Georgia Drag Racing News

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

Friday, November 10, 2006

Barker Trailer Sales / CSR Pro Bracket Masters Championship Event

from Tim Glover

Over $275,000 Awarded at First Annual Ending DRR Pro Bracket Masters Championship Event, brother and sister Rustin and Misty Mayse win world championships in their class.

by DRR Staff

(November 2-5, 2006) Racers from all over, as well as those in the year long DRR Series championship hunt, converged on South Ga. Motorsports Park for the Barker Trailer Sales / CSR Pro Bracket Masters Championship event. Thursday, Friday and Sunday were points racing days, and Saturday featured a $1000 entry, 100 percent payout event, along with a $7500 to win Jeg's 32 Car No-Box Shootout. Sunday also featured a sold-out $15,000 to win, $31,000 total payout Jeg's 32 Car No-Box Shootout.

By the end of the weekend, the Mayse family celebrated not one, but two championships. Rustin Mayse of Frost, Texas finished in a tie with Luke Bogacki at 37 points for the BTE Super Pro championship, but Mayse won the tie-breaker with more wins than Bogacki. Misty Mayse, also of Frost, Texas, earned the Race Tech Jr Dragster championship by making it to the final
round on the last day of racing, and even though she didn't win that final, the Race Tech championship was already hers to cherish. Benny Gossett of St. Angelo, Texas, ended his year as the Jeg's Sportsman world champion.


(Wednesday) "Racing Jason" Lynch defeated Larry Jones from St Pete, Fla. for the Jeg's Wednesday Gambler at South Georgia Motorsports Park. Lynch was ..001 to Jones .007 on the tree in the final. Both racers broke out, but Lynch got the better end of the deal. Graeme Frawley from Brisbane, Australia was the lone semi-finalist.


(Thursday) Drew Phillips from South Carolina won the Super Pro portion of the Pace American Run for the trailer on Thursday, giving him an extra point toward the Race Tech world championship. Drew ran 4.940 on a 4.94 for the cash. Franky Bishop went dead on with a one in the Jegs Sportsman portion of Run for the Trailer. Allen Rouse from Jacksonville was the Race Tech Jr Dragster money winner, running 7.909 on a 7.90.

Bruce Mouat of Ty Ty, Ga. won $10,000 Thursday in BTE Super Pro, defeating veteran racer Jeff Strickland from Red Bay, Ala. Mouat was 4.898 on a 4.89 in the final. Strickland was .016 and just a hair under with a 4.647 on a 4.65, taking the runner up spot. Nick Folk of Durand Ill. and Randy Rice from Tennessee were the semi-finalists. Joe Rampley from Gainesville, Ga.
enjoyed winning the K&R Performance Challenge during round one with a perfect light.

Jack Macfarlane from Aitkin, Minn., was the $2000 winner in Jeg's Sportsman, defeating Jeff Gatlin of St. Augustine, Fla. Gatlin went -.002 red in the final, handing the win to the Minnesota racer. Two time defending world champ, Phil Combs from Kentucky, was the lone semi finalist.

Misty Mayse from Texas made a move for the championship in Race Tech Jr Dragster when she defeated Zach Menter from Jax, Fla. for the money and trophy.

Mike Stout from Indy was the Jeg's Trophy winner over Dave Gatlin from St. Augustine, Fla.


(Friday) Scotty Helman from Norristown, Pa. won the Pace American / Barker Trailer Sales Run for the Trailer in BTE Super Pro with a 4.750 on a 4.75, coupled with a .013 light, in his S&W dragster. In Jeg's Sportsman, Gene Holton drove his '75 Nova to a 7.430 on a 7.43 for the money and first round bye.


Race Tech Jr Dragster racer Justin Driver went 7.919 on a 7.90 for the cash and bye run.

Dave Triplett from Eustis, Fla. took a single pass down the race track for the $10,000 payday in BTE Super Pro after veteran racer David Rampy from Ala. could not make the call. Rampy had the fastest car at the track all day, dialing in the low 4.40s. Tony "Pizza Man" Sciarrino was the lone semi-finalist in his '80 Malibu. Triplett was the second BTE Super Pro racer of the year to win twice.

In Jegs Sportsman action, Rick Baehr from Wellington, Ohio used a .032 and 6.661 on a 6.64 for the win over veteran racer Anthony Blackburn from Paris, Ky. E.J. Jones from St. Pete, Fla. was the single semi-final finisher.

Eric Rodden from Cleveland, Tenn. made a serious move in the championship points by defeating Neil Williams from Ga. Rodden ran 7.963 on a 7.93 for the win. Justin Driver of Frost, Texas was the lone semi-finalist.

