2005 NHRA Division 2 Banquet Award Winners

2005 NHRA Division 2 Special Awards

Hall of Fame:
Professional Driver: Lee Weller
Sportsman Driver: Terry Mullins
At Random: Steve Bagwell


Special Awards:
Sportsman Driver of the year: Jerry Barker
Sportsman Wrench of the year: Charles Lackey
ET Bracket Driver of the Year: Roy Nealy Jr.
Track of the Year: South Georgia Motorsports Park
Promoter of the Year: George Howard
SE Division Person of the Year: Ed Swearingen
Rookie of the Year: Kyle Roberts
Buster Couch Award: Paul and Hallie Forte
Bud Damron Award: Al Witzel
Best Supporting Manufacturer: CSR
Heritage Award: Johnny Mills
National Dragster Reporting Award: Tim Glover


NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series 2005 Division 2 Champions
Category - Champion
TA/D - Guy Kelly, Wadley, AL
TA/FC - Jay Payne, Claremont, CA
Competition - Mike Saye,Johnston, S.C.
Super Stock - Jimbo Fields, Gallatin, TN
Stock - Mickey Whaley, Kinston, N.C
Super Comp - Jim Perry Jr, Orlando, FL
Super Gas - Steve Cohen, Trilby, FL
Super Street - Michael Ruff, Orlando, FL

TracStar Satellite Systems Top Sportsman Series
Champion- Jerry Barker, Fort Valley, GA
Second- Ronnie Davis, Commerce, GA
Third- Daniel Morrow, Bradenton, FL
Fourth- Billy Vaughn, Knoxville, TN

Junior Drag Racing League Division Champions
Category- Champion
8-9 Years Old- Neil Williams, Thomasville, GA
10-12 Years Old- Reba Sellers, Byron, GA
13-17 Years Old- Allen Rouse, Jacksonville, FL

O'Reilly Auto Parts Jr. Drag Racing League
Eastern Conference Finals
Category- Champion
11 Years Old- Kelsey Lynn, Marietta, GA
12 Years Old- William Butterworth, Goodlettsville, TN
16-17Yrs Old- Jake Sealy, Aiken, S.C.

2005 NHRA Summit Racing Series Champions
Category- Champion
Super Pro- Paul Doorn, Safety Harbor, FL
Pro- Rod Johnson, Palmetto, FL
Sportsman- Kyle Roberts, St. Petersburg, FL
Super Pro Bike - Roy Nealy Jr, Frankllin, KY
High School- Timothy Smith, Roanoke, AL

SGMP Test Session Info

by Marvin T. Smith

Testing continued at SGMP on Wednesday January 25, 2006. There were about ten cars at the track. Jim Yates and the Grump were there. Keith Baker had two Nitrous PM cars out - his 63 and his just rebuilt 98 vette driven by James Hancock. Pete Berner had a beautiful new IHRA GTO PS car with a Hemi (Sonny, I presume). Goforth racing was back. Joe Barker had his TS Dodge out and ran a couple of times in the 6.80s at 200, 201. Joe has just purchased the Tindle/Martin ex Mike Ashley Willys, which he plans to run in IHRA Pro Mod. He didn't make a pass up until the time I left on Wed, but he was going to run it Thursday. Tim Dooley had the ex Mike Bruno Cavalier out for licensing passes, and made several straight as a string partial runs as required. He was ready to go the distance when I had to leave for a meeting. Brian Browell had a neat Jenkins Comp Chevy V6 powered D/D making partial runs testing experimental Goodyear tires. He was putting it in high gear and shutting off and still running 2 tenths below his index. Basically, it was cold and windy and no one got down the track with the exception of Joe Barker and one run by James Hancock -- a 4.13 173 eighth mile Pro Mod sprint. Bob Bertsch pulled in late in the afternoon with the ex Pete Berner Ford. So this week is basically IHRA!

Update: On Thursday Pete Berner ran a 6.43 @ 219.

Photos

Dyno Don Nicholson Memorial Page

A memorial page has been set up for Dyno Don Nicholson that gives memorial service information, the address for cards or donations, links to more Don Nicholson info and a guestbook that you are encouraged to sign (or view).

Don Nicholson and Randy Payne

Don Ncholson and Randy Payne at a drag racing reunion in 2002

Dyno Don and his Comet

Don Nicholson altering the wheelbase of his Comet. Bill Hughes photo.

"Dyno Don" Nicholson Passes at Age 78

Drag racing legend Don Nicholson passed away today at age 78 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. Don was a pioneer in Stocker, FX Match racing, Funny Car and Pro Stock racing. Don moved to Atlanta in the early 1960s after being attracted to the area by high dollar stocker purses posted by tracks such as Yellow River Drag Strip in Covington, GA. Always a winner and fan favorite during his funny car years, Don topped his career off by winning the 1977 NHRA Pro Stock World Championship. Don later moved back to his home in California.
More Information
Don Nicholson Photos
Dyno Don Nicholson- the Atlanta Years

Frank Oglesby's Online Motorsports Gallery

Funny Car (and jet) racer Frank Oglesby has some great photos from his career posted online. There are even photos of a couple of cars that I've never seen!
Frank Oglesby's Motorsports Gallery
Frank has also been writing a series of articles on the origins of funny cars for DragRacingOnline. With Frank's vast experience that includes racing/wrenching the nitro beasts from the beginning, he offers great insight on funny car racing then and now. If you haven't read his articles, check them out.

Ronnie "The King" Davis

Links for information and news about Georgia's own Ronnie "The King" Davis:

Davis Custom Carts is the 2006 Official Pit Vehicle for the IHRA.
Ronnie Davis Racing
Automatic Pro Mods
Ronnie Davis News

Jim Reece Passes

Jim Reece, a long time racer at Brainerd Optimist Dragstrip, passed away Thursday night, he was fifty-six years old. Jim Reece was owner of Reece Tire Company in Summerville, Georgia. I attended the funeral today and the place was packed, he was a loved man. One of the racers there told me that Randy Payne had come to the funeral home last night. In front of the casket was an arrangement of flowers in the shape and colors of his race car.
R.I.P. Jim. - Wayne Holland.
Jim Reece Photo Tribute