Georgia Drag Racing News

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

Monday, July 30, 2007

Friends meet in CSR Super Pro final, Barese enjoys first win at DRR Takash Sunshine Bracket Nationals

RACE DATE: July 28-29, 2007
EVENT: DragRaceResults.com / Takash Sunshine Bracket Nationals at Atlanta Dragway in 2007

Friends meet in CSR Super Pro final, Barese enjoys first win at DRR Takash Sunshine Bracket Nationals

by Tim Glover

Although Saturday's scheduled event was ultimately rained out in the late afternoon, promoters Danny Sons and Chris Barker did their best to put on a race during the Takash Sunshine Bracket Nationals, held at Atlanta Dragway on July 28-29, 2007. The hoped for sunshine finally arrived, but it was at 1:30pm on Sunday.

SATURDAY
With the weather forecast predicting a 100% chance of rain, DragRaceResults.com promoters Chris Barker and Danny Sons threw caution to the wind in their attempt to run day one of the Takash sponsored DRR race. "It's wasn't raining," stated Sons, "How in good conscience could I tell these guys we won't even try to race." So they did...

As the last of the morning sprinkles stopped around 10:30, Atlanta Dragway's crew started the process of drying and prepping the racing surface. Time runs began at noon and went without a hitch until 2:00, when a brief shower halted the racing action. After a few minutes delay, the last few cars in CSR Super Pro competing for the cash in the Barker Trailer Sales / Pace
American Run for the Trailer were able to complete their runs.

The day was looking promising after completion of round one in all classes. When round two of the DRR Sportsman category got underway, the rains returned. Once the 20 minute gully washer stopped, the track and association officials knew it would be impossible to dry and prep the surface so racing could resume. "We'll try again tomorrow," Sons was heard to say, "With a 30% chance of rain, we'll have a better opportunity on Sunday."

The Barker Trailer Sales / Pace American Run for the Trailer winner in CSR Super Pro was Chris Krebs from Braselton, GA, who laid down a 6.500 on a 6.50 dial. Aiken, SC resident Ed Sealey took home the honors in DRR Sportsman. Charlie Smith of McDonough, GA took home the Race Tech Jr Dragster Run for the cash.


SUNDAY
The first winners of the day were in the Barker Trailer Sales / Pace American Run for the Trailer event. Richard Charnock from Belvedere, SC not only won the CSR Super Pro portion of the event, he laid down a perfect run (.000 react and a 4.710 on a 4.71)! Because he was running the CSR Dead On decals, he won the $1300 CSR cash that has been accumulating for 13 races.
Charnock is now in a tie for the lead to win the Pace American trailer that will be given away at years end. John Rollins enjoyed winning the Jegs Sportsman portion of the Run for the Trailer event, and Brett Bowman won the purse in the Race Tech Jr Dragster Run for the Cash courtesy of a 9.020 on a 9.02 target.

Two other racers enjoyed winning the MGM Specialties award given for Best Appearing Car and Best Engineered Car. Beth Ann Atkinson won Best Appearing with her '07 M&M dragster, and Rick Mann won Best Engineered with his '68 Camaro roadster.

Sammy Hollingsworth of Greenwood, SC was thrilled to meet friend and competitor Joey Gary, who also hails from Greenwood, SC, in the CSR Super Pro final. The two racers travel together to many different events. Both were great in the reaction time department, with Gary having a .013 and Hollingsworth .015. However, Hollingsworth took the win stripe with his '06
Miller dragster .0085 seconds in front of Gary's '06 Racetech dragster. Hollingsworth posted a 5.063 at 135.43mph (5.05 dial) and Gary went 4.743 at 144.19mph (4.72 dial). Brandon Frizie ('03 Racecraft dragster - Powder Springs, GA) was the lone semi-finalist. "I just got lucky," added Hollingsworth (not mentioning the fact that Gary was the 2006 Summit Series world champion). Hollingsworth thanked Miller Race Cars, Scott Duggins of PAR Racing Engines, and his entire family, especially his dad, who got him into racing.

Ed Sealey from Aiken, SC set aside ten years to allow his son Jake to race Jr Dragsters, and both began racing footbrake Mustangs at the end of 2006. Ed began the weekend on a good note Saturday by winning the Jegs Sportsman portion of the Pace American Run for the Trailer event, and continued the streak with a win on Sunday against a red-lighting Bob George from Satellite Beach, FL (look on DRR for a Jegs Racer of the Month story coming soon about
George's son, Brandon). Sealey's '91 Mustang was a little off in the ET department, posting an 8.93 at 73.18mph (8.80 dial). George's '67 Camaro broke out slightly with a 7.22 at 95.90mph, but the -.026 red light ended his day at the runner up spot. Nineteen year old Justin Buchanan (whose sister Brooke has been in three 2007 Summit event finals in Jr Dragster, winning one) ended his day in the semi-final round with his Six Mile, SC based '72 Nova.

Sal Barese of Cleveland, GA was thrilled with his Jegs Trophy victory. Barese has owned his '67 Camaro three years, and began racing it at the urging of friend Eric Lewis two months ago. Barese actually broke out slightly, running a 7.70 at 89.53mph (7.71 target), but received the
automatic win even before he left the starting line when Ballground, GA resident Joshua Richardson left the starting line .009 seconds too soon, leaving the dreaded tomato colored bulb glowing. Richardson's '94 S10 pickup was a bit off the mark, running 11.81 at 54.91mph (11.33 dial). Howard Bowman from Homer, GA finished his day in the semi-finalist spot.

Jr Dragster racer Brandon Thompson won the 2006 edition of the DRR Atlanta event, and repeated the performance again, this time against Allen Rouse Jr from Jacksonville, FL. Like Super Pro, both racers were great in the reaction time department (.031 for Thompson vs. .036 for Rouse). The finish line racing was also close, with Thompson posting a 7.99 at 79.94mph (7.97 dial). Rouse actually took the big end stripe first, but broke out in the process with a 7.89 at 80.15mph (7.90 dial). "Mad Matt" Gillen (15 - Gainesville, GA) and Morgan Mouat (17 - Ty Ty, GA) were the semi-final pair. "It was a guessing game on the dials, and I wasn't that great on the lights (but he was obviously good enough)" added Thompson.

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SUNDAY SUPER PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Sammy Hollingsworth '06 Miller dragster Greenwood,
SC 5.06 135.43 (5.05)
R/U: Joey Gary '06 Racetech dragster Greenwood, SC 4.74 144.19 (4.72)
Semi: Brandon Frizie '03 Racecraft dragster Powder Springs, GA
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SUNDAY SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Ed Sealey '91 Mustang Aiken, SC 8.93 73.18 (8.80)
R/U: Bob George '67 Camaro Satellite Bch, FL (foul) 7.22 95.90 (7.24)
Semi: Justin Buchanan '72 Nova Six Mile, SC
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SUNDAY TROPHY CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Sal Barese '67 Camaro Cleveland, GA 7.70 89.53 (7.71)
R/U: Joshua Richardson '94 S10 pickup Ballground, GA
(foul) 11.81 54.91 (11.33)
Semi: Howard Bowman '00 Chevy pickup Homer, GA
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SUNDAY JR DRAGSTER AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Brandon Thompson 15 Douglasville, GA 7.99 79.94 (7.97)
R/U: Allen Rouse, Jr 16 Jacksonville, FL 7.89 80.15 (7.90)
Semi: "Mad Matt" Gillen 15 Gainesville, GA
Semi: Morgan Mouat 17 Ty Ty, GA
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