented by ACDelco Week 3 Results

2008-07-05T17:53:00.000-04:00

CONTACT: Marcy Scott
Matthew Simmons

Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Friday Night Drags Presented by ACDelco Week 3 Results

HAMPTON, Ga. (July 4, 2008) – Atlanta Motor Speedway’s third points week of Friday Night Drags presented by ACDelco featured a Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration presented by Charter Communications and was capped off by tons of racing action.

After three weeks of competition, two racers are undefeated, Rodney Tolbert in the ATV class and Jose Samaniego in the Tuner division. Two other competitors claimed their second win in three weeks, Alan Kidd in the Pros and Danny Lowry from the Street Outlaws.

Points will be awarded each night during the 10-week season in every class except the ACDelco Domestic and Tuner. Each division winner will take home three points, second-place two points and the rest of the participants will be awarded one point. The competitor with the most points at the end of the season wins the championship title on August 22. In the event of a tie, the competitor with the most wins will be awarded the title.

Below is a complete list of the Independence Day winners:

Pro: Alan Kidd (Stockbridge) in a 1968 Chevrolet Nova

Pro Four: Tony Taylor (Stockbridge) in a 2005 Mitsubishi Laner

Charter Communications Street Outlaw: Danny Lowry (Griffin) in a 1998 Ford Mustang

Pep Boys Auto Sportsman: Ken Stone (Covington) in a 1977 Chevrolet Luv

Trucks: Dwayne Bethune (Covington) in a 2006 Dodge 2500

Domestic Advanced: Randy Jackson (Bonaire) in a 1988 Ford Mustang

ATV: Rodney Tolbert (Locust Grove) on a 1987 Yamaha

ACDelco Domestic: Raymond Morgan (McDonough) in a 1981 Chevrolet Corvette

Tuners: Jose Samaniego (Jonesboro) in a 1988 Honda CRX

The Show N’ Shine competition featured everything from new imports to classic muscle cars. Below is a complete list of the July 4 winners:

Showroom Current (1973 through current): Roy P. Marcin (Adrian) in a 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT

Runner-up: Sharon Doughty (McDonough) in a 2007 Pontaic Solstice

Third-place: Leigh Blakey (Jonesboro) in a 2002 Pontiac Trans Am

Showroom Classic (1972 and prior): Rodney Allen (Fayetteville) in a 1971 Chevrolet Camaro Z28

Runner-up: Tom Hurt (Conyers) in a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28

Third-place: Fred Phillips (Stockbridge) in a 1970 Chevrolet Camaro Z28

Tuner (all sport compact vehicles): Kimmy Lozano (Jonesboro) in a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt SS

Runner-up: Clark Morris (Hampton) in a 1994 Toyota pickup

Third-place: Nick Rasmussen (Brooks) in a Honda del Sol

Current Custom (1973 through current): Reba Smith (Williamson) in a Ford Mustang

Runner-up: James White (Anniston, Ala.) in a Ford Mustang GT

Third-place: Bruce Boatright (Villa Rica) in a 2007 Ford Mustang GT

Classic Custom (1972 and prior): Phillip Dooley (Conyers) in a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28

Runner-up: Jerry Crawford (Newnan) in a 1955 Ford Panel

Third-place: Chuck Dowell (Dallas) in a 1965 Ford Mustang

Motorcycle: Mike Obert (Riverdale) on a 2003 Honda

Runner-up: Mark Wagner (Hampton) on a 2004 custom Jammer

President’s Award (chosen by AMS president Ed Clark): JW Howard (Hampton) in a 1961 Chevrolet Corvette

Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Friday Night Drags presented by ACDelco is held every Friday night through August 22. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. and nightly drag race eliminations start around 9:00 p.m. Entry for drag racing or the Show N’ Shine is $20, spectator tickets are $7 for adults and children under six are free. More information can be found at www.atlantamotorspeedway.com .

FRIDAY NIGHT DRAGS presented by AC Delco – SPARKTACULAR SPECIAL EVENT THIS FRIDAY NIGHT!!!

2008-07-01T17:35:00.000-04:00

FRIDAY NIGHT DRAGS presented by AC Delco – SPARKTACULAR SPECIAL EVENT THIS FRIDAY NIGHT!!!

You are invited to join the fun this Friday night as Atlanta Motor Speedway celebrates our nation’s birthday. A full night of drag racing in all eight divisions. The Show-N-Shine returns along with the very popular ‘speedway cruise’. Plus, the speedway will host one of the southside’s biggest and best FIREWORKS displays just after the first rounds of racing! It will be a family-fun filled event this Friday, July 4th at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

So far in 2008, the drag racing has been phenomenal with sixteen different drivers winning main events. There has not been a repeat winner in two point nights thus far. The competition has been very close in all divisions and nobody is dominating as was the case in a few classes last year.

Alan Kidd and Billy Clevenger have split the wins in the Pro Division. Throw in a ‘Season Opener’ victory by Tony King and the racing has been wide open and fast in the Pro class. Kidd leads the points with Clevenger, Arnie ‘Superman’ Cobb and Tony Morse snarled in a three way tie for second heading into this Friday’s special 4th of July tournament.

Last year’s Street Outlaw champion, Daryl Stiles, finally snared his first win for 2008 this past Friday. Stiles holds the points lead again with the first week’s winner Danny Lowry pushing him. Stiles was runner-up to Lowry at the first week tussle’s main event.

Another defending champion, Mike Chambers in the Pro Four division, picked up his first win of the season on Friday, June 27. Chambers victory has also placed him in a familiar spot on top of the point series standings. First week winner Tommy Gillepin is currently tied for second place with hot shoe Jason Miller.

Three drivers are locked into a first place tie in the highly competitive Sportsman division as drivers prepare for this weekend’s holiday sparktacular. Bill Hatfield and Jeremy Rhodes have picked up victories while Mark Harris has ended up a bridesmaid both point weekends. There are eleven drivers tied behind the leaders.

Twenty-four competitors have jumped in for the title chase in the Truck division. So far in 2008, Cliff McBurnett and Dwayne Bethune have locked up main event laurels. McBurnett heads the points going into week three of the series while Behtune is tied for second with John Schwarz. Several competitors are tied for third place.

Mike Munoz and Claude Hamby have split victories in the Domestic Advanced division while Rodney Tolbert has two victories in two races for the ATV class.

The Domestic Advanced and ATV classes are new to the series in 2008. The Domestic Advanced gives competitors with racing tires and power adders a division to compete leaving the Domestic class to stock vehicles. The ATVs ran on a regular basis last season, but were not included in a point series.

Friday Night Drags – July 4, 2008

Time Schedule

Orange Lot (tailgating) – Open all day

* across from the main tunnel entrance

Earnhardt Lot (tailgating) – Open all day

* in front of Grandstand Gate

6:00pm Pit Gates, Tech and Registration Open

6:00pm Show-N-Shine Garage Opens

6:15pm Practice Runs Begin

6:30pm Grandstand Gates Open

8:15pm Show-N-Shine Line-Up for Speedway Cruise

8:20pm Speedway Cruise

8:25pm Show-N-Shine on Pit Road

8:50pm Show-N-Shine Awards Ceremony

9:00pm Opening Ceremonies

9:05pm Eliminations Begin

Dusk Fireworks

Spectator Tickets - $7

Children 6 and under – FREE

Drag Race Competitor & Car - $20

Show-N-Shine Competitor & Car - $20

Both Competitions - $30

Infield Car Parking - $20

For additional information, check out the speedway website at http://www.atlantamotorspeedway.com/ .

***** The City of Hampton (located just across US 19/41 from Atlanta Motor Speedway’s main entrance) is having a 4th of July parade and festival. The festivities begin at 10am and will conclude around 6pm when the gates at the speedway open for racing and fireworks. Very family oriented city festival.

Ted Austad

Event Promotions Coordinator

Atlanta Motor Speedway

770-946-3954 office

http://www.atlantamotorspeedway.com/

UPCOMING EVENTS AT ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY

FIREWORKS! FIREWORKS! FIREWORKS!

Thursday, July 3 - Thursday Thunder

Friday, July 4 - Friday Night Drags

TWO HUGE FIREWORKS SHOWS!!!!

Faster Pastor 2008

Thursday, July 17

Nine Pastors! Nine Laps! One Winner!

Atlanta's Holy War!!!

