TORKELSON TAKES NITRO COUPE WIN AT ATLANTA'S AUTOZONE SUPER CHEVY SHOW
Courtesy Hank Schmitt
AutoStar Productions, Inc.
Photos
Wayne Torkelson of Belpre, Ohio, is doing what supposedly can't be done....making a real impact in his first year of Nitro Coupe racing. Traditional wisdom says it takes a year or two of racing to learn how to handle the volatile fuel combination of nitro methane and ethanol that sets the Nitro Coupes apart from any other doorslammers.
Torkelson's latest win came June 5 at Atlanta Dragway as he edged defending world champ Randy Adler in the finals. Torkelson's 1954 Corvette Nitro Coupe screamed to a 6.380 at 221.54 miles per hour in the finals to nip Adler, whose '57 Chevy ran a 6.536 at 212.56. Canadian star Bruce Boland and New York's Mike Swinarski were the Nitro Coupe semi-finalists.
The win gives Torkelson a little breathing room in the Mickey Thompson Nitro Coupe Challenge World Championship points chase as the season reaches the half-way point.
In the Top Sportsman ranks, 1963 split-window Corvettes ruled again at Atlanta Dragway as Hendersonville, NC racer Matt Weston took the title, defeating Shawn McDonald of Bethlehem, GA, whose '66 Chevy II broke right after its launch in the finals. Weston turned in a final round lap of 7.561 at 178.89 mph. In addition to gaining the Top Sportsman title, Weston was the Trim Parts low qualifier for Top Sportsman, turning in a 7.382 at over 186 miles per hour during Saturday qualifying.
It was a great Super Chevy Show weekend at Atlanta for hometown heroes Team PTI, a 5-car team. One of their racers, 14-year old Lauren Turner of Pendergrass, GA, took the Jr. Dragster title. Team PTI's Joe Satterfield was runner-up to Gainesville, Georgia racer Bubba Rich in the Mr. Gasket Bracket One race. Joe scored a semi-final finish last year in this class. To cap the weekend off for Team PTI, they were named the Simpson Best Appearing Crew for the third year in a row at the AutoZone Super Chevy Show's Atlanta stop.
It shouldn't be any surprise that NHRA Footbrake national champion Kelly King of Stockbridge, Georgia took the Bracket Two (non-electronics class) in the Atlanta AutoZone Super Chevy Show. King defeated Richard Rakestraw of Dallas, Georgia, in the finals.
Two of the four Semi-finalists in the 1/4 mile DOT class at Atlanta drove Chevy Cavaliers, and Rickey Morris of Ellenwood, Georgia took his '94 Cavalier to a win in DOT over Rincon, Georgia's Justin Buckner. In addition to the DOT runner-up slot, Buckner guided his 2002 Camaro to a runner-up a semi-final finish in the TREMEC Transmission Saturday bonus race.
Steve Rhoads won the bonus race in his '55 Chevy with Footbrake legend Toby Barnes of Palmetto, Georgia, taking the runner-up slot.
The 25th Anniversary Tour of the AutoZone Super Chevy show heads north this weekend for an event June 10-12 at US 131 Motorsports Park.
Mickey Thompson Performance Tires and Wheels Nitro Coupe Challenge
Nitro Coupe Qualifying - Saturday 6/4/05
Qualifying
Position
Driver/Hometown Car ET MPH
1 Randy Adler, Tinley Park, IL '57 Chevy 6.489 218.34
2 Wayne Torkelson, Belpre, OH '54 Corvette 6.553 213.77
3 Mike Swinarski, Hamburg, NY '57 Chevy 6.624 212.16
4 Jeff Merritt, Merrillville, IN '00 Trans AM 6.762 207.51
5 Bruce Boland, Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada '53 Corvette 6.783 201.07
6 Tony "Sandman" Williams, Millington, TN '69 Camaro 6.849 209.69
7 Tommy Howes, Laytonsville, MD '69 Camaro 6.862 203.02
8 Dave Tomasino, Holley, NY '69 Camaro 12.763 63.51
Nitro Coupe Eliminations - Sunday 6/4
Semi-Finals
Randy Adler def. .016 6.532 217.65
Bruce Boland .096 6.575 212.86
Wayne Torkelson def. .071 6.526 215.87
Mike Swinarski .075 6.687 211.51
Finals
Wayne Torkelson def. .111 6.380 221.34
Randy Adler .099 6.536 212.56
Top Sportsman Eliminations Presented by ProCharger - Sun. 6/5/05
Driver R/T Dial-in ET MPH
Winner Matt Weston, Hendersonville, NC, '63 Vette .026 7.22 7.561 178.89
Runner-Up Shawn McDonald, Bethlehem, GA, '66 Chevy II .029 7.50 BROKE
Semis Ronnie Davis, Suwannee, GA, '63 Vette
Larry Fielding, Monticello, GA, '92 Trans Am
Trim Parts Low Qualifiers - Sat. 6/4
Driver ET MPH
Nitro Coupes Randy Adler, Tinley Park, IL, '57 Chevy 6.489 218.34
Top Sportsman Matt Weston, Hendersonville, NC, '63 Vette 7.382 186.23
TREMEC Transmission Saturday Bonus Race - 6/4/05 (Note: TREMEC Transmission is now sponsoring the Bonus Race (where scheduled) at each AutoZone Super Chevy Show.
