WAYNE BROOKS LENGTHENS SUPER PRO LEAD, MEL ABNEY ENJOYS HIS FIRST 2007 WIN
RACE DATE: July 21, 2007
FROM: Tim Glover
EVENT: Summit Snap-On event at Atlanta Dragway in 2007
WAYNE BROOKS LENGTHENS SUPER PRO LEAD, MEL ABNEY ENJOYS HIS FIRST 2007 WIN
(Commerce, GA - July 21) A great crowd of racers enjoyed the July 21 edition of the Summit Racing Series being contested at Atlanta Dragway. Super Pro points leader Wayne Brooks added a little more "insurance" with a win today. Cumming, GA racer Mel Abney, a former Atlanta Dragway champ, enjoyed his first 2007 win after defeating John Oliver in the Sportsman
class. Fans enjoyed an extra treat today, as Top Fuel racer Rhonda Hartman made an appearance with her nitromethane powered Nostalgia Funny Car, Miss Scarlet.
Super Pro winner Wayne Brooks of Between, GA bolstered his points lead and his pocketbook with a final round win against Jim McKelvey from Snellville, GA. Brooks was actually vulnerable in the final, with his '00 Racetech dragster posting a bit late .040 reaction time. However, the race was over the moment McKelvey left the starting line in what he affectionately calls
his '96 "Junk dragster" .013 seconds too early, which lit up the tomato colored bulb. The car is actually for sale, and definitely proved its worth in competition. Brooks added, "Thanks to a good PAR racing engine, Rupert carb and Race Tech dragster, I'm running well." Todd Moulton ('02 Miller dragster - Lawrenceville, GA) and Mardy Kennedy ('67 Camaro - Auburn, GA)
earned the semi-finalist purse for their efforts.
Toby Barnes of Newnan, GA made it to his 13th final round in 2007 (from multiple race tracks) and enjoyed yet another win at Atlanta Dragway with his trusty '70 GTO. Making the win more impressive was the fact he recently had surgery on June 6, and then again on June 20 when his body rejected the mesh implanted to repair his hernia. Sporting a vacuum pump he has to wear
almost all the time, Barnes endured the heat and competition to earn the win with a safe 7.53 at 92.95mph (7.48 dial). His final round victim was Mickey Morris, who won Pro earlier this season at the March 24 race with his Ellenwood, GA based '87 Corvette. Morris carded a closer to the dial 6.44 at 100.16mph (6.40 dial), but crossed the finish line .032 seconds behind Barnes due to a .040 deficit in the reaction time department. "I feel blessed to be here and still be able to drive well enough to win," added Barnes. Jessie Wilson was the lone semi-finalist, driving his son's '80 S-10 pickup, which was serving double duty earlier in the event. Wilson's Nova broke the engine dramatically during time trials, so he and his son Bruce took turns in the S-10. Both were still in competition until the fourth round. For those who have followed the dreaded green shirt worn by Barnes to all his wins in the past two years, the streak ended today. All the green ones were in need of laundering earlier today, so he chose a gray one instead. Didn't matter.
Cumming, GA racer Mel Abney recovered from an incident where he initially thought his day was over, and came back to earn his first 2007 win at the end of the day with his Sportsman class '67 Camaro. The former track champion faced another familiar face in the final, John Oliver from Buford, GA. Oliver left a big enough opening at the finish line for Abney to take the win with an on-the-brakes 13.08 at 95.78mph (13.05 target). Oliver's '99 Durango crossed the stripe .103 seconds later with a 16.43 at 81.78mph (16.37 dial). En route to the win, Abney barely defeated his friend J.D. Burford (who won Pro class a few weeks ago at the Night of Fire) by .0024 seconds in round two, and defeated the number one and two racers in the
Sportsman points, D.A. Streber and Harold Wilson. Harold Wilson ('74 Nova SS
- Winder, GA) and John Snapp ('03 Durango - Conyers, GA) ended their day in the semi-final round. "I was matched up against some good racers today," said Abney.
