Sign my Guestbook
David Dilbeck
david@GeorgiaDragRacing.com
http://GeorgiaDragRacing.com
|
Georgia Drag Racing News
Sometimes, David may have some additional photos he'd like to share that don't get linked into the main site. If you'd like to see them, check out his Photos on Imagestation.com or in our new Photo Album.
September 2003
Brannen Ford Mustang Day - Silver Dollar Raceway
Posted Monday, September 29, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
Silver Dollar Raceway, Reynolds, Georgia, September 21, -- Dale Thaxton brought a cannon to the gun fight as he was number 1 qualifier and winner in the Quick 8 Shootout of Brannen Ford Mustang Day. Thaxton's Mustang outran the Ford of Mike Wadsworth of Macon who qualified second and posted a very-solid 8.51-second, 161.87 mph pass to earn runner-up honors. Thaxton, who makes his home in nearby Butler, Georgia, qualified at an astounding 7.99 seconds and ran as fast as 170.15 mph to dominate the field in his Pro Stock Ford. Wadsworth usually runs in a class which limits tire size to 10.5 inches in width and suffered this disadvantage when facing Thaxton in the final round.
Scott Bishop of Vienna cruised to victory in the Mustang ET class when his opponent, Larry Pfannkuche of Warner Robins fouled in the final round. Bishop drove a '80 Mustang while Pfannkuchhe was at the wheel of a '97 Cobra.
Michael Flournoy's '02 Mustang Saleen 281 was chosen as best appearing by the panel of judges which included long-time Mustang owner Joe Bone, Sid Epton and Heather Bodrey. Flournoy traveled to Brannen Ford Mustang Day from Covington, Georgia. Anne Soderberg of Bonaire was judged to have the second-best appearing Mustang.
Photo
Silver Dollar Raceway Results from Sept. 20, 2003
Posted Monday, September 29, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
Silver Dollar Raceway, Reynolds, Georgia--The eighth race of the Jerry Barker Chevrolet ET Racing Series was concluded Saturday with Jason Enfinger of Blakely, Georgia, outlasting the large Super Pro field driving his '99 rear-engine dragster. Jack Ivey of Albany faced Enfinger in the final round, but came up slightly short with a losing effort by only two thousandths of a second. John Wooly maintained his lead in season points with only one race left to determine the Super Pro championship.
Jason Hatcher of Columbus drove his '72 Chevy Nova to the winner's circle when Harry Foore of Centerville lit the red bulb on the Christmas tree in the final round. Foore's foul came at the wheel of his ' 68 Dodge Coronet. Jeff Hairrington of Perry enjoys a comfortable lead in season points in the Pro eliminator.
Past NHRA champion Ken Huckaby of Meansville drove his '94 Ford pickup to victry in the Sportsman class. Huckaby's win came at the expense of Wendell Shurling of Soperton who drove a '85 Dodge Diplomat in Saturday's event. Huckaby's win propelled him to a two-round lead over Robert Johnson of Oglethorpe in the tightly-contested season points chase.
Pope Sellers of Byron enjoyed a win over Ryan Johnson of Oglethorpe in Junior Dragster competition. Points-leader Justin Reaves of Jackson prevailed over Cody Royals of Griffin in the consolation race for the half-scale juniors.
Photo
Atlanta Dragway Results by Tim Glover
Posted Monday, September 29, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
MOULTON WINS FIRST BRACKET RACE, BRYANT MAKES IT TWO IN A ROW
by Tim Glover
(Commerce, GA - September 27) Held the week after the last points race of
the season, this race was just for fun and practice for the upcoming ET
finals. Unlike regular races, where some classes run quarter mile and
others run eighth mile, all classes were on the eighth mile. Fortunately
for racers, the rains that came across Georgia waited until just about an
hour after the race was over.
Lawrenceville, GA racer Todd Moulton won his first ever bracket race (but
he does have a previous Super Chevy and Super Eliminator win under his belt)
in Super Pro action against repeat finalist Stacy Blanton from Jefferson,
GA. Blanton was a little late on the starting line, plus his '96 Undercover
dragster couldn't hit its 5.34 target, running 5.37, 128.66mph. Moulton's
'79 Camaro was closer to the mark with a 6.80, 103.83mph shot (6.79 dial).
Moulton has been out of racing for a while to take care of his family, but
came back last week to begin practicing for the upcoming Phillips
Motorsports Super Eliminator race. Partial credit for the win went to
Moulton's all-girl pit crew (Wendy-18, Brandi-13, Chelsey-13 and Nichole-12)
who cheered him on all through the race. Moulton added, "Thanks, Smokey
Joe", after the race. Mark Hancock ('90 Firebird - Commerce, GA) was the
lone semi-finalist.
Travis Bryant, who comes from Bowman, GA, won Sportsman for the second week
in a row, this time against Alan Sargent. Bryant said he wasn't too proud
of the final round react in his '68 Camaro (.580 seconds), but said it still
felt good to win again. His car was very close to the target, running 7.60,
91.88mph (7.59 dial), while Sargent's Braselton, GA based '77 Nova broke out
slightly with a 7.82, 87.32mph shot (7.84 dial). Bill Boomhower from
Walhalla, SC, finished the 2003 Sportsman season second in the points and
made it to the semi-finals with his '65 Belvedere.
Nic Wasley from Atlanta, GA brought his neat '60 Impala to the track for
his third bracket race, and won his first trophy with it in Trophy Street.
Wasley met Shane Estes' '01 Grand Prix in the final, and got an easy win
when Estes turned on the big bad tomato colored bulb at the starting line.
Wasley coasted to a 10.63, 65.59 win (10.16 dial), while Estes' machine
broke out with an 11.08, 63.02mph (11.11 target). Kevin Rich ('86 Honda -
Hull, GA) was the semi-final finisher. After the race, Wasley said, "I've
been a race fan for a long time. Wow. A trophy, a check and being on the
website. What more can you ask for?"
Although a four wheeler driven by Commerce, GA resident Les Henderson made
it to the motorcycle final, it didn't get the winner's check. That was
claimed by Howard Bowman from nearby Homer, GA, who races what might be the
world's slowest '81 Harley Davidson. Henderson's '87 Yamaha Banshee was
leading the race, but crossed the finish line .026 seconds too soon, losing
with a breakout 9.57, 71.75mph pass (9.60 dial). Bowman's machine tootled
down the track to a 12.88, 51.80mph win on its 12.50 target.
Eleven year old Harvey Snelgrove from Dahlonega, GA is stepping up to big
brother Heath's Jr. Dragster next year, but won one more race with his old
car against final round victim Jamey Stringer (12 - Douglasville, GA).
Snelgrove's car was actually off pace with a 10.71, 59.52mph pass (10.36
dial), but Stringer's oh-so-close .498 red light gave the automatic win to
Snelgrove. Stringer went on to a 10.77, 59.05mph (10.69 dial). Brett
Bowman, the 12 year old son of Motorcycle winner Howard Bowman, made it to
the semi-final round, along with Valerie Clements (10 - Central, SC).
Fourteen year old Bradley Myers out of Loganville, GA was runner up last
week, and advanced one more spot this time with the win in 13-17 Jr.
Dragster. Myers met Thomas Davis-Cox (14 - Buford, GA) in the final, and
shut Cox out with a .514 aided 7.99, 76.87mph run (7.95 dial). Trying to
catch Myers, Cox broke out with a 7.89, 81.46mph on a 7.90 dial. Heath
Snelgrove (15 - Dahlonega, GA), who is planning to move into Super Pro next
year, earned the semi-final trophy.
PRO / SUPER PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Todd Moulton '79 Camaro Lawrenceville, GA 6.80 103.83 (6.79)
R/U: Stacy Blanton '96 Undercover dragster Jefferson,
GA 5.37 128.66 (5.34)
Semi: Mark Hancock '90 Firebird Commerce, GA
------------------------------------------------
SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Travis Bryant '68 Camaro Bowman, GA 7.60 91.88 (7.58)
R/U: Alan Sargent '77 Nova Braselton, GA 7.82 87.32 (7.84)
Semi: Bill Boomhower '65 Belvedere Walhalla, SC
------------------------------------------------
TROPHY STREET CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Nic Wasley '60 Impala Atlanta, GA 10.63 65.59 (10.16)
R/U: Shane Estes '01 Grand Prix Suwanee, GA (foul) 11.08 63.02 (11.11)
Semi: Kevin Rich '86 Honda Hull, GA
Semi:
------------------------------------------------
MOTORCYCLE BIKE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Howard Bowman '81 Harley Homer, GA 12.88 51.80 (12.50)
R/U: Les Henderson '87 Yamaha Banshee Commerce, GA 9.57 71.75 (9.60)
Semi:
------------------------------------------------
JR. DRAGSTER 8-12 AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Harvey Snelgrove 11 Dahlonega, GA 10.71 59.52 (10.36)
R/U: Jamey Stringer 12 Douglasville, GA (foul) 10.77 59.05 (10.69)
Semi: Valerie Clements 10 Central, SC
Semi: Brett Bowman 12 Homer, GA
------------------------------------------------
JR. DRAGSTER 13-17 AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Bradley Myers 14 Loganville, GA 7.99 76.87 (7.95)
R/U: Thomas Davis-Cox 14 Buford, GA 7.89 81.46 (7.90)
Semi: Heath Snelgrove 15 Dahlonega, GA
------------------------------------------------
Whisnant Exits in Round 1
Posted Monday, September 29, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
CHICAGO, Ill. – Mark Whisnant, driver of the RW Performance / Snap-On Tolls Chevrolet Cavalier entered eliminations at the third annual Car Quest Auto Parts NHRA Nationals holding the 16th position on the Pro Stock ladder.
It was in the final session of qualifying on Saturday where Whisnant drove his Cavalier to a 6.794 / 202.94 mph to earn his place in today’s race.
In Round 1 Whisnant raced current Pro Stock points leader Greg Anderson.
With Anderson holding a decided performance advantage, Whisnant knew coming into this round that he would have to be very good on the tree to get past him. Whisnant was over anxious at the starting and gave the win to Anderson when he red lit. Anderson ran a 6.722 / 204.82 mph to a red lighting Whisnant at a 6.808 / 203.31 mph.
“Hey I’m just glad that I qualified,” said Whisnant of Stockbridge, Ga. “We have struggled so much this year that qualifying is a victory all by its self. It is unfortunate that we had to run Anderson in the first round.
“The good news is that we are headed in the right direction. I feel like we have turned a corner, but we would still like to run better. We are happy with our horsepower, and now we need to make the car run better. We have made improvements in our 60-foot times, but we are still off of where we need to be.
“We qualified for this race, and it looks like we could be getting close to being consistent qualifiers again. Even though we lost in the first round, we are going in the right direction. It is just a matter of time now.”
Whisnant Quick Facts Currently 17th in 2003 NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Points
RW PERFORMANCE PRO STOCK CHEVY CAVALIER
MARK WHISNANT – DRIVER
REID WHISNANT – OWNER
CONTACT: Patti Miles-Hamlin
KJ's Route 66 Run ends in the Carquest Nationals Quarterfinals
Posted Monday, September 29, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
After winning the spring race in Joliet earlier this year, Kurt Johnson entered Sunday's final eliminations of the Carquest Auto Parts Nationals looking to sweep both events at Route 66 Raceway. However, after qualifying 10th, Johnson and the ACDelco Pro Stock Cavalier racing team knew that to return to the winner's circle, they would need a nearly perfect effort.
Things went according to plan in the first round. Despite running in the less-preferred right lane, Johnson bettered his elapsed time from qualifying, using a 6.769-second, 204.17 mph run to defeat Troy Coughlin. However, things would not get any easier in the second round, as Johnson would face Jeg Coughlin, the defending Pro Stock champion, again without the benefit of lane choice.
The two cars left the starting line as if tied together, with Johnson making a representative pass at 6.796 seconds with a top speed of 204.01 mph. However, it was not enough to prevent his opponent, who posted a 6.748-second elapsed time, from gaining the round win.
"We burned the clutch out of it again. We had done the same thing during our second qualifying run, so we stacked it up this morning, putting five grams and 40 pounds on it, which should have made a significant difference, but it didn't, so for the second round we put a more aggressive disc in it, and still there was not a discernible change.
