TWO CARTERSVILLE RACERS BECOME FIRST TIME WINNERS IN JUNIOR DRAGSTER, ONDA WINS SUPER PRO WITH SUPER CONSISTENCY
By Amy Glover
(Commerce, GA – June 5) - Atlanta Dragway experienced a good turnout of racers for their Summit ET Series event, in spite of predictions of rain. Rain did slow the program earlier in the day for about 15 minutes, but the track dried quickly. Two long-time Junior Dragster racers from Cartersville, GA enjoyed claiming their first ever win in their respective Junior Dragster class during today's competition. Jim Onda's Super Pro dragster was the picture of consistency, running in the 4.85 second range all day.
Super Pro saw an all-dragster finale, with Jim Onda (Danielsville, GA) in a '96 Boling against Don Brown, Jr. (Buford, GA) in a '00 Spitzer. Onda jumped a .019 green light on a 4.85 dial-in, as Brown claimed the tree with a formidable .008 reaction time on a 4.83 dial. The men were neck-and-neck until Onda crossed first with a dead-on elapsed time at 141.77 mph for the win. Brown finished with a 4.84 second run at 141.76 mph, giving Onda a .005 margin of victory. "The car was working great today, thanks to Brad Howard and his machine shop," Onda said, also thanking his wife Dee, and his family "for letting me do this." Onda's machine was incredibly consistent, running 4.857 in the quarter and the semi-final rounds. Phil Owens (Lithia Springs, GA) took his '05 M&M dragster to the semi-finals.
Pro finalists Travis Bryant ('68 Camaro - Bowman, GA) and Eric Smith ('71 Nova - Baldwin, GA) staged their red cars eagerly, Bryant dialed in at 6.36 seconds against Smith's 6.81 prediction. Smith was a little too eager, and launched early with a -.024 red light, instantly giving the win to Bryant, who followed with a safe .109 green light. Smith ran it out in 8.07 seconds at 67.44 mph, while Bryant made his victory lap in 6.39 seconds at 107.81 mph. "I had a lot of luck today," Bryant said modestly. He thanked his wife Jessica for helping him, and dedicated the win to his sick mom: "I hope she'll feel better." Bryant also thanked his dad "for always helping me." Bill Boomhower ('65 Belvedere - Walhalla, SC) went out in the semi-final round.
Mickey Morris made up for lost points, after going out in the semi-finals in last weekend's Sportsman race. Morris ('98 Trans Am - Ellenwood, GA) pulled up against Kevin Davis ('66 Chevelle - Blairsville, GA) in the finals. Davis had the handicap tree with his 13.18 dial-in against Morris's 13.03 prediction, and left the line with a .130 green light. Morris came after with a .078 reaction time, catching up and taking the win with a 13.05 run at 99.13 mph, a better package than Davis's 13.22 second run at 96.73 mph. Morris was relieved for his first win in two years (though he did come in second five times last season): "I got the monkey off my back." Morris thanked his mom Kathy and dad Rickey; Rickey Morris, last week's Sportsman winner, joked, "I taught him everything he knows! I coached him into the finals." Son Mickey took it lightly: "Hopefully we can keep this up." Matt Reynolds ('08 Mustang - Dallas, GA) was the Sportsman semi-finalist.
Paul Cavanaugh (Loganville, GA) raced his borrowed '01 Hayabusa against Scott Reynolds (Cartersville, GA) on a '98 Buell in the Motorcycle finals. Reynolds had the handicap tree with his 12.75 dial-in, and took off with a .068 green light. Cavanaugh, dialed at 9.75, left the line with a .059 reaction time, gunning it to close in on Reynolds. Reynolds crossed the line first, but broke out with a 12.71 second run at 102.50 mph. Cavanaugh won the race with a 9.78 elapsed time at 138.58 mph. Cavanaugh was feeling lucky tonight, after winning a round on a double break-out, winning another round on a double red light, and coming to the finals despite a fuse blowing out just before. "This was my first time in the finals since my championship in 2006," Cavanaugh added, and thanked Paul Lee, Brian Livengood of Livengood Motorsports, Amsoil, and Brock's Performance. Last weekend's motorcycle winner Howard Bowman ('02 Harley - Homer, GA) ended his night in the semi-finals.
Third generation racer Hunter James (11 - Cartersville, GA) met Austin Carden (11 - McDonough, GA) in the 8 -12 Junior Dragster finals. James had the handicap tree with his 9.66 dial-in, and left the line with a .037 green light. Carden followed with a .087 reaction on his 8.92 dial-in, beginning the chase to the finish. Carden outran himself, breaking out with an 8.90 second run at 73.52 mph, while James took the win in 9.68 seconds at 66.44 mph. It was James's first win since beginning the juniors program at age eight. James was full of gratitude: "I'd like to thank God, my Grandpa Gary for buying the car, my family, and Mitchell Hennessy for always cheering me on." Shelby Nelson (11 – Fort Payne, AL) was the semi-final finisher.
Jennifer Jarrett (17 - Cartersville, GA) made it to the 13-17 Junior Dragster finals against John Gordon (15 - Hiram, GA). Jarrett was dialed in at 7.90, just a little quicker than Gordon's 7.99 dial-in. Gordon left the line a little too early with a -.004 foul, handing Jarrett the win. Jarrett launched with a great .012 green light, and finished in 7.86 seconds at 82.05 mph. Gordon ran it out in 7.93 seconds at 81.82 mph. Jarrett has been "struggling through it for five years," and after coming in second a handful of times, she finally claimed her first win, just before she plans to move into a Super Comp dragster. Jarrett thanked her parents Johnny and Judy, her "Paw Paw," Triple J Trucking, and Rusty Denton. Bailey Denton (16 – McDonough, GA) and Brittney Hellemn (14 – Buford, GA) ended their day in the semi-final round.
RACE DATE: June 5, 2010
EVENT: Summit ET event at Atlanta Dragway in 2010
SUPER PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Jim Onda '96 Boling Danielsville, GA 4.85 141.76 (4.85)
R/U: Don Brown, Jr. '00 Spitzer Buford, GA 4.84 141.77 (4.83)
Semi: Phil Owens '05 M&M Lithia Springs, GA
PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Travis Bryant '68 Camaro Bowman, GA 6.39 107.81 (6.36)
R/U: Eric Smith '71 Nova Baldwin,GA 8.07 67.44 (6.81)(foul)
Semi: Bill Boomhower '65 Belvedere Walhalla, SC
SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Mickey Morris '98 Trans Am Ellenwood, GA 14.87 90.44 (14.87)
R/U: Kevin Davis '66 Chevelle Blairsville, GA 13.27 106.00 (13.18)
Semi: Matt Reynolds '08 Mustang Dallas, GA
MOTORCYCLE BIKE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Paul Cavanaugh '01 Hayabusa Loganville, GA 9.78 138.58 (9.75)
R/U: Scott Reynolds '98 Buell S1 Cartersville, GA 12.71 102.50 (12.75)
Semi: Howard Bowman '02 Harley Homer, GA
8-12 JR DRAGSTER AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Hunter James 11 Cartersville, GA 9.68 66.44 (9.66)
R/U: Austin Carden 11 McDonough, GA 8.90 73.52 (8.92)
Semi: Shelby Nelson 11 Fort Payne, AL
13-17 JR DRAGSTER AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Jennifer Jarrett 17 Cartersville, GA 7.86 82.05 (7.90)
R/U: John Gordon 15 Hiram, GA 7.93 81.82 (7.99)(foul)
Semi: Bailey Denton 16 McDonough, GA
Semi: Brittney Hellemn 14 Buford, GA
