RSS Feed
Email Alerts
Facebook
Atlanta Dragway racers finally got a crack at a Summit points race last weekend, marking the first event not interrupted by inclement weather this racing season.
Despite the hot weather and the soupy atmosphere, conditions allowed for fierce competition. Each class was represented by a significant number of entrants, ready to stake their place in the points.
The Super Pro class was dominated by dragsters in the later rounds. Winner Brad Howard of Gainesville faced a tough run against Roswell’s B.J. Pittman. Pittman turned in a dead-on 5.22 at 127.39 mph pass. Howard also went dead-on, running a 4.90 at 140.83 mph.
“It’s been a long time,” Howard’s daughter Tiffany said after the win. “He needed it.”
Jim McKelvey of Snellville and Ray LaCount of Hull placed in the semi-final rounds.
In the Pro class, Justin Buchanan of Six Mile, SC, and Paul Schultz of Covington faced off with similar dial-ins in their 70s model Chevy Novas, both breaking out at the top end. Buchanan posted a 7.13 on his 7.16, and Schultz went 7.64 on a 7.69 dial, leaving the win light to Buchanan. The race was Buchanan’s first win in a Pro career of three years. Rob Hogue of Loganville placed third.
Cumming’s Mel Abney won in the Sportsman class. The two-time champ claimed victory against Winder’s Harold Wilson with a winning run of 13.15 at 71.29 mph. Lynn Dixon of Cleveland placed third.
Atlanta Dragway veteran Jay “Bird” Rhyne of Athens took the motorcycle category win, running 12.44 at 98.18 mph (12.40 dial), against the better ET carded by pit neighbor Tim Sutton of Clermont. Sutton ran a 9.33 at 134.16 mph (9.32 target).
“It’s been a long time,” Rhyne joked. “I forgot we were racing here!”
Jeff Shropshire of Dallas took the semi-finalist place.
In Junior Dragster action, 11-year old Wesley Mayfield of Gainesville won in a tight run against 12-year old Brittany Hellman of Buford, with both breaking out at the finish. Mayfield went 8.88, while Hellman broke out more with an 8.87, with a mutual 8.90 dial-in. Wesley claimed the run with the better light. Bailey Brown, age 11 of Forest Park, finished third.
Fifteen year old Jackie Lastinger of Lilburn won the 13-17 Junior Dragster category with a dead-on 7.96 at 81.09 mph following a .010 reaction. Lastinger defeated 16-year old Brett Bowman of Homer, who broke out with a 7.98 at 81.73 coupled with a slower reaction time. Colt Dahlem of Acworth took third.