Four time Atlanta Dragway Motorcycle champion "Jay Bird" Rhyne collected another victory, this time at the expense of Scott Reynolds from Cartersville, GA. Although Reynolds turned on the dreaded cherry colored bulb, Rhyne's Athens, GA based '81 Kawasaki was still hard to beat, with a great .027 react and a close 7.698 at 86.96mph (7.68 dial). Reynolds took the stripe with a breakout 6.527 at 110.10mph (6.60 dial). Jeff Shropshire ('00 Kawasaki - Dallas, GA) and Jeff Hackney ('01 Suzuki - Ranger, GA) were the semi-final pair. Rhyne noted he now had enough to pay for a clutch for his other bike. He then added that he discovered a broken muffler bracket
earlier in the day, but a quick fix with a hose clamp was all he needed to hold it together for the win.
Twelve year old Dylan Kent of Acworth, GA jumped to the front in today's 8-12 Jr Dragster action with a win against Ashton McCammon (8 - Buford, GA). Kent took a big starting line lead and converted it into the win light with an 8.99 at 72.30mph (8.90 dial). In an attempt to cross the finish line in front, McCammon broke out with a 13.08 at 47.65mph (13.11 dial). Points
leader Chris Bowden (11 - Homer, GA) and Cole Wood (9 - Jefferson, GA) earned a semi-finalist trophy.
Sixteen year old Danielle Krause from Peachtree City, GA turned on the 13-17 Jr Dragster class final round win light against Brooke Buchanan (13 - Six Mile, SC). Krause had a good pass, putting a 7.98 at 82.88mph on the scoreboards (7.94 dial). Buchanan tried to push the tree just a little too hard in the final, resulting in a -.042 red light. She went on to barely break out with a 7.919 at 81.63mph (7.92 dial). Taylor Griffith (17 - Homer, GA) got 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 2007 events may be obtained by calling the track office (706-335-2301) or logging on to http://www.atlantadragway.com/ .
------------------------------------------------
SUPER PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Wayne Brooks '00 Racetech Between, GA 4.85 141.11 (4.83)
R/U: Jim McKelvey '96 Junk dragster Snellville,
GA (foul) 5.05 135.18 (5.04)
Semi: Todd Moulton '02 Miller dragster Lawrenceville, GA
Semi: Mardy Kennedy '67 Camaro Auburn, GA
-----------------------------------------------
PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Toby Barnes '70 GTO Newnan, GA 7.53 92.95 (7.48)
R/U: Mickey Morris '87 Corvette Ellenwood, GA 6.44 100.16 (6.40)
Semi: Jessie Wilson '80 S-10 Pickup Tallapoosa, GA
Semi:
-----------------------------------------------
SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Mel Abney '67 Camaro Cumming, GA 13.08 95.78 (13.05)
R/U: John Oliver '99 Durango Buford, GA 16.43 81.78 (16.37)
Semi: Harold Wilson '74 Nova SS Winder, GA
Semi: John Snapp '03 Durango Conyers, GA
-----------------------------------------------
MOTORCYCLE CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: "Jay Bird" Rhyne '81 Kawasaki Athens, GA 7.69 86.96 (7.68)
R/U: Scott Reynolds '03 Suzuki Cartersville, GA (foul) 6.52 110.10 (6.60)
Semi: Jeff Shropshire '00 Kawasaki Dallas, GA
Semi: Jeff Hackney '01 Suzuki Ranger, GA
-----------------------------------------------
8-12 JR DRAGSTER AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Dylan Kent 12 Acworth, GA 8.99 72.30 (8.90)
R/U: Ashton McCammon 8 Buford, GA 13.08 47.65 (13.11)
Semi: Chris Bowden 11 Homer, GA
Semi: Cole Wood 9 Jefferson, GA
-----------------------------------------------
13-17 JR DRAGSTER AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Danielle Krause 16 Peachtree City, GA 7.98 82.88 (7.94)
R/U: Brooke Buchanan 13 Six Mile, SC (foul) 7.919 81.63 (7.92)
Semi: Taylor Griffith 17 Homer, GA
Semi:
FROM: Tim Glover
EVENT: Summit Snap-On event at Atlanta Dragway in 2007
WAYNE BROOKS LENGTHENS SUPER PRO LEAD, MEL ABNEY ENJOYS HIS FIRST 2007 WIN
(Commerce, GA - July 21) A great crowd of racers enjoyed the July 21 edition of the Summit Racing Series being contested at Atlanta Dragway. Super Pro points leader Wayne Brooks added a little more "insurance" with a win today. Cumming, GA racer Mel Abney, a former Atlanta Dragway champ, enjoyed his first 2007 win after defeating John Oliver in the Sportsman
class. Fans enjoyed an extra treat today, as Top Fuel racer Rhonda Hartman made an appearance with her nitromethane powered Nostalgia Funny Car, Miss Scarlet.