Pep Boys Auto 500 weekend

October 24, 25 and 26

Reserve your seats today!

Call 770-946-4211.

Night of Fire at Atlanta Dragway

2008-06-30T17:46:00.001-04:00

NIGHT OF FIRE…& WATER

By: Amy Glover

(Commerce,GA – June 28) Nature did not rain on Atlanta Dragway’s parade, at leastnot until the fans were satisfied, at the 2008 Night of Fire event, presented byPowerade. In addition to the Summit ET Series bracket racing program, the Nightof Fire event promises exhibition runs, from wheel-standers to jet cars, andthe grand finale of a huge fireworks show. In the face of thunder andlightning, the show went on. A line-up of eight Pro Mod cars sent the fansa-roaring, topped by a face-off between Scott Kennedy’s Controlled??? InsanityFunny Car and Ken Nelson’s Cool Bus, racing to the finish line on just twowheels each. To complete the wild set, Elaine Larsen rolled up in theEmbry-Riddle jet dragster, with three successful runs, the final a uniquepresentation of jet dragster shows anywhere; the jaded were provided with afresh insight into the process. An in-car radio amplified the conversations ofthe Embry-Riddle jet dragster crew, including Elaine’s “Woohoo!’s” following each280-plus mph run. The Embry-Riddle jet team is all about innovation; inresponse to widespread efforts to seek out new means of fuel supply, the jetteam is running with a fuel mixture containing about 70% soybean-basedbio-diesel fuel and 30% conventional jet fuel, contributing engine results datato airplane & jet engine manufacturers via Embry-Riddle AeronauticalUniversity. The culmination of the event was the annual fireworks display,highlighting the approaching July 4th weekend, in celebration ofindependence and the sport of drag racing. The show was made more spectacularby nature’s own contribution; the clouds behind the fireworks lit up withlightning, carried by an approaching storm. Conveniently enough, the clouds didnot break until after the official highlights of the show came to a close,bringing the curtain down on the remaining racers of the accompanying SummitSnap-On points race. The winnings were split among the nine Super Pro, ninePro, eight Sportsman, and six motorcycle racers left in competition, while theJunior Dragster and Pro Mod classes were able to finish.

Along with help from the Pinks AllOut girls (from the previous event taking place at Atlanta Dragway), whocheered and jumped for the crowd’s enthusiasm, the visiting Pro Mods instilledawe in the fans, with super-fast runs almost too quick to keep up with. Thecategory was dominated by Corvettes, namely the ’63 model, with Dan Parker atthe head of the pack. Parker ran 180.28 MPH in 4.06 seconds against thenon-conformist ’04 model driver James Hancock III, whose car gave out mid-race,running 48.82 MPH in 8.93 seconds. Keith Baker from Dothan, AL, andSteve Kirk, Jr. from Monroe, GA placed inthe semi-final round.

The ever-changing weatherprecipitated a challenge for all racers, dial adjustment being the main issuewhen predicting elapsed times throughout unpredictable conditions. 8-12 JuniorDragster winner MacKenzie Butler (10 years old – Jackson, GA) met the challengewith determination, cutting a perfect .000 light against Cole Wood (10 yearsold – Jefferson, GA), who broke out by .05 seconds, running an 8.85 against an8.90. MacKenzie was bursting with pride at winning the big event, telling Embry-Riddlejet driver Elaine Larsen, “I’m very excited. I cut a .000!!” MacKenzie thankedher sponsors, parents James and Terri Butler, and God, and also thanked ChrisMcGee for the motor and MX2 for the clutch. 10 year old Alex Krause of Peachtree City, GA placedthird.

In the 13-17 Junior DragsterCategory, both Brett Bowman (16 years old – Homer, GA) and Taylor Ramsey (15years old – Commerce, GA) struggled with matching their dial-ins, Brett runningan 8.05 on an 8.00, Taylor runningan 8.02 on a 7.99. The race became all about reaction time, Brett ending therace at the starting line with a .059 light against Taylor’s .092, claimingthe win with a .008 margin of victory. Brett met the victory coolly, “It’s abig race, but just like any other win. A lot more people watchin’, y’know.”Brett thanked his parents Howard and Kathy, his friends, and the rest of histeam for supporting him. Amber Stroud (17 years old – Douglasville, GA) took thenumber three position.

Sanctioned by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA),Atlanta Dragway is located just off I-85 at Exit 149 in the Banks Crossing areaof Commerce, Georgia. Information on all 2008 events,including the DRAG RACE RESULTS.COM bracket racing event on July 26-27, may be obtained by callingthe track office (706-335-2301) or logging on to http://www.atlantadragway.com/ .

———————————————————————————————————————————————

PRO MOD CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN

Win: Dan Parker ’63 Corvette Salem, AL 4.06 180.28 ––

R/U: James Hancock III ’04 Corvette Opelika, AL 8.93 48.82 ––

Semi: Steve Kirk, Jr. ’63 Corvette Monroe, GA

Semi: Keith Baker ’63Corvette Dothan, AL

———————————————————————————————————————————————

8-12 JR DRAGSTER AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN

Win: MacKenzie Butler 10 Jackson,GA 13.19 79.32 (13.13)

R/U: Cole Wood 10 Jefferson,GA 8.85 71.97 (8.90)

Semi: Alex Krause 10 PeachtreeCity, GA

———————————————————————————————————————————————

13-17 JRDRAGSTER AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN

Win: Brett Bowman 16 Homer, GA 8.05 77.70 (8.00)

R/U: Taylor Ramsey 15 Commerce,GA 8.02 82.50 (7.99)

Semi: Amber Stroud 17 Douglasville,GA

———————————————————————————————————————————————

9th Annual Buford ACE Classic Cruise-In and Show Saturday October 25th, 2008 10:00am. -2:00pm

2008-06-29T01:00:00.000-04:00

Saturday October 25th, 2008 10:00am. -2:00pm. The 9th Annual Buford ACE Classic Cruise-In and Show!

S&S ACE Hardware & Mower 3400 (swt 20) Buford Dr. (hwy20) Buford , Ga. 30518 . Buford Mall Parking Lot.

Modifieds,Vintage Cars, Street Rods, Classic Drivers, Muscle Cars, Motorcycles, Rare Rides of all kinds! Oldies DJ Mark Joseph , Dozens of Door Prizes. Free Hot Dogs, .25 cent soft drinks, PaintBall Fun.
Optional Judging entry fee $15.
(All Benefits the North Gwinnett Food Bank Co-op).

Sponsored by S&S ACE Hardware & Mower, Website: ssacehardware.com ,Contact: Joe Gagnon, (770)932-1458 or e-mail:jgagnon@ssacehardware.com

Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Friday Night Drags Presented by ACDelco Week 2 Results

2008-06-29T00:01:00.000-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Marcy Scott
Matthew Simmons

Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Friday Night Drags Presented by ACDelco Week 2 Results

HAMPTON, Ga. (June 27, 2008) – The second points round of Friday Night Drags presented by ACDelco featured only two repeat winners out of nine divisions. Jonesboro’s Jose Samaniego and Locust Grove’s Rodney Tolbert scored back-to-back wins in the Tuner and ATV divisions respectively.

Points will be awarded each night during the 10-week season in every class except the ACDelco Domestic and Tuner. Each division winner will take home three points, second-place two points and the rest of the participants will be awarded one point. The competitor with the most points at the end of the season wins the championship title on August 22. In the event of a tie, the competitor with the most wins will be awarded the title.

Below is a complete list of the June 27 winners:

Pro: Billy Clevenger (Jonesboro) in a 1977 Chevrolet Vega

Pro Four: Nate Chambers (Griffin) in a 1957 Volkswagen Bug

Charter Communications Street Outlaw: Daryl Stiles (Williamson) in a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro

Pep Boys Auto Sportsman: Bill Hatfield (Hampton) in a 1993 Ford Mustang

Trucks: Dwayne Bethune (Covington) in a 2006 Dodge 2500

Domestic Advanced: Mike Munoz (Stockbridge) in a 1991 Ford Mustang

ATV: Rodney Tolbert (Locust Grove) on a 1987 Yamaha

ACDelco Domestic: Raymond Morgan (McDonough) in a 1981 Chevrolet Corvette

Tuners: Jose Samaniego (Jonesboro) in a 1988 Honda CRX

The Show n’ Shine competition took a week off due to show preparation for DukesFest at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday and Sunday June 28 and 29.

Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Friday Night Drags presented by ACDelco is held every Friday night through August 22. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. and nightly drag race eliminations start around 9:00 p.m. Entry for drag racing or the Show N’ Shine is $20, spectator tickets are $7 for adults and children under six are free. More information can be found at http://www.atlantamotorspeedway.com/ .

Summit Snap-On event at Atlanta Dragway in 2008 - June 21, 2008

2008-06-28T23:53:00.000-04:00

SUMMERLOVIN’: DRAG RACING PROVES TO BE A FAMILY SPORT

By: Amy Glover

(Commerce,GA – June 21) Despite thunderstorm predictions, the first day of summerand the second points race of the season was met with sunshine and eagerracers. Each class was full of competition, and many final rounds were decidedby break outs and fouls, in the face of some great runs and race vehicles thatseemed to run better broken down. Along with the turnout came racers’relatives, there to support and relish their family’s victory.

Super Pro Winner Stacey Blanton, of Jefferson, GA, pulled anear perfect package in his ’05 Undercover Dragster, running dead on with azero at 5.04. Clay Fancher (’98 Horton – Loganville, GA) would have faced a tough run with or without his breaking out (5.336 on a 5.34),which gave Blanton the win light. Blanton reports facing a dry spell since2003, having ran in 11 finals since, placing second in all, most recently against another Atlanta Dragway racer, Dennis Coover, in the Super Chevy Show three weeks ago. “I was very excited, I was shaking. “ Blanton exclaimed, reaching enthusiastically for his winner sticker. Blanton brought along the whole family, his wife Debbie, five year old son Ryan, and his one year old daughter Shannon; the children witnessing for the first time their father’s success in the fast lane. Stacey thanked his sponsors Sikkens Paint and Blanton Collision.Jim McKelvey (’96 Junk – Snellville, GA) and Robby Brown (’98 S-10 Pickup – Winder, GA) placed in the semi-final rounds.

The Pro class winner was instantly determined when Larry Chance (’68 Camaro – Canton, GA) cut a red-light,handing the win to Howard Warren (‘72 Maverick – Douglasville, GA). Howard Warren attributed his luck to his 10 year old granddaughter Megan Daniel, “I just thought my car was broke the last two runs.” Warren dialed his car up with an educated guess at 7.96 (ultimately running a 7.90), when his Maverick normally runs around 7.15. “This is my first win in five years,”Howard tells, “Hopefully this is the start of getting back on track.” Chad Brewer, from Canton, GA, placed third in his ’67 Camaro.

D.A. Streber, like Blanton, had a near perfect package for securing the Sportsman class win, two runs consecutively. Prior to the final round, he pulled a 12 thousandths package and ended the day with a 15 thousandths package. Streber recounts, “I was thinking,after my 12 thousandths package, I could use a run like that in the finals.”And so he did, with a .0123 margin of victory against the “Bounty Hunter” J.D.Burford, who defeated last weekend’s champion Mel Abney earlier in the competition. Both natives of Greenville, SC, Burford broke out in his ’07 Corvette, with a 12.97 run against his 13.00 dial-in;Streber ran dead on at 19.82 with a .006 light in his ’02 Hyundai, securing his fifth Atlanta Dragway win. Terry Turpin of Maysville, GA finished in the semi-finals with his ’07 Mustang.

The Motorcycle class faced an interesting circumstance, when Jay “Bird” Rhyne (’81 Kawasaki – Athens, GA) met with Tim Sutton (’83 Suzuki – Clermont, GA), a repeat of the last race’s final. “Tim was gunnin’ for me,” Rhyne recounted. “He broke his glasses during his bye-run into the finals.” Sutton’s determination,however, was outmatched by Rhyne’s better dial-in, Sutton running a 9.34 on a9.27 dial, against Rhyne’s 12.55 on a 12.53 dial. Rhyne’s victory allowed him to collect the bounty on himself, regardless of his Kawasaki’s clutch trouble. “My clutch was slippin’ like last time. I put a whole new clutch in it, and it was worse, it just kept on revvin’ up.” Daryl Johnsey, from Cartersville, GA, placed third in his ’82 Kawasaki.

The 13-17 Junior Dragster category was dominated by Chase Mullinax (16 – Buford, GA), putting Kelsey Lynn (14 –Marietta, GA) in second place, with the better light (.024 vs. .086) and better ET (7.91 vs. .7.93), as both raced on a 7.90 dial. “I blew three motors before this,” Chase reports. “Tim Stevens helped put the motor together, and Bill Gillen loaned the clutch; that’s why I cut good lights all day. I couldn’t have done it without them.” Chase reminisced on the finer points of triumph, “It’s been a long time, and it’s fun gettin’ wet,” in reference to the traditional cooler-dump on the weekend’s winner. Chase thanked his mom and dad, also. 13 year old Dylan Hutchins, from Monroe, GA, placed in the semi-finals.

8-12 Junior Dragster driver Becky Granneman (11 – Kennesaw, GA) ran dead on at 9.92, overcoming her late light (.141) against Chris Bowden (12 – Homer, GA), who ran 9.35 on his 9.28 dial-in.Becky’s solid run at the top end guaranteed her first-time victory, alsopossibly procured by pedigree, as Becky is the daughter of track veteran Mark Granneman, multi-time champion and race-winner. Charlie Smith (9 – McDonough, GA) was the semi-finalist.

Sanctioned by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA),Atlanta Dragway is located just off I-85 at Exit 149 in the Banks Crossing area of Commerce, Georgia. Information on all 2008 events,including the Powerade Night of Fire on June 28, may be obtained by calling the track office (706-335-2301) or logging on to www.atlantadragway.com .

———————————————————————————————————————————————-

SUPER PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN

Win: Stacey Blanton ’05 Undercover Jefferson,GA 5.04 135.52 (5.04)

R/U: Clay Fancher ’98 Harton Loganville,GA 5.33 128.21 (5.34)

Semi: Jim McKelvey ’96Junk Snellville, GA

Semi: Robby Brown ’98S-10 Pickup Winder, GA

———————————————————————————————————————————————

PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN

Win: Howard Warren ’72 Maverick Douglasville,GA 7.90 86.85 (7.96)

R/U: Larry Chance ’68 Camaro Canton, GA 6.77 104.64 (6.73) (foul)

Semi: Chad Brewer ’67 Camaro Canton, GA

———————————————————————————————————————————————

SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN

Win: D.A. Streber ’02 Hyundai Greenville, SC 19.82 69.99 (19.82)

R/U: J.D. Burford ’07 Corvette Greenville, SC 12.97 106.37 (13.00)

Semi: Terry Turpin ’07Mustang Maysville, GA

———————————————————————————————————————————————

MOTORCYCLE BIKE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN

Win: Jay “Bird” Rhyne ’81 Kawasaki Athens, GA 12.55 100.49 (12.53)

R/U: Tim Sutton ’83 Suzuki Clermont, GA 9.34 128.09 (9.27)

Semi: Daryl Johnsey ’82 Kawasaki Cartersville,GA

———————————————————————————————————————————————

8-12 JR DRAGSTER AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN

Win: Becky Granneman 11 Kennesaw,GA 9.92 64.31 (9.92)

R/U: Chris Bowden 12 Homer, GA 9.35 68.24 (9.28)

Semi: Charlie Smith 9 McDonough,GA

———————————————————————————————————————————————

13-17 JRDRAGSTER AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN

Win: Chase Mullinax 16 Buford,GA 7.91 76.24 (7.90)

R/U: Kelsey Lynn 14 Marietta, GA 7.93 82.42 (7.90)

Semi: Dylan Hutchins 13

Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Friday Night Drags Presented by ACDelco Week 1 Results (June 20, 2008)

2008-06-28T23:50:00.000-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Marcy Scott
Matthew Simmons

HAMPTON, Ga. (June 20, 2008) – On Friday, June 20 Atlanta Motor Speedway’s pavement pounding Friday Night Drags Series presented by ACDelco got its 2008 official season underway and this summer will bring more than just bragging rights – competitors are racing for nightly trophies and a season-ending championship title.

Points will be awarded each night during the 10-week season in every class except the ACDelco Domestic and Tuner. Each division winner will take home three points, second-place two points and the rest of the participants will be awarded one point. The competitor with the most points at the end of the season wins the championship title on August 22. In the event of a tie, the competitor with the most wins will be awarded the title.

