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Atlanta Dragway Results
RACE DATE: May 1-4, 2003FROM: Tim Glover EVENT: 23rd annual Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals, presented by Pontiac at Atlanta Dragway in 2003 VANDERGRIFF DEBUTS AT SOUTHERN NATIONALS, WARREN JOHNSON TAKES 90th PRO STOCK WIN (Commerce, GA - May 1-4) One couldn't ask for a smoother running show than the 23rd annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals presented by Pontiac. Although rain washed out the much anticipated Friday night qualifying session, the conditions for the rest of the weekend were just right for a major drag race. Fans had a chance to sit behind the wheel of a running race car thanks to the Powerade people. Powerade, the major sponsor of the NHRA series, set aside an area in the pits just for fans. In there, they could spin a "Power Wheel" to win a variety of prizes, which included a session in a running race car (fixed solidly to a trailer), where they could accelerate, shift and get a taste of drag racing. Some lucky fans got a ride in a specially prepared wagon, complete with racing seats and safety harnesses, and got to experience Top Fuel dragsters in action from a position near the starting line. Also included in the display for fans was a starting line Christmas Tree and a chance to get their photograph in a Top Fuel team shirt with a genuine "Wally", a trophy given to NHRA event winners. In addition to the touring pros and sportsman racers, several local racers enjoyed their weekend at the races. Super Pro racer J.D. Reid from Conyers, GA enjoyed winning the Best Appearing Car with his Jeff "Slim" Wilkerson built 2002 Undercover dragster. Jefferson, GA racer George Turner, who at times fields as many as five different PTI Transport backed cars at Atlanta Dragway bracket races, was walking by Top Alcohol dragster racer Marty Thacker's pit on Friday with Clay Fancher and his son Johnny Turner. Willie Gray, (father of 2002 13-17 year old Jr. Dragster champion Kelly Gray from Adairsville, GA) spotted them and talked them into helping Thacker's crew all weekend. They were rewarded for their efforts with Robinson, IL racer Thacker's first ever NHRA National event win. Super Pro racer Russ Glover from Cumming, GA had the thrill of working with a Top Fuel team when he got to help Chris Vandergriff's Alps Spas Top Fuel dragster operation. Local racers Arnold Reed (who went to the semifinals at the 2003 Gatornationals) and J.D. Reid both made it to round three in Super Comp, and Ronnie Wilkerson did the same in Super Gas. Chris Vandergriff, general manager of Hedman Husler Hedders in Alpharetta, GA, entered his first ever national event with his Alps Spas Top Fuel dragster. Vandergriff qualified well, running an out of the box 4.80 second pass at 288mph Friday afternoon. This run qualified him in first place, until Tony Schumacher took over the lead five pairings later with a 4.74 second pass. Vandergriff ended up qualified seventh Friday night. His crew chief, Terry Manzer, stepped the car up Saturday morning, and he made his best pass to date, a career best 4.70, 307mph, which was also his first official 300mph pass. During the final qualifying session, his car did well to the half track mark, when flames erupted after a head gasket let go, slowing the car to a 4.94, 239mph. He ended qualifyed in 14th place, ahead of both Paul Romines, who qualified 15th with a 4.77, 261mph and the legendary "Big Daddy" Don Garlits, who posted a last ditch 4.78, 320mph, good for the 16th spot. On race day, Vandergriff faced David Baca, who comes from Pittsburg, CA. Baca's crew chief, Johnny West, used to tune Vandergriff's brother Bob Vandergriff, Jr.'s Top Fueler, when he raced Top Fuel in the 1990s. West even gave Chris Vandergriff's Alps Spas team some advice prior to the Southern Nationals weekend. Vandergriff had his best reaction time to date in round one, a .083, led Baca to the half track mark, and turned in a 4.74, 301mph pass. However, Baca put down his best run of the day against Vandergriff in round one, a 4.60, 314 shot that took the win light. "I don't think things could have gone much better," Vandergriff commented after