Super Pro winner Wayne Brooks of Between, GA bolstered his points lead and his pocketbook with a final round win against Jim McKelvey from Snellville, GA. Brooks was actually vulnerable in the final, with his '00 Racetech dragster posting a bit late .040 reaction time. However, the race was over the moment McKelvey left the starting line in what he affectionately calls
his '96 "Junk dragster" .013 seconds too early, which lit up the tomato colored bulb. The car is actually for sale, and definitely proved its worth in competition. Brooks added, "Thanks to a good PAR racing engine, Rupert carb and Race Tech dragster, I'm running well." Todd Moulton ('02 Miller dragster - Lawrenceville, GA) and Mardy Kennedy ('67 Camaro - Auburn, GA)
earned the semi-finalist purse for their efforts.
Toby Barnes of Newnan, GA made it to his 13th final round in 2007 (from multiple race tracks) and enjoyed yet another win at Atlanta Dragway with his trusty '70 GTO. Making the win more impressive was the fact he recently had surgery on June 6, and then again on June 20 when his body rejected the mesh implanted to repair his hernia. Sporting a vacuum pump he has to wear
almost all the time, Barnes endured the heat and competition to earn the win with a safe 7.53 at 92.95mph (7.48 dial). His final round victim was Mickey Morris, who won Pro earlier this season at the March 24 race with his Ellenwood, GA based '87 Corvette. Morris carded a closer to the dial 6.44 at 100.16mph (6.40 dial), but crossed the finish line .032 seconds behind Barnes due to a .040 deficit in the reaction time department. "I feel blessed to be here and still be able to drive well enough to win," added Barnes. Jessie Wilson was the lone semi-finalist, driving his son's '80 S-10 pickup, which was serving double duty earlier in the event. Wilson's Nova broke the engine dramatically during time trials, so he and his son Bruce took turns in the S-10. Both were still in competition until the fourth round. For those who have followed the dreaded green shirt worn by Barnes to all his wins in the past two years, the streak ended today. All the green ones were in need of laundering earlier today, so he chose a gray one instead. Didn't matter.
Cumming, GA racer Mel Abney recovered from an incident where he initially thought his day was over, and came back to earn his first 2007 win at the end of the day with his Sportsman class '67 Camaro. The former track champion faced another familiar face in the final, John Oliver from Buford, GA. Oliver left a big enough opening at the finish line for Abney to take the win with an on-the-brakes 13.08 at 95.78mph (13.05 target). Oliver's '99 Durango crossed the stripe .103 seconds later with a 16.43 at 81.78mph (16.37 dial). En route to the win, Abney barely defeated his friend J.D. Burford (who won Pro class a few weeks ago at the Night of Fire) by .0024 seconds in round two, and defeated the number one and two racers in the
Sportsman points, D.A. Streber and Harold Wilson. Harold Wilson ('74 Nova SS
- Winder, GA) and John Snapp ('03 Durango - Conyers, GA) ended their day in the semi-final round. "I was matched up against some good racers today," said Abney.