Hundreds of competitors put on a drag racing slugfest for the fans in the grandstands and standing room only pit road area. Below is a complete list of the June 20 winners:

Pro: Alan Kidd (Stockbridge) in a 1968 Chevrolet Nova

Pro Four: Tommy Gillepin (Hampton) in a 1965 Volkswagen Beetle

Charter Communications Street Outlaw: Danny Lowry (Griffin) in a 1998 Ford Mustang

Pep Boys Auto Sportsman: Jeremy Rhodes (Hampton) in a 1989 Ford Mustang

Trucks: Cliff McBurnett (Locust Grove) in a 2007 Ford F-250

Domestic Advanced: Clark Hamby (Stockbridge) in a 1971 Chevrolet Camaro

ATV: Rodney Tolbert (Locust Grove) on a 1987 Yamaha

ACDelco Domestic: Tommy Buffington (Hampton) in a 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle

Tuners: Jose Samaniego (Jonesboro) in a 1988 Honda CRX

The Show N’ Shine competition featured everything from new imports to classic muscle cars. Below is a complete list of the June 20 winners:

Showroom Current (1973 through current): Sally Weaver (McDonough) in a 2004 Chevrolet SSR

Runner-up: Scott Nelson (McDonough) in a 2007 Shelby GT

Third-place: Gary Lee Berry (Peachtree City) in a 1981 Pontiac Trans-Am

Showroom Classic (1972 and prior): Rodney Allen (Fayetteville) in a Camaro Z28

Runner-up: Ken Thaxton (Fayetteville) in a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette

Third-place: Billy Poore (Locust Grove) in a 1951 Ford Victoria

Foreign (manufactured outside the USA): Adam Stoe (McDonough) in a 1995 Acura Integra

Runner-up: Mike Lozano (Jonesboro) in a 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier SS

Third-place: Horavo Amedor (Griffin) in a Honda Accord

Current Custom (1973 through current): Kimmy Lozano (Jonesboro) in a Chevrolet Impala SS

Runner-up: Kevin Watkins (McDonough) in a 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser

Third-place: Patricia Hayes (Hampton) in a 2003 Ford Mustang GT

Classic Custom (1972 and prior): Tony Manning (Hampton) in a 1967 Pontiac Firebird

Runner-up: Keith Lileo (Stockbridge) in a 1969 Camaro Z28

Third-place: Frank Harris (Orchard Hill) in a 1935 Chevrolet School Bus

Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Friday Night Drags presented by ACDelco is held every Friday night through August 22. Pit Gates open at 6:00 p.m. Drag practice runs start at 6:20 p.m. Grandstand gates at 7:00 p.m. and nightly drag race eliminations start at 9:10 p.m. Entry for drag racing or the Show N’ Shine is $20, spectator tickets are $7 for adults and children under six are free. More information can be found at http://www.atlantamotorspeedway.com/

Peachtree City’s Phil White Brings Homebuilt Hot Rod to Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Friday Night Drags Presented by ACDelco

2008-06-04T20:30:00.000-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Marcy Scott
Trey Sanders

HAMPTON, Ga. (June 4, 2008) – The license plate reads “VENNOM” but perhaps “ANTI-VENOM” would be more appropriate. Phil White’s 1965 Shelby Cobra replica is his antidote for speed and he can be seen this summer prowling Atlanta Motor Speedway’s drag strip during Friday Night Drags presented by ACDelco.

“Bitten” by a yellow 1965 Cobra at a young age, White knew eventually he would have to own one.

“I remember when I was about 5-years-old, living in Florida, I saw a yellow Shelby Cobra that was yellow with black stripes,” White explained. “I fell in love with it. That is one of those memories, seeing that car, that I will never forget no matter how old I am.”

Fast forward 35 years and White was ready to make the purchase he had dreamed about since he was a kid. He just had to convince his wife the car would be fun for the entire family.

“My wife is a certified car nut… her first car was a 1968 Camaro SS,” White, an air traffic controller of 22 years said. “I sold my wife on building the car just to cruise around and not to race. She believed me and shortly after we got it built I started racing it. She eventually figured me out and realized my intentions all along, but it was too late.”

In November of 2002, White started constructing his dream car and with the help of his three sons and daughter, finished the final assembly just six months later. The running gear was donated from a Mustang GT and White assembled every nut and bolt on the car himself, only sending the car away to be painted.

“I had the car completely assembled and drivable in just three months, but you have to take the whole thing back apart to get it painted,” White said. “I was so proud when I finished the initial assembly and drove the car in the gel coat that I didn’t want to take it apart to get it painted.

“I really enjoy the fact that I can get out and drive and sometimes race a car that I built myself. I assembled everything on that car so if it breaks, it is my fault, but I am not scared to push that car to the absolute limits because I know it was put together correctly.”

One of White’s fondest memories to date was in June, 2003 when the Formula One racing series visited Indianapolis, Ind.

“My wife and I were cruising the streets of downtown and the place was packed with people from other countries in town for the race,” White remembered. “Every time we saw a police officer, they told us to do a burnout. We rode around the whole night doing burnouts and setting off car alarms.”

Not only does White drag race and show the Cobra at AMS, he also races it in autocross competitions as well as Sports Car Club of America events.

“I love to race it competitively every chance I get and the Friday Night Drags at AMS allow me to do that for a very reasonable price without the fear of getting a ticket or in trouble with the law,” White said. “The entertainment value you get at AMS is second to none. For $20 I can race for an entire night against some incredible competition.”

A three-year veteran of the 101st Air Born Division, White has not planned any drastic changes for the Cobra in the immediate future. However, he eventually would like a little more power under the hood of the 2100-pound rocket. “I am tough to beat off the line during the drags,” White said. “I just need a little more motor to get me across the stripe. Eventually I will look into a bigger engine to put under the hood. I need a little more top-end speed.”

Phil White and his yellow Shelby Cobra can be seen at Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Friday Night Drags presented by ACDelco this Friday, June 6 and every Friday night from June 20 to August 22. More information can be obtained by calling 770-946-4211 or by visiting http://www.atlantamotorspeedway.com/

All Mopar Southern Nationals at South Georgia Motorsports Park

2008-05-24T22:42:00.003-04:00

Memorial Day weekend saw a huge influx of Mopars at SGMP. Two days of bracket racing, a funny car match race, a Slant Six event, a heads-up Barracuda Shootout, a car show, venders, and even exhibition runs by a front-engined dragster and a fuel altered made this a special event.

Saturday highlights included a three round match between the alky funny cars of Mark Billington and Monty Todd. Billington’s Mopar-bodied machine took three straight from Todd’s Camaro much to the delight of the partisan crowd. Billington ran a best of 5.811 247.43 mph. The Slant Six Racing News Shootout was run on Satuday. Logan Foster ran 11.78, 11.78, 11.81, and 11.78 on his 11.77 or .78 dials to handily win. In Dodge of Valdosta Street, Joe Britton beat Jeff Davis in the six round event when Davis broke out by .001. After seven rounds of Jones Chrysler Dodge Pro, Mike Clifford of Deland, FL beat Danny Crawford of Pearl River, LA in a double break-out thriller. In Mopars by Crane Super Pro, the six remaining cars decided to split the purse due to the recent economic downturn, so no winner was declared. In the special Mopar Muscle Magazine Young Guns race, Justin Liberty beat James Guy when Guy broke out.

On Sunday, the main event was the heads-up Pro Lite Buildings Barracuda Shootout. The eight car field consisted of a wide range of cars including a super-charged cuda, a heavily-sprayed cuda, a SS/AH style cuda, and others. The final round came down to Dave Young’s supercharged cuda and Darren Tedder’s nitrous car. Young took the win with an 8.15 167 to Tedder’s game 8.28 at 170.84. Darrell Brantly won the Marsh Performance Quick 16 race over Marcus Crews when Crews went red. John Tillman won the special Fast 16 race (10.50 index) over Brad Cleveram with a near perfect 10.502 to Cleveram’s breaking-out 10.46. The 28 car Mopars by Crane Super Pro race came down to Ken Grant beating Mike Bessent’s seven second ride. Forty-five cars answered the call for Jones Chrysler Dodge Pro on Sunday. Kenny McCoy of Lakeland, FL took the reaction time advantage and ran 10.396 on his 10.39 dial to beat Danny Crawford’s 9.55 on his 9.50 dial. Crawford thus was runner-up on both days of the event. In Dodge of Valdosta Street, it was red hot Ken Grant again. This time he beat Joe Britton in another double break out race to take his second win of the day.

