Georgia Drag Racing News

Information about Georgia drag racing history, personalities, activities and events from GeorgiaDragRacing.com.

Monday, September 25, 2006

BELL WINS EVENT, KING OF THE TRACK WALLY AND 2006 SUPER PRO CHAMPIONSHIP

EVENT: Final Summit ET points event and King of the Track race at Atlanta Dragway in 2006
by Tim Glover

(Commerce, GA - September 23) A mild weather day and great racing marked the final Summit ET points event for the 2006 season at Atlanta Dragway. All but one of the championships (Motorcycle) were still up for grabs. As it turned out, all the leaders coming in to the final race ended up winning their respective championships. Super Pro racer Thomas Bell almost "swept the table" in today's activities. First, he won the track championship in the quarter-final round after Stan Sinack bowed out of competition. Next, he won the race. To top it off, he then won the King of the Track event by a narrow margin of .001 seconds. The only thing he did not win was the Top 8 race, which he helped sponsor. "I just felt sorry for Jim (Onda)," Bell said with a smile about his round one Top 8 loss.

Congratulations go to all the 2006 Atlanta Dragway track champions. The winners are: Thomas Bell (Super Pro), Chris Carlile (Pro), Chad Brewer (Sportsman), Paul Cavanaugh (Motorcycle), Blake Griffith (8-12 Jr Dragster) and Kyle Denton (13-17 Jr Dragster).

After time trials were complete, Applebees Restaurants representative Ashley Sasher held a special presentation for the restaurant chain's "Race to the Wall of Fame" winners in the Junior Dragster class. The contest spanned the time from March 25 to September 2, 2006. Ashton Shubert walked away with the top prize, a $1000 sponsorship check from Applebees for her
2007 season. Chase Mullinax came in second, winning a $50 Applebees gift card, and Blake Griffith began what turned out to be his 8-12 Jr Dragster championship day after receiving third place in the contest. ($25 Applebees gift card).

During the invocation for the race, a moment of silence was held for two people missing from the drag racing world. Pro racer Randall Lewis ('77 Corvette - Cleveland, GA) passed away recently due to injuries from a motorcycle accident, and Anthony Collins, a starter for many years at
several area dragstrips, passed away from a heart attack a couple of weeks ago.

At the end of the Summit ET race, the annual NHRA King of the Track event was also held, where the four "big car" winners held a runoff to see who could lay down the best package (amount of time off of perfect for a single pass). All four contestants received a King of the Track hat, and the King of the Track winner, Thomas Bell, also received a coveted "Wally" trophy.
Thomas Bell ('05 Undercover dragster, Toccoa, GA) had a 0.068 second package, Jay "Bird" Rhyne ('81 Kawasaki, Athens, GA) put down a 0.069 second package, Toby Barnes ('77 LUV truck, Palmetto, GA) was a little further off with a 0.079 second package, and John Oliver ('99 Durango, Buford, GA) finished the event with a 0.102 second package.

After the NHRA King of the Track event was in the books, a Top 8 event was held for both Footbrake and Super Pro racers. Smokey Joe Smith donated two sets of RCI neck collars, seat belts and arm restraints, one for each winner. Thomas Bell and Ed Nalley also stepped up, adding $100 each toward the Super Pro purse.

Blackwell's Garage and Racing, Inc. proprietors Ricki and Debbie Blackwell made things even better for the two Jr Dragster class winners, donating a $50 gift certificate to each winner.

While the NMCA race was being held at Atlanta Dragway last week, two Atlanta Dragway racers enjoyed victories. Super Pro racer Brian Smith won his first ever race against Wayne Brooks, and Jr Dragster racer Danielle Krause enjoyed setting a new Outlaw Jr Dragster world record at Outer Banks, covering the 330 foot course with a blistering 4.234 second pass.

Two Toccoa, GA racers faced off in the Super Pro final. Thomas Bell had his entire crew with him this time to watch his victory, including his nephew, Christopher Lee, whom he called his good luck charm. Bell's '05 Undercover dragster was right on its number, posting a race winning 5.158 at 133.98mph (5.15 target), coupled with a telepathic .002 react. Friend and neighbor Jim Onda gave him a great race, reacting with a .012 second time, and crossing the finish line .012 seconds later with a close .01 over 4.980 at 140.84mph in his '96 "Handrail" dragster. Chad Kennnedy ('67 Camaro - Cornelia, GA) came within striking distance of the final, along with Mark Brooks ('71 Demon - Woodstock, GA). Both finished their day in the semi-final round.
Bell thanked his crew, including wife Tammy, nephew Christopher Lee, and Freddie and Angie Lewis. He also gave a special thanks to Carl Smith, who runs Bell's Drive In in Toccoa while he is racing. "I wouldn't be here without him," added Bell.

