Georgia Drag Racing News

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Sunday, July 10, 2005

Atlanta Dragway Results by Tim Glover

FROM: Tim Glover


FATHER AND SON MEET IN SUPER PRO FINAL, HENRY SNELGROVE WINS, SWAIM DOUBLES IN 13-17 JR DRAGSTER

Photos

(Commerce, GA - July 9) Although rain threatened, for the first time in three events a race was started and completed the same day. The racer gates to Atlanta Dragway opened early Saturday morning for remaining racers from the rain delayed Night of Fire. By early afternoon, that race was complete, with Jake Swaim claiming two wins in a row in 13-17 Jr Dragster class. Some heavy clouds and a few sprinkles threatened to delay the regularly scheduled July 9 Summit race to another weekend, but fortunately the Atlanta Dragway personnel were able to get all the racers down the track by 9:30pm without incident. The highlight of the July 9 race was when father Henry Snelgrove Sr met his son Henry Snelgrove Jr in the Super Pro final. Like he did to racers in some of his previous rounds, Henry Jr showed no mercy to his dad, reacting .015 seconds quicker (.013 to .028 react) and carding a .01 over 5.40 to claim the win and the bigger check. Henry Sr didn't mind at all, he was just proud and happy to race his son.

RAIN DELAYED POWERADE / INGLES NIGHT OF FIRE RACE
Jesse Young has won the Night of Fire race before, albeit in a Jr Dragster. Young enjoyed the Super Pro version of a Night of Fire win by defeating his former boss, Gary Dunn from Flowery Branch, GA. Young, who is now a Hall County fireman, took the win stripe with his '00 Undercover dragster .015 seconds before Dunn's '92 S&W dragster did, earning the win, the points and the winner's check. "I want to give a big Thanks to dad. That was for him. I also want to thank Buford Heavy for the engine work, and of course, my girlfriend Corie," added Young. Super Comp racer J.D. Reid ('02 Undercover dragster - Conyers, GA) finished his day in the semi-final round.

"I wanted to win. Really wanted to win. But not that way!," said Sportsman winner Ed Nalley of Maysville, GA. After realizing he had a late reaction time, when Nalley caught defending Sportsman champion Chris Carlile's ailing '69 Camaro too early on the race course, he knew he had the win secured. Nalley rode alongside and slightly in front with his '74 Vega taking the win with a 10.47 at 103.77mph pass (10.09 dial). Carlile's machine carded a way off pace 11.17 at 110.64mph (10.32 target). After the race, Carlile said the master cylinder had failed, causing extra drag on the rear brakes. "I was very, very, very, very lucky," added Nalley. Carlile was not so lucky later in the day, when his oil pump broke during a time trial, putting his '69 Camaro to the trailer. Andy Schaefer ('72 Cutlass - Flowery Branch, GA) took home the semi-finalist portion of the purse.

Conyers, GA racer John Snapp also knew his final round reaction time was way off, but he kept the pedal to the metal in his '68 Charger during the Trophy Street final hoping for some luck. He was rewarded with a win light after Clay Stancil ('72 Chevelle - Athens, GA) broke out by a narrow margin, with a 14.217 at 90.66mph (14.22 dial in time). Snapp crossed the finish line .212 seconds later, but still got the win due to Stancil's breakout. "I was real lucky I won. He had a lot better light. This is kind of a re-match of the 2002 Night of Fire final (Snapp red lighted that time, handing the win to Stancil), but the results were better this time," added a happy Snapp. Jerry Polk ('01 Ford - Jackson, GA) was the lone semi-finalist.

Team PTI racer Jake Swaim (15 - Jefferson, GA) may be beginning to like the rain delayed makeup races. He won the previous rain delayed June 11 event on June 25, and then doubled up today with another 13-17 Jr Dragster win in the rain delayed Night of Fire event. Swaim quietly said, "It's just a race." He met 14 year old Danielle Krause from Peachtree City, GA in this race, and took the win with a nice package, .019 react and 8.840 at 72.22mph (8.82 dial). Krause broke out with an 8.43 at 78.11mph (8.52 dial) trying to beat Swaim. Like Sportsman racer Chris Carlile, Swaim also experienced hard luck later in the day when the crankshaft on his engine broke. Swaim thanked the many people who helped him get to the winner's circle, including Fain & Mitchell Properties, Tara Fine Jewelry, Mr. George of Team PTI, and his parents. Thomas Davis-Cox (15 - Buford, GA) earned the semi-finalist trophy.

