Sixth on Friday, Warren Johnson Aims High for Saturday in Atlanta

Warren Johnson opened the defense of his 2003 Summit Racing Equipment Nationals title in fine fashion during Friday's first day of qualifying. In each of the two sessions, Johnson was among the quickest cars in his lane, with his best effort of 6.830 seconds with a top speed of 201.97 mph placing the GM Performance Parts Grand Am in the sixth position midway through qualifying. Despite the solid effort, WJ set his sights on improving his standing during Saturday's final attempts.

"We're fairly pleased with today's performance. Our GM Performance Parts Grand Am made two solid runs today, and was one of the quickest cars in the right hand lane in the second session. After analyzing the data, we have a few adjustments that we will make in the morning, and I see no reason why we can't move up to at least second or third. Overall, I'd say we're in pretty good shape."

Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing

KJ Opens Atlanta Qualifying in Eighth, Looks to Improve on Saturday

Kurt Johnson was the model of consistency during the first day of qualifying at the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals in Atlanta, GA. After opening with 6.844-second pass on Friday afternoon, Johnson came back on his second attempt to post a 6.841-second elapsed time with a top speed of 201.91 mph. This placed the ACDelco Cavalier in the eighth position heading into Saturday's final two sessions, with K.J. looking to move further up Sunday's final eliminations ladder.

"We just need to make the ACDelco Cavalier a little happier. We've been good in the early part of the runs, but we're not as strong in the back half as we would like. We'll go over the data from our two runs today to see what adjustments we can make to move up closer to the top. We've won races from as far back as fifteenth, but this is our home track, and we want to put on the best show we can for our fans and friends in the stands."

Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing

SCELZI TAKES NO. 5 FRIDAY NIGHT IN ATLANTA

COMMERCE, Ga. (May 14, 2004) - Gary Scelzi's two qualifying rounds today demonstrated that the HEMI-powered Oakley Dodge Stratus team led by crew chief Mike Neff is returning to its familiar form.

In the first qualifying session, Scelzi performed a straight, strong pass, just hazing the tires past half track and posting a 5.273-second pass at 210.83 mph.

Tonight's second round saw an even more solid pass, when Scelzi bombed down the quarter-mile to a 4.828-second ET at 319.45 mph, which was good for No.2 at the time. By the completion of qualifying, Scelzi was in fifth.

"It was good because it made it on the first run," said Scelzi. "It didn't smoke the tires until half track, which is fine; that's easy to fix. The good news is our fuel system is doing what it's supposed to do, and the clutch is working like it's supposed to work, following a lot of hard work by Mike and the crew over this last week.

"A 4.82 is nothing to bark about, but we're pretty happy with that. It went down the race track basically two times and what I consider going down the race track is getting to half track. Our initial early numbers were veryb good. So I think we're in good shape for tomorrow. Now we need to go down the race track two more times tomorrow to prove that we know where we're at, and let's go get them on Sunday."

In the final pass today, Tony Pedregon demolished the track record and dethroned Scelzi as the fastest Funny Car driver on the planet with an outstanding 329.83-mph pass. "It's disheartening," said Scelzi, who still holds the NHRA Funny Car national top-speed record of 329.18 mph until Pedregon backs it up, "but we've had to back up a little bit. We can run 330
mph. I'm not going to worry about it."

Contact: Judy Stropus
DON SCHUMACHER RACING

Grubnic, T. Pedregon, Morgan and Hines Lead Pro Qualifying at the NHRA POWERade Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals presented by Pontiac - Tony Pedregon Records Fastest Ever Funny Car Speed - 329.83 MPH


David Grubnic leads Top Fuel with a 4.469 @ 324.44, Tony Schumacher is second with a 4.510 @ 328.38 and Bob Vandergriff ( Alpharetta, GA ) makes a successful return to Top Fuel with a 10th best 4.654 @ 312.13.
Top Fuel Qualifying Results

Tony Pedregon is on top of funny car at 4.765 @ 329.83 and former Atlanta resident Whit Bazemore is #2 at 4.797 @ 324.20.
Funny Car Qualifying Results

Larry Morgan is #1 in Pro Stock with a 6.796 @ 202.91 in his Dodge Stratus. Jason Line is #2 in his Team Anderson machine with a 6.802 @ 203.28. Greg Anderson is #3 with a 6.809 @ 202.64.

