COOVER AND WILSON RUNNER UP TWICE IN ONE DAY AT ATLANTA DRAGWAY
EVENT: Summit ET Race at Atlanta Dragway in 2006
by Tim Glover
(Commerce, GA - August 26) After completing the rain and equipment delayed Challenge races in the morning, Dennis Coover (Super Pro) and Harold Wilson (Sportsman) stayed busy. Both Coover and Wilson enjoyed a final round appearance in the morning's Challenge event, and then continued that streak with some ultra close racing en route to their second final round appearance in one day, at the conclusion of the regularly Summit ET Race.
All classes were run on the eighth mile course to prepare for the upcoming NHRA Division Two Summit ET Finals.
Jonathan Anderson, nephew of the ever tough racer David Simmons, won the Spring Bracket Bash held earlier this year at Atlanta Dragway, went deep into rounds a few weeks later, and then returned to this event to take top honors in Super Pro. Anderson used his Griffin, GA based '03 Mullis dragster to full advantage through the rounds, and met Dennis Coover ('04 Fab Concepts dragster), who was making his second final round appearance in as many races. Anderson's clutch .005 react helped win the final, as Coover reacted with an otherwise great .018. Seeing Coover was going to cross the finish line first, Anderson, who anticipated Coover breaking out, "cut him loose", slowing his car to a 5.11 at 126.51mph (5.09 dial). Coover had a 4.93 dial on his car in the morning event, and still carried the same dial in the evening event. Unfortunately for Coover, he also ran a virtually identical ET to the morning race, breaking out with a 4.925 at 137.86mph. Cody Martin, another Atlanta Dragway Jr Dragster "graduate", earned his way to the semi-final round with his Buford, GA located '66 Chevy II. "I was just doing my best," Anderson quietly added. He then thanked David Simmons, his dad John Anderson, and his wife Melissa, who was also in competition today.
Jacob Rutledge of Braselton, GA made his sixth 2006 Atlanta Dragway Pro final round appearance, and enjoyed his third win of they year by breaking out less in his '79 Capri than his friend and Rutledge-Warren Ford teammate Howard Warren. Rutledge posted a way under 7.46, 94.03mph pass (7.53 dial), but Warren's '72 Maverick broke out even more with an on-the-brakes 7.16 at 90.44mph (7.24 target). Mike Jones ('77 Mustang II - Covington, GA) and Toby Barnes ('77 LUV truck - Palmetto, GA) ended their day in the semi-final round. With one race to go, Rutledge is solidly in second place in the points chase, one round behind leader and defending champion Chris Carlile.
Chad Brewer, who hails from Kennesaw, GA, is also a frequent visitor to the 2006 Atlanta Dragway Sportsman winner's circle. He and his Team Lowbuck racing friends went many rounds, including friend Tracy Schaffer, who finished in the semi-final round. Brewer talked her and her husband into coming to today's event, which they thoroughly enjoyed. Brewer and his '83 Thunderbird were both on their marks in the final. Brewer had a great .017 react, and the car put a 9.80 at 73.74mph (9.79 dial) on the scoreboards. Harold Wilson from Winder, GA was also having a great day, finishing runner up with his beautiful blue '74 Nova SS in the morning, and then making the final in the evening. His reaction time of .001 seconds was nearly
untouchable, but unfortunately, just like the morning event, his car discovered some extra ET down track, and broke out again with an 8.59 at 77.45 (8.62 dial). Tracy Schaffer ('05 Dakota - Austell, GA) and Chris Stanley ('86 Camaro - Loganville, GA) finished in the semi-finals.
Multi time track champ Joshua Sisson from Gainesville, GA earned his second win of the season in 8-12 Jr Dragster, and moved closer to second place in the points chase. The 12 year old Sisson had a telepathic .003 react in the final, and then took full advantage of a .090 second holeshot to slow his machine to 8.99 at 68.72mph (8.92 dial) against Ashton Shubert of Commerce,
GA. The 13 year old Shubert's race car posted a respectable, but second across the stripe 9.14 at 70.09mph. Blake Griffith (12 - Homer, GA) was the lone semi-finalist.