The dreaded "green shirt" added to its list of Pro victories today (accompanied by long time veteran Toby Barnes). Barnes won his 15th 2006 final this evening against the Elberton, GA based '69 Chevelle belonging to Tim Prince. Prior to the final, Prince had been doing well, but he left the starting line a fraction of a second too soon against Barnes' '77 LUV pickup, leaving the dreaded cherry colored bulb glowing. Prince went on to record a 7.12 at 96.01mph (7.10 dial). Barnes' truck went a tad on the quick side with a 7.709 at 90.96mph (7.73 dial). Dale Anderson ('68 Camaro - Hayesville, NC) and Robert Wilbanks ('65 Mustang GT - Winder, GA) finished
in the semi-finals.

"I'm just glad to get my picture taken. We couldn't let Chad (Brewer) have all the fun," said Sportsman winner John Oliver from Buford, GA. Oliver faced the newly crowned Sportsman champ Chad Brewer in the final, and used a holeshot to help force Brewer's Kennesaw, GA based '83 Thunderbird into a breakout loss of 9.74 at 73.74mph (9.80 dial). Oliver's '99 Durango was
close to the money with a 10.475 at 67.52mph (10.48 dial). Harold Wilson ('74 Nova - Winder, GA) was the lone semi-finalist. Although this was Oliver's first 2006 win, he enjoyed two wins in 2005, at the Southern Super Heavy Shootout and one of the bracket races. He was also in the finals during the 2006 Atlanta Dragway Spring Bracket Bash.

Paul Cavanaugh from Loganville, GA began racing Motorcycle class this year, and ended his season as the 2006 Atlanta Dragway Motorcycle champion. "Yeah, I got it, but I lost to Jay (Rhyne) again!," stated Cavanaugh at the end of the day. Cavanaugh actually had the reaction time advantage at the starting line, but his '02 Suzuki Hayabusa decided to reach for the sky three different times down the track, carrying the front wheel three feet high in the air at one point in the run. Unfortunately, as the saying goes, when he was going up, he wasn't going forward, and slowed to a 6.89 at 110.82mph (6.40 dial). Seeing he had room to spare at the finish line stripe, the experienced Rhyne went off the throttle a bit, posting a 7.75 at 81.58mph
(7.71 dial). Howard Bowman from Homer, GA rode his wife's '06 Harley to the semi-finalist position. Cavanaugh, who is also fourth in the Street ET division of Prostar, won his Atlanta Dragway championship by consistency, as he has not enjoyed a race win yet.

Usually, the younger competitors in 8-12 Jr Dragsters get beaten early in competition, but second year competitor Salina Shanks (10 years old) of Pendergrass, GA rose to the top for the second time in 2006, winning tonight's event against 11 year old Dylan Kent of Acworth, GA. Shanks' machine was very close to the 12.15 second mark during each of the last three rounds, and only missed it by .001 seconds in the final against Kent. Shanks had almost a tenth of a second advantage in her pocket at the starting line, and although she broke out with a 12.149 at 53.14mph (12.15 dial), Kent broke out a little more with an 8.956 at 73.13mph (8.97 dial)
trying to catch her. Ashton Shubert (12 - Commerce, GA) ended the day with a semi-finalist trophy (but didn't worry too much, as she also had the Applebees' sponsorship check). "Thanks to the little people first, then the big people," said Shanks. Then she mentioned her favorite Bible verse from Phillipians 4:13, "I can do all things in Christ."

Fourteen year old Allen Long's time on the practice tree paid off handsomely with a win in 13-17 Jr Dragster against Buford, GA racer Chase Mullinax, who is also 14 years old. Long's Ballground, GA based machine left the line with a .013 react and was only .003 seconds off its target time of 10.03 seconds, posting a 10.027 at 64.67mph. Mullinax was also close to perfect in the reaction time department, but unfortunately, his react was ..010 seconds on the red side of the tree, handing the automatic win to Long. Mullinax went on to an otherwise good 7.96 at 81.95mph (7.94 dial). Jordan Thurmond (14 - Statham, GA) earned a semi-finalist trophy for his efforts. Long thanked all of his family and friends who helped him get to the winner's circle.