Georgia Pro Stock drivers:
Warren Johnson #6 (6.830 @ 201.97)
Kurt Johnson #8 (6.841 @ 201.91)
Mark Whisnant #18 (6.874 @ 200.68)
Barry Grant #20 (6.881 @ 200.50)
Eric Shelton #29 (6.977 @ 197.83)
Pro Stock Qualifying Results

Andrew Hines rode his H-D to #1 in Pro Stock Bike with a 7.162 @ 181.35. Fred Collis ( Americus, GA ) is #6 at 7.239 @ 184.55.
Pro Stock Bike Qualifying Results

Michael Gunderson is on top in Top Alcohol Dragster with a 5.357 @ 276.75 (A/FD), Frank Manzo leads Top Alcohol Funny Car (5.638 @ 258.42), Raymond Martin is #1 in Comp with a -0.636 7.904 and Stephen McCreary is #1 with a -1.333 in Super Stock.
Super Stock Class Winners

NHRA Recap

Whisnant: The Pros and Cons of Racing at Atlanta

COMMERCE, Ga. – Most people would think that drivers would look forward to racing at their home tracks. You would think that it would be exciting to race in front of your family, friends and local drag race fans. Mark Whisnant, driver of the PiranaZ / Snap-On Tool Chevrolet Cavalier, has mixed feelings about this weekend's 24th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern in Commerce Ga.

Whisnant, from nearby Stockbridge, Ga., has claimed the Atlanta Dragway as his home track since before he could walk. His Father Reid Whisnant raced Pro Stock at the Atlanta Dragway, and now Mark is following in his Father’s footsteps fielding the PiranaZ Pro Stock Cavalier at the same track where he grew up.

When asked how he felt about racing this weekend in Commerce, Whisnant’s response was: “Honestly, I would rather be racing some where very far away from here; say Canada or Alaska. All kidding aside, I love racing here in Atlanta, but I also hate it.

“Racing at your home track brings with it a lot of extra headaches and problems that we do not have to deal with at other races. This weekend our pit area will be filled with family, friends and business associates. Throughout the weekend, we will have lots people stopping by, and hanging out. Who needs tickets, taking care of the suite, feeding everyone; these are some of the worries that we do not have at other races. We enjoy catching up with everyone, but it can become a distraction, and right now we do not need any distractions.

“We have missed the show at the last three races. At each race, we have been 17th or 18th and only a couple hundredths out of the field. The field is so close that the slightest miss calculation or lapse in concentration can cause you to throw a run away. In Pro Stock, throwing runs away puts you on the trailer Saturday night. We do not like being on the trailer Saturday night. We do not come here to qualify; we come here to race.

“Right now this PiranaZ team is making gains and moving forward. We are working our tails off to try to find that extra something that will have us racing every Sunday. We are building momentum and are close to being back to where we were last year. Therefore, the distractions that come with racing at your home track could not come at a worse time, and are not very appealing to us right now.

“On the other hand everyone wants to win at their home racetrack. To win in front of all your friends, and family, to win in front of all the people who have supported us clear back to when we were racing comp., there could be no greater feeling. All the negatives aside, if we could win the Southern Nationals it will be worth all the headaches.”

PIRANA-Z / SNAP-ON TOOLS PRO STOCK CHEVY CAVALIER
MARK WHISNANT – DRIVER
REID WHISNANT – OWNER
CONTACT: Patti Miles-Hamlin

Rain Shortens Thursday Qualifying at the NHRA POWERade Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals

Super Stock and Comp qualifying results.

Linda Vaughn to be Presented Justice Brothers Car Care Products Reunion Spotlight Award

Ms. Vaughn, born in Dalton, GA, will be accepting the award at the second annual Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion presented by DuPont Automotive Finishes June 18-20, 2004. The reunion is held at Beech Bend Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Thursday Photos From Commerce

Photosfrom the NHRA POWERade Southern Nationals at Commerce, GA May 13-16, 2004.

Ralph Clanton Photos Added

Ralph "Big Money" Clanton has been nice enough to share a few of his photos from the 1970s. Thanks to Ralph and Marvin T. Smith for submitting the pics of Ralph's Pro Stock Chevys to GeorgiaDragRacing.com. I've added these photos to the Classic Georgia Drag Racers album.
Big Money

King Demon Crown field to be set in Atlanta

NHRA.com article

Kurt Johnson Stays His Course Preparing for Home Race

ACDelco Racing team in search of second win at Atlanta Dragway

Sugar Hill, Ga., May 10, 2004 - Approximately twenty miles south of Atlanta Dragway, site of this weekend's Summit Racing NHRA Southern Nationals presented by Pontiac, is the town of Sugar Hill, GA. Nestled among various industrial sites in this quiet Atlanta suburb is Warren Johnson Enterprises, headquarters for the most successful father-and-son combination in the history of the NHRA.

The plain brick exterior gives little evidence of the racing technology developed within, reflecting its occupants' business-like approach to the sport of NHRA POWERade Drag Racing. However, a step into the front office reveals floor-to-ceiling cabinets packed with trophies, partial evidence of the organization's 130 NHRA national event wins and 6 NHRA Pro Stock championships.

This shop currently houses Kurt Johnson's ACDelco Cavalier as well as the GM Performance Parts Grand Am campaigned by his father Warren Johnson. However, even though the two teams share technology and tuning data, their pre-race preparation may often vary. For example, this week the senior Johnson will spend two days testing at another track, while K.J. will remain at the shop searching for horsepower and fine-tuning his chassis configuration.

"Even though our results were not what we were looking for in Bristol, we were fairly happy with our ACDelco Cavalier's performance, so we're preparing for this weekend's race the same way we've done all season," said Johnson. "In Tennessee, we were dealing with a unique racetrack, and an unconventional tuning combination, so we will put that race behind us and focus on this weekend's race in Atlanta, where we have notebooks full of tuning data.

"Of course, there is always room for improvement, so we'll continue to put in long hours at the shop. We believe we have a set-up we can tune from, so instead of going somewhere to test, we'll be working on the dyno trying to find some extra horsepower, because you can never have enough."

Naturally, Johnson can expect his own cheering section at the Georgia quarter-mile this weekend, as many Warren Johnson Enterprises employees, as well family members and personal friends will come out to watch the team in action. Despite the added company, it will be business as usual for the ACDelco crew, as they look to score their second win of the 2004 season, and second at Atlanta Dragway.

"Being our home race, we'll probably have quite a few friends and family members in the stands, so we're going to do the best job we can and give them something to cheer about," stated Johnson. "Although we appreciate the support, and enjoy having them come out to watch, once we pull in the gate, we're all business, so we might as well be racing in California, except for the post-race victory party, which would be huge.

"I think we should be in pretty good shape. We've tested at Atlanta Dragway four or five times already this year, so assuming the NHRA's track preparation doesn't do anything drastic to the racing surface, we should have a good baseline set-up. If all goes well, the biggest challenge the ACDelco Cavalier team will face is accommodating everyone and finding enough tickets to get them into the racetrack."

KJ's Comments on racing at your "home" track:

"The best part of racing in Atlanta is being able to sleep in our own beds, and having the family with you at the track. It's also good to know all the back ways into the track, so you can avoid the traffic and not get lost. It's also better when you win, because you can share the experience with your family and friends.

"One common misconception is that we have a significant advantage in terms of knowing the racetrack. We really don't know more than our competitors, for several reasons. Not only is the surface preparation different between testing and a national event, but there are also so many teams that test here that the tuning data is not a secret. "

Facts on Kurt Johnson and the ACDelco Racing Team entering the
Summit Racing Southern Nationals presented by Pontiac:

* KJ at Atlanta Dragway: This will be Kurt's 12th appearance at Atlanta Dragway, where he has one win (in 1996) in three final round appearances, and a 17-10 elimination round record for a .630 winning percentage.

* One year ago: Kurt qualified third with an elapsed time of 6.840 seconds and a top speed of 202.67 mph, and advanced to the quarter-finals, where he fell to his father (and eventual race winner) Warren Johnson.

* Winning percentage: Kurt's .642 elimination round winning percentage (354-197) ranks 10th among all active NHRA professional drivers.

* National event wins: Kurt's 28 national event victories ties him for 14th on the all-time NHRA professional win list, and tie him for fourth on the all-time Pro Stock win list. Kurt's most recent win came at this year's Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals in Phoenix, AZ.

