CHAMPIONS CROWNED AT 2004 ATLANTA DRAGWAY BANQUET
by Tim Glover
Photos
Atlanta Dragway racers teamed up for the last time in 2004, this time at the annual Atlanta Dragway Banquet of Champions, held at the American Legion Hall in Buford, GA.
Six time NHRA Pro Stock champion Warren Johnson opened up the awards banquet with a speech after an invocation by Racers for Christ pastor Lloyd Shanks, and a dinner catered by Country Sunshine Cafe. Johnson noted his roots were in bracket racing.
Track manager Craig Armstrong thanked all the companies and people who helped make the racing program strong at Atlanta Dragway. The list he mentioned included Snap-On Tools, Hayes Family dealerships, VP Racing Fuels, Denny's and many others, who were also listed on the program. Snap-On Tools, who has supported the bracket program for years, donated three Doug Herbert edition roll cabs and two smaller versions of the roll cabs (bottom boxes) to the four adult track champions, and one more to the lucky winner from the top finishers in each class, each worth many thousands of dollars. Snap-On Tools representative Chris pulled Alan Sargent's name (Sargent finished the year eighth in points in Sportsman) from the hat for the last box. (The Sport Compact champion, Eric Duncan, and Alan Sargent received the slightly smaller boxes.) Snap On Tools also supplied a special edition Snap On / Schwinn bicycle to the two Jr. Dragster champions.
Door prizes were given out during the evening, with some of the favorites being the Richard Petty Driving Experience and an overnight stay with breakfast at the Renaissance Hotels Pine Isle Resort.
The first racers recognized were the NHRA O'Reilly Auto Parts Jr. Dragster participants. All received a participant award, and the top ten were also given awards provided by Team PTI. Joshua Sisson, the 8-12 Jr. Dragster champion, was emotional during his acceptance speech, and was then joined by his father Barry, who won the Jr. Dragster Parent of the Year award. Sisson began the season strong by winning the first race, and won seven races (nearly half of the races contested) en route to his championship. He received a championship trophy, and a $250 Tanger certificate provided by Dennys. To his delight, he was also awarded a special edition Schwinn bicycle provided by Snap On Tools. The 13-17 Jr. Dragster championship was won by Lauren Turner, who came in second place in the points during the 2002 and 2003 seasons. More determined than ever, she kept trying, and her persistence paid off with eight final round finishes (three wins) and the 2004 13-17 Jr. Dragster championship. Turner also received a championship trophy, a $250 Tanger / Dennys certificate and a special edition Snap On/Schwinn bicycle.
Eric Duncan, known to most as "Buford Heavy" decided to enter the new Sport Compact class for 2004. Duncan has been around bracket racing for years, and led the Sport Compact points all year, winning the Sport Compact championship with a dominant 13 round lead at the end of the season. For his efforts, he was rewarded with a trophy, a jacket, a VP Fuels check and a Snap On Tools roll cab. Duncan and his wife Beverly are also the VP Racing Fuels representatives for Atlanta Dragway. Terry Turpin came in second in the Saturday Sport Compact points, but dominated the Friday night Year One action, winning the Friday night 2004 championship with his blazing fast street legal 2003 Mitsibushi Evo.
Trophy Street champion Steve Marcum began bracket racing in Ohio in 1988, raced a couple of years, and then served in the Army. After many years away from the sport, he returned and has enjoyed the friendship and camaraderie found at Atlanta Dragway. Craig Armstrong noted one of the keys to Marcum's 2004 championship was consistency, consistency, consistency. Marcum was rewarded with a trophy, a jacket, a VP Racing Fuels check, a jacket and the first Doug Herbert Special Edition Snap On Tools roll cab. He thanked his fiancée Michelle for not "killing" him after coming home late from the track many nights during the season.
