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Atlanta Dragway Results
RACE DATE: April 19, 2003FROM: Tim Glover EVENT: Summit / Hayes ET series event at Atlanta Dragway in 2003 WILHELM, CHAPMAN, GODDARD AND STRINGER SCORE FIRST WINS AT ATLANTA DRAGWAY (Commerce, GA - April 19) Four out of six class wins featured first time winners in the Summit / Hayes ET series race contested at Atlanta Dragway. Although the sky was overcast, no rains came and the show went smoothly on the day before Easter. The first time was a charm in Super Pro for former Jr. Dragster racer Hank Wilhelm from nearby Commerce, GA. Wilhelm met Buford, GA veteran Don Brown, Sr., and took the win stripe with his '88 Spitzer dragster for his first ever Super Pro win. Both had stellar reaction times, .508 seconds for Wilhelm and .503 seconds for Brown, but Brown's car was unable to run its target time of 4.93 seconds, turning in a 4.96, 139.76mph pass. Wilhelm's machine prevailed with a 5.42, 120.33mph (5.41 dial). Thomas Bell ('01 Undercover dragster - Toccoa, GA) took home the semi-final portion of the purse. "No words can express how I feel," Wilhelm said. He then thanked his parents, Marty and Linda Wilhelm and friend Jonathan Bagwell for their help with his win. Bert Chapman, who hails from Gainesville, GA, has been to every Sportsman final this year with his '71 Chevrolet Nova. This time he took the win and made a sizable gain in the points lead when he defeated Snellville, GA racer Gerry Williams' '73 Dodge Challenger in the final round. Chapman's reaction time made the difference when he ran the race winning .03 over 11.42, 117.19mph (11.39 dial). Williams also ran .03 over, carding an 11.39, 111.12 (11.36 target). Rob Hogue had a good day for his first time out this year, finishing in the semi-finals with his '84 Monte Carlo SS, along with Joe Haddon ('67 Chevy II - Oxford, GA), who finished in the semis during the March 8 race, in spite of numerous carburetor problems. "This one's for Calvin, M.C. and Kevin Gooch. I also want to thank God, and my wife Jill," Chapman added. Like Chapman, former bicycle racer J.D. Goddard out of Lithonia, GA has been to every Trophy Street final this year. Tonight, Goddard took the win light due to a better reaction time against former champ Mardy Kennedy. Kennedy's Auburn, GA based '64 "Banana Boat" Ford Econoline pickup nailed the dial in time of 13.18 with a 13.185, 102.28mph pass, but Goddard crossed the finish line first in his '90 Oldsmobile Cutlass. Goddard's time was 17.62, 77.19mph (17.58 target). New racer Andy "Hit Man" Dunson ('01 Ford Mustang GT - Toccoa, GA) enjoyed a runner up finish and a win during last week's Fun Ford show, and made it all the way to the semi-finals tonight. Clermont, GA racer Tim Sutton has been to numerous Motorcycle finals, and added another win to his collection when he took the win light against Jimmy "Chacha" Heisler. Heisler's Woodstock, GA based Kawasaki was just a little too quick, breaking out with a 10.37, 130.82mph on a 10.40 dial. Sutton's better reaction time allowed him to slow his '71 Kawasaki to a 9.62, 119.37 (9.48 target). Fourteen year old Melissa Camp's reaction times were .506, .510, .515 and .526 seconds (.500 is perfect) en route to her victory in 13-17 Jr. Dragster in a brand new car. Although the Douglasville, GA racer Camp's reaction time was a little off in the final, Casey Free (15 - Buford, GA) turned on the big red bulb, handing the automatic victory to her. Camp ran her machine out to a 10.91, 58.52mph on a 10.96 dial. Free slowed to an 8.74, 78.12mph (8.49 target). Thomas Davis-Cox (13 - Buford, GA) was the lone semi-finalist. Camp thanked Rick Mayfield for building her race winning "Turtle Power" engine (which he just finished putting together less than 24 hours ago). Jamey Stringer, Jr., Melissa Camp's next door neighbor in Douglasville, GA, recently bought Camp's old junior dragster. The 12 year old Stringer then proceeded to win the first race he ever entered when he took the final round win light against 11 year old Scott Digby from Walhalla, SC (who won the March 8 race earlier this year) in 8-12 Jr. Dragster. Digby actually had the better reaction time in the final, but Stringer squeaked across the finish line by the narrowest of margins, .001 seconds, for the win, running 10.45, 60.73mph (10.42 dial). Digby went 8.97, 72.81mph (8.92), good for the runner-up trophy. Ciara Timblin (10 - North Augusta, SC) was the semi-final finisher. 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 2003 events, including the 23rd annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals presented by Pontiac on May 1 - 4, may be obtained by calling the track office (706-335-2301) or logging on to www.atlantadragway.com. 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: Hank Wilhelm '88 Spitzer Commerce, GA 5.42 120.33 (5.41) R/U: Don Brown, Sr. '01 Spitzer Buford, GA 4.96 139.76 (4.93) Semi: Thomas Bell '01 Undercover dragster Toccoa, GA Semi: SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN Win: Bert Chapman '71 Nova Gainesville, GA 11.42 117.19 (11.39) R/U: Gerry Williams '73 Challenger Snellville, GA 11.39 111.12 (11.36) Semi: Rob Hogue '84 Monte Carlo SS Loganville, GA Semi: Joe Haddon '67 Chevy II Oxford, GA TROPHY STREET CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN Win: J.D. Goddard '90 Cutlass Lithonia, GA 17.62 77.19 (17.58) R/U: Mardy Kennedy '64 Econoline pickup Auburn, GA 13.18 102.28 (13.18) Semi: Andy "Hit Man" Dunson '01 Mustang GT Toccoa, GA Semi: MOTORCYCLE BIKE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN Win: Tim Sutton '71 Kawasaki Clermont, GA 9.62 119.37 (9.47) R/U: Jimmy "Chacha" Heisler Kawasaki Woodstock, GA 10.37 130.82 (10.40) Semi: Semi: JR. DRAGSTER 8-12 AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN Win: Jamey Stringer, Jr. 12 Douglasville, GA 10.45 60.73 (10.42) R/U: Scott Digby 11 Walhalla, SC 8.97 72.81 (8.92) Semi: Ciara Timblin 10 North Augusta, SC Semi: JR. DRAGSTER 13-17 AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN Win: Melissa Camp 14 Douglasville, GA 10.91 58.52 (10.96) R/U: Casey Free 15 Buford, GA (foul) 8.74 78.12 (8.49) Semi: Thomas Davis-Cox 13 Buford, GA Semi:
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