GeorgiaDragRacing.com - Information about Georgia drag racing history, personalities, activities and events.
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Atlanta Dragway Results
RACE DATE: August 17, 2002FROM: Tim Glover EVENT: Summit ET Series Race at Atlanta Dragway TWO GAINESVILLE RACERS WIN, GILLEN MAKES FOUR IN A ROW WITH HIS VALVOLINE CAR With two points races left, the only points chases that are settled are Motorcycle and High School. Rain made its presence known tonight, causing a total of two hours delay. However, the people at Atlanta Dragway got the whole show in, finishing just after midnight. Super Pro racer "Bad Brad" Howard became the first of two Gainesville racers to win tonight with his victory against Ronnie Wilkerson. Howard, who owns and operates Brad's Machine Shop in Gainesville, does all his own work keeping his '01 Miller in top form. Howard's reaction time advantage at the starting line made the difference when he carded a .02 second over 5.10 second, 134.69mph pass (5.08 second dial). Wilkerson's '81 Camaro was closer to the mark with a 6.04, 111.42 (6.03 dial). "John Boy" Smith (dragster) and David Simmons (dragster) shared a semi-final finish. (Howard's daughter, Tiffany, may be stepping up into a fast car soon; sources spotted her tooling around the pits in a beautifully painted and detailed dragster during Friday night's Test and Tune action.) Cindy Williams put some new tires on her lime green '74 Challenger again, and just like a couple of months ago, scored a first place win in Sportsman, and made a good move on the points leaders tonight. Williams met Stephen Daniel in the finals, and used a .521 react, coupled with an 11.83, 104.50 (11.78 dial) to take the win. Daniel's '83 S10 went 12.56, 106.95 on a 12.50 dial. "He put me out last week, and he was so thrilled about that," Williams added (but she didn't let it happen tonight). Kerry Arnold ('73 Duster) and Jody Blalock ('49 Hudson) finished in the semis. Brat Pack racer Kenny Wiginton became the first Forsyth County winner tonight with his Trophy Street win against Steve Marcum, a regular finalist. Wiginton also used a reaction time advantage to take the win, turning in a 17.74, 72.68 (17.71 dial). Marcum's '00 Dakota was a little closer, running a 15.72, 86.06 (15.70 target). Wigington, who has a very busy work schedule, said, "I finally made time to get out here. It's always fun to hang out with good friends, and winning is just icing on the cake." John Lawson, Jr. ('68 Camaro) and Brian Harris ('94 Cobra) earned a semi-final finish tonight. Sixteen year old Matthew Bates wrapped up the High School championship tonight with his High School win. Bates met an old Jr. Dragster rival, Howard Snelgrove (16) and nailed his 11.93 dial with an 11.937, 59.03, shutting out Snelgrove's breakout 11.21, 61.24 performance (11.25 dial). Ashley Dumas (16) and Jesse Young (17) were the semi-final pair. With two points races left, Jay Rhyne sealed up the Motorcycle championship with an 11.49, 116.56 (11.60 dial). Sixteen year old Richard Hall finished runner up in the special 10th anniversary Jr. Dragster race in Montgomery, AL, recently. He used that experience to win the Atlanta edition of the 13-17 year old 10th anniversary race against Jeremy Hancock, who had pulled triple duty tonight, racing Jr. Dragster, High School and Super Pro. Hall's Georgia Pacific Containerboard Division backed machine ran a perfect dial, 8.160, 77.65 (8.16 dial) against Hancock in the final. Hancock was driving the new Young Guns Motorsports machine built by Bill Gillen III and debuted by Amy Glover last week. During his semi-final bye run, the crankshaft broke, forcing the Young Guns team to replace the motor for the final. Hancock still ran fairly close to his 10.09 target, with a 10.19, 55.81. Heath Snelgrove (14) was the lone semi-finalist. "Mad Matt" Gillen from Gainesville, GA, a.k.a. the "Valvoline Shark" shared the 8-12 Jr. Dragster points lead for a while today with rookie Lauren Turner, and pulled into the lead by 10 points tonight with his fifth win (and fourth in a row). Gillen met Turner again in the final, and took the victory by breaking out less, with an 8.96, 72.60 (8.98 dial) in his Valvoline / Young Guns Motorsports entry. Turner's Prestress Transportation, Inc. backed machine broke out just a little more, with a 9.20, 70.67 (9.24 target). "This is a big night, the Lord has really been with us," exclaimed Matt's dad. "I want to thank God, Valvoline, and my mom," Matt added. Turner's dad said, "The road to the championship goes through that (Valvoline) car. We just have to get past it." NOTE: If you would like this report via email, please contact me, tim.glover@stork.com or call the track. PRO / SUPER PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN Win: Brad Howard '01 Miller dragster Gainesville, GA 5.10 134.69 (5.08) R/U: Ronnie Wilkerson '81 Camaro Buford, GA 6.04 111.42 (6.03) Semi: "John Boy" Smith dragster Bowersville, GA Semi: David Simmons dragster Suwanee, GA SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN Win: Cindy Williams '74 Challenger Snellville, GA 11.83 104.50 (11.78) R/U: Stephen Daniel '83 S10 Covington, GA 12.56 106.95 (12.50) Semi: Kerry Arnold '73 Duster Jefferson, GA Semi: Jody Blalock '49 Hudson Martin, GA TROPHY STREET CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN Win: Kenny Wigington '97 Chevy Truck Cumming, GA 17.74 72.68 (17.71) R/U: Steve Marcum '00 Dakota Bogart, GA 15.72 86.06 (15.70) Semi: John Lawson, Jr. '68 Camaro Jefferson, GA Semi: Brian Harris '94 Cobra Toccoa, GA MOTORCYCLE BIKE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN Win: Jay Rhyne '83 Kawasaki Athens, GA 11.49 116.56 (11.60) R/U: Semi: Semi: JR. DRAGSTER 8-12 AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN Win: "Mad Matt" Gillen 10 Gainesville, GA 8.96 72.60 (8.98) R/U: Lauren Turner 11 Lawrenceville, GA 9.20 70.64 (9.24) Semi: Dustin Burton 11 Westminster, SC Semi: JR. DRAGSTER 13-17 AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN Win: Richard Hall 16 Blakely, GA 8.16 77.65 (8.16) R/U: Jeremy Hancock 17 Conyers, GA 10.19 55.81 (10.09) Semi: Heath Snelgrove 14 Dahlonega, GA Semi: HIGH SCHOOL AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN Win: Matthew Bates 16 Loganville, GA 11.93 59.03 (11.93) R/U: Howard Snelgrove 16 Daholonega, GA 11.21 61.24 (11.25) Semi: Ashley Dumas 16 Commerce, GA Semi: Jesse Young 17 Danielsville, GA
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