Former champion Joshua Sisson from Gainesville, GA, who runner upped in the 8-12 Jr Dragster class during the 2004 Night of Fire event, stepped up and took the 2005 Night of Fire win in 8-12 Jr Dragster. Sisson, who is now 11, nailed his dial in time of 9.00 with a near-perfect 9.003 pass at 70.26mph. His opponent, Bailey Denton (11 - McDonough, GA) was also good, but was just a little further off the mark with a 9.08 at 71.03mph (9.06 target). Another Team PTI racer, Justin Fancher (11 - Conyers, GA) had a pretty good day, finishing in the semi-final round. Sisson thanked his sponsors, C.L. Landscape, TRI Refrigeration, Randy Kinsey Construction, Specialty Lawn Service, Mingledorff's, Mulberry Farms and America's Finest Car Wash.

REGULARLY SCHEDULED JULY 9 SUMMIT ET SERIES RACE
By the semifinal round in Super Pro, spectators and racers out of competition were wondering aloud, could it happen? The father and son team of Henry Snelgrove, Sr and Henry Snelgrove Jr from Dahlonega, GA were still in competition, along with recent Night of Fire winner Jesse Young ('00 Undercover dragster - Danielsville, GA) and Tommy Motes ('00 Undercover dragster - Loganville, GA). Rather than take the safe route and run each other in the semi-finals to ensure at least one would go to the final round, the Snelgroves chose to go for it, in what turned out to be a good decision. Henry Jr. laid a near perfect .007 second package (.000 react and a 5.397 on a 5.39) on Jesse Young in the semis, while Henry Sr. disposed of Tommy Motes with a dead on 5.137 in the semis. For the final, there was no mercy on either side, and Henry Jr used his '98 Bos dragster to beat his dad with a .013 react and a close 5.400 at 127.75mph (5.39 dial). Henry Sr.'s '95 Spitzer dragster slipped a little to a 5.164 at 133.01mph (5.13 dial). "This was the greatest race we've ever run," added Henry Jr. He used to work at his father's drywall business, but now sells Appalachian Springs water for a living, something his dad calls with a smile "a steady job". The Snelgroves have now raced as a team for over 10 years. A very happy Henry Sr. added, "This is a first for the family," but still held his son to the pre-race agreement that the winner had to buy dinner. For some mysterious reason, the "For Sale" sign went missing from Henry Jr's car after the race. Henry Jr thanked Dairy Queen of Cleveland, and Dairy Queen of Daholonega for their help with the Snelgrove racing operation. He concluded the post race interview with, "I want to thank my dad very much. If it wasn't for him, five out of the six of us wouldn't be there (racing at Atlanta Dragway)."

Cumming, GA racer Chuck Conaway improved his points position today, moving back into the top three with his Sportsman victory against Greg Allen of Anderson, SC. Allen's '80 Camaro slipped a little off pace to a 10.90 at 124.48mph (10.80), and the wily Conaway took full advantage, slowing his '66 Chevy II wagon to a race winning 11.76, 100.95mph pass (11.68 dial), still crossing the finish line .041 seconds in front of Allen. "It's a new milestone for me, winning two races in the same year! Still, there's a lot of luck involved," added Conaway. Travis Bryant ('68 Camaro - Bowman, GA) was the lone semi-finalist.

"I don't get to come down here often. That's why it means so much to me," said Trophy Street winner Michael Duvall of Blairsville, GA. Duvall met Cornelia, GA racer Eric Lewis in the final and took an easy win with his '69 Mustang after Lewis missed third gear in his '82 Mustang. Duvall slowed to a 13.73 at 92.06mph (13.42 dial), while Lewis crossed the win stripe a few moments later with a 13.76 at 99.44mph (13.40 target). Matthew Bates ('98 Chevy pickup - Loganville, GA) and Mike Puckett ('90 Thunderbird - Norcross, GA) were the semi-final finishers.Thirteen year old Courtney Pierce of McDonough, GA took her second 2005 win in 13-17 Jr Dragster, this time against Buford, GA racer Thomas Davis-Cox. Cox actually had a big reaction time advantage, but was unable to capitalize on it after his car slowed to an 8.25 at 79.74 mph. Pierce took the win stripe .019 seconds ahead of Cox, thanks to a deadly 8.641 at 72.20mph (8.63 dial). Yet another Snelgrove, Harvey (11 years old - Dahlonega, GA - Henry Sr.'s son) made it to the later rounds. Snelgrove ended his day as a semi-finalist trophy winner.

