GeorgiaDragRacing.com Website Updated

Several new things have been added to GeorgiaDragRacing.com over the last several days.

Ronnie Stewart told David more about The Old Reliable 1955 Chevy shown in photo GDR-00093.

We'd like to thank Tom & Ruth Kasch for submitting the two photos at GDR-00418 and GDR-00419.

Thanks, also, to Wade Lowe for photos GDR-00420 and GDR-00421.

Marvin T. Smith submitted a review of Scott Caudill's Dragstock Video and a review of GMP's Ohio George Mustang Gasser diecast collectible.

David Dilbeck submitted a review of Mike Mueller's new book, The Garlits Collection: Cars That Made Drag Racing History.

We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving Day holiday.

Update: 6:42 am, November 28, 2004 -- I originally posted this message on Friday evening and everything was working just fine. Then, I checked in on Saturday and all the updates were gone! I don't know what happened. So, I posted the "Website Weirdness" message, which I just deleted.

I just finished re-uploading all the changes I've made to the site since November 6, 2004, and it looks like everything's working okay, now. I'll wait until tomorrow to see if it's really still there before I rest comfortably.

We've also been having some inconsistencies with the news feed from the Georgia Drag Racing News Blog. Sometimes it shows up on GeorgiaDragRacing.com and other times it doesn't. I don't know if this is a problem with intermittent breaks in the connection between GeorgiaDragRacing.com and the other two sites involved in processing and distributing the feed, or a problem with the script. I'm still trying to isolate and correct it.

If you find that you can't see the headlines on GDR or if you can't see the news on the GDR News page, you can always come to the actual home of the Georgia Drag Racing News Blog and read it directly.

Update: 6:55 am , November 29, 2004 -- This is getting to be really strange. Yesterday's update is gone.

I just re-uploaded all the changes, again, and everything seems to be working now. sigh...

JD

Tim Lynch Runs 6.966 @ 207.43 at Englishtown - First 6 Second 10.5 Pass

Dragstock Video Review

by Marvin T. Smith

Dragstock was the largest independent Pro Mod event ever staged. Held inOctober of 2004, it featured AMS Pro Modifieds, Southern Outlaws, Nitrous cars, Turbo cars, and would have had major IHRA cars if the IHRA had not rescheduled a rained-out event for the same weekend. In all, over 50 cars showed for a real barn-burner of a race. If you were not able to attend, you missed a super event, but this tape is the next best thing to being there. If you were there, you will want this video for a souvenir.

Scott Caudill did a super job of capturing what Pro Mod is all about. The small Carolina Dragway was the ideal venue for this event, allowing close interaction with the cars. Scott has obviously been at this track before, and figured out the best places to document the action. He included super burnouts, guardrail-to-guardrail action, wild wheelies, and the unfortunate fire suffered by Brain Dyar. You want performance? How about several three-second runs? Jason Scruggs captured the track record at 3.989 at a mind boggling 188.67 for the eighth mile, only to be bettered by John Lynam's 3.982. Mike Ashley's Shelby Mustang finally clinched the record with a 3.979 blast.

I really liked this video. The quality is excellent. Some viewers may miss the lack of voice-over. The only sound is the track's PA system, the roar of the engines, whine of the blowers, and cheers of the crowds. I for one do not miss the talking heads of TV land. The unusual format of Sunday's race, pitting the AMS series cars against the others in a points system, is impossible to follow from the tape, but if you simply want to see great action, this video cannot be beat. Scott always zooms in on the top end clocks so it is easy to determine winners and pick up the times, except for the night sequences when it is hard to read the glaring scoreboards. Another thing I liked about this tape is the fact that Scott moves around the facility, shooting from both sides, the center of the track, near the starting line, and down near the half track area. It was just like being there.

There are four hours of action according to Scott, but I didn't time the tape to check. You get Friday's qualifying action, Saturday's qualifying action, the Saturday quick 8 race (probably the quickest Pro Mod field ever assembled with a bump spot of 4.035), and the Sunday AMS vs. Outlaw feature event. If I started naming the cars, I'd either leave out some major hitter or have to list all the cars. How about Mike Ashley, Ed Hoover, Charles Carpenter, Tommy Mauney, Thomas Patterson, Scott Cannon, Mike Neal, Jason Scruggs, just to name a few. Georgia cars included Eddie Ware's Willys, Bil Clanton's Big Money Studebaker, Dan Parker, and Ben and Milton Ledford's nitrous Willys. You like Studebakers? There were at least four. I don't have enough fingers and toes to count the 63 Vettes or the Willyses.

If you like Pro Mods, this is the show for you. Scott can provide VHS tapes for $15 or DVD format for $20. Contact Scott Caudill at P.O. Box4111 Mooresville, NC 28117 or email Scott at ScottCaudill@webtv.net. Tell him you read about it on GeorgiaDragRacing.com.

Bee On Video Drag Racing Videos

I'm a huge fan of Jim Amos and his Bee On Video library of early drag racing videos! I own several Bee On Video titles and I've never been disappointed in any of them. From original early drag racing footage to nostalgia drag racing to car shows of all types, Jim captures many magical moments of automotive history.

I recently received a copy of Jim's York US30 Musclecar Madness DVD and as usual, I was very happy with it. Darwin Doll and Bill Stile's annual event is one show that I've always wanted to go to, but never had the opportunity to attend. Jim takes the viewer on a stroll through the dozens of historic drag cars on display and also interviews several people with some pretty interesting results! Don't miss out on this one, its almost as good as being there.

Its the season of giving, so purchase a few to give to the drag racing fan of your choice - or buy a few for yourself! You'll be glad you did.

Tell Jim that you heard about Bee On Video on GeorgiaDragRacing.com

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.