Sunday, April 24, 2011

From Tim Glover - Atlanta Dragway Summit ET event

REYNOLDS, RHYNE AND SOLESBEE CONTINUE ROLL TO THE TOP IN POINTS WITH THEIR WINS

(Commerce, GA – April 23) Scott Reynolds (Sportsman), Jay Rhyne (Motorcycle) and Austin Solesbee continued their streaks with a win in today's action, and are tops in their class points. Thanks go to the staff at Atlanta Dragway for working the entire morning drying the rain soaked racing surface to keep it working as best as possible.

Super Pro winner Jeremy Hancock of Commerce, GA was happier that his one year old son Cooper witnessed his first victory than he was about taking the win against Steve Adams from Buford, GA. Hancock, who had been struggling all day with his reaction times, nailed a perfect .000 final round react with his '05 Undercover dragster. Adams, who had been stellar in the reaction time and ET department all day with his '78 Malibu wagon, suffered transmission problems in the final and slowed to a 7.40 at 89.36mph (6.87 dial). Seeing Adams' car slowing, Hancock stepped off the throttle and slowed to the winning 4.95 at 113.14mph (4.73 dial). Jesse Young ('01 Undercover – Danielsville, GA) won the semi-finalist purse. "Actually, he's giving his wife money to go shopping next weekend," added Hancock's wife Ashley, who made it to the Super Pro quarter-final round during tonight's event.

"I'm just happy I won," commented Pro winner Bill Boomhower. He has been to two other finals this season, but got his first win since 2009 with his show quality Walhalla, SC based '65 Belvedere. Boomhower met one of the "Wilson Gang" racers, Jessie Wilson, in the final. Thanks to Boomhower's better reaction time, he took the win stripe by a mere .001 second with his 6.172, 103.70 (6.14 dial). Wilson, who comes from Tallapoosa, GA, was close with a 7.05 at 95.58mph (7.04 dial). John Norris ('86 Camaro – Royston, GA) and Ryan Johnson ('82 Mustang – Pendergrass, GA) made it to the semi-final round.

Jay Rhyne won his second 2011 Summit ET Series event, this time against good friend Tim Sutton. Sutton, who won the first 2011 event, left the starting line on his Clermont, GA based '83 Suzuki with a near perfect .003 reaction. However, his bike's performance suffered a little, slowing to a 9.15 at 134.86mph (9.06 dial), leaving Rhyne's '81 Kawasaki enough room to post the winning run of 12.30 at 102.69mph (12.29 dial). "We put him up and feed him, and look what I get," added a smiling Sutton, who had let Rhyne stay in his motorhome for the weekend. Steve Jackson from Bogart, GA earned the semi-finalist position.

Sportsman winner Scott Reynolds, out of Cartersville, GA, pulled off his third 2011 win tonight, this time against Steven Wagner from Jefferson, GA. Reynolds was happy with his '90 Firebird, saying the car pulled him through when he really needed it today. For the final, Reynolds had a great .017 second reaction time, but the race was over when Wagner's '71 Duster turned on the dreaded cherry colored bulb with a -.022 react. Reynolds posted a 14.04, 97.19mph pass (14.08 target), while Wagner's machine slowed a little to a 13.11 at 103.87mph (13.05 target). Mel Abney ('67 Camaro – Cumming, GA) was the lone semi-finalist.

8-12 Jr Dragster winner Austin Solesbee's parents Gary and Lynn were thrilled with his victory against Wilson Gang racer Adrian Wilson (11 years old) from Tallapoosa, GA. The 12 year old Solesbee, who runner upped in the first two 2011 events, left the starting line with a slightly better reaction time, and then ran a dead-on 8.906 at 71.06mph for the win. Wilson actually crossed the finish line stripe .043 seconds in front of Solesbee, but broke out in the process with an 11.592 at 54.27mph (11.64 dial). Charlie Smith (11 – McDonough, GA), the winner of the previous event, took home a semi-finalist trophy for his efforts.

13-17 Jr Dragster winner Jacquelyn Lastinger (17 years old) of Lilburn, GA finished runner-up in the April 9 event, and moved to the top today. Standing in her way for the final round was 13 year old Alex Krause from Peachtree City, GA. Both racers set their dial in times to 7.90 seconds (the quickest allowed in their class) for the final. Lastinger carded a good 7.95 at 81.19mph and thanks to a little better reaction time, got the win when Krause crossed the big end stripe ahead of her with a breakout time of 7.86 at 83.40mph. Brittney Hellemn (15 – Buford, GA) earned the semi-finalist trophy. Lastinger mentioned this is her final season, as she is already looking forward to an alcohol powered Super Pro ride in 2012.

SUPER PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN

Win: Jeremy Hancock '05 Undercover Commerce, GA 4.95 113.14 (4.73)

R/U: Steve Adams '78 Malibu wagon Buford, GA 7.40 89.36 (6.87)

Semi: Jesse Young '01 Undercover Danielsville, GA

PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN

Win: Bill Boomhower '65 Belvedere Walhalla, SC 6.17 103.70 (6.14)

R/U: Jessie Wilson '71 Nova Tallapoosa, GA 7.05 95.58 (7.04)

Semi: Ryan Johnson '82 Mustang Pendergrass, GA

Semi: John Norris '86 Camaro Royston, GA

SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN

Win: Scott Reynolds '90 Firebird Cartersville, GA 14.04 97.19 (14.08)

R/U: Steven Wagner '71 Duster Jefferson, GA (foul) 13.11 103.87 (13.05)

Semi: Mel Abney '67 Camaro Cumming, GA

MOTORCYCLE BIKE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN

Win: Jay Rhyne '81 Kawasaki Athens, GA 12.30 102.69 (12.29)

R/U: Tim Sutton '83 Suzuki Clermont, GA 9.15 134.86 (9.06)

Semi: Steve Jackson '00 Motorcycle Bogart, GA

8-12 JR DRAGSTER AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN

Win: Austin Solesbee 12 Sautee, GA 8.90 71.06 (8.90)

R/U: Adrian Wilson 11 Tallapoosa, GA 11.59 54.27 (11.64)

Semi: Charlie Smith 11 McDonough, GA

13-17 JR DRAGSTER AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN

Win: Jacquelyn Lastinger 17 Lilburn, GA 7.95 81.19 (7.90)

R/U: Alex Krause 13 Peachtree City, GA 7.86 83.40 (7.90)

Semi: Brittney Hellemn 15 Buford, GA