After a week’s delay due to wet weather, the Atlanta Dragway picked up where it left off with the National Dragster Challenge Saturday, with competitors from all over coming out to vie for top honors.
Joe Haddon of Oxford battled his way to the Super Pro finals, lining up against hometown hero Jeremy Hancock of Commerce, who took a bye run to the finals. Haddon was dialed only slightly slower with a 4.86 prediction, next to Hancock’s 4.81 dial-in.
Hancock launched a tad early for a -.004 red light, instantly handing victory to Haddon, who left the line with a .023 green light. Haddon took a 4.85 second joy ride at 142.18 mph, while Hancock let off for a 9.43 second run at 43.55 mph.
Canton’s Chad Brewer made up for his losses this season when he rolled into the Pro finals next to Ken Grant of Moultrie. Grant dialed in for an 8.09 second run. Brewer predicted a 7.30 run.
It was anybody’s race when Brewer left the line with a .055 reaction time, followed closely by Grant with a .058 green light.
However, Grant held too fast to the floorboard, breaking out with an 8.07 elapsed time at 84.94 mph. Brewer set off the win lights running dead-on at 93.73 mph.
The Sportsman finals featured Rickey Morris of Ellenwood against Mel Abney of Cumming. Abney dialed in for a 13.28 run, giving Morris the tree handicap with a 15.10 dial-in.
Morris left the starting line with a .046 green light, and Abney chased after with a similar .050 reaction time. For the closest race of the night, Morris crossed the win stripe in 15.12 seconds at 90.24 mph, winning with a .006 margin-of-victory over Abney’s 13.30 elapsed time at 103.04 mph.
Mark Hancock of Commerce went out in the semi-final round.
Bogart’s Steve Jackson and Paul Lee of Mt. Airy lined up for the Motorcycle finals, Jackson with a 9.40 dial-in, a bit quicker than Lee’s 10.00-second prediction.
Lee left the line first, but at a snail’s pace with a .271 green light; Jackson jumped the line with a .093 reaction. Jackson crossed the finish line for the win in 9.61 seconds at 128.29 mph, Lee following in 10.29 seconds at 117.29 mph.
In the 8-12 Junior Dragster category, 12-year-old Daulton Rogers of Hiawassee met 11-year-old Austin Carden of McDonough in the finals for the second time consecutively.
Rogers dialed in at 9.05, as Carden reared up for revenge with an 8.90 dial-in. Rogers killed the tree with an excellent .014 reaction time, Carden following with a .056 reaction.
At the top end, Carden couldn’t catch up to Rogers, who claimed the win in 9.08 seconds at 71.39 mph, while Carden finished in 8.92 seconds at 73.47 mph.
The 13-17 Junior Dragster category was a final for girl power, with 16-year-old Kelsey Lynn of Marietta lined up against points leader Jennifer Jarrett, age 17 of Cartersville.
The two both dialed in for 7.90 second runs, making for a heads-up race. Lynn launched with a .106 green light, followed by Jarrett who cut a .165 reaction.
Lynn held fast to the track, crossing first for the victory in 7.91 seconds at 82.59 mph. Jarrett finished in 7.98 seconds at 81.76 mph.
14-year-old Cole Sheriff of Lula placed third.