* Career best elapsed time: 6.716 seconds, Englishtown, NJ. 2003

* Career best top speed: 206.61 mph, Englishtown, NJ. 2003

Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing

Qualifying Holds the Key for Warren Johnson in Atlanta
GM Performance Parts driver dismisses any mentions of home field advantage

SUGAR HILL, GA., May 10, 2004 - Preparation for an NHRA national event takes long hours as teams work to ensure their race car is in top condition. From massaging the 500-cubic-inch V-8 on the dynamometer to poring over data from previous races to determine what will be the starting set-up, no detail is left unattended.

The first test of the crew's efforts comes in the space of thirty seconds during the two days of qualifying. In each of their four six-second attempts, they will look to not only capture a top starting spot, but also find the right combination for race day. Entering this weekend's Summit Racing Southern NHRA Nationals presented by Pontiac, GM Performance Parts driver Warren Johnson sees that single combined mile of racing as the key to success on Sunday.

"With the level of competition in Pro Stock, there's no room for error on race day, so it is imperative to find the correct combination in qualifying," stated Johnson. "We don't have the luxury of time as they do in other forms of racing. For example, if the round-trackers miss the set-up, they have 500 laps to work on their car and get it right. In drag racing, we get four passes in qualifying, and if you miss the combination, you could be facing a short day on Sunday."

Naturally, every team has their own concerns to address as they prepare for this weekend's event. In the case of the Johnson crew, the focus is on delivering on their race car's winning potential by extracting consistent and competitive performance from it. Therefore, prior to their arrival at Atlanta Dragway, they will spend time at another facility making numerous runs in search of the winning set-up.

"In simple terms, we need to do a better job of adapting to the race track than we have so far," said Johnson. "The performance is there, we just have to find it before it's too late to use it. We have it pinpointed to something in the springs, shocks, four-link, clutch and weight distribution, which is about all you have in a Pro Stock race car.

"Therefore, we'll be putting some test laps on our GM Performance Parts Grand Am in the next few days. Unfortunately, Atlanta Dragway has been closed for the last two weeks for painting, so we'll head elsewhere and see what we can learn."

Of the 20 tracks on which the POWERade Drag Racing Series will compete in 2004, it would seem that the Johnson crew would have the greatest advantage at the Atlanta quarter-mile. Located less than a half-hour's drive from the team's Sugar Hill headquarters, it is also their favorite testing location. However, despite five wins in eight final round appearances, including his exciting hole-shot defeat of rival Greg Anderson in last year's championship round, "The Professor" is quick to discount any notion of a home-field advantage.

"With the difference in the track preparation from when we test at Atlanta to when we race at the national event this weekend, we might as well be starting from the other end," said Johnson. "With the way the NHRA prepares a track, the coefficient of friction will be completely different.

"For example, we'll run 6.75s at 2500 feet in testing, while we'll be lucky to go 6.90 during the race. It's the same for racers who live near other tracks across the country. The surface will be a relative unknown, with the only thing that doesn't change being the location of the bumps, knowledge of which is a negligible advantage at best. -cont-
"Even though we'll be sleeping in our own beds, our job will be the same as it is at the nineteen other facilities on the circuit - to get down the track better than our competition. The GM Performance Parts Grand Am team worked that plan to perfection one year ago, and we have our sights set on doing it again this year."

In Warren's Words: On whether racing at your "home track" is a distraction -

"Other than having a little less elbow room in our pit area, racing at home is really no different than any other race. We know we have a job to do, and we focus on doing it. As far as I'm concerned, they could hold a rodeo at the end of our pit area, and I wouldn't even notice."

Facts on Warren Johnson and the GM Performance Parts Racing Team entering The Summit Racing Southern Nationals presented by Pontiac:

* WJ is at home at Atlanta Dragway: This will be Warren's 24th NHRA Pro Stock national event appearance at Atlanta Dragway, where he has five wins in eight final round appearances, and a 41-18 elimination round record for a .695 win percentage.

* Warren's Qualifying Stats in Commerce: In his 23 previous starts at Atlanta Dragway, WJ has nine No. 1 qualifying positions, with an outstanding 2.65 average starting position, and has never qualified lower than seventh.

* One year ago: WJ qualified sixth with an elapsed time of 6.849 seconds with a top speed of 201.82 mph, and defeated Terry Adams, Kurt Johnson, Jeg Coughlin and Greg Anderson en route to his 90th career win, and second of the 2003 season.

