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Atlanta Dragway Results
RACE DATE: August 11, 2002FROM: Tim Glover EVENT: NHRA Division Two Points Race at Atlanta Dragway DIVISION TWO RACE AT ATLANTA DRAGWAY IN THE BOOKS The temperature wasn't too hot, the track surface was good, and the racing was exciting for the fans who came this weekend to witness the Lucas Oil NHRA Division Two Points race held at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, GA. John Haley from Wayzata, MN became the top winner this weekend, in Top Alcohol Dragster. Haley met Robinson, IL racer Marty Thacker in the final, and although his 6.70 second ET in an '01 Uyehara dragster was a bit off, Thacker's engine rpm in his '02 Hadman dragster went out of control, and he was unable to get the reverser to work properly. Thacker's crew said the throttle butterfly shaft broke after the semis, and the replacement was not set correctly, causing the engine rpm to go much higher than desired. By the time Thacker shut his car off, the clutch was smoking, making it unlikely he would have made it down the track. Haley went 6.702, 142.85mph on his winning single pass. Guy Kelly ('98 Hadman - Wadley, AL) finished in the semis. Jay Payne from Claremont, CA has done well in Division Two over the years with his Valvoline backed '02 Camaro, and this weekend was no exception. Payne met local favorite Von Smith's Oak Ridge, TN based '01 Firebird in the final, and ripped out a 5.66, 255.75 pass to defeat Smith's 5.80, 251.88. Mark Billington ('01 Avenger - Apopka, FL) was the semi-final finisher. Larry Pritchett squeaked out the Competition Eliminator win today with his '98 A/SM Grand Am by a mere .011 seconds against Jeff Taylor's Lumberton, SC based '01 C/A Grand Am. Taylor actually had the better react, but crossed the finish line behind the Clarkrange, TN racer, who went a .498 under 8.11, 167.50 (8.61 Index). Taylor was .454 under his 8.08 index, with a 7.62, 179.31. By winning today, Pritchett sewed up his spot on the Division Two Jeg's All Star Team, which will compete against the other six divisions at the Sears Craftsman event in Chicago, IL on September 26-29. Mike Saye (G/A '92 Cutlass - Johnston, SC) and Fred Allen ('23 A/EA Ford T - Winemac, IN) were the semi-final pair. Super Stock racer Everette Keesley from Edgefield, SC won the '98 Gatornationals, and enjoyed victory again today with a win against Wetumpka, AL racer Jason Davis' GT/MA '00 Firebird. Both racers were .003 seconds apart at the starting line, so the finish line became very important to them. Keesley's '82 GT/DA Firebird was second across the finish line with a 10.29, 124.39 (10.26 dial under), but Davis, took a little too much win stripe, breaking out with a 11.388, 115.56 (11.39 dial). Tony Stephenson ('98 SS/BM Grand Am - Willow Spring, NC) was the lone semi-finalist. Stock racer Scott Welborn lost two race cars and his shop last year to fire, but recovered quickly, turning a "1968 Chevelle $500 junker" into a race winning G/SA machine. Welborn, who hails from West Columbia, SC ran a close 11.75, 112.28 (11.73 dial under) in the final, but became the automatic winner when Brian Rowe bulbed (.454 red light) and then ran 11.75, 111.51 (11.74 dial under) in his New Bern, NC based '69 H/SA Camaro. Rowe beat his dad, Bud Rowe ('87 K/SA Camaro - Bridgeton, NC) in the semi-finals. Welborn had to win today's race to earn a spot on the Division Two Jeg's All Stars Team, so he will also represent Division Two. Twenty four year old college student Todd "Bones" Ewing from Cullman, AL, enjoyed his third Super Comp victory today. Bones won the Montgomery Division event and the Gatornationals earlier this year in his '02 Cameron dragster, and took on Palmetto, GA racer David Tatum III, who won two races two weeks ago at Atlanta in an '01 Mullis dragster. Tatum said he was set on kill for the final, but just missed the tree, giving Ewing a large reaction time advantage. Tatum's car also rattled the tires hard down track, causing him to lift and concede the race to Ewing, who ran an easy 9.19, 131.38 (8.90 index) to Tatum's even further off 9.37, 116.15 (8.90 index). Charles "Bubba" Watts ('00 Miller - Sharpsburg, GA) and