the run. "We didn't break too many parts this weekend. We accomplished what we came here to do, which was to qualify well." When asked about his next event, he said the next one planned is at the U.S. Nationals, held at Indianapolis, IN on August 28 through September 1, 2003 and the OReilly Nationals in Memphis, TN on September 18-21. The 2002 Top Fuel Champion, Larry Dixon from Indianapolis, IN, recovered from a bad crash at Bristol last week, and qualified fifth in Top Fuel dragster for the Southern Nationals. Although he didn't have the quickest ET in round one, he dominated the rest of the day, defeating Darrell Russell from Hockley, TX in the final round. Dixon got the reaction time advantage at the start, and held on to it all the way, carding his third victory in four 2003 final round appearances and 28th victory overall, making him the winningest active Top Fuel driver. Russell's Bilstein car lost traction at mid track, going up in smoke and slowing to a 9.88, 107.52mph while Dixon's Miller Lite machine steamed to a 4.56, 323.89mph winning shot. Although Brandon Bernstein took over the points lead at Bristol, Dixon reclaimed it today, and is leading with 630 points to Bernstein's 595 after seven of 23 events in 2003 are in the books. David Baca (Pittsburg, CA) and Clay Millican (Drummonds, TN) finished in the semifinals. Tony Pedregon out of Chino Hills, CA, who drives for the ever popular John Force, has dominated Funny Car action in 2003, winning four of the seven events contested so far this season. Just like the season opener race at Pomona, Pedregon once again found himself facing Carlsbad, NM racer Johnny Gray in the final. And just like Pomona, Pedregon outran Gray with his Castrol Syntec Mustang, winning with a 4.87, 319mph to Gray's 5.00, 305mph. Pedregon won his first race here at Atlanta in 1996, shortly after John Force hired him to drive for the Castrol team. John Force (Yorba Linda, CA) celebrated his 54th birthday today with a semi-final finish, along with Whit Bazemore (Indianapolis, IN). "The people make the difference. Right now I'm impressed," said Pedregon about his team. Six time Pro Stock Champion, Warren "The Professor" Johnson, who comes from nearby Buford, GA, didn't have the fastest car in Pro Stock today. However, he relied on years of experience and a lot of hard work to get the final round win light with his GM Performance Parts '03 Grand Am. After defeating son Kurt Johnson in round two on a holeshot (Warren had a .012 reaction time to Kurt's slightly slower .035 react), he beat Jeg Coughlin in the semifinals and met number one qualifier Greg Anderson (who was Warren's crew chief for years) in the final. Warren earned his 90th career Pro Stock win, and fifth at Atlanta Dragway, when he pulled off another holeshot victory against Anderson, who comes from Concord, NC. Johnson reacted first with a .018 and ran 6.853, 201.46mph, crossing the finish line .0044 seconds (about one foot) ahead of Anderson's '03 Grand Am, which was quicker with a 6.839, 202.94mph, but last because of a .036 second react. Knowing he had to gamble a little, Johnson used the carburetors off son Kurt's car in the final round. Kurt might be looking for another set of carburetors next week, as Johnson indicated he might just keep them. Defending champion Jeg Coughlin, Jr. (Delaware, OH) made it to the semifinals, along with Ben "What am I doing here" Watson's Concord, CA based Bonewear '02 Cavalier. Although three time Pro Stock Bike racer Angelle Savoie from New Orleans, LA was the favorite coming in to this event, she qualified second to Palatine, IL racer Geno Scali, and then lost on a red light in round one. Scali continued doing well through the event, and took out Savoie's team mate, Antron Brown, in the final, which also gave Scali the Pro Stock Bike points lead (Scali 272 points to Savoie 268 points). Scali's Trim-Tex Suzuki earned its first win of the season with a 7.19, 187mph shot. Brown's Team 23 Suzuki was slower with a 7.24, 173mph pass. Both riders knew they had to be quick on the reaction time, and both actually went red in the final, with Brown redlighting first (-.023seconds) and Scali redlighting last (-.014). Shawn Gann (Stoneville, NC) and Matthew Smith (King, NC) were the semifinal pair. Todd "Bones" Ewing from Cullman, AL had a scare after the Super Comp semifinals when his steering locked up. At one point, fifteen friends were helping him thrash on his dragster to prepare for the final round. They finally freed the mechanism up, but the steering wheel was misaligned, throwing "Bones" off a bit. Although his reaction time was slightly slower than final round opponent Shane Carr's time (.033 seconds for Ewing vs. .025 for Carr), Bones' 8.92, 171.75mph pass on the 8.90 second index was good for the win after Carr's Mays Landing, NJ based dragster broke out with an 8.896, 158.19mph pass (8.90 index). Ross Laris (Raceland, LA) was the lone semifinalist. For additional coverage of this event, see David Dilbeck's report: NHRA Southern Nationals 2003. 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. TOP FUEL CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH Win: Larry Dixon, Jr. '02 McKinney Indianapolis, IN 4.569 323.89 R/U: Darrell Russell '02 Hadman Hockley, TX 9.884 107.52 Semi: Clay Millican '03 Hadman Drummonds, TN Semi: David Baca '01 McKinney Pittsburg, CA FUNNY CAR CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH Win: Tony Pedregon '02 Mustang Chino Hills, CA 4.874 318.77 R/U: Johnny Gray '02 Firebird Carlsbad, NM 5.009 304.60 Semi: John Force '02 Mustang Yorba Linda, CA Semi: Whit Blazemore '02 Firebird Indianapolis, IN PRO STOCK CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH Win: Warren Johnson '03 Grand Am Sugar Hill, GA 6.853 201.46 R/U: Greg Anderson '03 Grand Am Concord, NC 6.839 202.94 Semi: Ben Watson '02 Cavalier Concord, CA Semi: Jeg Coughlin, Jr. '03 Cavalier Delaware, OH PRO STOCK BIKE BIKE HOMETOWN ET MPH Win: Gino Scali '02 Suzuki Palatine, IL 7.19 186.82 R/U: Antron Brown '98 Suzuki GSXR Indianapolis, IN (foul) 7.248 172.89 Semi: Shawn Gann '01 Suzuki Stoneville, NC Semi: Matthew Smith '00 Suzuki King, NC TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH Win: Marty Thacker '01 Hadman Robinson, IL 5.454 262.44 R/U: Arthur Gallant '98 Dragster Boxboro, MA 5.455 248.61 Semi: Bill Reichert '97 Bowen Owosso, MI Semi: Richard Bourke '00 Pro Start Old Tapper, NJ TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH Win: Frank Manzo '03 Firebird Morganville, NJ 5.614 257.24 R/U: Bob Newberry '02 Camaro Schenectady, NY 14.392 55.50 Semi: Jeff Craig '01 Dodge R/T Muncie, IN Semi: James Sickles '02 Avenger Caledonia, NY COMPETITION ELIMINATOR CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH INDEX Win: David Rampy '32 Bantam Piedmont, AL 7.447 158.57 (8.01) R/U: Charlie Westcott, Jr. '98 Grand Am Parma, MI 8.953 149.05 (9.49) Semi: Robert Bailey '99 Dragster Wabash, IN Semi: Scott Tidwell '02 Grand Am Pinson, AL SUPER STOCK CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-UNDER Win: A. Lincoln Morehead '87 Camaro Marlboro, KY 10.037 127.19 (10.03) R/U: Dan Fletcher '69 Camaro Churchville, NY 10.250 119.28 (10.24) Semi: Joe LoCicero '88 Camaro Snellville, GA Semi: George Tamasi, Jr. '00 Firebird Jupiter, FL STOCK ELIMINATOR CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL UNDER Win: Thomas Rhoda '02 Firebird Brookfield, WI 10.423 126.65 (10.42) R/U: Jeff Strickland '95 Camaro Red Bay, AL 10.988 118.49 (10.98) Semi: Brandon Wood '73 Nova Thomasville, GA Semi: John Wentling '95 Camaro Ft. Lauderdale, FL SUPER COMP CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH INDEX Win: Todd Bones Ewing '03 Mullis Cullman, AL 8.928 171.75 (8.90) R/U: Shane Carr '02 Mullis Mays Landing, NJ 8.896 158.19 (8.90) Semi: Ross Laris '02 Davis Raceland, LA Semi: SUPER GAS CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH INDEX Win: Corky Markwart '01 S-10 Largo, FL 9.896 143.89 (9.90) R/U: Bruce Duncan '63 Corvette Crawfordville, FL 9.859 155.51 (9.90) Semi: Tommy Turner '63 Corvette Naples, FL Semi: SUPER STREET CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH INDEX Win: Quentin Holloway '67 Chevelle Greensboro, NC 10.97 127.46 (10.90) R/U: Tom DePascale '74 Vega Sayreville, NJ 10.897 140.23 (10.90) Semi: Lamar Stevenson '69 Camaro Montgomery, AL Semi:
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