Driver R/T DIAL-IN ET MPH
Winner Steve Rhoads, Rutledge, GA, '55 Chevy .043 7.84 7.863 86.58
Runner-Up Toby Barnes, Palmetto, GA, Pontiac .017 7.83 7.879 89.02
Semis Justin Buckner, Rincon, GA, '02 Camaro
FLOWMASTER Bracket Racing Series Eliminations Sunday 6/5/05
Mr. Gasket Bracket One Pro Eliminator
Driver R/T Dial-in
Winner
Bubba Rich, Gainesville, GA, '92 TransAM .010 5.36 5.387 127.98
Runner-up
Joe Satterfield, Pendergrass, GA, '95 Undercover .007 5.04 5.081 136.23
Semis Ron Webster, Blairville, GA, '96 S&W RED
John Morris, Stockbridge, GA
Bracket Two Eliminator
Winner
Kelly King, Stockbridge, GA .057 6.48 6.614 90.22
Runner-up
Richard Rakestraw, Dallas, GA .077 8.53 8.710 76.84
Semis Jim Wood, Laurens, SC
DOT
Winner Rickey Morris, Ellenwood, GA, '94 Cavalier .077 16.93 16.957 76.92
Runner-up Justin Bucker, Rincon, GA, '02 Camaro .047 13.94 13.891 97.31
Semis Mike Newby, Marietta, GA, '69 Chevelle
Steve Taylor, Raleigh, NC, '94 Cavalier
Jr. Dragster
Winner Lauren Turner, Pendergrass, GA .049 8.060 80.27
Runner-up Thomas Davis-Cox, Buford, GA .109 8.102 80.46
Semis Casey Free, Sugar Hill, GA
Wesley Mayfield, Gainesville, GA
AutoStar Productions, Inc.
Photos
Wayne Torkelson of Belpre, Ohio, is doing what supposedly can't be done....making a real impact in his first year of Nitro Coupe racing. Traditional wisdom says it takes a year or two of racing to learn how to handle the volatile fuel combination of nitro methane and ethanol that sets the Nitro Coupes apart from any other doorslammers.
Torkelson's latest win came June 5 at Atlanta Dragway as he edged defending world champ Randy Adler in the finals. Torkelson's 1954 Corvette Nitro Coupe screamed to a 6.380 at 221.54 miles per hour in the finals to nip Adler, whose '57 Chevy ran a 6.536 at 212.56. Canadian star Bruce Boland and New York's Mike Swinarski were the Nitro Coupe semi-finalists.
The win gives Torkelson a little breathing room in the Mickey Thompson Nitro Coupe Challenge World Championship points chase as the season reaches the half-way point.
In the Top Sportsman ranks, 1963 split-window Corvettes ruled again at Atlanta Dragway as Hendersonville, NC racer Matt Weston took the title, defeating Shawn McDonald of Bethlehem, GA, whose '66 Chevy II broke right after its launch in the finals. Weston turned in a final round lap of 7.561 at 178.89 mph. In addition to gaining the Top Sportsman title, Weston was the Trim Parts low qualifier for Top Sportsman, turning in a 7.382 at over 186 miles per hour during Saturday qualifying.
It was a great Super Chevy Show weekend at Atlanta for hometown heroes Team PTI, a 5-car team. One of their racers, 14-year old Lauren Turner of Pendergrass, GA, took the Jr. Dragster title. Team PTI's Joe Satterfield was runner-up to Gainesville, Georgia racer Bubba Rich in the Mr. Gasket Bracket One race. Joe scored a semi-final finish last year in this class. To cap the weekend off for Team PTI, they were named the Simpson Best Appearing Crew for the third year in a row at the AutoZone Super Chevy Show's Atlanta stop.
It shouldn't be any surprise that NHRA Footbrake national champion Kelly King of Stockbridge, Georgia took the Bracket Two (non-electronics class) in the Atlanta AutoZone Super Chevy Show. King defeated Richard Rakestraw of Dallas, Georgia, in the finals.