"In Memphis, we had a killer racetrack, and had more clutch than what we should have needed and we slipped the clutch. Next, we came here with another awesome racing surface, and ran through the clutch. I'm not sure what the problem is, but I do know we need more clutch pressure, so we can hook it up in low gear, because we're three hundredths off where we need to be.
.
"We'll work on it this week, including making a few test runs, to make sure our ACDelco Cavalier is back at 100 per cent when we get to Reading."
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
A Slight Slip Costs WJ in Joliet
Posted Monday, September 29, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
The NHRA's Pro Stock division is arguably the most competitive in all of motorsports. At each of the 23 events on the POWERade circuit, entire fields are covered by a few scant hundredths of a second, and every qualified competitor has a legitimate shot at winning the event, leaving no room for error.
Such was the case during Sunday's final eliminations of the Carquest Auto Parts Nationals in Joliet, IL. Warren Johnson came into race day on a strong note, with his GM Performance Parts Grand Am starting from the third position. In the first round, Johnson combined a very quick .011 reaction time with a solid 6.784-second elapsed time to defeat veteran Steve Schmidt. This set the stage for a second round encounter against another long-time competitor, Bruce Allen.
Despite being relegated to the less-preferred right hand lane, Johnson made his best run of the weekend at 6.753-second, 204.45 mph. Unfortunately, it was not enough to overcome his opponent's starting line advantage, putting a premature end to Johnson's weekend.
"Something happened between the blueprint and the result on that run. According to the numbers, I was late. I'm not quite sure what happened, and even though some of our data doesn't quite agree, it doesn't change the outcome, so we'll take our medicine and move on.
"Even so, we're encouraged by our GM Performance Parts Grand Am's performance. This is the first time we've run this particular car under these conditions. We've been trying to get it to go straight, and on that last run, it made a relatively good, straight pass at 6.753 seconds, which was fairly respectable for the right lane, where no one wanted to run. Overall, we're headed in the right direction. It's just a matter of maintaining our forward progress, and keeping the mistakes to a minimum. If we do that, we'll be fine."
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
BAZEMORE UPSET IN FIRST ROUND; FALLS BACK TO SECOND IN POINTS
Posted Monday, September 29, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
JOLIET, Ill. (Sept. 28, 2003) - It's to no one's surprise that the last six
races of this 2003 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Funny Car season are proving to
be an exciting competition between two pro racers going for the crown. Whit
Bazemore earned the points lead in that category for the first time in his
career last week in Memphis and this weekend it's Tony Pedregon back up
front. Expect a continuation of this see-saw season as the series winds
down, with four events left.
No. 1 qualifier Bazemore, driving the Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus,
knew he had a tough opponent in the first round in Cory Lee here at Route 66
Raceway in final eliminations. He even said so after becoming low qualifier
last night. What he wasn't ready for was a first-round loss to the No. 16
qualifier. Bazemore launched at the lights a tad quicker than Lee (.092 to
.093 reaction time), then got out of the groove and moved to the centerline.
The car shut off at the top end and Bazemore coasted across the finish line
with a 5.172-second elapsed time at 235.67 mph to Lee's winning
4.960/304.12.
"It's just a frustrating loss for the Matco Tools Dodge team," said
Bazemore. "It's just part of racing. It shook itself out of the groove a
little bit and I just couldn't get it back. It wouldn't come back. The track
was so good, for a moment I thought maybe it won't matter because we would
probably have good traction out there. It went down that way for a while and
then around half track it just blew the tires off.
"We had a parts failure that Lee (Beard, crew chief) thinks if that hadn't
happened we may still have been able to win. But the car shut itself off and
I'm not so sure (we could have won) because we were awfully close to the
center line. It's entirely possible that we were going to tag a cone or
something. We were probably a little bit out of control there. Anyway, it's
what happens. We'll regroup and go to Reading next week and try to have a
better weekend there."
After arriving at the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals this weekend in the
points lead by seven points, Bazemore leaves with a 69-point deficit to Tony
Pedregon, who won the event.
"Things change so quickly in this sport. We went from wishing the season was
over yesterday to wishing today we had 10 or 20 more races to go," said a
disappointed Bazemore.
FUNNY CAR POINT STANDINGS
1. Tony Pedregon 1483 (winner today)
2. Whit Bazemore 1414
3. John Force 1260
4. Gary Densham 1135
5. Del Worsham 1094
6. Ron Capps 999
7. Tommy Johnson Jr 931
8. Gary Scelzi 924
14. Scotty Cannon 664
Contact: Judy Stropus
DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Bernstein, Pedregon and Coughlin Win the NHRA POWERade CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals
Posted Monday, September 29, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
Larry Dixon's luck runs out in the final of Top Fuel - Kenny Bernstein claims another title. Doug Kalitta sets low ET and Top Speed at 4.428 @ 333.00 MPH. Bazemore qualifies #1 in Funny Car, but loses in the first round. Tony Pedregon reclaims the points lead with his win. Warren Johnson, Kurt Johnson, Gene Wilson and Mark Whisnant quailfy in Pro Stock, but the Anderson and Coughlin show takes over again.
NHRA Recap
Atlanta Speed Shop Construction Update- New Photos Added
Posted Tuesday, September 23, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
Photos
Atlanta Dragway Results by Tim Glover
Posted Tuesday, September 23, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
CHAMPIONSHIPS DETERMINED AT FINAL SUMMIT / HAYES ET SERIES POINTS RACE
by Tim Glover
(Commerce, GA - September 20) Tensions were high among some of the racers
who came for their last shot at becoming the 2003 Atlanta Dragway Track
Champion. The air was great, the track worked well, and racers put down
their best packages to win. As a bonus, a "King of the Track" competition
was held for the evening's Super Pro, Sportsman, Trophy Street and
Motorcycle winners, where the one with the best package (the difference from
their reaction time and elapsed time from perfect) got to take home a
"Wally" for their efforts. Although many thought it was a cinch for the
Super Pro guy to win, Sportsman winner Travis Bryant did the best, with a
.518 react and an 11.843, 113.76mph pass (11.83 dial).
There was a three way tie in Sportsman points coming in to the last points
race. Bert Chapman, who led the points all year in Sportsman, bowed out
early, leaving Bill Boomhower and Jacob Rutledge in the running. They kept
pace with each other until round five, when they met, and Rutledge
prevailed, winning the Sportsman track championship for the third year in a
row. Another showdown occured in 8-12 Jr. Dragster. The number one and two
8-12 Jr. Dragster racers from 2002 (Young Guns Motorsports / Valvoline racer
Matt Gillen and Team PTI driver Lauren Turner) were one round win (10
points) apart coming in to the event, and squared off against each other in
round four. Gillen, who led the points virtually all season, was leading by
20 points at that moment, and capped off the season by winning his second
straight championship when he defeated Turner with a 9.001 on a 9.00 dial.
Turner had been catching up steadily to Gillen the past few races (partly
with the assistance of a Young Guns Motorsports engine). Matt's dad, Bill
Gillen, said, " I have to thank God for everything. With Him, all things
are possible. Also, thanks to Valvoline corporation for all their help, and
our friends at the track for their support. Without the competition, we
wouldn't enjoy the racing. For a four year career, Matt already has an
impressive racing resume." After the points were tallied up at the end of
the evening, Henry Snelgrove, Sr. was declared the 2003 Super Pro champion.
Stewart Taft had already locked up the Motorcycle championship, and Ashley
Dumas had also locked up the 13-17 Jr. Dragster championship during the
previous race. Mel Abney emerged from his rookie season in Trophy Street as
the champion.
"He's absolutely fabulous. He was ready. He was due," said Super Pro
winner Phil Sexton's wife, Ann, after he won. Sexton put an .022second
winning package together, reacting with a great .512 and running 4.97,
138.56mph (4.96 dial) with his '00 Miller dragster. His opponent, Ms. B.J.
Pitman from Roswell, GA, ran just a little too quick in her '97 Tin Man
dragster, turning in a 5.33, 129.62mph (5.35 dial). Mike Ramsey ('81 Camaro
- Commerce, GA) finished in the semi-finals. After the race, Sexton said
his car was featured on the front of Popular Hot Rodding magazine.
"It felt good to beat Jacob Rutledge," said Sportsman winner Travis Bryant
from Bowman, GA at the end of the evening. Bryant out reacted the new
champion in the final, and had the satisfaction of patting the gas pedal at
the end of the quarter mile (to slow his car down slightly to avoid a
breakout, since he knew he was ahead of Rutledge). Bryant's '68 Camaro
carded an 11.85, 112.18mph (11.83 dial) to Rutledge's dead-on but second
across the finish line 12.09, 103.94mph. Cindy William's husband, Gerry
('73 Challenger - Snellville, GA), finished in the money again as a
semi-finalist. Bryant left his 11.83 dial on the car for the King of the
Track competition at the end of the evening, and had the satisfaction of
winning the Wally as well as the race. "It's been a long day. Special
thanks to my dad, Wade Bryant, uncle Woody, my mom Deborah and my wife
Jessica," added Bryant.
Motorcycle winner Greg Winn from Jefferson, GA didn't let the fact that
Stewart Taft was the 2003 champion bother him in the final. Winn put an
11.15 dial on his '76 Kawasaki, and although it ran an off pace 11.43,
111.27mph, he got the win light when Taft's '00 Kawasaki broke out with an
11.93, 110.83mph pass (11.95 dial). "Don't take my picture, I'm afraid I'll
break the camera," added Winn, who was the Atlanta Dragway Motorcycle
champion in 1988. Rush Winn ('78 Kawasaki - Jefferson, GA) and Jimmy "Cha
Cha" Heisler were the semi-final pair.
Bogart, GA racer Steve Marcum met newly crowned Trophy Street champion Mel
Abney from Cumming, GA earlier in 2003 in a final round, and unlike the
previous final, took the win light tonight with his '01 Mustang. Abney's
'68 Camaro spun the tires en route to a 13.21, 104.65mph pass (13.04 dial).
Marcum took advantage of Abney's off pace run and slowed his car to a race
winning 14.76, 88.44mph (14.60 dial). "I finally got my win, even though I
had to go to the last points race," added a happy Marcum. Brian White ('97
Cobra - Grayson, GA) and Mardy Kennedy ('64 Econoline - Auburn, GA) were the
semi-final finishers.
"She had it locked up, and went out with a bang," commented Mark Hancock
about 17 year old Ashley Dumas after she won 13-17 Jr. Dragster. Dumas
already had the championship locked up coming in to today's race, which took
the pressure off her. Still, she was very tired by the end of the evening,
but prevailed with a better react and a dead-on 8.10, 79.25mph pass. Her
final round victim was Bradley Myers (14 - Loganville, GA). Myer's car was
exremely close as well, breaking out slightly with a 7.97, 78.96mph on a
7.98 target. Team PTI racer Whitney Samples (14 - Jefferson, GA) was the
semi-final finisher.
Although Matt Gillen won the 8-12 year old 2003 track championship, 11 year
old Scott Digby from Walhalla, SC earned the final round win light against
Homer, GA racer Brett Bowman (12). Digby reacted with a stellar .503, and
carded a winning 9.09, 72.48mph pass (9.07 dial). He was happy with the
win, but even more excited about what happened after the race. "I got
kissed by Whitney Samples," Digby exclaimed. The win also preserved his
third place finish in the points. His unpaid crew member, Donny Frix, was
also there to help him carry the first place trophy back home. Matt Gillen
(12 - Gainesville, GA) was the lone semi-finalist.