* Winning Streak: Warren Johnson is looking to extend a streak where has won at least one race a year for 22 consecutive years, which is the longest in NHRA history.

* No. 1 in National event wins: WJ's 92 national event victories are the most ever in the history of the Pro Stock division and place him second on the all-time NHRA win list. His most recent win came last year at the Lucas Oil Nationals in Reading, PA.

* Career best elapsed time: 6.715 seconds, Englishtown 2003

* Career best top speed: 205.69 mph, Englishtown 2003

Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing

Good news for Star Racing/G Squared Motorsports -
Home track advantage at Atlanta Dragway may play to team's favor

COMMERCE, GA. (May 10, 2004) - There's good news and more good news from the Americus, Ga., shop of Star/G Squared Motorsports.

The first order of business after returning from the last NHRA national event in Houston was the testing of the competition V-Twin, a collaboration of efforts between George Bryce of Star Racing, headquartered in Americus, Ga., and George Smith, part owner of S&S Cycle, Incorporated, based in Viola, Wis.

Combining Bryce's talent for building state-of-the-art motorcycles and mentoring competitive drivers capable of winning championships and Smith's knowledge and experience with the V-Twin engine, Bryce and Smith have established a new company, G Squared Motorsports [a derivative of the name George, common to both partners], to develop motorcycles and motorcycle engines with a focus on late-model hot rod V-Twins.

With testing conducted at Atlanta Dragway and Fred Collis, who rejoined Star Racing as rider at Houston, on-board both the V-Twin and the current Suzuki that is campaigned on the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Bryce labeled the session a success and said that it was good news for G Squared Motorsports.

"Our testing called for running both the Suzuki and the V-Twin during the same test session. On our very first try with the V-Twin, we were very pleased to be able to take a whole new combination that's not similar to anything we've ever done and have it run within 13-hundredths of our front-running Suzuki," explained Bryce.

"A Pro Stock car team testing a new car, with a few minor improvements, against an old car may not be happy with that type of results because they expect the new car to be faster. This, to what we're doing, is like comparing apples to oranges. Other than rear tires and gasoline, the V-Twin and the Suzuki are not similar in any way.

"It was a good start and the hill, as George Smith calls it, wasn't so steep or as steep as we thought it would be. We made a list of things to change and/or improve and we're in that mode right now. There are still bugs to work out and a lot of testing still to do, but we're going to try and have the bike ready to bring to Atlanta, not to compete but to display."

This weekend the good news is that Bryce's Star Racing/G Squared Motorsports will be competing at the NHRA Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway, a track that is very familiar to Bryce.

"For us the track is less than four hours from Americus (Ga.), so we don't have to leave a day early and get home a day later. That makes it easy on the crew and the Star Racing fans that live here. They can come and participate with us. We'll probably have over 100 people from Americus alone. This gives you a lot more support and the added incentive to perform better than usual. It's a lot different atmosphere than say Denver or Las Vegas," said Bryce, who, as rider/owner/crew chief, has produced 66 No. 1 qualifying efforts and 65 wins in 112 final rounds since 1987.

"For our performance, I know the track really, really well. I run there a lot. We run the HDRA Harley races there. We run the AMA Prostar races there. And, of course, the NHRA race each year there. I do most of my testing there. I know the staff. I know the weather. Conditions are so similar to home, we're tuned up for it. That gives us a little bit of an advantage.

"I'm expecting to do much better in Atlanta than we did in Houston. We made a pretty good hit, a 7.12 (second pass), at the last race in Houston. We've got a good program lined up with Fred (Collis). I expect us to qualify near the front (of the field). I don't know how close to the front but near. Of course, from that point we intend to improve run by run, just like we did in the old days rather than let it slip away from us."

Bryce's rider Fred Collis, who is making his second start of the 2004 season, feels that Bryce's knowledge of the track is a definite advantage.

"George's knowledge and experience at Atlanta Dragway definitely plays a role," said Collis. "Between Gainesville and Atlanta we've made a lot of run at both places and that gives added confidence come race day. We'll have a lot of local fans and friends that will be coming to the race. That always gives you a boost.

"For Atlanta, we've laid out a plan of action and goals we want to achieve. Our focus will be on those and we're going to go out there and apply them. I plan to have the same focus and do the same procedure each and every time throughout qualifying and eliminations. That should help with not only the reaction times but with our game plan for the remaining races this season."