Two of the four Semi-finalists in the 1/4 mile DOT class at Atlanta drove Chevy Cavaliers, and Rickey Morris of Ellenwood, Georgia took his '94 Cavalier to a win in DOT over Rincon, Georgia's Justin Buckner. In addition to the DOT runner-up slot, Buckner guided his 2002 Camaro to a runner-up a semi-final finish in the TREMEC Transmission Saturday bonus race.
Steve Rhoads won the bonus race in his '55 Chevy with Footbrake legend Toby Barnes of Palmetto, Georgia, taking the runner-up slot.
The 25th Anniversary Tour of the AutoZone Super Chevy show heads north this weekend for an event June 10-12 at US 131 Motorsports Park.
Mickey Thompson Performance Tires and Wheels Nitro Coupe Challenge
Nitro Coupe Qualifying - Saturday 6/4/05
Qualifying
Position
Driver/Hometown Car ET MPH
1 Randy Adler, Tinley Park, IL '57 Chevy 6.489 218.34
2 Wayne Torkelson, Belpre, OH '54 Corvette 6.553 213.77
3 Mike Swinarski, Hamburg, NY '57 Chevy 6.624 212.16
4 Jeff Merritt, Merrillville, IN '00 Trans AM 6.762 207.51
5 Bruce Boland, Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada '53 Corvette 6.783 201.07
6 Tony "Sandman" Williams, Millington, TN '69 Camaro 6.849 209.69
7 Tommy Howes, Laytonsville, MD '69 Camaro 6.862 203.02
8 Dave Tomasino, Holley, NY '69 Camaro 12.763 63.51
Nitro Coupe Eliminations - Sunday 6/4
Semi-Finals
Randy Adler def. .016 6.532 217.65
Bruce Boland .096 6.575 212.86
Wayne Torkelson def. .071 6.526 215.87
Mike Swinarski .075 6.687 211.51
Finals
Wayne Torkelson def. .111 6.380 221.34
Randy Adler .099 6.536 212.56
Top Sportsman Eliminations Presented by ProCharger - Sun. 6/5/05
Driver R/T Dial-in ET MPH
Winner Matt Weston, Hendersonville, NC, '63 Vette .026 7.22 7.561 178.89
Runner-Up Shawn McDonald, Bethlehem, GA, '66 Chevy II .029 7.50 BROKE
Semis Ronnie Davis, Suwannee, GA, '63 Vette
Larry Fielding, Monticello, GA, '92 Trans Am
Trim Parts Low Qualifiers - Sat. 6/4
Driver ET MPH
Nitro Coupes Randy Adler, Tinley Park, IL, '57 Chevy 6.489 218.34
Top Sportsman Matt Weston, Hendersonville, NC, '63 Vette 7.382 186.23
TREMEC Transmission Saturday Bonus Race - 6/4/05 (Note: TREMEC Transmission is now sponsoring the Bonus Race (where scheduled) at each AutoZone Super Chevy Show.
Driver R/T DIAL-IN ET MPH
Winner Steve Rhoads, Rutledge, GA, '55 Chevy .043 7.84 7.863 86.58
Runner-Up Toby Barnes, Palmetto, GA, Pontiac .017 7.83 7.879 89.02
Semis Justin Buckner, Rincon, GA, '02 Camaro
FLOWMASTER Bracket Racing Series Eliminations Sunday 6/5/05
Mr. Gasket Bracket One Pro Eliminator
Driver R/T Dial-in
Winner
Bubba Rich, Gainesville, GA, '92 TransAM .010 5.36 5.387 127.98
Runner-up
Joe Satterfield, Pendergrass, GA, '95 Undercover .007 5.04 5.081 136.23
Semis Ron Webster, Blairville, GA, '96 S&W RED
John Morris, Stockbridge, GA
Bracket Two Eliminator
Winner
Kelly King, Stockbridge, GA .057 6.48 6.614 90.22
Runner-up
Richard Rakestraw, Dallas, GA .077 8.53 8.710 76.84
Semis Jim Wood, Laurens, SC
DOT
Winner Rickey Morris, Ellenwood, GA, '94 Cavalier .077 16.93 16.957 76.92
Runner-up Justin Bucker, Rincon, GA, '02 Camaro .047 13.94 13.891 97.31
Semis Mike Newby, Marietta, GA, '69 Chevelle
Steve Taylor, Raleigh, NC, '94 Cavalier
Jr. Dragster
Winner Lauren Turner, Pendergrass, GA .049 8.060 80.27
Runner-up Thomas Davis-Cox, Buford, GA .109 8.102 80.46
Semis Casey Free, Sugar Hill, GA
Wesley Mayfield, Gainesville, GA
posted by David @ 2:55 PM
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