"I was very, very lucky," stated 13-17 Jr Dragster winner Brandon Thompson (15 - Douglasville, GA), who moved into the top five in points courtesy of his final round defeat of Taylor Ramsey (13 - Commerce, GA). Thompson and Ramsey were close together in the reaction time department, and also close at the finish line, separated by only .007 seconds. Thompson actually broke out with a close 8.007 at 81.44mph (8.01 dial), and Ramsey crossed the big end stripe first, but broke out more with a 9.257 at 69.08mph (9.28 dial) in the process. Chase Mullinax (14 - Buford, GA) earned a semi-finalist trophy for his day's work.
Sanctioned by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), Atlanta Dragway is located just off I-85 at Exit 149 in the Banks Crossing area of Commerce, Georgia. Information on all 2006 events may be obtained by calling the track office (706-335-2301) or logging on to www.atlantadragway.com .
SUPER PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Jonathan Anderson '03 Mullis dragster Griffin, GA 5.11 126.51 (5.09)
R/U: Dennis Coover '04 Fab Concepts Cartersville, GA 4.925 137.86 (4.93)
Semi: Cody Martin '66 Chevy II Buford, GA
Semi:
-----------------------------------------------
PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Jacob Rutledge '79 Capri Braselton, GA 7.46 94.03 (7.53)
R/U: Howard Warren '72 Maverick Douglasville, GA 7.16 90.44 (7.24)
Semi: Mike Jones '77 Mustang II Covington, GA
Semi: Toby Barnes '77 LUV truck Palmetto, GA
-----------------------------------------------
SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Chad Brewer '83 Thunderbird Kennesaw, GA 9.80 73.74 (9.79)
R/U: Harold Wilson '74 Nova Winder, GA 8.59 77.45 (8.62)
Semi: Tracy Schaffer '05 Dakota Austell, GA
Semi: Chris Stanley '86 Camaro Loganville, GA
-----------------------------------------------
8-12 JR DRAGSTER AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Joshua Sisson 12 Gainesville, GA 8.99 68.72 (8.92)
R/U: Ashton Shubert 13 Commerce, GA
Semi: Blake Griffith 12 Homer, GA
Semi:
-----------------------------------------------
8-12 JR DRAGSTER AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Brandon Thompson 15 Douglasville, GA 8.007 81.44 (8.01)
R/U: Taylor Ramsey 13 Commerce, GA 9.25 69.08 (9.28)
Semi: Chase Mullinax 14 Buford, GA
Semi:
by Tim Glover
(Commerce, GA - August 26) After completing the rain and equipment delayed Challenge races in the morning, Dennis Coover (Super Pro) and Harold Wilson (Sportsman) stayed busy. Both Coover and Wilson enjoyed a final round appearance in the morning's Challenge event, and then continued that streak with some ultra close racing en route to their second final round appearance in one day, at the conclusion of the regularly Summit ET Race.
All classes were run on the eighth mile course to prepare for the upcoming NHRA Division Two Summit ET Finals.
Jonathan Anderson, nephew of the ever tough racer David Simmons, won the Spring Bracket Bash held earlier this year at Atlanta Dragway, went deep into rounds a few weeks later, and then returned to this event to take top honors in Super Pro. Anderson used his Griffin, GA based '03 Mullis dragster to full advantage through the rounds, and met Dennis Coover ('04 Fab Concepts dragster), who was making his second final round appearance in as many races. Anderson's clutch .005 react helped win the final, as Coover reacted with an otherwise great .018. Seeing Coover was going to cross the finish line first, Anderson, who anticipated Coover breaking out, "cut him loose", slowing his car to a 5.11 at 126.51mph (5.09 dial). Coover had a 4.93 dial on his car in the morning event, and still carried the same dial in the evening event. Unfortunately for Coover, he also ran a virtually identical ET to the morning race, breaking out with a 4.925 at 137.86mph. Cody Martin, another Atlanta Dragway Jr Dragster "graduate", earned his way to the semi-final round with his Buford, GA located '66 Chevy II. "I was just doing my best," Anderson quietly added. He then thanked David Simmons, his dad John Anderson, and his wife Melissa, who was also in competition today.
Jacob Rutledge of Braselton, GA made his sixth 2006 Atlanta Dragway Pro final round appearance, and enjoyed his third win of they year by breaking out less in his '79 Capri than his friend and Rutledge-Warren Ford teammate Howard Warren. Rutledge posted a way under 7.46, 94.03mph pass (7.53 dial), but Warren's '72 Maverick broke out even more with an on-the-brakes 7.16 at 90.44mph (7.24 target). Mike Jones ('77 Mustang II - Covington, GA) and Toby Barnes ('77 LUV truck - Palmetto, GA) ended their day in the semi-final round. With one race to go, Rutledge is solidly in second place in the points chase, one round behind leader and defending champion Chris Carlile.