Sportsman champion Chris Carlisle also began racing in 1988, and enjoyed winning the 1989 Division Two ET Finals Sportsman crown and the 1990 Atlanta Dragway Sportsman championship. He raced a few more years before taking some time off for his marriage. Carlisle thanked friend Dickey Forrester for getting him back into racing, and helping him get to the track the past year. He then thanked all the friends who pitched in and helped him get his car back together after it broke at the 2004 ET finals. Carlisle received a trophy, a VP Racing Fuels check, a jacket and a Doug Herbert Special Edition Snap On Tools roll cab for his efforts. In his last race at Atlanta Dragway Carlisle finished runner up in the Mallory Cup runoff to Super Pro champion Lloyd Kaylor.
Super Pro champ Lloyd Kaylor had the slowest Super Pro car on the track, a 7.50 second 1987 Buick Regal. Kaylor proved to all the faster cars he wasn't "skeered" of any of them, because the deadly consistency of his car won many rounds. Kaylor won the Sportsman championship back in 1995, and moved into Super Pro during the 1998 season, using the same drivetrain he raced with for many years in Sportsman. Kaylor thanked his wife Sandra for putting up with the racing. Kaylor also received a trophy, a champion's jacket, a VP Fuels check, and a Doug Herbert roll cab. This wasn't Kaylor's first tool box win, as he won the beautiful Corvette edition Snap On Tools roll cab earlier this year during the Snap On Tools Day at the Races customer appreciation race. Kaylor mentioned he has raced a Buick for 15 years, but is retiring the car and will be competing in a totally different car (can you say dragster?) in 2005.
Other awards given out during the evening were as follows:
High School champion - Ashley Dumas
Most Improved driver - Gary "Git Er" Dunn
Sportsman of the Year - Joe Rampley
Perfect Run award - Joe Haddon
Rookie of the Year (Jr.) - Justin Fancher
Rookie of the Year (adult) - Brian Smith
Entertainer of the Year - Denise Shubert
Team Spirit Award - Kim Ellington
Racer of the Year - Chris Carlisle
Employee of the Year - Gail Stowe
Person of the Year - Buck Jones
Atlanta Dragway Hall of Fame - Trent Costley
Craig Armstrong ended the evening with a reminder to give thanks to God for our many blessings. He then announced the 2005 racing season is set to begin February 26 with the Hayes Fan Fest.
Photos
Atlanta Dragway racers teamed up for the last time in 2004, this time at the annual Atlanta Dragway Banquet of Champions, held at the American Legion Hall in Buford, GA.
Six time NHRA Pro Stock champion Warren Johnson opened up the awards banquet with a speech after an invocation by Racers for Christ pastor Lloyd Shanks, and a dinner catered by Country Sunshine Cafe. Johnson noted his roots were in bracket racing.
Track manager Craig Armstrong thanked all the companies and people who helped make the racing program strong at Atlanta Dragway. The list he mentioned included Snap-On Tools, Hayes Family dealerships, VP Racing Fuels, Denny's and many others, who were also listed on the program. Snap-On Tools, who has supported the bracket program for years, donated three Doug Herbert edition roll cabs and two smaller versions of the roll cabs (bottom boxes) to the four adult track champions, and one more to the lucky winner from the top finishers in each class, each worth many thousands of dollars. Snap-On Tools representative Chris pulled Alan Sargent's name (Sargent finished the year eighth in points in Sportsman) from the hat for the last box. (The Sport Compact champion, Eric Duncan, and Alan Sargent received the slightly smaller boxes.) Snap On Tools also supplied a special edition Snap On / Schwinn bicycle to the two Jr. Dragster champions.
Door prizes were given out during the evening, with some of the favorites being the Richard Petty Driving Experience and an overnight stay with breakfast at the Renaissance Hotels Pine Isle Resort.
The first racers recognized were the NHRA O'Reilly Auto Parts Jr. Dragster participants. All received a participant award, and the top ten were also given awards provided by Team PTI. Joshua Sisson, the 8-12 Jr. Dragster champion, was emotional during his acceptance speech, and was then joined by his father Barry, who won the Jr. Dragster Parent of the Year award. Sisson began the season strong by winning the first race, and won seven races (nearly half of the races contested) en route to his championship. He received a championship trophy, and a $250 Tanger certificate provided by Dennys. To his delight, he was also awarded a special edition Schwinn bicycle provided by Snap On Tools. The 13-17 Jr. Dragster championship was won by Lauren Turner, who came in second place in the points during the 2002 and 2003 seasons. More determined than ever, she kept trying, and her persistence paid off with eight final round finishes (three wins) and the 2004 13-17 Jr. Dragster championship. Turner also received a championship trophy, a $250 Tanger / Dennys certificate and a special edition Snap On/Schwinn bicycle.