Relative newcomer Jacquelyn Lastinger (12 - Lilburn, GA) scored yet another win in 8-12 Jr Dragster, defeating Gage Carlton (10 - Seneca, SC). Like Courtney Pierce, Lastinger had a slower react than her opponent, but her car was right on the money with a 9.16 at 72.15mph (9.15 dial). Carlton's car discovered some extra elapsed time on the track, running too quick and suffering a breakout loss of 10.89 at 58.72mph (11.01 dial). Dylan Kent (10 - Acworth, GA) earned a semi-finalist trophy for his efforts.

RAIN DELAYED NIGHT OF FIRE RACE WINNERS FROM JUNE 25, 2005

PRO / SUPER PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Jesse Young '00 Undercover Danielsville, GA 5.04 133.70 (5.01)
R/U: Gary Dunn '92 S&W dragster Flowery Branch, GA 5.32 129.25 (5.30)
Semi: J.D. Reid '02 Undercover Conyers, GA
Semi:

SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Ed Nalley '74 Vega Maysville, GA 10.47 103.77 (10.09)
R/U: Chris Carlile '69 Camaro Canton, GA 11.17 110.64 (10.32)
Semi: Andy Schaefer '72 Cutlass Flowery Branch, GA
Semi:

TROPHY STREET CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: John Snapp '68 Charger Conyers, GA 13.87 97.79 (13.79)
R/U: Clay Stancil '72 Chevelle Athens, GA 14.21 90.66 (14.22)
Semi: Jerry Polk '01 Ford Jackson, GA
Semi:

JR. DRAGSTER 8-12 AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Joshua Sisson 11 Gainesville, GA 9.00 70.26 (9.00)
R/U: Bailey Denton 11 McDonough, GA 9.08 71.03 (9.06)
Semi: Justin Fancher 11 Conyers, GA
Semi:

JR. DRAGSTER 13-17 AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Jake Swaim 15 Jefferson, GA 8.84 72.22 (8.82)
R/U: Danielle Krause 14 Peachtree City, GA 8.43 78.11 (8.52)
Semi: Thomas Davis-Cox 15 Buford, GA
Semi:

SUMMIT / SNAP ON RACE WINNERS FROM JULY 9, 2005

PRO / SUPER PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Henry Snelgrove, Jr '95 Spitzer dragster Dahlonega, GA 5.40 127.75 (5.39)
R/U: Henry Snelgrove, Sr '98 Bos dragster Dahlonega, GA 5.16 133.01 (5.13)
Semi: Jesse Young '00 Undercover Danielsville, GA
Semi: Tommy Motes '00 Undercover Loganville, GA

SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Chuck Conaway '66 Chevy II wagon Cumming, GA 11.76 100.95 (11.68)
R/U: Greg Allen '80 Camaro Greenwood, SC 10.90 124.48 (10.80)
Semi: Travis Bryant '68 Camaro Bowman, GA
Semi:

TROPHY STREET CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Michael Duvall '69 Mustang Blairsville, GA 13.73 92.06 (13.42)
R/U: Eric Lewis '82 Mustang Cornelia, GA 13.76 99.44 (13.40)
Semi: Matthew Bates '98 Chevy pickup Loganville, GA
Semi: Mike Puckett '90 Thunderbird Norcross, GA

JR. DRAGSTER 8-12 AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Jacquelyn Lastinger 12 Lilburn, GA 9.16 72.15 (9.15)
R/U: Gage Carlton 10 Seneca, SC 10.89 58.72 (11.01)S
emi: Dylan Kent 10 Acworth, GA
Semi:

JR. DRAGSTER 13-17 AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Courtney Pierce 13 McDonough, GA 8.64 72.20 (8.63)
R/U: Thomas Davis-Cox 15 Buford, GA 8.25 79.94 (8.14)
Semi: Harvey Snelgrove 13 Dahlonega, GA
Semi: