2012 CHAMPIONS CROWNED, SINACK SCORES COME FROM BEHIND VICTORY AND WINS CHAMPIONSHIP
(Commerce, GA -- September 15) Although some of the championships were sealed coming into today's event, Super Pro, Pro and both Junior Dragster classes were still open to several of the top racers in each class. Congratulations to the 2012 Atlanta Dragway champions: Super Pro -- Stan Sinack, Pro -- Travis Bryant, Sportsman -- Howard Warren, Motorcycle -- Tim Sutton, 8-12 Junior Dragster -- Austin Carden, 13-17 Junior Dragster -- Brittney Hellemn, 6.50 Index -- Travis Bryant, 7.00 Index -- John Norris and Open Comp Full Body -- Chad Brewer. All classes for this event were run on the eighth mile course to prepare for the upcoming Summit ET finals, which will be held at South Georgia Motorsports Park the weekend of October 5-6.
Perhaps no one was more surprised to win the 2012 Super Pro championship than tonight's winner Stan Sinack from Lilburn, GA. Jesse Young came into the event with a 50 point (five round wins) lead over Sinack, who was in third place. Young bowed out of competition earlier, followed the next round by Hank Wilhelm who was currently in second place. Sinack had to win all seven rounds of the competition to take the lead, which is exactly what he did. Young was waiting in the wings in case the championship came to a runoff, but was denied the opportunity after Sinack took the final round victory. Sinack does have championship experience, as he was the 2010 and 2011 6.50 Index champ, and was leading the 2012 6.50 Index series until the final event. He was also the 1991 and 1993 Pro champion.
Sinack faced off against Mark Hancock of Commerce, GA for the Super Pro final, but Sinack was not to be denied, and reacted with a 0.010 light and carded a dead-on 6.397 at 105.05mph for the win in his immaculate '69 Dart. Hancock was second across the stripe with a breakout 6.120 at 113.52mph (6.14 dial) in his '77 Vega that both he and his son Jeremy co-drive. Thomas Bell ('11 Undercover dragster -- Toccoa, GA) was the lone semi-finalist. After dedicating his win to Miss Dot (Dorothy Hayes), Sinack added, "I came out of nowhere for this. I'm lucky more cars came. I want to thank Bill Boomhower and Ed Nalley for all their help, and also thank my brother Spencer and Tim Gibson's brother Rick for coming." The top five in Super Pro points are Stan Sinack -- 560, Jesse Young -- 550, Hank Wilhelm -- 540, Doug Richardson -- 490 and Brian Smith -- 460.
Pro winner Bruce Wilson from Tallapoosa, GA had to sit out most of the year due to his job, but was recently able to come back and race. Three events ago, after the engine in his dad Jessie's car broke, he gave his dad his blue Nova, and after repairing his dad's yellow '70 Nova, began racing it. It only took two events to familiarize himself with the car, and Bruce went right back to his old form with quick reacts and dead-on passes. Wilson met Donalds, SC racer Gary Burell's '72 Nova in the final, and used a 0.018 react coupled with a dead-on 7.065 at 89.89mph to take the victory. Burell was close behind, with a 7.857 at 86.73mph (7.84 dial). Travis Bryant ('68 Camaro -- Bowman, GA) and Chris Moat, who has been practicing on Fridays for the past few weeks in his Commerce, GA based '74 Nova, were the semi-finalist pair. Wilson added, "It's good to be back." He then smiled and said, "I told Travis (Bryant) you need to do well this year, because I'm getting it next year." The top five in Pro points are Travis Bryant -- 570, Ryan Johnson -- 530, Chad Brewer -- 510, John Norris -- 500, Dickey Forrester -- 500 and Woody Bryant -- 500.
Douglasville, GA racer Howard Warren has dominated Sportsman action with his '72 Maverick for the entire 2012 season, and had already sealed the championship in August. He kept on making the rounds, and ended up facing Austin Fowler's Canton, GA based '05 Scion tC in the final. Warren's numbers would have won any of the finals today, with a 0.013 react and a dead-on 7.552 at 85.56mph. Fowler actually squeezed across the finish line 0.002 seconds before Warren, but broke out in the process with a 10.665 at 67.09mph (10.70 dial). Harold Wilson ('74 Nova -- Winder, GA) and Brandon Sams ('98 Firebird -- Canton, GA) took home the semi-finalist portion of the purse. "I'm just lucky. I don't put undue pressure on myself to win, and race for the fun of it," added Warren. The top five in Sportsman points are Howard Warren -- 760, Mel Abney -- 490, Allen Long -- 480, Nick Wagner -- 480 and Harold Wilson -- 470.