Marvin T. Smith

Click here for Marv's Mopar photos.

502 Chevy Crate Motor/700 Trans For Sale - Brand New - Never Used!

2008-05-24T21:59:00.000-04:00

Long time GeorgiaDragRacing.com sponsor Bogan Renfroe has a brand new, never used 502 CI/502 HP Chevy crate motor (fuel injected, aluminum heads, etc.) with 700 transmission for sale. Call Bogan Renfroe at 770-206-0505 or send an email to me at dayfalcon@earthlink.net for more information.

Blast From the Past Photo - Bogan Renfroe vs. Huston Platt

2008-05-24T21:46:00.000-04:00

Here is a shot from Bogan Renfroe's photo collection of Bogan and Huston Platt in match race action at Dallas, GA circa 1966! I wonder who won this match? I would have loved to have been there for that race and many others!

Hubert Platt Doing Well After Heart Surgery at St. Joseph's Hospital

2008-05-24T21:43:00.000-04:00

As of around 8PM tonight, I'm told that Hubert Platt is back in his hospital room and doing well following his heart surgery on Thursday. When I hear more, I'll pass the news along. Please keep Hubert in your thoughts and prayers.

Huston Platt Article by Rick Minter in AJC Sunday 5-25-08 - Online now

2008-05-24T20:14:00.000-04:00

Here is a nice article on Huston Platt and his last Camaro funny car (recently restored) written by Rick Minter. The article will be in tomorrow's Atlanta Journal Constitution or you can see it online by clicking here.

More Fred Simmons 2008 NHRA Southern Nationals Photos Posted!

2008-05-22T21:45:00.000-04:00

I finally got around to posting more Fred Simmons photos from the Southern Nationals. Click here and and here for the photos.

Hernandez, Harper, Hill, and Thomas win ADRL Hardee’s Georgia Drags at South Georgia Motorsports Park

2008-05-13T18:51:00.000-04:00

by Marvin T. Smith

Photos

The American Drag Racing League, sponsored by Flowmaster and presented by the National Guard, put on the Hardee’s Georgia Drags at South Georgia Motorsports Park May 8-9. This is THE event for pro mods in the Deep South.

Twenty-four Pro Extreme blown pro mods battled for the sixteen car field. Wes Johnson led qualifying with a fine 3.846, but went out in the first round. In the final round, Joshua Hernandez ran low elapsed time and top speed of the meet at 3.824 195.87 to beat a troubled Quain Stott.

In Pro Nitrous, Kentucky’s Billy Harper was the class of the field. Harper ran a string of amazing elapsed times throughout qualifying and eliminations. Some of his times were thrown out when the 60 foot times were simply unbelievable, but Harper was credited with the number one qualifying position at 3.954. On Saturday night, Harper put down a 3.82, but apparently something was hanging below his car and the time was disqualified. In the final, Harper beat Alabama’s Dan Parker with a 3.930 at 186.67 to Parker’s close, but losing 3.994 at 184.47. Harper’s elapsed time became the new ADRL record.

In Extreme 10.5, Georgians Mike Hill and Steve Kirk, Jr. battled throughout the event. Hill set the ADRL record only to have Kirk battle back and retake the record at 4.266. Hill got his revenge in the final round against Kirk, when he ran a 4.285 173.61 to beat Kirk who broke. Hill gets the win, and Kirk is forced to settle for the new ADRL elapsed time record.

In Pro Extreme Motorcycle, Billy Vose led qualifying with a fine 4.305, but was eliminated by eventual winner Georgian Coodee Thomas in the semi-final round with a 4.271 170.19. In the final, Thomas beat Matt Prophit with a 4.31 to the losing 4.409. Thomas exceeded the ADRL speed record, but was unable to back it up.

Even with temperatures in the 90s and adjusted altitude in the 3,500 foot range, drag strip manager Wade Rich groomed the track to record setting performances. It was a great race!

ATLANTA DRAGWAY RACER PAUL SMITH JR WINS PINKS ALL OUT EVENT AT ATLANTA DRAGWAY

2008-05-13T18:42:00.000-04:00

by Tim Glover

The increasingly popular Speed TV show, Pinks All Out, came to Atlanta Dragway May 9-10, 2008 to tape another episode of its growing series. Well over 20,000 spectators (a one day attendance figure rivaled only by the NHRA Southern Nationals) packed the grandstands on both sides of the track. They definitely received their money’s worth during the event, which features nearly 500 “little guy” racers vying for a spot in the 16 car field that the show revolves around. David Harris, media relations manager for Speed said, “Never has there been so much excitement over the little guy racer.”

Pinks All Out is a spin-off of the original Pinks, which aired in 2005 with the premise of old style, “lose the race, lose your ride” pink slip racing. “All Out” is a successful effort by host and executive producer, Rich Christensen, to bring grass roots style drag racing to television. Instead of the typical “Christmas Tree” start, Christensen’s classic “arm drop” first ensures both racers are ready, and then starts them off in a style similar to 50s style drag racing. However, Pinks does use the staging portion of the “Christmas Tree” to ensure both racers are positioned correctly at the starting line.

Pinks technical advisors Nate and Adam Pritchett, stars in their own right, are the ones who ultimately choose the 16 car field for the show. Their goal is to choose the ones that are closest together in elapsed time, to ensure an even, heads-up, wide open, side by side, no holds barred competition. Going into an event, no one knows what range will be selected, although mid ten second quarter mile times are prevalent. For the Atlanta event, the selected field ranged from a quickest time of 10.30 seconds to a slowest of 10.38. Similar to street racing, no times are displayed on the scoreboards, and after the competition begins, not even the competitors are allowed to know their elapsed times. It’s simply a case of the first person to the finish line wins each round. The final round is done a little differently. Both finalists are allowed to start when they get ready, but then are not allowed to turn off their engines, and are not even allowed to remove their safety equipment during a best two out of three passes elimination.

A very diverse field made the cut, including a ’49 Hudson, a diesel powered pickup, a Corvette and the usual collection of popular Mustangs and Camaros. Two women (Wendy Moulton and Laura Bulloch from Lee’s Summit, Missouri) qualified. The racer’s ages varied from 22 (Wendy Moulton – Winder, Ga.) to 70 (Jan Ruble – Statham, Ga.).

Six Atlanta Dragway regulars experienced the thrill of a lifetime by being selected. They were: eventual winner Paul Smith, Jr. (’98 Corvette – Alpharetta, Ga.), Wendy Moulton (’80 Camaro – Winder, Ga. – quarter-finalist), Larry Chance (’68 Camaro – Canton, Ga.- eighth-finalist), Roger Kobos (’78 Monte Carlo – Guyton, Ga. - eighth-finalist), Travis Bryant (’68 Camaro – Bowman, Ga. - eighth-finalist) and Jody Blalock (’49 Hudson – Commerce, Ga. - eighth-finalist).

The Pinks crew discourages “sandbaggers” (people whose cars run a bit slower than they are actually capable of during qualifying) and disqualifies them immediately if they are caught. This did happen during the first round of Pinks All Out after Madisonville, Tenn. racer David Belcher’s ’84 Mustang went noticeably quicker than its qualifying time. Chad Mayhue’s “Team Ford Thunder” ’85 Mustang was re-instated, and the Waleska, Ga. racer went on to finish his day in the semi-final round.

Prior to the runoffs, each finalist was given $500, which they were allowed to wager against their competition. Every racer bet the whole $500 each time, with the winner of the pairing pocketing the cash.

After hearing he was selected for the 16 car field, event winner Paul Smith Jr. said his first reaction was disbelief. He then got down to business. His reaction times were key to his success. After the event, Nate Pritchett told him his reaction times were the quickest and most consistent they have ever seen. He needed every bit, as he squeaked out his first round win by a mere .0015 seconds against fellow Jody Blalock’s incredibly quick ’49 Hudson. In the final round setup, Smith won the first two runs against competitor “Wild” Bill Jones’ Lake City, Fla. based ’71 Mustang, making a third pass unnecessary.