MEDIA CONTACT: Mickey Schultz
STAR/G SQUARED MOTORSPORTS

Winning Atlanta is Bazemore's Main Goal

WINNING RACES IS BAZEMORE'S NO. 1 GOAL

COMMERCE, Ga. (May 11, 2004) - Whit Bazemore is smack in the middle of a tight battle for the 2004 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car championship, and he's not going to sweat the past as he heads into the future. And the future for the driver of the Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus, he hopes, includes winning the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals this weekend at Atlanta Dragway for the second time in his 17-year pro career.

Bazemore, who won here in 2002, has reached the final round two times this season, yet finds himself sixth in points after six races instead of fourth because of oildown penalties incurred at the last race at Bristol Dragway. That's history, he says. The two-time U.S. Nationals title-holder is still in the championship mix and is just 115 points out of first, 73 short of
second, and a mere 29 from third.

"We're going to put this oildown situation behind us," he said. "We're not even trying to make up points for that. We're just trying to win races.

"Our car is running well, but for some reason we have a penchant lately for blowing the tires off at the hit of the throttle (which happened in the final round against John Force in Bristol), and that's something that Lee (Beard, crew chief) and the guys are working hard to address. I think when we can rectify that situation, we will end up even more competitive than we are now.

"It looks like we have tremendous potential, and we have a race-winning car and team. We have been to two finals this year. We're still a bit inconsistent and it's part of a new tire that we have and it's part of our new tune-up. It's a lot of new things all at once. When you look at that, honestly, I think the team is doing a great job with the cards that we've dealt ourselves and have been dealt. We're going to go and do the best we can, as we always do, and we should be competitive.

"If we could get to the semis at least then it will be a good weekend. If we can do anything more than that, it will be even better. It would be nice to win Atlanta again. It is my home track."

Bazemore, 41, was born in New York City and spent much of his youth in Atlanta where his father Chuck still resides. "I grew up in Atlanta," he said. "I first went to Atlanta Dragway in 1978 after school on a Friday. I have a lot of memories of being there. It was always my dream to race and to have won the race here in 2002 is really kind of special. We have a lot of family here. My dad brings a lot of his friends out. A lot of my friends
come out. It's kind of a fun weekend in that regard."

Winning, however, takes precedence. "We're not here to visit, we're here to race and to win. That's the only thing we really care about, the only thing we're thinking about," said Bazemore, who has been runner-up twice in the Funny Car championship and would like nothing better than to claim his first championship crown this season.

WHIT BAZEMORE QUICK FACTS:

* Qualified No. 3 at Summit Racing NHRA Southern Nationals here in 2003, lost in semis to Tony Pedregon
* Considers Atlanta Dragway his home track
* Won Funny Car class here in 2002
* First Funny Car driver to break 325-mph barrier (U.S. Nationals 2001)
* 2003 Funny Car points runner-up
* Won three times in 2003, runner-up five times
* Has 15 career Funny Car event wins
* Took the 2003 championship chase to penultimate race in Las Vegas in an exciting final round against eventual champion Tony Pedregon
* Was also second in the NHRA Funny Car championship in 2001, third in 1997 and '99 and has finished in the top five six times and 11 times in the top 10 since 1992
* Age 41, born in New York City, an avid cyclist, lives in Indianapolis with wife Michelle, a semi-pro cyclist
* 2004 is his fourth season with Don Schumacher Racing
* Stands sixth in Funny Car points following Bristol
* Two-time U.S. Nationals champion

Contact: Judy Stropus
DON SCHUMACHER RACING

SUMMER CONDITIONS BUT NOT TONY SCHUMACHER ON SCELZI'S MIND

COMMERCE, Ga. (May 11, 2004) - Gary Scelzi no longer has Tony Schumacher on his mind as his fiercest rival, now that the duo are Don Schumacher Racing teammates and are not vying for the same championship. What the driver of the HEMI-powered Oakley Dodge Stratus Funny Car is thinking about are the hot, slippery, and perhaps even wet, conditions that may prevail this weekend at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta
Dragway.

In his exceptional Top Fuel career, in which he won three NHRA
championships, Scelzi defeated Schumacher in the final round at Atlanta Dragway in 2000, his last victory at this track. Today the pair are good friends, as Scelzi aims to win his first Funny Car title here en route to his first NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car crown.