Chad Brewer, who hails from Kennesaw, GA, is also a frequent visitor to the 2006 Atlanta Dragway Sportsman winner's circle. He and his Team Lowbuck racing friends went many rounds, including friend Tracy Schaffer, who finished in the semi-final round. Brewer talked her and her husband into coming to today's event, which they thoroughly enjoyed. Brewer and his '83 Thunderbird were both on their marks in the final. Brewer had a great .017 react, and the car put a 9.80 at 73.74mph (9.79 dial) on the scoreboards. Harold Wilson from Winder, GA was also having a great day, finishing runner up with his beautiful blue '74 Nova SS in the morning, and then making the final in the evening. His reaction time of .001 seconds was nearly
untouchable, but unfortunately, just like the morning event, his car discovered some extra ET down track, and broke out again with an 8.59 at 77.45 (8.62 dial). Tracy Schaffer ('05 Dakota - Austell, GA) and Chris Stanley ('86 Camaro - Loganville, GA) finished in the semi-finals.
Multi time track champ Joshua Sisson from Gainesville, GA earned his second win of the season in 8-12 Jr Dragster, and moved closer to second place in the points chase. The 12 year old Sisson had a telepathic .003 react in the final, and then took full advantage of a .090 second holeshot to slow his machine to 8.99 at 68.72mph (8.92 dial) against Ashton Shubert of Commerce,
GA. The 13 year old Shubert's race car posted a respectable, but second across the stripe 9.14 at 70.09mph. Blake Griffith (12 - Homer, GA) was the lone semi-finalist.
"I was very, very lucky," stated 13-17 Jr Dragster winner Brandon Thompson (15 - Douglasville, GA), who moved into the top five in points courtesy of his final round defeat of Taylor Ramsey (13 - Commerce, GA). Thompson and Ramsey were close together in the reaction time department, and also close at the finish line, separated by only .007 seconds. Thompson actually broke out with a close 8.007 at 81.44mph (8.01 dial), and Ramsey crossed the big end stripe first, but broke out more with a 9.257 at 69.08mph (9.28 dial) in the process. Chase Mullinax (14 - Buford, GA) earned a semi-finalist trophy for his day's work.
Sanctioned by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), Atlanta Dragway is located just off I-85 at Exit 149 in the Banks Crossing area of Commerce, Georgia. Information on all 2006 events may be obtained by calling the track office (706-335-2301) or logging on to www.atlantadragway.com .
SUPER PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Jonathan Anderson '03 Mullis dragster Griffin, GA 5.11 126.51 (5.09)
R/U: Dennis Coover '04 Fab Concepts Cartersville, GA 4.925 137.86 (4.93)
Semi: Cody Martin '66 Chevy II Buford, GA
Semi:
-----------------------------------------------
PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Jacob Rutledge '79 Capri Braselton, GA 7.46 94.03 (7.53)
R/U: Howard Warren '72 Maverick Douglasville, GA 7.16 90.44 (7.24)
Semi: Mike Jones '77 Mustang II Covington, GA
Semi: Toby Barnes '77 LUV truck Palmetto, GA
-----------------------------------------------
SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Chad Brewer '83 Thunderbird Kennesaw, GA 9.80 73.74 (9.79)
R/U: Harold Wilson '74 Nova Winder, GA 8.59 77.45 (8.62)
Semi: Tracy Schaffer '05 Dakota Austell, GA
Semi: Chris Stanley '86 Camaro Loganville, GA
-----------------------------------------------
8-12 JR DRAGSTER AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Joshua Sisson 12 Gainesville, GA 8.99 68.72 (8.92)
R/U: Ashton Shubert 13 Commerce, GA
Semi: Blake Griffith 12 Homer, GA
Semi:
-----------------------------------------------
8-12 JR DRAGSTER AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Brandon Thompson 15 Douglasville, GA 8.007 81.44 (8.01)
R/U: Taylor Ramsey 13 Commerce, GA 9.25 69.08 (9.28)
Semi: Chase Mullinax 14 Buford, GA
Semi:
posted by David @ 9:22 PM
<< Home