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Atlanta Dragway Results
RACE DATE: April 19-21, 2002FROM: Amy & Tim Glover EVENT: Fun Ford Weekend at Atlanta Dragway NOTES: For the third major event in a row this year, a Florida event was completed at the Atlanta Dragway. First, NMCA finished their rained out Florida race here, then ProStar finished their rained out Gainesville Motorcycle event, then Fun Ford finished their Orlando event here on Saturday. Pro 5.0 racer Chuck Samuels brought the crowd to their feet Saturday night in the Orlando final when he lost control in his Mustang and crossed the finish line on the roof. Saturday Street Ford (mufflers and DOT tires required) racer Jim Peebles became this weekend's first winner when he defeated Jodee Lee, who was in her second final round this year. Quick Ford racer Mike Moore defeated Atlanta Dragway regular James Noel in a double red-light affair. Noel changed the engine combination this year in his '66 Fairlane so he could compete in some Nostalgia races, using a 390 FE block, 406 tri-power heads and a medium riser two four barrel intake on his ride. Modular Motor racer David Smith had an easy run in the Fast Ford final after the battery in Donna McCain's '85 Mustang gave up the ghost and would not start for the final. McCain was philosophical about her loss, adding "I've got $500, the paint is still on the car, and the oil is still in the pan. It's been a good night." Following results is the rest of the story. NOTE: If you would like this report via email, please contact me, wratracing@mindspring.com or call the track. SATURDAY STREET FORD CAR, HOMETOWN, ET, MPH, DIAL Win: Jim Peebles, '88 Mustang, Melbourne, FL, 13.53, 98.47, (13.50) R/U: Jodee Lee, '98 Mustang, Cornelia, GA, (foul) 15.02, 92.54, (14.90) Semi: Chris Derosa, '93 Mustang, Knoxville, TN SATURDAY QUICK FORD, CAR, HOMETOWN, ET, MPH, DIAL Win: Mike Moore, '89 Mustang, Pelzer, SC, 11.68, 114.22, (11.74) R/U: James Noel, '66 Fairlane, Walhalla, SC, 12.74, 107.40, (12.82) Semi: Howard Warren, '72 Maverick, Douglasville, GA Semi: Kevin Todd, '86 Ford Trash Truck, Phenix City, AL SATURDAY FAST FORD, CAR, HOMETOWN, ET, MPH, DIAL Win: David Smith, '99 Mustang, Frankston, TX, 22.65, 48.02, (12.80) R/U: Donna McCain, '85 Mustang, Opelika, AL, broke Semi: Jon Pickering, '74 Mustang II, Troy, OH SUNDAY STREET FORD, CAR, HOMETOWN, ET, MPH, DIAL Win: Brad Gasaway, '94 Taurus, Marietta, GA, 15.45, 81.08, (15.35) R/U: Ronnie Sewell, '85 Ford Trash Truck, Columbus, GA, 16.19, 78.26, (16.20) Semi: Eric Dills, '90 Mustang, Young Harris, GA Semi: Brian Harris, '94 Cobra, Toccoa, GA SUNDAY QUICK FORD, CAR, HOMETOWN, ET, MPH, DIAL Win: Kevin Todd, '86 Ford, Trash Truck, Phenix City, AL, 17.37, 74.63, (17.34) R/U: Mack Everett, '85 Mustang, Blairsville, GA, 11.92, 111.67, (11.93) Semi: Joey Chain Drive Rutledge, '90 Mustang, Stone Mtn., GA SUNDAY FAST FORD, CAR, HOMETOWN, ET, MPH, DIAL Win: Will McKay, '85 Thunderbird, Rockingham, NC, 12.01, 113.64, (12.02) R/U: Ronnie Snipes, '68 Fairlane, Wagner, SC, (foul) 11.97, 112.50, (11.95) Semi: Howard Brewer, '85 Mustang, Bennett, NC SUNDAY TRUE STREET, CAR, HOMETOWN, ET, MPH, DIAL Win: Danny Taylor, '99 Cobra, Williamston, SC, 13.93, 102.98, (13.52) R/U: Jeremy Pearson, '78 Fairmont Wagon, Easley, SC, (foul) 13.45, 93.56, (13.42) Semi: Brad Adderhold, '98 GT, Piedmont, AL PRO 5.0, CAR, HOMETOWN, ET, MPH Win: John Gullett, '01 Mustang, Op, FL, 6.67, 215.34 R/U: Doug Mangum, '98 GT, Bells, TX, 8.10, 137.62 Semi: Brit Floyd, '00 Mustang, Fayetteville, GA STREET OUTLAW, CAR, HOMETOWN, ET, MPH Win: Brad Brand, '92 Mustang, Loganville, GA, 8.31, 180.02 R/U: Dennis Ramsey, '01 Mustang, Land