Smith, who competes in the Pro (no electronics allowed) class at Atlanta Dragway’s Summit ET Series events, was definitely happy with the results. When asked about competing against Mustangs (in the quarter-finals and the final), Smith added with a smile, “My Corvette eats Mustangs every day”. After the event was over, Smith was thrilled to have a long line of fans asking for his autograph. “I have given autographs before, but never to anyone over five years old,” he added. Smith, who has been racing for five years, then mentioned this was also his first real win.

In addition to the round money, Paul Smith, Jr., was awarded $10,000 in cash for his win, and also won a toolbox, filled with $8,000 worth of tools donated by Pinks title sponsor NAPA.

Wendy Moulton’s dad, Todd, spent three months preparing her car (which already has numerous wins, with Todd at the wheel) just for the Pinks event, finishing everything except the paint. He was equally thrilled; both with her making the field and talking about his three month old grand baby (Wendy’s daughter, Mackensie). His other daughter, Brandy, was at her senior prom, but has already expressed interest in driving the Camaro. Like Smith, Moulton won her first round by a very tight .009 second margin against Roger Kobos’ ’78 Monte Carlo.

“I couldn’t believe it,” said Travis Bryant after finding out he was selected. His sentiments were echoed by Jody Blalock, who then added, “This is pretty cool!”

Jan Ruble’s deceptively stock appearing ’06 GTO is a daily driver. However, thanks to his Vengeance Racing 427 cubic inch LS-7 engine, low 10 second elapsed times are the norm. Ruble also came in with a slight handicap. His hand required an operation the previous week that involved screws and pins, and it still hurt. He dealt with it, as he didn’t want painkillers affecting his racing. A first round miscue ended his day early, but he was thrilled just to make the field.

In addition to the main event 16 car field, a Nate’s Quick Eight field was also contested, which paired the quickest eight cars on the grounds in what turned out to be a $6000 (cash and prizes) winner take all competition, thanks to help from several sponsors, beginning with Atlanta Dragway, which put up $500. Drama and excitement were the rule of the day, illustrated by a first round carburetor explosion and subsequent fire in Bobby Daniels’ Hurst Olds (he was unable to restart for competition). Mike Ghee’s Loganville, Ga. based ’71 Camaro was actually the second quickest car on the grounds (7.81 second quarter mile time). However, it didn’t matter in the final after opponent Alvin Conner’s ’85 Mustang broke on the starting line, allowing Ghee to take an uncontested $6000 victory.

To keep the crowd entertained while the finalist’s cars were equipped with cameras and microphones for the show, numerous exhibition runs were made. Elaine Larsen wowed the crowd with a smoke and fire show, followed by a blistering 5.588 second pass at 283.37mph in her Embry Riddle Aeronautical University jet car. Larsen’s car was also equipped with a microphone, and she kept the crowd cheering by speaking to them all the way up to the time she staged her car, and immediately after the pass while she was coasting to a stop. Danny O’Day, who recently reset the world record wheelstander elapsed time to 8.67 seconds at Gainesville Raceway, drove his Superwinch ’34 Ford wheelstander to an impressive 8.90 second time, tripping the timers with his rear wheels. The Dixie Pro Mods put on a show, along with some Pro Stock bikes, Outlaw 10.5 cars and nitromethane burning Harley motorcycles. Four of Atlanta Dragway’s Junior Dragster competitors, Cole Wood, Dylan Hutchins, Ashton McCammon and Jackie Lastinger, showed the crowd what the kids could do, running their 80 mph dragsters on an eighth mile course.

Everyone involved is already looking forward to the next Pinks All Out event. The Atlanta Dragway Pinks event is set to air on Speed TV at 9:00pm on August 14, 2008.

Sanctioned by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), Atlanta Dragway is located just off I-85 at Exit 149 in the Banks Crossing area of Commerce, Georgia. Information on all 2008 events, including the Super Chevy Show, may be obtained by calling the track office (706-335-2301) or logging on to www.atlantadragway.com .

1st Annual GMP Open House and Car Show May 10, 2008

2008-05-08T15:57:00.002-04:00

11 AM - 4 PM at GMP Headquarters

GMP, world leader in limited edition diecast replicas, invites you to bring your hot rod, muscle car, or other specialty vehicle to visit our world headquarters.

Food and refreshments will be available so bring the whole family! See Gordy Foust and the Berger Camaro (pictured above)! Look for special sale items and office tours, too!

Located at: 45 Polite Road, Winder, GA. 30680 Behind Akins Ford dealership.
Contact Tom, Mat or Alice @ 770-868-1042 8-5 PM M-F

GMP Diecast

Atlanta Motor Speedway Turns to Fans to Find the Voice of Friday Night Drags

2008-05-08T15:49:00.000-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Marcy Scott
Trey Sanders

Open Auditions to be Held on June 6 During Season Opener

HAMPTON, Ga. (May 7, 2008) – The Georgia Bulldogs have renowned play-caller Larry Munson, while the Atlanta Braves leave their broadcasting to hall of famers Skip Caray and Pete Van Wieren. Atlanta Motor Speedway is offering fans the opportunity to be the next great announcer from the Peach State during the track’s Friday Night Drags series this summer, calling all of the action during each night of racing.

Friday Night Drags non-points season opener is scheduled for June 6 and fans are invited to participate in a live audition, earning the right to be the track’s public address announcer this summer.

Slated for twelve events, Friday Night Drags has been tremendously successful, regularly drawing crowds of 5,000 spectators to AMS for heads-up drag racing down AMS’ eighth-mile pit-road drag strip.

“We are searching for someone passionate about drag racing,” said Ed Clark, AMS president and general manager. “We could select a professional announcer, but we want someone who will have fun interacting with the crowd. They don’t have to have any previous experience, just someone who will enjoy this unique opportunity.”

Fans interested in participating in the audition should visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com, click on the Friday Night Drags link and register online, or fans can mail their contact information to: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Attn.: Friday Night Drags PA, P.O. Box 500, Hampton, GA 30228. The track will contact those interested individually and provide further details.

All entries must be submitted by Friday, May 30, 2008.

2008 Schedule - Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine (points races)

June 20 - "Tuner Tourney" - Special awards and races for Turner Divisions 'Points Opener' (All Divisions)

June 27 - Dukes Fest General Lee Challenge & Celebrity appearances

July 4 - "July 4th Frenzy" Fireworks & Drag Racing Points Race

July 11 - Special Series - "Motorcycle Races"

July 18 - "Backwards Drag Racing"

July 25 - Dick Rosberg and his wild Jet Car returns to AMS

August 1 - Special Series - SEMDRA Showcase – Motorcycle Drag Racing Spectacular

August 8 - "Mustang Mania" - Special Awards & Races for Mustangs

August 15 – “Chevy Challenge" - Special Night for the Bowtie Brigade

August 22 - "Points Championship" Plus, motorcycle races

South Georgia Motorsports Park prepares for ADRL Pro Mods

2008-05-06T19:31:00.001-04:00

by Marvin T. Smith

South Georgia Motorsports Park, home of the world’s fastest and quickest quarter mile Pro Mod runs, is getting ready for the ADRL Outlaw Pro Modifieds big event this weekend. Sponsored by Hardee's, the ADRL Georgia Drags comes to town this Friday and Saturday.

The all-concrete track in Cecil, Georgia (just outside of Valdosta, GA) is famous for its bite. The near-sea level track has seen several assaults on drag racing records. Just this Spring at the Eastern Spring Test Nationals sponsored by CompetitionPlus.com, John Russo ran the quickest quarter mile pass in Pro Modified history with an outstanding 5.89. His teammate, Raymond Commisso ran the fastest pass ever recorded at 247.52 mph. SGMP is also the home of the first eighth mile three second pass by a nitrous Pro Mod. The current SGMP eighth mile track records are 3.804 at 198.67 for blown outlaw cars held by Jason Scruggs set last Spring at the ADRL event, and 3.982 at 186.23 mph for nitrous pro mods set by Jim Halsey during testing this Spring.

Although the forecast calls for a hot track, night racing may make it possible for the ADRL records to fall this weekend. The current ADRL records are 3.703 at 205.22 for blown cars and 3.969 and 189.26 for nitrous cars. Drag strip manager Wade Rich feels like the nitrous record is within the realm of possibility. He will have the track ready for all comers.