Like Warren, Tim Sutton dominated Motorcycle action in 2012, winning eight events including the National Dragster Challenge, King of the Track and Night of Fire. Tonight Sutton faced one of his rivals, David Fletcher from Lawrenceville, GA. Sutton's Clermont, GA based '89 Suzuki was on its game, posting a great 0.01 over 5.597 at 122.59mph (5.58 dial). Fletcher's '84 Kawasaki ran even closer to its dial, with a dead-on 5.409 at 127.87mph, but was second across the big end stripe due to a slightly slower reaction time. Howard Bowman ('02 Harley -- Homer, GA) and Scott Saemisch ('81 Kawasaki -- Dacula, GA) ended their day in the semi-final round. Sutton thanked all of his friends who helped him win the championship, including his wife Jennifer, Jay Rhyne and Eli. The top five in Motorcycle points are Tim Sutton -- 670, David Fletcher -- 520, Jay Rhyne -- 500, Brian Wilson -- 430 and Howard Bowman -- 370.
Thirteen year old Austin Carden from McDonough, GA earned his third straight Atlanta Dragway championship with a race win in 8-12 Jr Dragster class. Carden struggled at Atlanta this season, making it to the semis many times, but not getting the win until today. Carden was tied for the points with Trey Butler coming in to the event, but Butler left the competition earlier after Robbie Brown's daughter Lauren took that round win, leaving the door open for Carden to win the championship. Carden first gained points by qualifying number one with a 0.000 react, and then made it to the final round. Carden's final round opponent was Nate "Hot Rod" Halsey (9 -- Clermont, GA). Carden crossed the win stripe first with an 8.95 at 70.39mph (8.90 dial), and Halsey's times were 13.14 at 49.37mph (13.06 dial). Daetyn Bates (11 -- Locust Grove, GA) earned the semi-finalist trophy. Halsey, who turns 10 this week had a party at the track, inviting all of his friends. When his dad suggested they keep running their old 12 second combination (Halsey is now eligible to run as quick as 8.90 seconds) the answer was an emphatic NO! Three weeks ago, Carden talked with his dad, and said he was going to do like he did in 2011, and win the championships at both Atlanta Dragway and Silver Dollar Raceway. He did. Carden thanked his dad Matt and mom Charlene, and also Nana and his sister Alayna for coming to all the races to support him. The top five in 8-12 Jr Dragster points are Austin Carden -- 530, Trey Butler -- 470, Katie Wilhelm -- 450, Austin Bowden -- 440, Nate "Hot Rod" Halsey -- 430 and Daetyn Bates -- 430.
The 16 year old winner of the 13-17 Junior Dragster class, Mackenzie Butler of Jackson, GA enjoyed taking the last points race win against Daulton Rogers (14 -- Hiwassee, GA). Butler who also won the Night of Fire earlier this season, began the final with a perfect 0.000 reaction time, and came within eight thousandths of a second of making a perfect run when she crossed the big end stripe with a 7.892 at 82.26mph (7.90 dial). Rogers gave away the final at the starting line when his racecar left 0.016 seconds before the timers started, resulting in a red-light. He went on to a breakout 8.366 at 76.48mph (8.37 dial). Brittney Hellemn (16 -- Buford, GA) sealed her 2012 championship with her semi-final round appearance, and the other semi-finalist was Blayke Phillips (16 -- Jonesboro, GA). "I want to thank God for allowing us to come, and also my parents and Paw Paw for all their support. I also want to thank my brother Trey and friend Sarah for being my biggest cheerleaders," Butler added. The top five in 13-17 Jr Dragster points are Brittney Hellemn -- 460, Chris Bowden -- 450, Austin Solesbee -- 390, Wesley Mayfield -- 370 and Cole Sheriff -- 370.