His 2000 win was the second of Scelzi's two Top Fuel triumphs on this quarter-mile. The first was in 1999 against Doug Kalitta. He was also runner-up to Kenny Bernstein here in his rookie year, 1997.

In 2002, Scelzi switched to Funny Cars and is enjoying his second full season with Don Schumacher Racing this year. He's won one Funny Car event and established the national top-speed record of 329.18 mph last year, a record which no one has yet come close to breaking. Scelzi is the odds-on favorite to demolish his own record in 2004 with the first 330-mph Funny Car
pass in NHRA history.

"Atlanta Dragway has been very good to me," said the Fresno native. "Tony Schumacher and I had an extremely heated rivalry back the last time that I won here. We genuinely didn't like each other. So that made for big play on television and the fans and the media loved it.

"Actually, now that we don't race against each other Tony and I get along very well," he laughed. "Our kids play together. The rivalry was mutual and now we're both really good friends. We're both on the same team, and we're both on the same page. And I think both of us understand each other a little bit better too."

All former hostilities aside, Scelzi is now focused on regaining the performance with which he and crew chief Mike Neff began the 2004 season. "This year in Funny Car I don't really have any rivalries," said Scelzi, eighth in Funny Car point standings after six races. "We're just trying to make the car go down the race track consistently.

"Atlanta is one of those race tracks that is very difficult. Normally this is where we run into the summer conditions where the race tracks are hot, slippery and extremely tricky. You don't see the big numbers. You don't see the big E.T.s, you don't see the big speeds.

"Right now the forecast looks for 80-degree weather, but it also looks like rain. Who knows what's going to happen? Who knows if we're going to lose qualifying runs or if we'll get everything in, like we ended up doing in Bristol.

"It's also a race track where you don't know who's going to win because of the track conditions. You have to be really on top of your tune-up and especially your clutch program, because when the temperatures get to 80-85 degrees with high humidity you can't swing for the fence. So it's a lot of mental control for the crew chiefs.

"We're getting to the time of year where it is a control situation for the crew chiefs to not get carried away, but also not to be weak. You don't want to go up there and be too conservative because nobody else will be.

"It's going to be a big challenge for Mike Neff and the Hemi-powered Oakley Dodge," Scelzi continued. "We're still working hard on our program. It looked better in Bristol and I think we're going to continue to show progress at every event from here on out.

"We're on the right track. I guess we'll just have to see what cards are dealt to us," he added.

Pro Nitro qualifying is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May
14, and again at 12 noon and 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 15. Final eliminations
begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday, May 16.

ESPN will air coverage of qualifying on May 15, at 8 p.m. ET. Eliminations
are scheduled to air on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. ET on May 16, and again on May 17 at
2 p.m.

GARY SCELZI QUICK FACTS:

* Qualified fourth at 2003 Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals,
lost in first round to Johnny Gray
* Eighth in 2004 Funny Car points after six events
* Age 43, born and raised in Fresno, Calif., where he lives with wife
Julianne and sons Dominic and Giovanni
* Is a three-time Top Fuel Dragster champion
* Won his first Top Fuel crown as a rookie
* Has one Funny Car win, 25 Top Fuel wins
* Sixth in 2003 Funny Car points, his first full season in that class
* Is the only NHRA driver to have won in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Top Alcohol
Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car
* Holds six of the top nine Funny Car top speeds:
1. 329.18, Sept. 28, 2003, Joliet, Ill. - national record
2. 328.70, Sept. 28. 2003, Joliet, Ill.
3. 328.38, Nov. 8, 2003, Pomona, Calif.
5. 328.06, June 1, 2003, Joliet, Ill.
6. 327.98, May 31, 2003, Joliet, Ill.
9. 327.27, Nov. 8, 2003, Pomona, Calif.

Contact: Judy Stropus
DON SCHUMACHER RACING

2004 Old Drag Racers Reunion Hall of Fame Nominees

Sol Stewart has announced the nominees for 2004. Previous attendees of the Old Drag Racers Reunion will be mailed a ballot soon.

The living nominees include:

Harold Dutton
Billy Holt
Sam McQuagg
Max Smith
George Warren
Bobby Watson
Billy "Cigar" Holt
Speedy Ball
Bill Mullins
Dave Raulerson
Sonny Rollo
Paul Vanderley
Phil Bonner
Sidney Foster
M.A. Madden
Johnny Arnold
Pete Mount
Bill Glandt
Willie D. Smith
Robert McClellan
Seven (7) of these nominees will be elected into the Hall of Fame.