Mike Stout out of Indy won Jeg's Trophy class for the second night in a row when he used a perfect light to defeat Ray Williams, who posted a -.003 red.


(Saturday) Timmy Smith from Alabama earned the Super Pro Run for the Money win, courtesy of a .001 over the dial and .003 light run. Luke Bogacki from Woodville, Ala. was the 50/50 Run for the Money winner. Bug McCarty was the Sportsman winner in the Pace American / Barker Trailer Sales Run for the Trailer event.

Scott Richardson from Springfield, Tenn. won the biggest event of the year in the DragRaceResults.com GoodYear Series Saturday night 100 percent payout race. The event featured a star studded field and a huge $70,000 payout! Richardson defeated "Young Gun" Timmy Smith from Ala. in a close final. Smith had a better light, but Richardson ran 4.660 on a 4.66 for the huge payday, kicking off the 2006 Winter Series. The semi-finalists were Brian
Folk from Durand Ill. and Kenny Dixson from Calhoun, Ga.

Saturday also featured the Jeg's Sportsman $7500 to win 32 Car Shootout. Veteran bracket racer Clayton Clark from Bowling Green, Ky. cashed in on the huge payday after he defeated John "The Mongoose" Boyer for the win. Clark's ..027 light was to much for Boyer's .057 and the MGM backed Olds took home the win. Bug McCarty from Hazlehurst, Ga. and Anthony Blackburn from Paris, Ky. were the semi-final pair.

In a special Super Pro Gambler, Jeremy Bargo from Kentucky defeated Pete Wheeler of Wheeler Power Products for the cash. Rick Baer from Wellington, Ohio took the Sportsman win against Franky Bishop's Jeep.


(Sunday) Gary Thompson from Douglasville, Ga, a multi time Super Pro champ from the now defunct Southeastern International Dragway, topped off a great weekend on the very last day of the 2006 DRR GoodYear Series. Thompson ran a perfect 4.950 on a 4.95 with a .000 light to win the Barker Trailer Sales / Pace American Run for the Trailer event. Dennis Cameron Jr from Mt Pleasant, Texas, was the leader with a perfect run earlier in the year, but did it a
non-points car. It won't be a long drive for Thompson to Fitzgerald, Ga. to pick up the new trailer. Thompson not only won the Pace American / Barker Trailer Sales trailer, he was also the winner in the CSR Dead-On Challenge. This was the third time this year the cash has been claimed from CSR.

Brandon Wood, a former Jeg's Racer of the Month from Thomasville, Ga., used his '71 Nova to earn the $15,000 to win Jeg's Sportsman 32 Car No-Box Shootout event against Rick Baehr from Wellington Ohio. In the final, Baehr went .007 on the tree and ran 6.667 on a 6.65 (.024 package), but it missed the pay window by .002 seconds, as Wood went .020 and a super close 6.772 on a 6.77. Adam Davis and Ken Grant were the semi-finalists. A total of $31,000
was paid out to the racers in this event.

In BTE Super Pro Kevin Rodden took home winner and runner up money in a very tough field of cars. This helped Rodden make a serious move in the Race Tech championship points standings.

Luke Bogacki defeated Jeff Green for the $2000 payday in Jeg's Sportsman. Bogacki went 6.097 on a 6.09 for the win.

Jason Enfinger from Undercover Chassis won the K&R Challenge with a perfect light in round one.

Misty Mayse made it to the final in Race Tech Jr Dragster and won the Race Tech Run for the Money event earlier in the day, making her the new 2006 Race Tech World champion. In the final, however, Sam Slater from Sarasota, Fla. was not overly impressed, and took out the newly crowned champ with a ..023 light and a 9.314 for the win.

Ray Williams Sr. defeated Cyrus Hampton in Jeg's Trophy for the four foot tall monster trophy.

For more information, visit www.DragRaceResults.com .

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Southern Nostalgia Shootout Awards

From Marvin T. Smith

Floyd Garrett Muscle Car Museum trophy for Best Muscle Car – Richard Stump 1971 Super Bee.
Best Stance Hot Rod – Randy Rogers 1931 Ford
Best Ford Muscle Car – Lisa Johnson 1963 Ford Fairlane 500.
Best Paint – Joe Kelley 1940 Willys
Best Chop – Shawn Simpson and David Shaffer 334 Ford altered
Best Engine – Charlie Smith Top Fuel Dragster.
Best Nostalgia Hot Rod – Alex Eanottie 1933 Ford
Best Sled – Steve and Charlene Brown 1961 Ford Starliner
Best Modified 50s – Jim Richardson 1957 Chevy.
Best 57 Chevy – Jason Hamilton
Best 55 Chevy – Jimmy Johnson
Best Chevy Muscle Car – Jim Kelty
Best 40s Street Rod – Dan and Brenda White 1940 Ford
Best 30s Street Rod – Dave Cason 1931 Ford Coupe
Best Street Rod Truck – John McDonald 1954 Chevy
Ladies Choice – Rich Gregorski 1940 Willys
Best Vintage Harley – Alan Smith
Best 60s – Wendell Hill 1962 Corvette
Dare To Be Different – Jody Blalock Hudson race car
Best Gasser – Bob Wold
Best Original Truck – Blue Chevy truck – owner unknown
Best Modified Truck – Red Ford truck – owner unknown
Just Cool Award – red roadster – owner unknown.
Best 20s Award – Mike Edwards Model T Push car.

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Warren Johnson Elected to the International Motorsports Hall of Fame

Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing

GM Performance Parts GTO pilot only sixth drag racer to receive prestigious honor

Sugar Hill, Ga., November 8, 2006 - Throughout his illustrious 36-year Pro Stock career, Warren Johnson has become the standard by which all competitors are measured. With a record of success spanning four decades, the man whose tireless and studious approach to racing earned him the moniker of "The Professor of Pro Stock" has systematically rewritten the record books, helping to mold the category into the highly popular and competitive division it is today.

On Wednesday, Johnson’s accomplishments were recognized by the prestigious International Motorsports Hall of Fame in Talladega, AL, who announced that the Minnesota native was one of six inductees elected to their Class of 2007. The formal induction ceremony will be held on April 26, 2007, where Johnson will be joined by classmates Junie Donleavy, Jack Ingram, Bruton Smith, Wayne Rainey and Ray Hendrick.

Although Johnson, 63, is still competing on a full-time basis as the owner and driver of the GM Performance Parts Pontiac GTO in the NHRA's POWERade Drag Racing Series, he was eligible for induction under the unique "Over 62" rule, which waives the five-year waiting period for anyone still competing after the age of 62.

Johnson becomes only the seventh member of the drag racing community to receive this honor, joining Wally Parks, "Big Daddy" Don Garlits, Don "The Snake" Prudhomme, Shirley Muldowney, Joe Amato and Bob Glidden.

"When I looked at some the distinguished names on the list of the 20 finalists, I pretty much dismissed my chances of being included in the final cut," admitted an elated Johnson afterwards. "Therefore I was rather amazed when I received the call last week from (retiring IMHOF director) Jim Freeman letting me know that I was among the six inductees.

"Naturally, I have a lot of people and sponsors to thank for helping me reach this point. Whatever success I have enjoyed is strictly the result of the quality of the people I have had working with me over the years, as well as my long-term relationships with such great companies as General Motors and GM Performance Parts.

"To have my name listed alongside such racing legends as Bruton Smith, Jack Ingram, Junie Donleavy, Ray Hendrick and Wayne Rainey is quite an honor. I want to express my deepest appreciation to every one involved in the selection process, and especially my good friend Norm Froscher for including me in the Class of 2007, and I look forward to thanking them in person at the induction ceremony next April."

Located in Talladega, Alabama adjacent to the Talladega Superspeedway, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame (IMHOF) was the brainchild of William France Sr., the founder of NASCAR, and is dedicated to enshrining those who have contributed the most to auto racing either as a driver, owner, developer or engineer. Welcoming its inaugural members in 1990, the IMHOF is now comprised of 122 inductees from all countries and racing disciplines. For more information, please visit them online at www.motorsportshalloffame.com .

Select Warren Johnson Career Highlights:

Six NHRA Pro Stock Championships (1992-93, 1995, 1998-99, 2001)

96 NHRA Pro Stock national event wins (the most in NHRA Pro Stock history, 2nd among all NHRA Professional Categories)
149 NHRA Final Round Appearances (the most in NHRA Pro Stock history, 2nd among all NHRA Professional Categories)
136 No. 1 qualifying performances (the most in NHRA Pro Stock history)
139 Low Elapsed Time of the Event performances (most among all NHRA drivers)
206 Top Speed of the Event performances (most among all NHRA drivers)
Has an active 25-year streak of earning a final-round appearance at least once in a season
First driver in NHRA history to record top speed at every national event (1999)
500 Career NHRA Pro Stock races – the first NHRA professional competitor to reach this mark
First driver in NHRA Pro Stock history to record a 180, 190 & 200-mph top speed
Two IHRA Pro Stock Championships (1979-80)
13 IHRA National Event Wins
25 IHRA Final Round Appearances