Don’t miss this exciting event. Free tickets are available at various locations in Valdosta.

Kurt Johnson Scores a Decisive Win in St. Louis

2008-05-06T19:28:00.000-04:00

Contact: Jon Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing, Inc.

May 4, 2008, Madison, IL – Kurt Johnson and the ACDelco Cobalt Racing team made a dramatic return to the NHRA winner’s circle on Sunday, capturing the Pro Stock title at the O’Reilly Midwest Nationals in Madison, IL. Starting from the fifth position, Johnson was the class of the field throughout eliminations, methodically posting the quickest time in each round to defeat Todd Hoerner, Jeg Coughlin and V. Gaines. This set the stage for a final-round encounter with David Connolly, who was racing in his second race since returning to the POWERade Drag Racing Series in Atlanta a week ago.

Knowing he would need an almost flawless performance to capture his third win at Gateway International Raceway, Johnson took control from the start, leaving the starting line ahead of his opponent and never looked back, using a 6.631-second, 209.30 mph pass to easily outdistance his rival’s 6.651-second, 208.78 mph effort and score his first national event win since February 2007. It was the 37th national event win of Johnson’s career, first of the 2008 season and third at Gateway International Raceway.

“It was a great day at Gateway for the ACDelco Cobalt Racing team,” said Johnson. “You never know what to expect at one of these races. Everybody in Pro Stock is hungry, and everyone we faced today ran pretty well, so if we had made one little slip-up, someone else might have won.

“Going into the final, we knew David (Connolly) is a good driver with a good team and that we would have to be on our game to get by him. Fortunately, the crew did an outstanding job, we made the right calls on the tune-up, and I did my job behind the wheel. It just feels good to win for everyone on this team, our great sponsors including ACDelco and Chevrolet as well as all the people who support us.”

After setting career bests in elapsed time and top speed in qualifying fifth, Johnson quickly established himself as a contender on Sunday, with his 6.581-second, 209.36 mph pass in the first round against rookie Todd Hoerner lowering his personal best by another hundredth of second and setting the standard for the Pro Stock class in eliminations.

However, Johnson’s next opponent would prove to be his toughest of the day, as he took on defending Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin. In the closest race of the day of any of the professional categories, KJ combined a stout .014 reaction time with a 6.620, 209.33 mph pass to edge Coughlin by one ten-thousandth of a second, as he posted a 6.623-second, 208.01 mph in the losing effort.

“We knew we really had to dig down for the run against Jeg,” stated Johnson. “He is always so tough on the starting line, and looking at the numbers from the first round, we ran a 6.58, while he ran a 6.61, so he knew if he had a good light, he would be there, and it ended up being really close. It was probably the race of the day, and fortunately we were able to come out on top, which was a big lift for the entire team. However, at that point we had to remind ourselves that we were only halfway home.”

The ACDelco crew’s solid performance continued in the semifinals. Even though V. Gaines’ red-light start awarded him the automatic win, Johnson put himself in good shape.for the final round by posting a 6.619-second, 208.78 mph pass to earn lane choice against Connolly, in what proved to be the first step towards ending his 28-race winless streak.

“We made some big changes coming in to today, and our ACDelco Cobalt went down the track on every run, which is what you have to do in this category,” said Johnson. “Everyone on both my ACDelco and Dad’s (six-time champion Warren Johnson) GM Performance Parts crew have been working extremely hard, doing what they can to help, and it makes a big difference all the way around when one of our cars makes it to the winner’s circle.

“This was a big win for us, because once you know you can do it, it makes it a little easier to do it again. But I’ve been around long enough to realize how hard these are to get and to appreciate every win. After all, it starts all over again in two weeks when we get to Bristol, and we’re going to do our very best to do this all over again.”

FRIDAY NIGHT DRAGS – TEST & TUNE THIS FRIDAY NIGHT!!!

2008-04-29T17:27:00.000-04:00

FRIDAY NIGHT DRAGS – TEST & TUNE THIS FRIDAY NIGHT!!!
May 2, 2008

MOPAR MADNESS & FRIDAY NIGHT DRAGS
Gates Open at 6pm. Registration and Tech opens at 6pm.
New tech officials for 2008 – Eddie Freshwater, Art Petry and Russ Sapp.
Practice Runs start at 6:30pm.
Practice Ends at 10:00pm.
Drag racing - $20
Spectators - $7 (no grandstand – infield only)
Enter through the main tunnel located on Speedway Boulevard (near Airport).

New class added to Friday Night Drags rules. Domestic Advanced!!!! Check it out!!!

ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY

FRIDAY NIGHT DRAGS RULES

The rules and/or regulations set forth herein are designed to provide for the orderly conduct of racing events and to establish minimum acceptable requirements for such events. These rules shall govern the condition of all events, and by participating in these events, all participants are deemed to have complied with these rules. NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OR SAFETY SHALL RESULT FROM PUBLICATIONS OF OR COMPLIANCE WITH THESE RULES AND/OR REGULATIONS. They are intended as a guide for the conduct of the sport and are in no way a guarantee against injury or death to a participant, spectator or official.

GENERAL RULES – Applies to all vehicles and competitors entered in event.
NO ALCOHOL ALLOWED IN THE COMPETITION AREA.
Maximum of 10 mph speed limit in pit area. No burnouts in the pit area.
Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated and is cause for immediate dismissal and may result in arrest.
All decisions by officials, tech personnel and management are final and binding.
All vehicles must complete technical and safety inspection prior to practice and competition.
All vehicles must have working seat belts or up-to-date safety harness.
All drivers must wear a helmet when doing burn-out, practice or competing.
All vehicles must be free of fluid leaks.
Air-conditioners must be turned off when in the staging, burn-out and track areas. Use of air conditioners is grounds for disqualification and dismissal from the event area.
All vehicles must have battery secured in car.
A driver’s accumulated points do not transfer divisions.
HAVE FUN! MAKE FRIENDS! GO HOME HAPPY!

DIVISIONAL RULES – Applies to all divisions.
All vehicles will be placed in a racing division by the technical inspector at the completion of the annual technical and safety inspection. Their decision is final and binding.
All vehicles are subject to inspection at any time during the event and must remain within the division guidelines provided herein or will be disqualified from the event.
All drivers are eligible for point’s championship in their respective division. There will be no points awarded in the Domestic, Domestic Advanced or Tuner divisions. These divisions are for fun racing only and will be awarded trophies only at the end of each race night.
NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OR SAFETY SHALL RESULT FROM PUBLICATIONS OF OR COMPLIANCE WITH THESE RULES AND/OR REGULATIONS.

All divisions will have a point’s race crowning a season champion. Points will be accumulated at all events scheduled. AMS will honor the top drivers in each point’s division during the NASCAR weekend this October. Nightly points awarded as follows:

Final round winner = 3 Final round runner-up = 2 All others = 1

PRO – Any and All. This is the class that is wide open. If your car does not fit in the rules listed below, this is the class you run.

STREET OUTLAW – Any car or truck with stock appearing body with stock rear frame rails. Minimal tubing allowed (full tubing ‘narrowed up’ is not allowed). Four links, ladder bars and coil over shocks are permitted. Any engine modification is allowed. Any tire is allowed.

PRO FOUR – Foreign and Domestic cars or trucks with three or four cylinders and anything more than stock. Racing slicks, nitrous, modified suspension, rotary engines, power adders and drive train modifications are allowed. This is the wide open class for the Tuner guys.

SPORTSMAN – Foreign and Domestic cars or trucks with stock body. All control arms, shocks and springs must be in stock location. No cutting of inner or rear fender wells (only outside can be rolled). Any engine modification allowed. Maximum tire size is 28 x 10.5. No ‘W’ tires allowed. No wheelie bars allowed.

TRUCKS – Foreign and Domestic trucks with eight or ten cylinder stock style engines (diesel or gas). No nitrous allowed. Only factory turbos and super chargers permitted. Stock suspension in stock locations. Stock drive train. DOT treaded tires only. No drag radials or DOT slicks.

DOMESTIC ADVANCED – Same rules as the Domestic class only nitrous and drag radials will be allowed. No points championship in this division. Nightly honors only.

DOMESTIC – American made cars with stock suspension in stock location, stock interior, no cutting of the body, fender wells or floor pan. No nitrous allowed. DOT treaded tires only. No drag radials or DOT slicks. No points championship in this division. Nightly honors only.