The deceased nominations include:

Jessee Childree
Clayton Harris
"Sneaky" Pete Robinson
Jabo Elam
Bobby Henderson
Ronnie Lemasters
Ebb Krebs
Charlie Edgar
Frank Butler
Bill Aydelott
Three (3) of these nominees will be elected into the Hall of Fame.

24TH ANNUAL SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT NHRA SOUTHERN NATIONALS BACK IN TOWN MAY 13-16
by Tim Glover

The National Hot Rod Association's touring road show, the 24th Annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals, presented by Pontiac, is coming to Georgia May 13-16, 2004 at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, GA.

The Southern Nationals features the quickest machines on the planet Earth, Top Fuel Dragsters. These 6000 horsepower, nitromethane burning beasts cover the quarter mile course (1320 feet) in four and a half seconds, and are moving at well over 320mph at the finish line. Just as popular are the fire breathing Funny Cars, featuring the same 6000 horsepower, 500 cubic inch engines that Top Fuel Dragsters use.

Six time Pro Stock world champion Warren "The Professor" Johnson, who lives in nearby Sugar Hill, GA, will be back trying to claim yet another Pro Stock title on his 2004 championship quest. However, his former crew chief of many years, Greg Anderson, is currently the favorite to win. Other classes
contested include Pro Stock Motorcycle, Pro Modified, Competition Eliminator, Super Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street.

After a few years away from racing, Forsyth County resident Bob Vandergriff, Jr. is jumping back into the Top Fuel Dragster fray. Vandergriff recently re-assembled his Top Fuel team, hired top tuner Rob Flynn as his crew chief, and went to Bristol Dragway on April 30 - May2 to make the necessary passes to re-instate his Top Fuel license. Vandergriff raced in Top Fuel from 1994 to 2000 before parking his operation. "The combination of not being able to secure the proper funding, starting a family and being gone 30 weekends a year without them helped make the decision to stay home for a few years an easy one," said Vandergriff. He said he is ready to resume his career since he has a motor coach and the children are now old enough to travel with them.

Vandergriff said the plan is to compete in ten races, including the Southern Nationals, during the 2004 season. "We're pretty comfortable it will run 4.50s in Atlanta," he added.

Although they have not landed a major sponsor yet, long time associates Haldex Brake Products and Speedco Truck Lube will be helping Vandergriff on the ten race 2004 tour. Also helping will be Vandgriff Apparel Group and a lot of friends and family.

Vandergriff's company, Vandergriff Apparel Group, produces apparel and merchandise for over 200 motorsports teams and their corporate apparel programs, like Mac Tools, Trim Tex and Speedco. The Vandergriff Apparel Group handles anything screen printed or embroidered.

Sportsman qualifying begins Thursday, and Professional qualifying begins Friday. Saturday also features Professional qualifying and Sportsman eliminations. Sunday features all the Professional races and the remainder of the Sportsman racing.


Thursday: $10 for adults, free with paying adult for children ages 6-17.
Friday: $27 for adults, $10 for children ages 6-17.
Saturday: $40 for adults, $10 for children ages 6-17.
Sunday: $42 for adults, $10 for children ages 6-17.
Tickets: $99 for a four-day General Admission pass.
Gates open daily at 8:00 am.
Order tickets by phone at (800) 884-NHRA (6472) or online at
www.ticketmaster.com. For more information, call Atlanta Dragway at
770-682-3782 or log on to www.atlantadragway.com.

Bob Gilbertson's Atlanta Nitro Intern: Bruce Braxton- College Park, GA Police Officer

Bruce Braxton, a Police Officer from Georgia, has been selected to join Bob Gilbertson's Trick Tank Funny Car team at the Southern Nationals this weekend at Atlanta Dragway as their nitro intern.
More Info

NHRA Membership Hospitality Center to Return in Atlanta
Info

Warren Johnson Interview on NHRA.com
WJ Interview

1989 Camaro RS For Sale


1989 Camaro RS, V-6 Engine blown ( previous owner thinks it broke a rod - I don't know ), AT, interior rough, body decent. Car has been parked for about four years. Might make a decent start for a drag car. Clear title. $750 Contact me at dayfalcon@earthlink.net
Photos