O' Lakes, FL, 8.81, 154.12 Semi: Mark Enwia, '92 Mustang, Skokie, IL Semi: Alan Dudley, '93 GT, Somerville, AL STREET BANDIT, CAR, HOMETOWN, ET, MPH Win: Shane Long, '87 Mustang, Greenville, SC, 9.50, 140.63 R/U: Kurt Neighbor, '87 Mustang, Twinsburg, OH, 9.62, 141.52 Semi: Steve Barton, '88 Mustang, Riverview, FL Semi: Jason Marks, '87 Mustang, Pensacola, FL STREET RENEGADE, CAR, HOMETOWN, ET, MPH Win: Brian Mitchell, '90 Mustang, Newark, DE, 14.16, 67.57 R/U: Mike Freeman, '88 Mustang, Ft. Myers, FL, (foul) 10.13, 97.83 Semi: Ed Thomas, '88 Mustang, Middletown, DE Semi: Charles Callaway, '91 Mustang, Tullahoma, TN STREET WARRIOR, CAR, HOMETOWN, ET, MPH Win: John Scaro, '90 Mustang, Woodstock, GA, 11.51, 116.28 R/U: Jeremy Martorella, '94 Mustang, Delray Beach, FL, 11.71, 114.54 Semi: Kevin Enlow, '91 Mustang, Greencastle, IN Semi: Kinson Cook, '92 LX, Alpharetta, GA MODULAR MOTOR, CAR, HOMETOWN, ET, MPH, INDEX Win: Steve Ferguson, '00 Mustang, Kennesaw, GA, 11.62, 111.12, (11.58) R/U: Brett Veneman, '02 GT, Jacksonville, FL, 15.12, 81.52, (15.17) Semi: Tom Hussey, '01 GT, Kinston, NC Semi: Bil Putnam, '00 GT, Lake Worth, FL FOCUS FRENZY, CAR, HOMETOWN, ET, MPH, (DIAL) Win: Greg Dantzler, '01 Focus, Seneca, SC, 17.43, 74.75, (17.40) R/U: Richard Spinks, '01 Focus, Whitesburg, GA, 18.62, 69.55, (18.70) Semi: Tom Hussey, '02 Focus, Kinston, NC TOP TRUCK, CAR, HOMETOWN, ET, MPH Win: Kevin Todd, '86 Ford Trash Truck, Phenix City, AL, 17.66, 67.26, (17.69) R/U: Joe Fladd, '71 Ford Truck, San Antonio, FL, 12.01, 85.39, (12.09) Semi: Ronnie Sewell, '85 Ford Trash Truck, Columbus, GA Semi: Randy Morrison, '87 Ranger, Nahunta, GA TRASH TRUCKS CLEAN UP AT ATLANTA DRAGWAY DURING FUN FORD WEEKENDby Tim Glover For the third major event in a row this year, a Florida event was completed at the Atlanta Dragway. First, NMCA finished their rained out Florida race here, then ProStar finished their rained out Gainesville Motorcycle event, then Fun Ford finished their Orlando event here on Saturday. Pro 5.0 racer Chuck Samuels brought the crowd to their feet Saturday night in the Orlando final after he lost control in his car and crossed the finish line on the roof. Samuels was fine, the chassis was OK, but the Mustang body was a bit worse for the wear. Saturday Street Ford (mufflers and DOT tires required) racer Jim Peebles became this weekend's first winner when he defeated Jodee Lee, who was in her second final round this year. Quick Ford racer Mike Moore defeated Atlanta Dragway regular James Noel in a double red-light affair. Noel changed the engine combination this year in his '66 Fairlane so he could compete in some Nostalgia races, using a 390 FE block, 406 tri-power heads and a medium riser two four barrel intake on his ride. The most popular class this weekend was the Quick Ford class (slicks allowed, no electronics). The race director had to open up two additional staging lanes to handle the racers. Modular Motor racer David Smith had an easy run in the Fast Ford final after the battery in Donna McCain's '85 Mustang gave up the ghost and would not start for the final. McCain was philosophical about her loss, adding "I've got $500, the paint is still on the car, and the oil is still in the pan. It's been a good night." Unlike last weekend, where rains ruled, the weather turned out sunny and clear all weekend for the Atlanta edition of the Fun Ford Weekend. Two friends, Kevin Todd from Phenix City, AL and Ronnie Sewell from Columbus, GA, drove their nearly identical white Ford trucks, with TRASH TRUCK emblazoned on the windshield, to many round wins this weekend. Kevin Todd finished in the Saturday Quick Ford semis, then returned