------------------------------------------------
PRO / SUPER PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Phil Sexton '00 Miller dragster McDonough, GA 4.97 138.56 (4.96)
R/U: Ms. B.J. Pitman '97 Tin Man dragster Roswell, GA 5.33 129.62 (5.35)
Semi: Mike Ramsey '81 Camaro Commerce, GA
------------------------------------------------
SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Travis Bryant '68 Camaro Bowman, GA 11.85 112.18 (11.83)
R/U: Jacob Rutledge '79 Capri Braselton, GA 12.09 103.94 (12.09)
Semi: Gerry Williams '73 Challenger Snellville, GA
------------------------------------------------
TROPHY STREET CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Steve Marcum '01 Mustang Bogart, GA 14.76 88.44 (14.60)
R/U: Mel Abney '67 Camaro Cumming, GA 13.21 104.65 (13.04)
Semi: Bryan White '97 Cobra Grayson, GA
Semi: Mardy Kennedy '64 Econoline pickup Auburn, GA
------------------------------------------------
MOTORCYCLE BIKE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Greg Winn '76 Kawasaki Jefferson, GA 11.43 111.27 (11.15)
R/U: Stewart Taft '00 Kawasaki Riverview, FL 11.93 110.83 (11.95)
Semi: Jimmy "Cha Cha" Heisler '00 Ninja Woodstock, GA
------------------------------------------------
JR. DRAGSTER 8-12 AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Scott Digby 11 Walhalla, SC 9.00 72.48 (9.07)
R/U: Brett Bowman 12 Homer, GA 14.94 40.39 (14.96)
Semi: "Mad Matt" Gillen 12 Gainesville, GA
------------------------------------------------
JR. DRAGSTER 13-17 AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Ashley Dumas 17 Commerce, GA 8.10 79.25 (8.10)
R/U: Bradley Myers 14 Loganville, GA 7.97 78.96 (7.98)
Semi: Whitney Samples 14 Jefferson, GA
------------------------------------------------
KING OF THE TRACK CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Travis Bryant '68 Camaro Bowman, GA 11.84 113.76 (11.83)
R/U: Steve Marcum '01 Mustang Bogart, GA 14.66 95.37 (14.55)
Atlanta Dragway Results by Tim Glover
Posted Tuesday, September 23, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
NGUYEN, HOLMES TAKE "YEAR ONE POWER HOUR" HONORS
FRIDAY, SEPT. 19TH Trinh Nguyen of Duluth and Alex Holmes of
Lawrenceville were the big winners in the "Year One Power Hour" grudge match
competition at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, each taking home $50 Gift
Certificate vouchers from Year One Automotive Restoration.
Nguyen's potent 1992 Honda Civic ran an 11-second pass down Atlanta
Dragway's quarter-mile strip, recording in excess of 129 mph, to nab both
the "Quickest Elapsed Time" and "Fastest MPH" $50 awards during the 9 - 10
PM Year One Power Hour. Holmes used a lightning-fast .501 light on the
start line to cinch the other $50 Year One voucher for "Best Reaction Time"
in a 1999 Volkswagon.
Run in conjunction with Atlanta Dragway's popular "Year One Fast Friday"
grudge night and test & tune program, the Year One Power Hour offers an
opportunity for D.O.T. licensed, street-legal cars and trucks - both
domestics and imports - to compete for prizes and bragging rights. While
not strictly designed for street-legal competition, the Year One Fast Friday
program does allow drivers of high-performance cars, trucks and motorcycles
an opportunity to "Race The Strip, Not The Street."
The next Year One Fast Friday, presented by Billy Howell Ford-Featherlite in
Cumming, Georgia, is scheduled for Friday evening, September 26th, and will
feature another edition of the Year One Power Hour. Gates will open at 6
PM, with the dragstrip ready for grudge matches, test & tune and time runs
at 6:45 PM. The Entry Fee for street-legal cars, trucks and motorcycles is
just $15, including driver, and covers entry into the Power Hour competition
as well.
Bazemore Comes Up Aces in Memphis; Takes Over Points Lead
Posted Tuesday, September 23, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
MILLINGTON, Tenn. (Sept. 22, 2003) – Mopar Funny Car shoe Whit Bazemore took over the Funny Car points lead for the first time in his career and Don Schumacher Racing doubled-up for the second time this year, winning both the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes in a race that was rained out on Sunday.
Tony Schumacher came back from a devastating crash on Friday night to win his third Top Fuel race of the season in the U.S. Army car, and Bazemore collected his third victory of the year as well, driving the Matco Tools Dodge Stratus. The team had scored a double win at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill., last June.
Starting from his second No. 1 qualifying spot this year (and the 23rd of his career), Bazemore's 15th career win propelled him into the points lead by seven points, as Tony Pedregon lost in the second round to Dean Skuza. Skuza, who also eliminated Bazemore's other rival for the Funny Car championship, John Force, in the semifinal, was Bazemore's opponent in the final round. Unfortunately, Skuza also eliminated Bazemore's teammate Gary Scelzi in the first round.
In his winning round against Force, Skuza's car was destroyed in a blaze which occurred after the finish line. With only 75 minutes allowed to prepare for the next round, a number of teams in the pits helped Skuza rebuild his car in time, and even Bazemore asked NHRA to allow the team as much time as necessary.
Skuza took off at the lights with a .059 reaction time to Bazemore's .082. But it was Bazemore all the way, taking the win with a very strong 4.894-second pass at 309.42 mph in the heat of the day to Skuza's losing 5.225/227.50.
En route to the winner's circle, Bazemore, of Indianapolis, defeated Bob Gilbertson (4.875/318.99 to 7.458/115.98), Cory Lee (4.967/295.66 to 4.971/291.82, winning by three feet) and Ron Capps (4.991/291.82 to 5.014/299.66).
"They pulled off a miracle. They're a tremendous team over there," said Bazemore of Skuza's effort. "We had to focus and try to win the race and that's what our Matco Tools Dodge team did. It's a great feeling. Any time you win one of these NHRA POWERade races it's a tremendous feeling.
"We've had a good year. We've had some ups and downs. We've been knocking on the door of the POWERade championship points lead since late spring. We haven't been able to knock the door down until today. Today we passed Tony Pedregon for the lead."
Bazemore won his first event at Memphis Motorsports Park today after not qualifying here in 2002 and is now the first driver since 1992 other than Force to lead this late in the season. Only five races remain.
"I really knew deep in my heart that our team was capable of winning this thing and that I'm capable of winning it," he remarked. "I think this was a turning point. I have the confidence in the team and in myself and I knew we just needed a little bit of luck to go our way and today we were able to put it all together and it happened. We're in the lead, we won this race, we have five more to go. The guys behind us (Tony Pedregon and Force) are very, very good. It’s going to be a dogfight to the end, we know it. At this point we don't want to settle for second best, that's for sure.
"Our fate is in our own hands," he continued. "We can control the situation if we do our job the best way we know how to do it. And we can win the POWERade championship. If we go out and make mistakes we're not going to win it. We're on a roll, we feel great. I know we have the team to get it done. And congratulations to Tony Schumacher for his great win after that crash on Friday."
Lee Beard was a happy man in winner's circle, celebrating the 49th win of his pro NHRA career as a crew chief. "It was an outstanding day for the Matco Tools Dodge. A tremendous effort by the team," he said. "The guys did a great job preparing the car every single round. There wasn't a mistake made on their end and Whit did a great job of driving. When you get all of that to come together you win one of these things.
"We're tickled to death to be in the points lead," he added. "I think my guys are finally really believing in themselves that they can be world champions. You always have that dream. And none of the guys on my team have been there before. They really didn't have the confidence in themselves, but I think after today they realize that all the hard work and all the extra effort they put out is going to come their way and make them world champions. We have five races left and we're all going to put our personal lives on the back burner and give this race team 150 percent and hopefully we'll come out on top.
"I was very happy that Dean Skuza's team made it up there. It's never the same when you have a single, whether it's in the first round or the final round. They're formidable opponents. We didn't take them lightly and Whit's 4.89 certainly would've been a competitive enough run to beat them under the best of conditions. We're pleased with that."
Team owner Don Schumacher, owner of six pro teams as of this year, was predictably ecstatic. "To double up is fantastic for Whit and Lee and the
Matco Tools team and to move into the championships points lead," he said. "It's just fantastic to see Tony come back from the crash he had on Friday night and be able to win this race. Alan Johnson (Tony's crew chief) and that whole team are just doing a fantastic job.
Bazemore has reached 11 semifinals and seven finals in 18 races in 2003, winning three of them.
Gary Scelzi found himself exiting Memphis Motorsports Park early with his first-round Funny Car loss at the O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals. The driver of the Oakley Time Bomb Dodge Stratus lost to Dean Skuza, who produced his best run of the weekend, a 4.877/312.06, to beat Scelzi's 4.864/318.09.
Earlier in the session, No. 1 in points Tony Pedregon advanced to the second round with his best pass of the weekend, 4.825/315.78, which proved to be a bellwether of the excellent track conditions the racers would see today following yesterday's rain, with temperatures in the 70s under partly cloudy skies.
"It was very unfortunate that that happened and the way it happened. We went in thin for lane choice in case we had Tony Pedregon the next round," said the Fresno, Calif., resident. "We didn't have time when we found out how good the track was to put some counterweight on it to make it run an .82 or better and I went in thin. Dean rolled it in; he had a .054 light, I had a 104, just like I had all weekend qualifying thin.
"We just got beat. There's no excuse, no anything; it's just what happened. We still have a good car. There's no game-change plan. We're not going to have our heads down. We're not going to change anything; we're going to stay the same.
"Its just part of the game. I could be upset, but it's not going to change anything. We dust ourselves off, we load it up and we get on down the road. You can't beat yourselves up because then you'll start making mistakes and you'll start doing things that are out of the realm, and that's not what we're going to do.
"We raced smart. Skuza hadn't been better than a 5.05 all weekend, and he unloaded on us."
Mopar Pro Stock Wrap Up…
A promising weekend for the Mopar Pro Stock contingent turned to a bitter pill on race day. During qualifying, for the first time this season, all four factory backed Mopars’ qualified for the 16-car field and looked to have a good day of eliminations lined up. It wasn’t to be.
Mopar driver Larry Morgan, who qualified fifth for the second time this season, fell in the first round of eliminations to veteran Bruce Allen. Despite having lane choice, Morgan, who held a sizable .018-.053 of a second starting-line advantage, lost the handle on his Dodge Stratus and ran a 6.870-second elapsed time at 201.22 mph. Allen posted a quicker 6.825-second lap at 201.82 mph.
“We just made a horrible run,” said a disappointed Morgan. “We ran so well all weekend, especially during qualifying. We just blew through the clutch and spun the tires hard down the track. But, I’m not unhappy with this team. They have worked so hard this year to get to where we are. We’ll just have to get them in Chicago here in a couple of days.”
Gene Wilson and his Mopar Parts Dodge Stratus lost in the first round to Dave Connolly. The 2002 NHRA Rookie of the Year qualified ninth, and gave lane choice over to Connolly, who made a 6.827-second pass at 201.34 mph. Wilson managed a 6.871-second elapsed time at 200.98 mph.
“We spun the tires and I think not having lane choice hurt us today,” Wilson said. “I must say I am happy with the consistency this team has demonstrated so far. We will look at things on the computer and see what we can get after in Chicago.”
The red light bug bit Johnson & Johnson Racing today. Three-time POWERade Pro Stock World Champion Darrell Alderman, who grabbed 10th in qualifying, went up against Kurt Johnson in round one. But before they could battle, the red light flashed and Alderman’s Dodge Stratus was out. Johnson went on to post a 6.820-second elapsed time at 202.09 mph.
“It just went red out there,” Alderman said. “I knew I had to have a good light to beat Kurt -- I guess I was a little too good. We have turned the corner with this team and I can't wait to run next weekend.”
The same fate befell teammate Allen Johnson. With a solid 13th-qualified position under his belt, Johnson was confident going into a first-round match with Jim Yates. It wasn’t to be as Johnson flickered the red, ending his day early.
“Well, that was disappointing,” Johnson said. “We really thought we had a good set up to compete this weekend. I was just a little early, I knew I had to be good, but it was just too close. The good news is that we have found our horsepower again and we should be strong the rest of the season.”
David Harris, Cox Marketing Group
Public Relations Manager
Mopar Motorsports
BAZEMORE TAKES LEAD IN FUNNY CAR STANDINGS; WINS THIRD SEASON RACE IN MEMPHIS
Posted Tuesday, September 23, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Sept. 22, 2003) - Whit Bazemore took over the Funny Car
points lead for the first time in his career and Don Schumacher Racing
doubled-up for the second time this year, winning both the Top Fuel and
Funny Car classes in a race that was rained out on Sunday.
Tony Schumacher came back from a devastating crash on Friday night to win
his third Top Fuel race of the season in the U.S. Army car, and Whit
Bazemore collected his third victory of the year as well, driving the Matco
Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus. The team had scored a double win at Route 66
Raceway in Joliet, Ill., in June.
Starting from his second No. 1 qualifying spot this year (and the 23rd of
his career), Bazemore's 15th career win propelled him into the points lead
by seven points, as Tony Pedregon lost in the second round to Dean Skuza.