Steve Cohen ('01 Mullis - Trilby, FL) finished in the semi-finals. Super Gas racer Jimmy Daniels from Montgomery, AL took on "The Man" Edmond Richardson in the final round today. Both drivers were sharp in the reaction time department, and both were dead-on the 9.90 index, but Daniels crossed the finish line in his '90 Trans Am .006 seconds in front of Richardson's Greenbrier, TN based '91 Cavalier Z/24. Richardson said he did not have a complete time trial due to the rear window exiting his car on one, and a mistake on the starting line in the other, but the experience he has accrued through the years got him to the final. Daniel Morrow ('63 Corvette - St. Pete Beach, FL) and Ronald Clayton ('34 Chevy - Dayton, TN). Ernest Griggs from Ocala, FL won Super Street at Silver Dollar and runnered up at Bristol with his '72 Camaro, and continued that roll at Atlanta today with a win against Kevin Mac Nicol's Knoxville, TN based '64 Chevy II. Griggs took the win stripe .011 seconds ahead of Mac Nicol with a dead-on 10.90, 135.15 to Mac Nicol's good 10.92, 124.03. Billy Italio ('64 Chevy II - Knoxville, TN) was the semi-final finisher. Top Sportsman, a new class to NHRA, was contested for the second time in Division Two today. North Carolina racer Sandy Wilkins won the event today with his '01 Camaro by laying down a fast 7.40, 184.84 (7.38 dial). His opponent, Jim Perry from Orlando, FL, was unable to run his 7.85 dial with his '00 S10, turning in a 7.91, 174.21. Troy Cagle ('00 S10 - Ranburne, AL) and Ronnie Davis ('63 Corvette - Lilburn, GA) took home the semi-final portion of the purse. NOTE: If you would like this report via email, please contact me, tim.glover@stork.com or call the track. TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH Win: John Haley '01 Uyehara dragster Wayzota, MN 6.70 142.85 R/U: Marty Thacker '02 Hadman dragster Robinson, IL broke Semi: Guy Kelly '98 Hadman dragster Wadley, AL Semi: TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH Win: Jay Payne '01 Camaro Claremont, CA 5.66 255.75 R/U: Von Smith '01 Firebird Oak Ridge, TN 5.80 251.88 Semi: Mark Billington '01 Avenger Apopka, FL Semi: COMPETITION ELIMINATOR CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH INDEX Win: Larry Pritchett '98 A/SM Grand Am Clarkrange, TN 8.11 167.50 (8.61) R/U: Jeff Taylor '01 C/A Grand Am Lumberton, NC 7.62 179.31 (8.08) Semi: Mike Saye '92 G/A Cutlass Johnston, SC Semi: Fred Allen '23 A/EA Ford 'T Winemac, IN SUPER STOCK CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-UNDER Win: Everette Keesley '82 GT/DA Firebird Edgefield, SC 10.29 124.39 (10.26) R/U: Jason Davis '00 GT/MA Firebird Wetumpka, AL 11.38 115.56 (11.39) Semi: Tony Stephenson '98 SS/BM Grand Am Willow Springs, NC Semi: STOCK CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-UNDER Win: Scott Welborn '68 G/SA Chevelle West Columbia, SC 11.75 112.28 (11.73) R/U: Brian Rowe '69 H/SA Camaro New Bern, NC (foul) 11.75 111.51 (11.74) Semi: Bud Rowe '87 K/SA Camaro Bridgeton, NC Semi: SUPER COMP CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH INDEX Win: Todd "Bones" Ewing '02 Cameron Cullman, AL 9.19 131.38 (8.90) R/U: David Tatum III '01 Mullis Palmetto, GA 9.37 116.15 (8.90) Semi: Steve Cohen '01 Mullis Trilby, FL Semi: Charles "Bubba" Watts '00 Miller Sharpsburg, GA SUPER GAS CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH INDEX Win: Jimmy Daniel '90 Trans Am Montgomery, AL 9.90 155.62 (9.90) R/U: Edmond Richardson, Jr. '91 Cavalier Greenbrier, TN 9.90 134.48 (9.90) Semi: Ronald Clayton '34 Chevy Dayton, TN Semi: Daniel Morrow '63 Corvette St. Pete Beach, FL SUPER STREET CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH INDEX Win: Ernest Griggs, Jr. '72 Camaro Ocala, FL 10.90 135.15 (10.90) R/U: Kevin Mac Nicol '78 Trans Am North Port, FL 10.92 124.03 (10.90) Semi: Billy Italio '64 Chevy II Knoxville, TN Semi: TOP SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH INDEX Win: Sandy Wilkins '01 Camaro Fuquay Varina, NC 7.40 184.84 (7.38) R/U: Jim Perry '00 S10 Orlando, FL 7.91 174.21 (7.85) Semi: Troy Cagle '00 S10 Ranburne, AL Semi: Ronnie Davis '63 Corvette Lilburn, GA
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