Sunday and won two different classes, Top Truck and Quick Ford. Meanwhile, Ronnie Sewell finished runner up in the Sunday Street Ford class with his machine. Will McKay added a fifteenth Fun Ford money winner sticker to the rear windshield of his '85 Thunderbird after his Sunday Fast Ford win. McKay, who has won one night at Atlanta each year for the past three years said, "I wanted to pull a double this weekend. The closest I got was in Richmond three years ago, when I won the first day and runner upped the second day. "I'm proud to say it's not a Mustang," Sunday Street Ford winner Brad Gasaway said after the event was over. Bracket racing was only part of the action this weekend. A large manufacturer's midway and swap meet area offered many OEM and performance parts for blue oval enthusiasts. For the paltry sum of $750, one could have bought not one, but two late 70's four cylinder Mustang convertibles. As usual, the car show featured a wide array of vehicles, from souped up Contours to a legendary Thunderbolt belonging to Bill Dismuke from Donalsonville, GA. Pelzer, SC resident Tom McJunkin's '74 Mustang II Pro Streeter was a well done piece. For someone into fast race cars, Larry Burnette's '97 Super Pro Mustang was available for sale and ready to race. Nine classes of racing were offered in addition to the bracket classes, ranging from the wild and wooly Pro 5.0 class to the new Focus Frenzy class. Several people actually went out and bought a Focus specifically to race in this class, including today's finalists. Last year's Atlanta Sunday Quick Ford winner, Chris Parisi, said he borrowed his grandmother's Focus to race this weekend (he made it to the quarter-finals). Top Truck winner Kevin Todd raced in Outlaw in 1996, Street Bandit a few years ago, but the expense got to him. He fared very well this weekend in his mildly modified truck. Modular Motor runner up Brett Veneman just bought his '02 GT two months ago. Although he qualified 60th out of 60 cars, he didn't let that bother him. Because the class is set up on an index based on each car's performance, the only person who did better than Veneman for the weekend was winner Steve Ferguson. Pro 5.0 winner John Gullett had the fastest car on the grounds Sunday, storming to the winner's circle with a 6.67, 215.34 mph blast in his '01 Mustang. Street Outlaw racer Brad Brand from nearby Loganville seemed like a bit of an underdog earlier in the weekend, but took the final round win with a decisive 8.31, 180.02 blast, next to Dennis Ramsey's otherwise good 8.81, 154.12. Mike Freeman's day was over right after his final round launch in Street Renegade, where he left the red light glowing and then nearly lost control down track. Brian Mitchell already knew he had the win, and wisely slowed his car to stay out of Freeman's way, turning in a 14.16, 67.57 race winning pass. Shane Long and Kurt Neighbor had a closer race in Street Bandit, with Long beating Neighbor by a little over a tenth of a second, 9.50, 140.63 to 9.62, 141.52. Although defending Street Warrior champ Jeremy Martorella had an edge previously, it disappeared the moment he left the starting line way too soon, making the big red you don't win this time bulb come on. John Scaro took the Street Warrior win with an 11.51, 116.28. In addition to the True Street Saturday action, a bracket race for all True Street entrants was added Sunday. Although it appeared that Jeremy Pearson would win, a technical infraction made Danny Taylor the True Street bracket race winner. Look for even more true blue oval racers next year at the Atlanta edition of the Fun Ford Show.
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