JOHN NORRIS DOUBLES UP IN NO BOX AT ATLANTA DRAGWAY, WARD EARNS FIRST ATLANTA DRAGWAY WIN
(Commerce, GA – April 2) Today's action featured No Box and Summit ET racing classes.
In addition to sunshine and cool weather, Mother Nature still made her presence known today with very brisk winds. Several racers made it to multiple final rounds, including John Norris, who won both the 7.50 Index class and Open Comp. Bill Boomhower deserves an honorable mention for his day's work, finishing runner up in Open Comp and Pro. Chad Brewer had almost as good a day, finishing in the semi-final round in both Open Comp and Pro. Walt Mesik earned a good memory, recording a perfect run (.000 reaction time and running his elapsed time perfectly) during Super Pro eliminations with his '74 Vega.
"It's about time," exclaimed the jubilant 6.50 Index winner Matt Ward after defeating defending champion Stan Sinack in the 6.50 Index final. Ward used a near perfect .005 reaction time to take his '69 Camaro to his first Atlanta Dragway winner's circle with a 6.528 at 101.29mph. Sinack did not leave much room, turning in a slightly quicker, but second across the stripe, 6.517 at 104.19mph in a showroom quality '69 Dart. Lloyd Shanks Jr ('90 Beretta – Pendergrass, GA) and Chris Vanairsdale ('67 Chevelle – Buford, GA) finished in the semi-final round. Ward, a process engineer from Fairplay, SC, mentioned he had not won a race since 2007. He then added, "This one's special because my dad Jim Ward and father in law Wayne Allen were able to come. Also, I want to thank my wife Crystal for watching our daughter Ava."
Royston, GA racer John Norris kept his '86 Camaro quite warm during the last few rounds of 7.50 Index racing, using a better reaction time to take the final round 7.50 Index win stripe with a 7.55 at 85.09mph against Woody Bryant's Bowman, GA based '82 Camaro. Bryant was only 15 thousands of a second behind, running 7.540 at 88.02mph. Danny Towe ('70 Mustang – Lawrenceville, GA) was the semi-final finisher. Norris thanked Woody Bryant Automotive, Mayberry Tire and Wheel, Kenneth and Jimmy Mason and also the Atlanta Dragway personnel for a great track. The reason the 2009 7.50 Index and 2010 Open Comp champion Norris' race car got so warm was because he was competing in both the 7.50 Index and Open Comp Full Body classes.
In Open Comp Full Body, Norris again took the win stripe, barely defeating Bill Boomhower from Walhalla, SC. Norris had the dial in time set to 7.41 for Open Comp, and finished with a close 7.426 at 91.27mph. Boomhower's '65 Belvedere was hot on the trail, crossing .001 seconds later with a 6.135 at 108.57mph (6.09 dial). Chad Brewer ('73 Nova – Hickory Flat, GA) was the lone semi-finalist. Norris said, "I'm used to it now" (when asked about hot lapping the car in the later rounds of both Open Comp and 7.50 Index). He then added, "It worked out pretty good."
Ray LaCount from Hull, GA, who raced a venerable Vega wagon for many years, switched to a '98 Horton dragster four years ago. LaCount's new mount earned its third victory tonight, posting a 4.837 at 142.91 on his target time of 4.81 seconds. Jesse Young ('01 Undercover – Danielsville, GA) crossed the finish line .03 seconds behind LaCount with a slightly off-pace 4.826 at 137.05 (4.77 dial). After posting a perfect run earlier in competition, Walt Mesik ended a good day in the semi-final round with his Madison, GA based '74 Vega. LaCount, who enjoyed his last win over a year ago, thanked Jeff Voyles and "Monkey" Milford for all their help.
One of the "Wilson Gang" racers, Bruce Wilson, visited the Pro winner's circle tonight in his '70 Nova. The Tallapoosa, GA racer met Walhalla, SC racer Bill Boomhower's '65 Belvedere, which was in its second final round of the day. Although Boomhower's car was running nearly perfectly, Wilson's reaction time advantage was good enough for the win light, taking the big end stripe first by .06 seconds with a 6.71 at 95.92mph (6.67 dial). Boomhower carded a 6.12 at 110.65 (6.11 dial). For the second time of the day, Chad Brewer ('73 Nova – Hickory Flat, GA) had to settle for a semi-final finish.