Four time Atlanta Dragway Motorcycle champion "Jay Bird" Rhyne collected another victory, this time at the expense of Scott Reynolds from Cartersville, GA. Although Reynolds turned on the dreaded cherry colored bulb, Rhyne's Athens, GA based '81 Kawasaki was still hard to beat, with a great .027 react and a close 7.698 at 86.96mph (7.68 dial). Reynolds took the stripe with a breakout 6.527 at 110.10mph (6.60 dial). Jeff Shropshire ('00 Kawasaki - Dallas, GA) and Jeff Hackney ('01 Suzuki - Ranger, GA) were the semi-final pair. Rhyne noted he now had enough to pay for a clutch for his other bike. He then added that he discovered a broken muffler bracket
earlier in the day, but a quick fix with a hose clamp was all he needed to hold it together for the win.
Twelve year old Dylan Kent of Acworth, GA jumped to the front in today's 8-12 Jr Dragster action with a win against Ashton McCammon (8 - Buford, GA). Kent took a big starting line lead and converted it into the win light with an 8.99 at 72.30mph (8.90 dial). In an attempt to cross the finish line in front, McCammon broke out with a 13.08 at 47.65mph (13.11 dial). Points
leader Chris Bowden (11 - Homer, GA) and Cole Wood (9 - Jefferson, GA) earned a semi-finalist trophy.
Sixteen year old Danielle Krause from Peachtree City, GA turned on the 13-17 Jr Dragster class final round win light against Brooke Buchanan (13 - Six Mile, SC). Krause had a good pass, putting a 7.98 at 82.88mph on the scoreboards (7.94 dial). Buchanan tried to push the tree just a little too hard in the final, resulting in a -.042 red light. She went on to barely break out with a 7.919 at 81.63mph (7.92 dial). Taylor Griffith (17 - Homer, GA) got 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 2007 events may be obtained by calling the track office (706-335-2301) or logging on to http://www.atlantadragway.com/ .
------------------------------------------------
SUPER PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Wayne Brooks '00 Racetech Between, GA 4.85 141.11 (4.83)
R/U: Jim McKelvey '96 Junk dragster Snellville,
GA (foul) 5.05 135.18 (5.04)
Semi: Todd Moulton '02 Miller dragster Lawrenceville, GA
Semi: Mardy Kennedy '67 Camaro Auburn, GA
-----------------------------------------------
PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Toby Barnes '70 GTO Newnan, GA 7.53 92.95 (7.48)
R/U: Mickey Morris '87 Corvette Ellenwood, GA 6.44 100.16 (6.40)
Semi: Jessie Wilson '80 S-10 Pickup Tallapoosa, GA
Semi:
-----------------------------------------------
SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Mel Abney '67 Camaro Cumming, GA 13.08 95.78 (13.05)
R/U: John Oliver '99 Durango Buford, GA 16.43 81.78 (16.37)
Semi: Harold Wilson '74 Nova SS Winder, GA
Semi: John Snapp '03 Durango Conyers, GA
-----------------------------------------------
MOTORCYCLE CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: "Jay Bird" Rhyne '81 Kawasaki Athens, GA 7.69 86.96 (7.68)
R/U: Scott Reynolds '03 Suzuki Cartersville, GA (foul) 6.52 110.10 (6.60)
Semi: Jeff Shropshire '00 Kawasaki Dallas, GA
Semi: Jeff Hackney '01 Suzuki Ranger, GA
-----------------------------------------------
8-12 JR DRAGSTER AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Dylan Kent 12 Acworth, GA 8.99 72.30 (8.90)
R/U: Ashton McCammon 8 Buford, GA 13.08 47.65 (13.11)
Semi: Chris Bowden 11 Homer, GA
Semi: Cole Wood 9 Jefferson, GA
-----------------------------------------------
13-17 JR DRAGSTER AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Danielle Krause 16 Peachtree City, GA 7.98 82.88 (7.94)
R/U: Brooke Buchanan 13 Six Mile, SC (foul) 7.919 81.63 (7.92)
Semi: Taylor Griffith 17 Homer, GA
Semi:
posted by David @ 9:38 PM
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