Skuza, who also eliminated Bazemore's other rival for the Funny Car
championship, John Force, in the semifinal, was Bazemore's opponent in the
final round. Unfortunately, Skuza also eliminated Bazemore's teammate Gary
Scelzi in the first round.
In his winning round against Force, Skuza's car was destroyed in a blaze
which occurred after the finish line. With only 75 minutes allowed to
prepare for the next round, a number of teams in the pits helped Skuza
rebuild his car in time, and even Bazemore asked NHRA to allow the team as
much time as necessary.
Skuza took off at the lights with a .059 reaction time to Bazemore's .082.
But it was Bazemore all the way, taking the win with a very strong
4.894-second pass at 309.42 mph in the heat of the day to Skuza's losing
5.225/227.50.
En route to the winner's circle, Bazemore, of Indianapolis, defeated Bob
Gilbertson (4.875/318.99 to 7.458/115.98), Cory Lee (4.967/295.66 to
4.971/291.82, winning by three feet) and Ron Capps (4.991/291.82 to
5.014/299.66).
"They pulled off a miracle. They're a tremendous team over there," said
Bazemore of Skuza's effort. "We had to focus and try to win the race and
that's what our Matco Tools Dodge team did. It's a great feeling. Any time
you win one of these NHRA POWERade races it's a tremendous feeling.
"We've had a good year. We've had some ups and downs. We've been knocking on
the door of the POWERade championship points lead since late spring. We
haven't been able to knock the door down until today. Today we passed Tony
Pedregon for the lead."
Bazemore won his first event at Memphis Motorsports Park today after not
qualifying here in 2002 and is now the first driver since 1992 other than
John Force to lead this late in the season. Only five races remain.
"I really knew deep in my heart that our team was capable of winning this
thing and that I'm capable of winning it," he remarked. "I think this was a
turning point. I have the confidence in the team and in myself and I knew we
just needed a little bit of luck to go our way and today we were able to put
it all together and it happened. We're in the lead, we won this race, we
have five more to go. The guys behind us (Tony Pedregon and Force) are very,
very good. It's going to be a dogfight to the end, we know it. At this point
we don't want to settle for second best, that's for sure.
"Our fate is in our own hands," he continued. "We can control the situation
if we do our job the best way we know how to do it. And we can win the
POWERade championship. If we go out and make mistakes we're not going to win
it. We're on a roll, we feel great. I know we have the team to get it done.
And congratulations to Tony Schumacher for his great win after that crash on
Friday."
Lee Beard was a happy man in winner's circle, celebrating the 49th win of
his pro NHRA career as a crew chief. "It was an outstanding day for the
Matco Tools Dodge. A tremendous effort by the team," he said. "The guys did
a great job preparing the car every single round. There wasn't a mistake
made on their end and Whit did a great job of driving. When you get all of
that to come together you win one of these things.
"We're tickled to death to be in the points lead," he added. "I think my
guys are finally really believing in themselves that they can be world
champions. You always have that dream. And none of the guys on my team have
been there before. They really didn't have the confidence in themselves, but
I think after today they realize that all the hard work and all the extra
effort they put out is going to come their way and make them world
champions. We have five races left and we're all going to put our personal
lives on the back burner and give this race team 150 percent and hopefully
we'll come out on top.
"I was very happy that Dean Skuza's team made it up there. It's never the
same when you have a single, whether it's in the first round or the final
round. They're formidable opponents. We didn't take them lightly and Whit's
4.89 certainly would've been a competitive enough run to beat them under the
best of conditions. We're pleased with that."
Team owner Don Schumacher, owner of six pro teams as of this year, was
predictably ecstatic. "To double up is fantastic for Whit and Lee and the
Matco Tools team and to move into the championships points lead," he said.
"It's just fantastic to see Tony come back from the crash he had on Friday
night and be able to win this race. Alan Johnson (Tony's crew chief) and
that whole team are just doing a fantastic job.
"To watch this Matco Tools team do what they're doing week after week after
week, picking themselves up and coming out here and winning races and doing
a job to challenge and now take over the lead from a John Force team is just
fantastic. I really support those guys, all of them. All six of my teams are
a tremendous bunch of guys, but to have the Matco Tools team move into the
points championship is really a joy."
Bazemore has reached 11 semifinals and seven finals in 18 races in 2003,
winning three of them.
POINT STANDINGS:
1. Whit Bazemore 1376
2. Tony Pedregon 1369
3. John Force 1183
4. Gary Densham 1079
5. Del Worsham 1040
6. Ron Capps 947
7. Tommy Johnson Jr. 898
8. Gary Scelzi 849
14. Scotty Cannon 632
Contact: Judy Stropus
DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Schumacher, Bazemore, Anderson, Showers and Jenkins Win the NHRA POWERade O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals presented by Pennzoil- Whit Bazemore Takes Over Points Lead With Win
Posted Tuesday, September 23, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
NHRA Recap
Decal of the Week Album Updated
Posted Sunday, September 21, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
Fifteen new decals were added to the Decal of the Week album. Thanks to FE Bob Fermier, Marty Little and Marvin T. Smith for the submissions.
Whisnant Misses the Field in Memphis
Posted Sunday, September 21, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
Mark Whisnant, driver of the RW Performance / Snap-On Tools Chevrolet Cavalier, did not qualify for tomorrows 16th annual O’Reilly Mid-South Nationals in Memphis, Tenn.
Whisnant came to Memphis with hopes of continuing his momentum into a qualifying spot on tomorrow race. Whisnants’ bast pass of the weekend came in the Friday night qualifying session. The 6.841 / 201.85 mph would not be good enough to make the show.
"This weekend we had a hard time getting down the racetrack," said Whisnant of Stockbridge, Ga. "We fought tire shake all weekend, and could never get to the top end without rattling the tires.
"Tire shake was a problem for everyone this weekend, but it still doesn’t make me feel any better. I am pretty disappointed. I wanted to qualify and be racing on Sunday.
"I guess all we can do now it turn our attention toward the next race in Chicago.
CONTACT: Patti Miles-Hamlin
RW PERFORMANCE PRO STOCK CHEVY CAVALIER
MARK WHISNANT – DRIVER
REID WHISNANT – OWNER
Warren Johnson Steps Up on Saturday, Qualifies 3rd in Memphis
Posted Sunday, September 21, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
Entering the third qualifying session for the O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals, Warren Johnson knew he would have one chance to secure a top starting spot for Sunday's final eliminations. With forecast calling for sunny skies and temperatures in the 80's at Memphis Motorsports Park, Saturday's morning session would offer the only realistic opportunity to record times competitive with those recorded on Friday evening.
Taking full advantage, Johnson's GM Performance Parts Grand Am streaked down the quarter-mile in 6.774 seconds with a top speed of 203.46 mph, which was the second quickest in Pro Stock for that session, and earned "The Professor" the third starting position.
On his final attempt, Johnson showed he was ready for race day by posting the third quickest elapsed time in the afternoon heat at 6.815 seconds.
"Yesterday we found both ditches, and today we went down the middle of the road. This morning we were a little light on the clutch because we didn't want to go overboard, and although we're pleased with the performance, there was a little room for improvement.
"We made some adjustments to the GM Performance Parts Grand Am's tune-up for this afternoon's run, and I think the clutch was just about right to where we didn't leave anything on the table. Based on what we did on that run, I think things bode well for tomorrow."
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
Kurt Johnson Starts Seventh and Looks for a Big Day in Memphis
Posted Sunday, September 21, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
Kurt Johnson made two important runs during Saturday's final day of qualifying for the O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals in Memphis, TN. The first came in the morning session, when Johnson posted his run of record at 6.785 seconds with a top speed of 203.37 mph, bettering his previous best from Friday and claiming the seventh starting position for Sunday's final eliminations.
However, Johnson's final qualifying pass was also significant. Although slightly slower than his previous best, the 6.806-second elapsed time and top speed of 203.28 mph represented the best in the Pro Stock category for that session, and came under conditions, which closely matched those forecast for tomorrow's eliminations.
"For the first three runs, we were using an engine we hadn't used since Topeka, and we might have bit a little off on the fuel curve. We had made a few changes to it trying to improve, but I think were a little too conservative.
"After we ran that 6.787 last night burning the clutch out of it, we adjusted it for this morning thinking it would go 6.75 or 6.76, and it didn't, so we decided to go back to the motor we had been running, which is pretty close to the first one on the dyno. We also made some changes to the chassis and the gearing, and came up with a good combination for our ACDelco Cavalier on this track.
"That was really a test run for tomorrow, because it was run in the heat of the day, which is when we'll be racing. If we can repeat that four times on Sunday, we'll be pretty pleased.
Johnson also addressed the potential second round match-up between himself and Greg Anderson, the current POWERade points leader with whom Johnson is locked in a fierce battle.
"If we want to make up ground in the championship, we need to race Greg in the early rounds. Hopefully Steve Schmidt (Anderson's first round opponent) will take care of him before then, but if not we'd certainly like to try to inflict some damage. However, neither one of us can afford to overlook the first round. We have a tough opponent in Darrell Alderman that we have to take care of first. If we're able to do that, then we'll see what happens in the second round."
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
Baca, Bazemore, Coughlin, Savoie and McAmis Qualify #1 at the NHRA POWERade O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals presented by Pennzoil
Posted Sunday, September 21, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
Whit Bazemore is #1 in Funny Car with a 4.826 @ 316.67.
Warren Johnson (#3), Kurt Johnson (#7)and Gene Wilson (#9) qualify for Pro Stock. Mark Whisnant (#22), Barry Grant (#27) and Eric Shelton (#30) aren't quick enough to make the field.
Eric Shelton ran a career best 6.888 @ 199.67. Congratulations, Eric! If Eric comes up with a sponsor ( Nice guy that would be a great representative for some company ), he might surprise a few people.
Fred Collis is #4 in Pro Stock Bike with a 7.147 @ 185.97.
NHRA Saturday Recap
Schumacher Not Seriously Injured in Crash - Baca, Bazemore, Coughlin, Scali and McAmis Lead Qualifying at the NHRA POWERade O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals presented by Pennzoil
Posted Saturday, September 20, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
Georgia Pro Stock racers Kurt Johnson (#6- 6.787 203.71), Gene Wilson (#9- 6.801 202.85) and Warren Johnson (#14- 6.814 203.25) are qualified, but Mark Whisnant (#21- 6.841 201.85), Barry Grant (#26- 6.872 201.01) and Eric Shelton (#32- 6.949 198.96)are not in the program after day one qualifying.
Fred Collis is #4 in Pro Stock Bike with a 7.163 185.05 pass.
NHRA Friday Recap
Whisnant is Ready for Memphis
Posted Thursday, September 18, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Mark Whisnant, driver of the RW Performance / Snap-On Tools Chevrolet Cavalier, is ready to race at this weekends 16th annual O’Reilly Mid-South Nationals in Memphis Tenn.
"I have watched it rain way too much in the last month," said Whisnant of Stockbridge, Ga. "Lately, it seems like all it has done is rain. It rained in Indy, and last weekend we sat and watched it rain in Reading. I do not know about anyone else, but I am ready to race.
Whisnant who is in the process of rebuilding his team for next season is optimistic about his chances of qualifying in Memphis.
"I think we have a very good chance of placing this Snap-On Tools Cavalier in the show on Sunday. Every time we take this car out we get stronger. Things are starting to come back together, and that feels good. It has given us confidence again, which is something this team has lacked since the spring.
"Although we are working toward next year we always want to qualify and do well now. My crew chief, Julius Hughes, has a lot of good ideas and enthusiasm. We have made gains since he has come on board, and I am sure we continue to move forward this weekend.
"It looks like we are getting back into a groove and building momentum. Hopefully this weekend we can use that momentum to qualify and race on Sunday."
CONTACT: Patti Miles-Hamlin
RW PERFORMANCE PRO STOCK CHEVY CAVALIER
MARK WHISNANT – DRIVER
REID WHISNANT – OWNER
Rainy Days, Isabel and Battle for the Championship Won't Get Bazemore Down
Posted Thursday, September 18, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Sept. 17, 2003) - It's been a tough last third of the NHRA
POWERade Drag Racing Series for Whit Bazemore, driver of the Matco Tools
Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus Funny Car, who's aiming for his first Funny Car
championship. The rainout of last weekend's race in Reading, Pa., and
threats of Hurricane Isabel hitting the eastern part of the U.S. this
weekend aside, Bazemore's main concern is getting qualified in the O'Reilly
Mid-South Nationals this weekend and gaining points on Tony Pedregon.