TUNERS – Foreign and Domestic cars and trucks with three, four or six cylinders (no diesel and no nitrous) with stock suspension in stock location, stock interior and no cutting of the body, fender wells or floor pan. DOT treaded tires only. No drag radials or DOT slicks. No points championship in this division. Nightly honors only.

ATV – Any four wheeled ‘All-Terrain Vehicle’. Drivers must wear long pants and long sleeve shirts while competing. Any ATV displaying fluid leaks in the staging area or starting box will be disqualified from the entire event.

MOTORCYCLES – Any motorcycle is eligible for competition. Driver must wear a helmet and full leathers. Motorcycle drag races will take place only on the following dates: May 30; July 11; August 22.

All competitors must register their vehicle prior to being eligible for competition. Registration takes place at the Drag Race Tech Area located inside the NASCAR Sprint Cup garage. All drivers must register each night they compete, regardless of division. All cars must pass through an annual tech inspection prior to their first competition.

FRIDAY NIGHT SHOW-N-SHINE DIVISIONS

SHOWROOM CURRENT - Stock vehicles from 1973 through current.

SHOWROOM CLASSIC – Stock vehicles from 1972 and prior.

o TUNER – Sport Compact vehicles.

CLASSIC CUSTOM – Custom vehicle models from 1972 and prior.

CURRENT CUSTOM – Custom vehicle models from 1973 through current.

MOTORCYCLE – All two-wheeled rides.

PRESIDENT’S CHOICE – Nightly award chosen by AMS track president.

All Show-N-Shine vehicles must register at the show area in the NASCAR Nationwide Garage. Participants are invited to the Show-N-Shine Speedway Parade. Each night around 8:30pm participants will parade around the speedway and park in front of the grandstand on the front stretch. Fans will be invited to view the cars on the front stretch while final judging is completed. Awards will be given at this location prior to opening ceremonies.

Event winners will be invited back to our NASCAR show on Sunday, October 26. We will showcase our 2008 Show-N-Shine winners along the front stretch during opening ceremonies and driver introductions for the Pep Boys Auto 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY DRAG RACING & CAR SHOW
2008 Event Calendar – Schedule is subject to change

Friday, May 2 MOPAR Madness – Open Drag Racing for all cars, trucks and ATVs
Special Racing for all MOPAR powered machines presented by North
Georgia Mopar Club and Mopar Muscle Magazine. Test & Tune for FND.

Saturday, May 3 MOPAR Southern Classic Car Show & Swap Meet (No drags on Saturday)
Visit http://www.northgeorgiamoparclub.com/ for more information.

Friday, May 30 Street Warriorz National Tour (Car Show, Stereo Wars & More)
Drag racing for all cars, trucks, ATVs and motorcycles. Plus, car show, stereo wars,
swimsuit contest, live music and lots more. Test & Tune for FND.

Friday, June 6 Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine “Season Opener” (Non-Points Race)
Come on out and join the fun of Friday night street drags and the
fabulous show-n-shine car show. It’s a ‘get ready for the season’ blow-
out of fun with hot rods and hot bods.

Saturday, June 14 Goodguys Rod & Custom Southern Nationals (No drag racing this weekend)
& Sunday, June 15 Thousands of classic and customs to 1972. Hundreds of awards,
vendors, seminars, specialty garages, entertainment and lots more. Its
acres and acres of vintage steel in candy colors and chrome.

Friday, June 20 Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine “Points Opener” (Tuner Tourney)
The first night of points and the special ‘Tuner Tourney’. All drag
racers and show cars are invited to the first points night of Friday Night Drags!

Friday, June 27 Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine
Drag racers and show cars! Plus, a special ‘General Lee Challenge’ will
take place as Dukes Fest ’08 opens up the following morning.

Friday, July 4 Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine
Celebrate the 4th of July with family and friends including one of the
largest fireworks displays in the Atlanta area taking place just before
eliminations begin.

Friday, July 11 Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine
Drag racers, show cars and motorcycles allowed to drag race!

Friday, July 18 Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine
Drag racers and show cars! Plus, the crazy backwards drag racing!

Friday, July 25 Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine
Drag racers and show cars! Plus, the wild jet-powered dragster!

Friday, August 1 Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine
Drag racers, show cars and SEMDRA motorcycles!

Friday, August 8 Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine (Mustang Mania)
Drag racers and show cars! Special racing and show awards for the
mighty Ford Mustang! Celebrate 44 years of pony power!

Friday, August 15 Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine (Chevy Challenge)
Drag racers and show cars! Special racing and awards for all Chevy
powered dragsters and show cars!

Friday, August 22 Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine Points Championship
The final of points for drag racers! This night determines the drivers competing at
our NASCAR weekend special event! Motorcycles can drag race, too!
Friday, Sept. 26 Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine (Non-Points Race)
Come on out and join the fun of Friday night street drags and the
fabulous show-n-shine car show.

Friday, Oct. 3 Super Chevy Weekend
Saturday, Oct. 4 Everything from Chevy Nitro Coupes to jet cars to brackets.
Sunday, Oct. 5 Plus a huge car show, vendor area and swap meet! All GM vehicles invited!!!

October Friday Night Drags NASCAR Shoot-Out
The top drivers in the points will be invited back for a flat out race in
front of the NASCAR fans, drivers and media!

October 26 NASCAR Show-N-Shine
We will showcase our 2008 Show-N-Shine winners along the front stretch during
opening ceremonies and driver introductions for the Pep Boys Auto 500 NASCAR
Sprint Cup race.

Ted Austad
Event Promotions Coordinator
Atlanta Motor Speedway
770-946-3954 office
http://www.atlantamotorspeedway.com/

UPCOMING EVENTS AT ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Street Warriorz Drag Racing & Car Show
May 30

Thursday Thunder Season Opener
June 5

Friday Night Drags Season Opener
June 6

2nd Annual Goodguys Rod & Custom Southern Nationals
June 13, 14 and 15

Dukes Fest ’08 and Hazzard County Fair
June 28 and 29

Major League of Monster Trucks
July 6

Pep Boys Auto 500 weekend
October 24, 25 and 26

Reserve your seats today!
Call 770-946-4211.

NHRA Southern Nationals Photos by Fred Simmons

2008-04-28T22:25:00.000-04:00

Fred Simmons shot photos at the Southern Nationals for GeorgiaDragRacing.com last weekend. I've posted a few and more will be posted as soon as possible. Thanks for the great photos, Fred!

2008 NHRA Southern National Photos

Bevins and Arnold dominate Summit Racing Series event at SGMP

2008-04-28T22:19:00.000-04:00

Cecil, GA April 26 and 27.

After winning last month’s Summit Series event, Kenny Bevins, Jr. returned to South Georgia Motorsports Park with his Camaro to continue to dominate the Sportsman category. On Saturday night, Bevins beat J. P. Hickman with a decisive reaction time advantage. In Sunday Sportsman action, Bevins went five rounds to defeat a fouling Gaines Hickman in the finals.

Young Jessica Arnold had a huge weekend in the Advanced Jr. Dragster category, winning on both Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, Jessica beat Cory Cox in the final round when she took the reaction time advantage and ran a fine 7.971 on her 7.97 dial. Jessica would have been hard to catch with that package, and Cory broke out trying to run her down. On Sunday, after five rounds of hard racing, Jessica again won over a fouling Sam Slater. In the runoff between the Intermediate winner and the Advanced winner on Sunday, Jessica defeated Drew Hostetter. Jessica’s only defeat during the entire weekend came in the Runoff on Saturday, when her sister, Intermediate winner Jordan Arnold, put her on the trailer.

In other action, John Konnick won Saturday’s seven-round Super Pro race with a fine .016 rt and a 4.923 on his 4.92 dial to defeat Ricky Williams who fouled by .002 seconds. Marty Nichols in the Flintstone Flyer dragster won Sunday’s Super Pro race when Margie Richardson broke in the semifinals and could not return. Ken Grant won Saturday’s Pro category over Ronnie Weeks, and Kelly King beat Hugh West in Sunday’s Pro final when West fouled. In the Junior Dragster Intermediate category, Jordan Arnold defeated a fouling Colton Sapp on Saturday, and Drew Hostetter beat Colton Sapp on Sunday when Sapp narrowly broke out.

Marvin T. Smith