Eric Duncan, known to most as "Buford Heavy" decided to enter the new Sport Compact class for 2004. Duncan has been around bracket racing for years, and led the Sport Compact points all year, winning the Sport Compact championship with a dominant 13 round lead at the end of the season. For his efforts, he was rewarded with a trophy, a jacket, a VP Fuels check and a Snap On Tools roll cab. Duncan and his wife Beverly are also the VP Racing Fuels representatives for Atlanta Dragway. Terry Turpin came in second in the Saturday Sport Compact points, but dominated the Friday night Year One action, winning the Friday night 2004 championship with his blazing fast street legal 2003 Mitsibushi Evo.
Trophy Street champion Steve Marcum began bracket racing in Ohio in 1988, raced a couple of years, and then served in the Army. After many years away from the sport, he returned and has enjoyed the friendship and camaraderie found at Atlanta Dragway. Craig Armstrong noted one of the keys to Marcum's 2004 championship was consistency, consistency, consistency. Marcum was rewarded with a trophy, a jacket, a VP Racing Fuels check, a jacket and the first Doug Herbert Special Edition Snap On Tools roll cab. He thanked his fiancée Michelle for not "killing" him after coming home late from the track many nights during the season.
Sportsman champion Chris Carlisle also began racing in 1988, and enjoyed winning the 1989 Division Two ET Finals Sportsman crown and the 1990 Atlanta Dragway Sportsman championship. He raced a few more years before taking some time off for his marriage. Carlisle thanked friend Dickey Forrester for getting him back into racing, and helping him get to the track the past year. He then thanked all the friends who pitched in and helped him get his car back together after it broke at the 2004 ET finals. Carlisle received a trophy, a VP Racing Fuels check, a jacket and a Doug Herbert Special Edition Snap On Tools roll cab for his efforts. In his last race at Atlanta Dragway Carlisle finished runner up in the Mallory Cup runoff to Super Pro champion Lloyd Kaylor.
Super Pro champ Lloyd Kaylor had the slowest Super Pro car on the track, a 7.50 second 1987 Buick Regal. Kaylor proved to all the faster cars he wasn't "skeered" of any of them, because the deadly consistency of his car won many rounds. Kaylor won the Sportsman championship back in 1995, and moved into Super Pro during the 1998 season, using the same drivetrain he raced with for many years in Sportsman. Kaylor thanked his wife Sandra for putting up with the racing. Kaylor also received a trophy, a champion's jacket, a VP Fuels check, and a Doug Herbert roll cab. This wasn't Kaylor's first tool box win, as he won the beautiful Corvette edition Snap On Tools roll cab earlier this year during the Snap On Tools Day at the Races customer appreciation race. Kaylor mentioned he has raced a Buick for 15 years, but is retiring the car and will be competing in a totally different car (can you say dragster?) in 2005.
Other awards given out during the evening were as follows:
High School champion - Ashley Dumas
Most Improved driver - Gary "Git Er" Dunn
Sportsman of the Year - Joe Rampley
Perfect Run award - Joe Haddon
Rookie of the Year (Jr.) - Justin Fancher
Rookie of the Year (adult) - Brian Smith
Entertainer of the Year - Denise Shubert
Team Spirit Award - Kim Ellington
Racer of the Year - Chris Carlisle
Employee of the Year - Gail Stowe
Person of the Year - Buck Jones
Atlanta Dragway Hall of Fame - Trent Costley
Craig Armstrong ended the evening with a reminder to give thanks to God for our many blessings. He then announced the 2005 racing season is set to begin February 26 with the Hayes Fan Fest.
posted by David @ 10:32 PM
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