The two-time U.S. Nationals champion, who is just 57 points behind Funny Car
leader Pedregon, failed to qualify here last year, as well as in 1989 and
1997. If he's going to leave Memphis with the class points lead, this cannot
happen again, he says.
"That certainly can't happen," says the Indianapolis resident who was
runner-up here in 1992 and 2000. "It's always a possibility. To win the
championship it can't happen. But we're not going to worry about it.
"We go to every race expecting to and prepared to win. But the first order
of business is to get the car qualified," says Bazemore, who has qualified
for each event so far this season, including one No. 1 and 14 top fives.
"That's why every run is so important. The first run is somewhat on the
conservative side, usually. You go down the race track at a competitive
number and get into the show. From there, you can fine tune the car and try
to increase the performance and try new things if you need to.
"You can't take qualifying for granted. You've got to work hard at every
single race. It's not like other kinds of racing, where if you've reached a
certain level then you're guaranteed to qualify at every race. In drag
racing you have to prove yourself every weekend; there are no free rides for
anybody."
One of the more difficult things he's had to endure this season is not being
able to capitalize on Pedregon's four first-round losses in the last five
races. Bazemore also had early exits in the last six of seven events. "They
struggled some and we struggled also," he said. "That's the bottom line. And
because of that we haven't been able to pass him, but we have seriously
eroded his points lead to a point where it's definitely doable. It's not
like we're 150 or 200 points back - even though that would be doable too -
but to be within right around 60 points is three rounds. That's conceivably
one day of racing - one day of racing and we have six races left.
"I wouldn't trade positions with Pedregon's team at all right now," added
Bazemore, who has gone to the final round six times, the semifinal round 10
times, and has won twice this season. "I think we're in a good position.
We're just going to focus and make it happen. That's what we've got to do,
that's what we're going to do."
He's also looking over his shoulder at John Force, who is 152 behind in
third place. "Force is 152 points back, which conceivably can be two days of
racing," said Bazemore. "He's very much in the fight and so we have to keep
an eye on him and an eye ahead of us.
"But if we go rounds and do our job it will be irrelevant. We have to go
rounds. We have to go to the semis and the final round a lot out of these
last six races, and if we do that we should be there."
As for returning to Memphis, "I've had really mixed fortunes at Memphis," he
remarked. "I reached my very first final round there in 1992. The track when
it's cool can be really good. If it's 90 degrees it won't be so good. We'll
just have to see what the conditions are when we get there and hope there's
not a hurricane we have to face."
Contact: Judy Stropus
DON SCHUMACHER RACING
GDR Website Updated
Posted Wednesday, September 17, 2003 by johndilbeck
Several new photos have been added today (GDR-00373 through GDR-00385).
Thanks to David Dilbeck, Garry Grimes, Bill Hughes, Michael Mihalko, and Eddie Vidrine for sharing their photos with us.
Tim Glover submitted an interview: Five Minutes With Chris Vandergriff.
Thanks to each of you for your contributions.
Atlanta Dragway Results by Tim Glover
Posted Tuesday, September 16, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
RACE DATE: September 13-14, 2003
FROM: Tim Glover
EVENT: PRO Hotrod and Muscle Car Nationals at Atlanta Dragway
MAJORS EXPERIENCES FIRST WIN IN YEARS, SNAPP SNAPS UP VICTORY IN TROPHY
STREET AT PRO RACE
by Tim Glover
(Commerce, GA) The second annual PRO Hotrod Nationals came to Atlanta
Dragway for a weekend of family fun, featuring the fastest street cars on
the planet, 300mph jet cars, wheelstanders, burnout contests, show cars, car
corral cars, a huge swap meet, a large vendors midway and even more race
cars in the bracket series.
Two exhibition cars kept spectators interested in between rounds of the
fast cars. Ancel Horton drove the Mississippi Mad Man Jet Dragster to low
five second, 300 plus mph passes, putting on a great fire show before each
pass. Not to be outdone, Bob Hall lit the pipes on his Airborne Express
Chevy Van wheelstander, throwing flames out ten feet from the headers en
route to his 9.96, 137mph pass on two wheels.
The vendors midway featured a variety of goodies for purchase. GM
Performance Parts had their rig set up near the starting line gate with all
kinds of factory go fast goodies for GM products. Team Toyo Tires was there
with their rig, featuring the latest in high performance street and race
tires. The Holley rig was there, featuring virtually all of their product
line of high performance products.
Nearby, the car show was in full swing, featuring automotive works of art
like Richard Boyd's ultra custom '66 Chevy II, Arthur Petry's TPI small
block powered Caddy, Ed Ross' big block chevy powered '49 Studebaker, along
with the obligatory Camaros and Corvettes.
Even the car corral had some show quality cars. The "Devil Woman", a
bright red '50 Ford Custom with a chopped roof, custom upholstery and big
block chevy power, was available for sale to the right person. The fastest
car in the corral was an old front engine dragster, set up for small block
chevy power.
Other action featured a burnout contest, which Ralph Saran, one of the
entrants in the PRO race, taking the first prize of $200 and a two year
membership to PRO with his lime green '70 Super Bee. Sherman Carter drew
runner up honors, which netted a $100 bill and a one year membership to PRO.
Marc Dantoni won Pro Street handily with his Pat Musi '69 Camaro after
Steve Miller's S10 Pickup lost fire and refused to start. Rob Golobo took
the Nostalgia Pro Street win against Ross Stomp, who vaporized a piston
earlier in the weekend, and used one that had been serving as an ashtray for
a while since he had no other spares. "Nitrous Nick" Rinehart advanced from
fourth to first in Extreme Street points with his win. See the results
section for other Fastest Street Car winners.
A gambler's race was held Saturday for anyone interested. "Fireman Joe"
Rampley from Gainesville, GA was the Gambler's Super Pro winner with his
dragster against young Jeremy Hancock from Commerce, GA, who was enjoying
his second ever Super Pro final in his immaculate '67 Camaro. Rampley had a
good run, turning in a 4.98, 138.00mph on a 4.97 dial-in. Hancock was .002
seconds away from a perfect run; unfortunately it was .002 seconds on the
wrong side of the package with a .499 red light and a 6.349, 109.50mph on a
6.35 dial. Brad Howard ('02 Miller dragster - Gainesville, GA) and J.D.
Reid ('02 Undercover dragster - Conyers, GA) earned the semi-final portion
of the purse.
John Taylor's Boone, NC based '97 S10 Blazer was mowing down the
competition in Gambler's Footbrake, and took the win against Atlanta Dragway
regular John Snapp's Conyers, GA based '68 Charger. Snapp was a bit late
off the starting line, and broke out with a 14.36, 93.27mph shot on his
14.38 target. Boone slowed his ride to a 17.02, 77.53mph (16.96 dial). Kim
Ellington ('81 Camaro - Conyers, GA) was the semi-final finisher.
Lamar Majors has been coming to Atlanta Dragway for a long time, and
brought home the bacon with a Sunday Super Pro win in his "Cherry Blossom
Express" '74 Vega. "It's been so long, I forgot when I won last time,"
Majors commented after defeating Jefferson, GA racer Stacy Blanton, who was
experiencing his first final round in two years. Majors' machine ran a good
6.33, 107.92mph on a 6.31 target, and Blanton's '96 Undercover dragster also
went .02 over, running 5.32, 129.57mph. Majors' better react allowed him to
take an .008 second win stripe. "Thanks to a brand new motor by Ronnie
Stewart, my "Buford Heavy" prepared car, my wife Pauline, crew chief Steve
Beauregard, Kenny Johnson and Ronnie Wilkerson, I was able to win again.
Life is good at 60 (he turned 60 years old August 22)." Gerry Williams has
done well in Super Pro recently with his Snellville, GA based '73
Challenger, and was Sunday's sole semi-finalist.
Kerry Arnold from nearby Jefferson, GA was thrilled with his second ever
win in Sunday Sportsman. He recently purchased friend Perry McCallum's '81
Mazda RX-7, and took it to victory lane against Kim Ellington's Conyers, GA
based '81 Camaro. Similar to what happened in Super Pro, Arnold crossed the
finish line .007 seconds ahead of Ellington, thanks to a better reaction
time. Both cars went dead-on their dial in times; Arnold with an 11.465,
115.71mph and Ellington with an 11.930, 110.20mph. After the race, Arnold
said, "There's nothing I can say but Thank the Lord. Without Him, I
couldn't do it. Also, I want to thank all the people who supported me."
Ellington (who finished in the semis on Saturday and the final today) said
it had been a good weekend for her. Brat Pack racer Kenny Wigington ('74
Duster - Cumming, GA) and Saturday's winner, John Taylor ('87 S10 Blazer -
Boone, NC) were the semi-final pair.
Conyers, GA racer John Snapp used to run a '69 Camaro in his native
Southern California, but said he never experienced the level of success he
has enjoyed with his '68 Charger. Snapp made it to his third final in a
row, and took the win light in Sunday Trophy Street action against Cumming,
GA racer Mel Abney. Abney and Snapp have been friends for several years,
and were happy to face each other in a final round for the first time.
Although Abney had a better react, his '67 Camaro went just a tad too quick,
running 13.06, 102.07mph on a 13.08 target. Snapp's .01 over 14.37,
89.97mph shot earned the win light. "I couldn't do anything with this car
until I put B.F. Goodrich Drag Radials on this car," added Snapp. Brian
Wilen ('00 F150 Lightning - Snellville, GA) was the semi-finalist. Abney,
who is currently leading the points in Atlanta Dragway's 2003 edition of the
Summit / Hayes ET Series, added, "John and I have been waiting a long time
for this."
------------------------------------------------
SAT. GAMBLER SUPER PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Joe Rampley dragster Gainesville, GA 4.98 138.00 (4.97)
R/U: Jeremy Hancock '67 Camaro Commerce, GA (foul) 6.34 109.50 (6.35)
Semi: Brad Howard '02 Miller dragster Gainesville, GA
Semi: J.D. Reid '02 Undercover dragster Conyers, GA
------------------------------------------------
SAT. GAMBLER SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: John Taylor '97 Blazer Boone, NC 17.02 77.53 (16.96)
R/U: John Snapp '68 Charger Conyers, GA 14.36 93.27 (14.38)
Semi: Kim Ellington '81 Camaro Conyers, GA
------------------------------------------------
SUNDAY TROPHY STREET CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: John Snapp '68 Charger Conyers, GA 14.37 89.97 (14.36)
R/U: Mel Abney '67 Camaro Cumming, GA 13.06 102.07 (13.08)
Semi: Brian Wilen '00 F150 Lightning Snellville, GA
------------------------------------------------
SUNDAY SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Kerry Arnold '81 Mazda RX-7 Jefferson, GA 11.46 115.71 (11.46)
R/U: Kim Ellington '81 Camaro Conyers, GA 11.93 110.20 (11.93)
Semi: Kenny Wigington '74 Duster Cumming, Ga
Semi: John Taylor '97 S10 Blazer Boone, NC
------------------------------------------------
SUNDAY SUPER PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Lamar Majors '74 Vega Braselton, GA 6.33 107.92 (6.31)
R/U: Stacy Blanton '96 Undercover dragster Jefferson,
GA 5.32 129.57 (5.30)
Semi: Gerry Williams '73 Challenger Snellville, GA
Semi:
------------------------------------------------
PRO STREET CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH
Win: Marc Dantoni '69 Camaro Staten Island, NY 6.95 161.63
R/U: Steve Miller '99 S10 Pickup Buffalo, MN broke
Semi: Kevin McCurdy '00 Trans Am Hamburg, PA
------------------------------------------------
NOSTALGIA PRO STREET CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH
Win: Rob Golobo '02 Camaro SS Whitelake, MI 7.66 182.30
R/U: Ross Stomp '69 Nova Omtonville, MI 7.71 176.01
Semi: Dale Pitman '67 Camaro Alliance, OH
------------------------------------------------
EXTREME STREET CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH
Win: "Nitrous Nick" Rinehart '72 Nova Oshkosh, WI 8.50 165.33
R/U: Bob Curran '96 Corvette Bartlett, IL 11.72 120.13
Semi: Jamie McKenzie '88 Mustang Carrollton, GA
------------------------------------------------
PRO STOCK CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH
Win: Shane Long '87 Mustang Greenville, SC 9.27 146.85
R/U: Mike DeMayo Mustang West Sunbury, PA 9.37 143.58
Semi: Jake Holdrege '00 Camaro Syracuse, NY
Semi: Butch Kemp '67 Chevy II Washington, MI
------------------------------------------------
SUPER STREET CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH
Win: Kenny Bennett '95 Oldsmobile Cincinatti, OH 7.53 191.27
R/U: Billy May '97 Dodge Indianapolis, IN 8.62 125.23
Semi: Bobby Joysey '80 Malibu Spring Hill, FL
------------------------------------------------
CHEAP STREET CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH
Win: Jeremy Taylor '66 Chevy II Holts Summit, MO 9.98 133.54
R/U: Tim Hendricks '95 Firebird Sterling, FL 10.23 129.24
Semi: Jimmy McDonough '70 Chevelle St. James, NY
------------------------------------------------
NOSTALGIA MUSCLE CAR CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH INDEX
Win: David Parris '74 Nova Canton, NC 11.06 120.06 (11.00)
R/U: Brad Crumley '71 Maverick Roan Mountain, TN 11.03 118.56 (11.00)
Semi: Randy Bennett '69 AMX Stockbridge, GA
------------------------------------------------
NOSTALGIA SUPER STOCK CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH INDEX
Win: Jeff Puckett '67 Tempest Newland, NC 11.02 117.96 (11.00)
R/U: Jimmy Gardner '66 GTO Roan Mountain, TN 11.92 109.53 (12.00)
Semi: Kevin Gass '66 Chevelle Ledbetter, KY
------------------------------------------------
OPEN COMP CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH
Win: Walter Doyle '66 Chevelle Indianapolis, IN 10.53 120.32
R/U: Jamie Rickman '79 Mustang Selmer, TN 10.21 127.32
Semi: John Brady '79 Mustang McMinnville, TN
Semi: John Marconi '58 Corvette Palm Beach Garden, FL
Decal of the Week
Posted Monday, September 15, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
New decals from Marty Little, Hugh Munro, Hoyt Grimes ( submitted by Fred Simmons ) and three flyers that were submitted by Mike Galewski were added today.