Jim Onda ('96 "Handrail" dragster - Toccoa, GA) earned the Top 8 - Electronics win against Dennis Coover ('04 Fab Concepts dragster - Cartersville, GA). Onda was on the react (.011 seconds) and just a little off his dial in the final, running 5.00 at 140.07mph (4.98 goal), but he got an automatic win the moment Coover's machine left the starting line with the tomato colored bulb glowing. Coover has done well, making his way to several Super Pro finals in 2006. Youngsters Hank Wilhelm ('96 Ed Quay dragster - Commerce, GA) and Jesse Young ('00 Undercover dragster - Danielsville, GA) were the semi-final finishers. Onda thanked his wife Denise, who helped him get to two different finals in the same day.

The Top 8 - Footbrake final round featured the exact same pairing as the 2005 Pro runoff, with Chris Carlile facing friend and mentor Dickey Forrester. The outcome ended in a similar fashion, with Carlile taking the win stripe by a narrow .011 second margin in his Canton, GA based '69
Camaro. Carlile posted a 6.662 at 102.28mph (6.65 dial). Forrester, who hails from Hickory Flat, GA, nailed the dial in time of 6.99 posted on the rear window of his '67 Camaro with a 6.994 at 99.13mph. Larry Chance ('68 Camaro - Canton, GA) and Jacob Rutledge ('79 Capri - Hoschton, GA) made it to the semi-final round.

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 .

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SUPER PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Thomas Bell '05 Undercover Toccoa, GA 5.15 133.98 (5.15)
R/U: Jim Onda '96 Handrail Toccoa, GA 4.98 140.84 (4.97)
Semi: Chad Kennedy '67 Camaro Cornelia, GA
Semi: Mark Brooks '71 Demon Woodstock, GA
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PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Toby Barnes '77 LUV truck Palmetto, GA 7.70 90.96 (7.73)
R/U: Tim Prince '69 Chevelle Elberton, GA (foul) 7.12 96.01 (7.10)
Semi: Dale Anderson '68 Camaro Hayesville, NC
Semi: Robert Wilbanks '65 Mustang GT Winder, GA
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SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: John Oliver '99 Durango Buford, GA 10.475 67.52 (10.48)
R/U: Chad Brewer '83 Thunderbird Kennesaw 9.74 73.74 (9.80)
Semi: Harold Wilson '74 Nova SS Winder, GA
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MOTORCYCLE CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Jay Bird Rhyne '81 Kawasaki Athens, GA 7.75 81.58 (7.71)
R/U: Paul Cavanaugh '02 Suzuki Hayabusa Loganville, GA 6.89 110.82 (6.40)
Semi: Howard Bowman '06 Harley Homer, GA
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8-12 JR DRAGSTER AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Salina Shanks 10 Pendergrass, GA 12.149 53.14 (12.15)
R/U: Dylan Kent 11 Acworth, GA 8.956 73.13 (8.97)
Semi: Ashton Shubert 12 Commerce, GA
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13-17 JR DRAGSTER AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Allen Long 14 Ballground, GA 10.027 64.67 (10.03)
R/U: Chase Mullinax 14 Buford, GA (foul) 7.96 81.95 (7.94)
Semi: Jordan Thurmond 14 Statham, GA
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TOP 8 - ELECTRONICS CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Jim Onda '96 dragster Toccoa, GA 5.00 140.07 (4.98)
R/U: Dennis Coover '04 Fab Concepts Cartersville, GA
(foul) 5.30 102.51 (4.95)
Semi: Hank Wilhelm '96 Ed Quay Commerce, GA
Semi: Jesse Young '00 Undercover Danielsville, GA
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TOP 8 - FOOTBRAKE CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Chris Carlile '69 Camaro Canton, GA 6.662 102.28 (6.65)
R/U: Dickey Forrester '67 Camaro Hickory Flat, GA 6.994 99.13 (6.99)
Semi: Larry Chance '68 Camaro Canton, GA
Semi: Jacob Rutledge '79 Capri Hoschton, GA
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KING OF THE TRACK VEHICLE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Thomas Bell '05 Undercover Toccoa, GA (0.068 second package)
R/U: Jay Bird Rhyne '81 Kawasaki Athens, GA (0.069 second package)
Semi: Toby Barnes '77 LUV truck Palmetto, GA (0.079 second package)
Semi: John Oliver '99 Durango Buford, GA (0.102 second package)