"Jaybird" Rhyne added another Motorcycle victory to his win column, this time against Carl Gant ('91 Suzuki – Augusta, GA). Rhyne's '81 Kawasaki ran close to its mark with a 7.67 at 85.67mph (7.66 dial) against a much faster Gant, who went a bit off pace with a 6.04 at 109.92mph (5.97 dial). Paul Cavanaugh ('02 Hayabusa – Loganville, GA) and Scott Reynolds ('98 Buell S1 – Cartersville, GA) finished their day in the semi-final round. Rhyne had originally brought his 1100 to the track to race, but shifting problems sidelined the bike. He had to make another trip to his home in Athens, GA to get his "old reliable" '81 Kawasaki (that he has raced since 1993) on Saturday morning. Rhyne thanked fellow racer Tim Sutton for all his help over the weekend.
Cumming, GA racer Mel Abney won the 2010 Atlanta Dragway Sportsman championship in his '67 Camaro without winning a single race in 2010. Abney ended the drought tonight with a victory against Harold Wilson of Winder, GA. Abney's .007 reaction time gave him what he needed to slow his car to a 13.26 at 97.19mph (13.20 dial) and still take the finish line stripe .04 seconds ahead of Wilson's '74 Nova, which also ran a little off of its target (13.10 at 101.00 – 13.03 dial). Steven Wagner ('71 Duster – Jefferson, GA) and Mike Puckett ('90 Thunderbird Super Coupe – Norcross, GA) earned the semi-final berth. Abney's ignition advance had broken earlier in the day, and thanks to help from racing friends Jim Burford and Mike Puckett, he was able to compete. They did their job so well that Abney ended up defeating both of them during eliminations. "It was a tough one. I raced some really good racers," added Abney.
6.50 INDEX CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH INDEX
Win: Matt Ward '69 Camaro Fairplay, SC 6.52 101.29 (6.50)
R/U: Stan Sinack '69 Dart Lilburn, GA 6.51 104.19 (6.50)
Semi: Lloyd Shanks, Jr '90 Beretta Pendergrass, GA
Semi: Chris Vanairsdale '67 Chevelle Buford, GA
7.50 INDEX CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH INDEX
Win: John Norris '86 Camaro Royston, GA 7.55 85.09 (7.50)
R/U: Woody Bryant '82 Camaro Bowman, GA 7.54 88.02 (7.50)
Semi: Danny Towe '70 Mustang Lawrenceville, GA
OPEN COMP FULL BODY CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: John Norris '86 Camaro Royston, GA 7.42 91.27 (7.41)
R/U: Bill Boomhower '65 Belvedere Walhalla, SC 6.13 108.57 (6.09)
Semi: Chad Brewer '73 Nova Hickory Flat, GA
SUPER PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Ray LaCount '98 Horton Hull, GA 4.83 142.91 (4.81)
R/U: Jesse Young '01 Undercover Danielsville, GA 4.82 137.05 (4.77)
Semi: Walt Mesik '74 Vega Madison, GA
PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Bruce Wilson '70 Nova Tallapoosa, GA 6.71 95.92 (6.67)
R/U: Bill Boomhower '65 Belvedere Walhalla, SC 6.12 110.65 (6.11)
Semi: Chad Brewer '73 Nova Hickory Flat, GA
SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Mel Abney '67 Camaro Cumming, GA 13.26 97.19 (13.20)
R/U: Harold Wilson '74 Nova Winder, GA 13.10 101.00 (13.03)
Semi: Steven Wagner '71 Duster Jefferson, GA
Semi: Mike Puckett 'T-Bird Super Coupe Norcross, GA
MOTORCYCLE BIKE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Jay Rhyne '81 Kawasaki Athens, GA 7.67 85.67 (7.66)
R/U: Carl Gant '91 Suzuki Augusta, GA 6.04 109.92 (5.97)
Semi: Paul Cavanaugh '02 Hayabusa Loganville, GA
Semi: Scott Reynolds '98 Buell S1 Cartersville, GA