Decal of the Week
Classic Ads, Flyers, and ???
Another Rainout - NHRA POWERade Lucas Oil Nationals Rescheduled to Oct. 3-5
Posted Sunday, September 14, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
NHRA Details
Tony Schumacher Runs Quickest Ever 4.465 at NHRA POWERade Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals
Posted Saturday, September 13, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
Tony Schumacher drives the Alan Johnson tuned Army Top Fueler to the quckest elapsed time (4.465) in drag racing history at Maple Grove Raceway. Tony Pedregon (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Shawn Gann (Pro Stock Bike) are the top pro qualifiers after one session. Michael Gunderson makes the fastest ever TAD run with a 5.232 @ 280.54 to qualify #1.
Whit Bazemore is currently qualified #14 in Funny Car. Fred Collis is #2 in Pro Stock Bike with a 7.152 @ 185.95. Gene Wilson is the top Georgia Pro Stock qualifier with an eighth best 6.822 @ 202.42 in his Mopar Dodge Stratus. WJ is #15 with a 6.888 @ 199.91. Kurt Johnson is #25, Mark Whisnant is #28 and Barry Grant is #30 after round one of Pro Stock qualifying.
NHRA Friday Recap
Album Updates
Posted Thursday, September 11, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
I updated the Decal of the Week album with a few decals that were submitted by Marty Little and added a few photos to the Hayes Mopar Meet album.
Decal of the Week
Hayes Mopar Meet Photos
Anderson vs. Johnson: a Good Natured Rivalry
Posted Thursday, September 11, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
READING, Pa. – In racing there are always rivalries: some friendly, some not so friendly. Currently Greg Anderson, driver of the Vegas General Construction Pontiac Grand Am, and Kurt Johnson are the rivalry most closely watched by the drag racing community. Throughout the season, these two drivers have fought each other tooth and nail for the point’s lead and the eventual Pro Stock world championship. There is a rivalry there, but of the friendliest nature. This weekend Anderson and Johnson will once again square off against each other for the Pro Stock title at the 19th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Reading, Pa.
"I think it is pretty cool to be racing one of my best friends for the championship, and you know, I wouldn’t have it any other way," said Anderson of Charlotte, NC. "I think I would rather race Kurt more than anyone else in the class. It is almost like racing against a brother.
"Kurt and I have been friends for a long time. He is like a brother to me. We worked and raced together for many years, and now we are racing against each other for the Pro Stock championship. There is no one else in the class I would want to race this close.
"Everyone wants to make a championship battle into some kind of an ugly fight, and I guess it could be like that if I was up against someone else. Kurt and I have the same kind of relationship that all buddies have when they are competing against each other in sports. We kind of have a ‘I got you that time’ mentality. If he beats me that’s fine, but the next time I line up against him, I want to get him back. Of coarse this is for more than just bragging rights. There is a lot riding on this championship, but as much pressure as is put on us to win, at the end of the day we are still friends.
"What is neat is that when we strap into our cars, the gloves come off, and we are enemies on the starting line. When we get out of our cars at the top end, we are friends again. No matter who wins I know that by nightfall, we will be in either his pit or mine, congratulating the winner. That’s cool, and I know he feels the same way.
"Honestly, I know that if it wasn’t for me, Kurt would be dominating this class right now. I also know that the season is far from being over. If I fumble, even a little bit, he will catch me.
"Right now we have to get past this weekend in Reading. The cool conditions in Maple Grove are going to even up the field. The good air will cure a weak motor, so it seems like even the marginal cars run well there. This weekend I think we could see one of the tightest fields this season. When the cars even out it makes for a more competitive race. That will make it a drivers’ race on Sunday, with some great side by side racing for the fans. If you can win a race under those conditions you earned it, you did not back into it.
"This weekend it is going to be very important for us to stay in pace with Kurt. I know he will crush me if he can, and he knows that the same is true for me.
"That is what is so great about racing a friend like Kurt. I know if this goes down to the final round in Pomona, and he and I are racing each other for the championship. If he wins, I will still be able to shake his hand at the top end and happy for him, just like he would be for me if I won."
VEGAS GENERAL CONSTRUCTION PONTIAC GRAND AM
GREG ANDERSON – DRIVER
KEN BLACK – OWNER
CONTACT: Patti Miles-Hamlin
Whisnant Predicts a Good Showing in Reading
Posted Thursday, September 11, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
READING, Pa. – Mark Whisnant, driver of the RW Performance / Snap-On Tools Pro Stock Chevrolet Cavalier, is anxiously awaiting his return to Reading, Pa. for the 19th annual Lucas Oils NHRA Nationals. With a promising new team, and a good showing at this event last year Whisnant can foresee a productive weekend in his future.
Last year at this event Whisnant qualified his Cavalier number three in the Pro Stock field. He is looking for the cool autumn weather conditions and a great racing surface to help him place his RW Performance ride back in the top half of the field.
"We always have great racing in Maple Grove," said Whisnant. "Everyone runs good here. These naturally aspirated cars love the cool New England air. The conditions here seem to even out the field. It will be a dogfight to get in, but it has been at every race this season.
"One thing that is for sure, is that the fans will treated to some of the best Pro Stock racing they will see all year. Hopefully, we will be able to improve on our performance in Indy, and place this Cavalier in the show.
"Right now we are working toward next year, with emphasis on making the best of what we have left of this season. Julius (crew chief Julius Hughes) and the boys have been working overtime to get our racing program turned around.
"There are six races left in the 2003 POWERade season. Our goal for the remainder of the season is to be consistently qualifying by the end of the year. Placing this RW Performance / Snap-On tools Cavalier in the show this weekend will be a major step in the right direction. "We have qualified well here before. I think we have the ability to qualify well here again this year."
Whisnant Quick Facts
Currently 18th in 2003 NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Points (342 pts.)
Finished 10th 2002 NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Points
Career Best ET 6.772 (Houston 2003)
Career Best MPH 202.73 (Englishtown 2002)
RW PERFORMANCE PRO STOCK CHEVY CAVALIER
MARK WHISNANT – DRIVER
REID WHISNANT – OWNER
CONTACT: Patti Miles-Hamlin
David Tatum III Wins Super Gas at Indy
Posted Monday, September 8, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
David Tatum III, the second generation drag racer from Palmetto, GA, wins the big one at the NHRA POWERade Mac Tools U.S.Nationals. Sherman Adcock ( Columbus, GA ) made it to the 6th round before losing. Congratulations on your well deserved win, David!
Super Gas Summary of Eliminations
NHRA INDY RECAP
NHRA Super Gas Late Rounds
Atlanta Dragway/Hayes Mopar Meet Results by Tim Glover
Posted Monday, September 8, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
RACE DATE: September 5-6, 2003
FROM: Tim Glover
EVENT: Hayes Family Dealerships Southeastern Mopar Meet 2003 at Atlanta
Dragway
HAYES MOPAR MEET BIGGER AND BETTER FOR 2003
by Tim Glover
Mopar Meet Photos
(Commerce, GA) Once again, the Hayes Family Dealerships Mopar Meet
attracted thousands of fans for an enjoyable day looking at lots of
previously owned "Moparts" for sale in the vendor's midway, hundreds of show
cars in the Car Show area and the Mopar Speedshop. The MOPAR Speedshop
featured a cutaway four cylinder SRT-4 (Street Racing Technology - four
cylinder) engine, lots of performance videos and a gorgeous looking group of
brand new Mopar Show Cars outside the display. The brand new show cars
included a RAM SRT-10 truck with a Viper V-10 engine, the Dodge Magnum
SRT-8, powered by a 5.7 liter supercharged Hemi, an SRT-4 Neon, a Jeep
Liberty, and of course, no show is complete without a new Viper. Part of
the festivities included a parade lap down the track's return road for cars
entered in the car show.
Dave Nichols and other officers from the Duluth Police department brought
along their MOPAR police vehicles, along with their Rollover Simulator,
which vividly demonstrated what happens to occupants of a vehicle when they
roll it over without wearing a seat belt.
The "Dodge Boys" from NHRA Pro Stock were scheduled to be at the Mopar
Meet, but due to last week's U.S. Nationals rain delay, they had to be at
the rescheduled U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, IN this weekend. They will
be back in Atlanta for 2004.
Paul Miller brought his Next Generation US-1 Jet Dragster to wow the crowd,
and he did, with high five second, flame throwing 285mph plus passes. Tony
Caprio's Texas Bandits PT Cruiser wheelstander (yeah, its got a Hemi in it)
also excited the crowd with its flame and wheelstanding show. Caprio
pleased the crowd even more on his return trip down the tracke when he
stopped directly in front of them, got out, and threw several sets of tee
shirts to them before getting back into his ride for one last wheelie. The
57 year old Diane Minette got the largest roar of approval by far from the
crowd when it came time to vote for the Tires Plus Burnout Contest winner.
Minette has won it twice with her now 440 powered van, and her family,
including her dad and her husband John have won a total of five burnout
contests.
Nearly 200 race cars of varying denominations competed for the top spot in
their classes all day.
By quarterfinals time, four door cars and three dragsters remained in Super
Pro competition. Former Sportsman champion Mark Granneman from Kennesaw,
GA, carried the Mopar banner the farthest in Super Pro competition with his
'87 Dodge Daytona, which finished in the semi-finals the first time he ever
raced it at Atlanta Dragway. (Granneman's Daytona had a Chevy engine in it
when he purchased the car, but he quickly rectified that "sin" by installing
the 440 engine from his '71 Demon.) Cindy Williams husband, Gerry, was a
quarterfinal finisher with his '73 Challenger. Loganville, GA racer Tommy
Motes has been racing at Atlanta Dragway for many years, and ended a four
year drought with a win in Super Pro with his dragster. Motes met Ray
Lacount in the final, and took the win light with an off the throttle 5.26,
128.19mph pass (5.24 dial), thanks to a better reaction time. Lacount's
Hull, GA based '77 Vega Wagon carded a 5.97, 115.69mph pass (5.95 dial).
Motes' credentials include the dubious distinction of being a two time
winner of the "Buyback Award". "I told you the last few weeks I've been on
a roll. I won!," added Motes. Cumming, GA racer Russ Glover, the other
semi-finalist, won the Mopar show in 2001 and 2002, but came up just a
little short for 2003. Glover thanked Trinity Motorsports for their help in
getting his '81 Speedcraft dragster to the semi-finals, along with Hedman
Hedders, Valvoline and Neal's Racing Transmissions.
Sportsman winner and two time track champion Rob Hogue from Loganville, GA
didn't drive a Mopar in the Mopar vs. the World Bracket Race, but still took
home the top prize. Hogue was on top of his game with his '84 Monte Carlo
SS, running an 11.52, 118.08mph pass on his 11.51 dial in time in the
Sportsman final. However, the point was moot as soon as his opponent, Andy
Shafer from Flowery Branch, GA left the starting line .005 seconds too soon
with his '72 Cutlass, resulting in a .495 foul. He chose to finish his
pass, running 11.17, 117.82mph (11.13 dial). Bobby McNair ('68 Mustang -
Seneca, SC) was the lone semi-finalist. Hogue thanked Toni Holliman of HR
Race Cars, Nalley Racing Engines, Keith and Sid Neal and AAR Fiberglass for
their help. This was Hogue's third race and first win for 2003. He then
thanked the Hayes family for putting on a big show that just keeps getting
better and better.
Conyers, GA racer John Snapp made it to the Trophy Street final with his
'68 Dodge Charger, but a .497 (.003 seconds too quick) reaction time cost
him the race, which Clay Stancil won in his X-brand '72 Chevelle. Stancil
took the winner's trophy home to Athens, GA with a breakout 13.92, 95.75mph
pass (14.05 target). Snapp also broke out, running 14.34, 94.86mph (14.43
dial). Michael Duvall ('69 Mustang - Blairsville, GA) earned the semi-final
trophy.
PTI (Prestress Transport, Inc.) racer Lauren Turner (12 years old -
Pendergrass, GA) won her third 8-12 year old Jr. Dragster race for 2003.
Turner struggled earlier in the season, but her dad, George Turner, said the
monkey has finally gotten off their backs. He then thanked Bill Gillen of
Young Guns Motorsports for all his help, along with crew members Wayne
Samples, Terry Samples and Matt Johnson. George Turner then mentioned this
was the neatest birthday present he could get, a double PTI win. Lauren
Turner had a good react and ran a good 9.16, 70.95mph on a 9.14 target in
the final. However, the race was over as soon as her final round opponent,
Danielle Krause (12 - Peachtree City, GA) left the starting line with the
big tomato colored bulb glowing. Krause then ran a slight breakout 9.13,
71.18mph (9.14 dial). The LaCount family had a good day, with dad Ray
finishing runner-up in Super Pro, and son Preston Lacount (8 - Hull, GA)
finishing in the semi-finals. The other semi-finalist was Ashton Shubert
(10 - Commerce, GA).
Turner's PTI team mate, Whitney Samples, began racing in June, 2003, and
won her first ever race in 13-17 Jr. Dragster. Samples' better react
allowed her to survive a double breakout affair when she carded an 8.61,
73.52mph on an 8.62 target. Kevin Hackett earned the runner up trophy with
his 8.64, 75.25mph (8.68 dial). Cody Martin (15 - Buford, GA) and Buford,
GA neighbor Thomas Davis-Cox (14) were the semi-final finishers.
In addition to the regular bracket classes, a Viper Shootout was slated for
the Mopar Show. Peter Mansolillo from Suwanee, GA pulled off a "hat trick"
winning the shootout for the third year in a row with his '97 Viper.
Mansolillo took the win with a 12.44, 114.72mph (12.00 index) against James
Green from Gainesville, GA. Green's Viper went 12.72, 111.01 on the 12.00
index. The semi-final finisher was Jerry Dobbs, Jr. ('96 Viper) from Hiram,
GA.
------------------------------------------------
PRO / SUPER PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Tommy Motes dragster Loganville, GA 5.26 128.19 (5.24)
R/U: Ray LaCount '77 Vega Wagon Hull, GA 5.97 115.69 (5.95)
Semi: Russ Glover '81 Speedcraft dragster Cumming, GA
Semi: Mark Granneman '87 Dodge Daytona Kennesaw, GA
------------------------------------------------
SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Rob Hogue '84 Monte Carlo SS Loganville, GA 11.52 118.08 (11.51)
R/U: Andy Shafer '72 Cutlass Flowery Brch, GA (foul) 11.17 117.82 (11.13)
Semi: Bobby McNair '68 Mustang Seneca, SC
------------------------------------------------
TROPHY STREET CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Clay Stancil '72 Chevelle Athens, GA 13.92 95.75 (14.05)
R/U: John Snapp '68 Charger Conyers, GA (foul) 14.34 94.86 (14.43)
Semi: Michael Duvall '69 Mustang Blairsville, GA
------------------------------------------------
VIPER SHOOTOUT CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Peter Mansolillo '97 Viper Suwanee, GA 12.44 114.72 (12.00)
R/U: James Green VIper Gainesville, GA 12.72 111.01 (12.00)
Semi: Jerry Dobbs, Jr. '96 VIper Hiram, GA
------------------------------------------------
JR. DRAGSTER 8-12 AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Lauren Turner 12 Pendergrass, GA 9.16 70.95 (9.14)
R/U: Danielle Krause 12 Peachtree City, GA (foul) 9.13 71.18 (9.14)
Semi: Preston LaCount 8 Hull, GA
Semi: Ashton Shubert 10 Commerce, GA
------------------------------------------------
JR. DRAGSTER 13-17 AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Whitney Samples 14 Jefferson, GA 8.61 73.52 (8.62)
R/U: Kevin Hackett 15 Evans, GA 8.64 75.25 (8.69)
Semi: Cody Martin 15 Buford, GA
Semi: Thomas Davis-Cox 14 Buford, GA
Classic Ticket Stubs Added to Photo Album
Posted Monday, September 8, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
I added a few images of ticket stubs from my collection in the Classic Ads, Flyers, and ??? photo album.
Schumacher, Wilkerson, Anderson, Showers and Smith Win the NHRA POWERade U.S.Nationals
Posted Sunday, September 7, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
NHRA RECAP
David Tatum III Wins Super Gas at Indy
Posted Sunday, September 7, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
David Tatum III, the second generation drag racer from Palmetto, GA, wins the big one at the NHRA POWERade Mac Tools U.S.Nationals. Sherman Adcock ( Columbus, GA ) made it to the 6th round before losing. Congratulations on your well deserved win, David!
Super Gas Summary of Eliminations
NHRA INDY RECAP
NHRA Super Gas Late Rounds
Hayes Mopar Meet Photos
Posted Sunday, September 7, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
On Saturday, Fred Simmons and I attended the Hayes Mopar Meet at Atlanta Dragway. I've posted a few photos with more to come as time allows. Hayes Mopar Meet Photos
Whisnant Misses the Cut in Indy
Posted Sunday, September 7, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – In August, after a poor showing at the Fram Autolite Nationals in Sonoma Calif., Mark Whisnant took a short hiatus from competition to reform and reevaluates his Pro Stock racing program.
Whisnant, driver of the RW Performance / Snap-On Tools Chevrolet Cavalier, came to Indianapolis for the 49th annual Mac Tools US Nationals with a new team and a refreshed attitude.
The starting point for reforming the RW Performance team was the rehiring of Julius Hughes. Hughes worked with the Whisnant last season as team engineer on the Team RW Chevrolet. Hughes returned to the team the first week of August and will serve as crew chief for the remainder of the season.
In the third session of qualifying on Friday night Whisnant made his best pass of the weekend: a 6.836 / 201.28 mph placing him 19th on the Pro Stock qualifying list. Although he did not make the cut for tomorrow’s race, Whisnant is encouraged with the advances his team has made in a few short weeks.
"Even though we did not make the race, I am still very happy with our performance here this weekend," said Whisnant of Stockbridge, GA. "Right now we are rebuilding and restructuring our race team. We are only .003 of a second from the making the show. That is a huge improvement over where we were back in August.
"After Sonoma my Dad (former Pro Stock racer Reid Whisnant) and I knew that we had to make a change. We felt that this season was a wash, but we owe it to our sponsors Snap-On Tools and Chevrolet to make as good a showing as we could in these last six races.
"We decided to clean house and start over with our focus on next season. We rehired Julius Hughes to act as crew chief. He did a great job for us last year. He has all the qualities that we feel will make him a great crew chief. He has only been with us a few weeks and already we can see a difference. He has a lot of ideas and enthusiasm; and is just what this team needed.
"We didn’t qualify here this weekend, but it looks like we are headed in the right direction. For the first time in months I am looking forward to the next race."
RW PERFORMANCE PRO STOCK CHEVY CAVALIER
MARK WHISNANT – DRIVER
REID WHISNANT – OWNER
CONTACT: Patti Miles-Hamlin
Kurt Johnson captures the No. 1 qualifying position at the U.S. Nationals
Posted Sunday, September 7, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
ACDelco Cavalier pilot Kurt Johnson captured the No. 1 position at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals today, completing an impressive qualifying effort that saw him post no worse than the second quickest elapsed time in four of the five qualifying sessions. Although Johnson's 6.778-second, 203.77 mph pass from Friday evening remained his run of record, he also paced the Pro Stock contingent on Saturday morning with his 6.807-second, 202.79 mph effort, which was the second quickest pass of the day.
This was Johnson's second No. 1 qualifying performance of the season, second at Indianapolis Raceway Park, and 23rd of his ten-year career. Despite numbers that were the envy of virtually every competitor in the Pro Stock pit area, Johnson was already preparing his game plan for Sunday's final eliminations, including what adjustments he could make to further improve his performance.
"Overall, we're pretty pleased with our qualifying effort. Our ACDelco Cavalier went down the track on every run but the last one, when we shook the tires, just as a lot of other cars did in the left lane. There obviously was an issue with that side tonight, because the NHRA did some work to it immediately after our run.
.
"The important part is that we have plenty of data to tune from. Our runs today were a little shaky, but we still managed to run well and hold on to the No. 1 position. We'll look at the computer and see what we need to do to keep going down the boulevard.
"Tomorrow is whole new day. Now that qualifying is behind us, my focus has shifted to winning in the first round, taking it one step at a time. Fortunately, we're going in with a combination that went 6.77 and 6.80 during qualifying, so we have a good baseline to work from.
"The track should start off in good shape and deteriorate as the day goes on, so we'll have to do a good job of adjusting to it, hopefully going four rounds. We have all the parts and pieces to get the job done, we just have to put them together."
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
Team Mopar Final Qualifying Notes & Quotes
Posted Sunday, September 7, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
Strong Qualifying Effort for Mopar This Weekend
Morgan, Wilson, Bazemore and Scelzi in the Top Half of the Field
CLERMONT, Ind. (Sept. 6, 2003) -- Larry Morgan and Gene Wilson drove their Dodge Stratus Pro Stock entries to the top half of the field for tomorrow’s rain-delayed 49th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park. And Dodge Stratus drivers Gary Scelzi and Whit Bazemore took home two of the top three positions in Funny Car qualifying activity as well.
Morgan, who won this event in 1989, maintained the fifth-qualifying position after improving his elapsed time during the first session today. He logged a 6.811-second lap at 201.85 mph. The Newark, Ohio, resident, who also made the fourth-fastest pass of the weekend at 203.43 during last night’s only session, was the third-quickest car of the morning run.
“We’ve had a pretty good weekend so far,” said Morgan, who will face off against Warren Johnson in round one tomorrow. “On the last run, we had a bad run in the front half of the track. We ran the back half well, so I’m pretty pleased. We really feel good about it. If the track is going to be as good as we think it will be, it should be a great weekend. We’re so elated with our performance this weekend. Just to be able to consistently run with the quick cars is a big deal.
“My Stratus us going to be an awesome race day car,” added Morgan, who will be making his Sunday appearance in his new Stratus. “Rick Jones has done a great job in getting this car put together. We’re working real hard to make some things happen for Mopar this weekend.”
Teammate Gene Wilson didn’t disappoint either, as he guided his Hemi-powered Stratus to the seventh-qualified position. The 2002 NHRA Rookie of the Year clicked off a 6.816-second elapsed time 201.58 mph, setting up a round one match with Taylor Lastor.
“We’ve made a 180-degree turn with this program,” said Wilson, after qualifying in the top half of the field for the first time this season. “We have a lot of confidence in the abilities of the guys in our engine shop. Larry Morgan and Bob Glidden, especially, have really been turning in the late hours to make sure this program picks up and succeeds. I believe we have just as good of a chance as any come Sunday afternoon.
“I’m trying to get back into the race day groove,” Wilson added. “Sunday afternoon is so different from qualifying, so it takes a lot to take it to that next level.”
Allen Johnson made a move during this morning session and captured the 15th slot, driving his Mopar Parts Dodge Stratus to a 6.832-second lap at 201.55 mph. The Tennessee resident, who made his way to the semifinals in last year’s race, will take on Jeg Coughlin, Jr., in tomorrow’s opening stanza.
“We just barely made it,” Johnson said. “We aren’t satisfied at all, especially since DA (Darrell Alderman) didn’t get in. We learned something here this weekend and I think it will get us up there towards the top half of the field again. We’ll go home and work on these motors.
“The left lane has been the best all weekend,” Johnson continued. “On that last run however, the left seemed like it was the worst. It’s anybody’s guess as to which lane will be the best for tomorrow. Usually when the sun is out and it’s hot, lane choice is a big factor.”
Three-time POWERade Pro Stock World Champion Darrell Alderman was on the outside looking in at the end of today’s qualifying session. The 1991 U.S. Nationals winner logged a weekend best elapsed time if 6.849 seconds at 200.86 mph.
“We really shook the tires on that last one,” Alderman said. “We really didn’t run like I know this team is capable of this weekend. We’ll take a look at the tune up and get them in Reading (Pa.) next weekend.”
Scelzi Grabs Second and Bazemore Lands Third in Funny Car…
Scelzi led the Oakley-sponsored Dodge Stratus to the second-qualifying position with a 4.764-second elapsed time at 325.53 mph; the event’s top speed thus far. Scelzi, who won at his home track in Sonoma, Calif., earlier this year, will match up with Del Worsham in round one.
“We have done a lot of testing and (team owner) Don Schumacher has spent a lot of money on Schumacher Racing. We’re making these Dodge’s perform like we want them to perform. We’re still not happy yet, but we’ve had remarkable improvements in both cars. We have Whit (Bazemore) running for a World Championship and you have us winning races. And us taking home No. 1 qualifiers isn’t out of the norm, and we just got nipped last night. We’ve learned a lot and we have a good combination now, and hopefully, by the end of the year, we’ll have stuff figured out. So when we start next year, we’ll start swinging that bat for the fence. You have to start early because normally everyone that wins a championship has a certain time that they stumble. All you can do is try and control it. We stumbled early, but now we’re coming on strong. When we line up next to our competitors, especially those Edsels, and let them know that they’ve got a race on their hands, they really notice.
“(Crew chief) Mike Neff and the team has been so good to me since the beginning,” Scelzi continued. “They treated me like I was an All Star and it’s made me comfortable sooner. The car does what it’s supposed to do -- it responds. It ‘s fun to drive. When you know you don’t have to man handle it, or stage it crooked, that gives a driver confidence. When the driver has confidence, and the car is fast, those are two deadly combinations.”
The Matco Tools Dodge Stratus of Bazemore also put together a strong-qualifying effort this weekend. The local hero from Indianapolis landed a 4.767-second pass at 323.74 mph. Bazemore will face off against Tim Wilkerson in the first round of eliminations tomorrow.
In the Budweiser Shootout earlier today, Bazemore lost to John Force in the round of four despite running a quick 4.909-second elapsed time 291.32 mph. Bazemore won his first round match on a holeshot over Tommy Johnson, Jr.
“We’re close,” said Bazemore, who is chasing front-runner Tony Pedregon for the championship. “We feel good with where we are in the Matco Tools Dodge. We’re not quite there, and it’s just disappointing today to not win the Bud Shootout. We’re in a good position with our main focus being on tomorrow. Our last run of a 4.81 was kind of what we we’re looking for. We wanted to run that a round earlier though. The car has been very consistent and the guys are doing a great job. We look good for tomorrow.
“It got a little hotter than we would have liked for tomorrow,” Bazemore continued. “I think the forecast is more of the same, and with the Dodge Stratus body that we have, we think we have a shot at it. I wouldn’t trade this seat for any other car out here.”
David Harris, Cox Marketing Group
Public Relations Manager
Team Mopar
WJ Will Start 12th at the U.S. Nationals
Posted Sunday, September 7, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
On the strength of a 6.825-second, 202.18 mph pass recorded during the initial qualifying sessions one week ago. Warren Johnson qualified his GM Performance Parts Grand Am 12th for Sunday's final eliminations of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.
After battling a mechanical gremlin on Friday evening which prevented him from taking advantage of the best atmospheric conditions of the five qualifying sessions, Johnson bounced back to post a solid 6.829 second elapsed time with a top speed of 202.15 mph on Saturday morning. Although tire shake on his final attempt forced him to shut off early, "The Professor of Pro Stock" is quietly confident heading into race day at Indianapolis Raceway Park.
"Since we knew we would not be bumped out of the field, we were a little too aggressive on our last run. As a result, we went over the edge, locking it up too early and shaking the tires. We knew it was a gamble, but now we know not to go there tomorrow. To be honest, I believe that was the first time we shook the tires with this particular car.
"This morning's run was a decent one, especially since we were the first car down the track, and we were also a little conservative with the set-up, because we wanted to make sure and get down the racetrack. Even so, we were the second quickest car in that lane.
"Even if the NHRA is very diligent in their track preparation tomorrow, with higher temperatures forecast, the track conditions will not be any better than they were today, so we have a good idea of what to expect and how to adjust for it. Fortunately, the lanes seem to be fairly equal. Now that we know where the edge is, we should be in good shape."
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
BAZEMORE QUALIFIES NO. 3, LOSES TO FORCE IN SHOOTOUT SEMIS
Posted Sunday, September 7, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 6, 2003) - Whit Bazemore, driver of the Matco Tools Iron
Eagle Dodge Stratus, had a busy day today. He continued to qualify for the
U.S. Nationals, which were rained out last weekend, and competed in his 10th
Budweiser Shootout at Indianapolis after qualifying third for this annual
special event.
The two-time U.S. Nationals champion claimed the No. 3 position for
tomorrow's final eliminations, with the 4.767-second pass he posted last
week at 323.74 mph, the second fastest speed of the event next to his
teammate Gary Scelzi.
In the Shootout, Bazemore, of Indianapolis, defeated Tommy Johnson Jr. on a
holeshot advantage in the first round to advance to the semifinals against
his perennial rival John Force. Force and Baze launched at nearly identical
reaction times (.072 for Force, .082 for Bazemore), but Force took the win
with a 4.824/321.12 to Bazemore's 4.909/291.32.
The fifth and final qualifying session, which took place under clear, warm
skies, Bazemore established the second-fastest elapsed time of that round,
4.811-seconds at 320.43 mph.
"4.81 is good. Running the second low e.t. of the round is good. We're
pretty satisfied," he said. "We wish we had it in the round before (the
Shootout), but we didn't. The guys did a tremendous job today. It was a
frustrating day, but there's a big day ahead of us tomorrow, the U.S.
Nationals, and we're in a pretty good position. We'll be ready to rock and
roll tomorrow."
By qualifying ahead of his rival Tony Pedregon for the NHRA POWERade Drag
Racing Series Funny Car crown, Bazemore is now just 57 points behind first
place. "We've got to gain points every opportunity that we have, so whether
it's one point or 20 points it doesn't matter as long as we're going in the
right direction," he added. "That's all we're really concerned about right
now. Honeslty, we're not going to be thinking about points tonight or
tomorrow or at anytime. We're just here to win this race and go out there
and do the very best we can possibly do in the moroning in the first round
and take it one round at a time and see where we end up."
Cruz Pedregon is Bazemore's first-round opponent in tomorrow's final
eliminations.
As for the Budweiser Shootout, not having won it in 10 attempts is
disappointing to Bazemore, but his primary focus this week and this season
has been on winning his third U.S. Nationals and his first Funny Car
championship, he said.
"We didn't have our car setup to run what we needed to," he said following
his loss to Force. "That's why they ran. They soundly beat us.
"Honestly, like I said before the race even started - so I don't sound like
a sore loser - I wasn't focused on this race at all this year. It's a great
event, Budweiser has done a tremendous job promoting it and creating a good
mystique and tradition around this Budweiser Shootout at Indianapolis, but
the only thing that we're really concentrating on over here right now is
trying to win the U.S. Nationals and being very, very competitive now and
the rest of the season.
"We were competitive today. We lost a race to a team that ran better than we
did. That's the bottom line. We were somewhat fortunate to even get to the
second round. We'll take it and we'll learn for tomorrow and focus on
tomorrow."
Contact: Judy Stropus
DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Baca, Force, K.Johnson, Savoie and McAmis are Top Qualifiers at the NHRA POWERade 49th Annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals
Posted Sunday, September 7, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
NHRA Saturday Recap
Vandergriff crashes Top Fueler, but doesn't suffer serious injuries.
Bazemore is #3 in Funny Car. Kurt Johnson (#1), Gene Wilson (#7) and Warren Johnson (#12) qualify for Pro Stock. Mark Whisnant (#19), Barry Grant (#22) and Eric Shelton (#44) miss the cut. Fred Collis is #4 in Pro Stock Bike.
Tony Pedregon over John Force in Budweiser Shootout
Posted Saturday, September 6, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
Tony Pedregon picks up $100,000 for his win over his boss, John Force.
Budweiser Shootout
Chris Vandergriff Emerges From Indy Crash Unhurt
Posted Saturday, September 6, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
Chris Vandergriff ( Marietta, GA )suffered the first Top Fuel blowover wheelstand in US Nationals history today. After the dragster slid to a stop, Chris got out of the car unassisted. He was reportedly shaken, but unhurt.
Details
Decal of the Week
Posted Saturday, September 6, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
New decals uploaded at Decal of the Week.
Kurt Johnson Powers to the No. 1 position on Friday in Indy
Posted Saturday, September 6, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
The NHRA returned to action on Friday at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals following a one-week delay due to heavy rains in the Indianapolis area. Even though two qualifying rounds were completed last weekend, the unique nature of this event gave the 46-car Pro Stock field three more attempts to make Sunday's final eliminations.
Entering Friday's single session, Kurt Johnson held the second position, with his sights set on the top spot. Taking full advantage of the cooler conditions, Johnson's ACDelco Cavalier rocketed down the quarter-mile in 6.778 seconds with a top speed of 203.77 mph, to set a new Indianapolis Raceway Park track record and claim the provisional No. 1 position entering Saturday's final two qualifying sessions.
"I can't believe it went that fast, because it actually felt a little lazy on that run. The conditions were great. We had a track that had been washed off and recently sprayed with traction compound. The most important part, however, was the lack of water in the air. When the humidity is high, you can't make horsepower, and you can't push the body through the air. That's why you saw the record breaking times and speeds tonight.
"We made three testing runs in Atlanta during the week, and they really paid off. Even though we were second last weekend, we didn't make a clean, straight run, and tonight our ACDelco Cavalier went fairly straight. In fact it may have even gone a little to the right, so we'll just have to find a happy medium.
"I think tomorrow morning's session will be even better than tonight, so we'll go out, take another swing at it and try to go quicker than everyone else again. We need every point we can get right now, and it definitely helps to have the performance. Tonight the entire ACDelco team did their job - we just have to keep it going through Sunday night."
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
Team Mopar Mac Tools U.S. Nationals Qualifying Notes & Quotes
Posted Saturday, September 6, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
CLERMONT, Ind. (Sept. 5, 2003) -- A week made quite a difference for Larry Morgan and his new Hemi-powered Dodge Stratus.
After a week-long wait due to record amounts of heavy rain in the Indianapolis area, the third round of qualifying went off today for the 49th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Ohio’s Morgan, who was in the 15th spot following last week’s first two sessions, clicked off a 6.813-second elapsed time at 203.43 mph to collect the provisional fifth position.
“We went testing and it paid off for us,” said Morgan, who beat his current crew chief/consultant Bob Glidden to win the 1989 U.S. Nationals. “I’m just so elated right now for Mopar and this whole race team. To get a car going that fast right now is quite a deal. We really needed this.
“I think Gene just made a bad run because he was the first one out,” continued Morgan, on teammate Gene Wilson’s car. “He ran within a hundredth of me during testing. So he should get in as well. For Bob (Glidden) and |
