Star Racing to Attend ADRL Race

April 8, 2009, Americus, GA

Star Racing will debut their newest creation at this weekend’s ADRL Hardees Georgia Drags on April 10th and 11th at South Georgia Motorsports Park in Adel, GA. The guys at the shop have been working feverishly to convert their NHRA Pro Stock bike into a ground pounding Pro Extreme motorcycle. The results to date have been so sensational that Star Racing is offering $3,000 contingency to any winner who uses their conversion package.

This is the same motorcycle that won four NHRA events in 2008 including the World Finals and set the track e.t. record at Pomona, CA. This weekend the S&S powered V-Twin will be driven by NHRA record holder and champion Matt Smith of King, NC.

“When I first saw the motorcycle I had to laugh,” said Smith. “Those engines were not developed to run carburetors. Who else but Star owner George Bryce and the Star Racing team could make something like that run, and go fast. I’m excited about the opportunity to be the first one to race the bike with the new setup.”

George and crew chief Ken Johnson will also be on hand to offer track support and answer questions from racers and fans.

“SGMP is our home track,” said Bryce, “and we can hardly wait to show some of our new product lines including the race bike. We’re busy packing the rig full of parts, displays, engines and motorcycles, and there is sure to be something in there to wow anyone who loves racing.”

In 1980, George Bryce and his wife Jackie founded Star Racing to support the motorcycle drag racing community. Their high performance motorcycle company has evolved into a successful mail-order parts business, with engine building, and machine shop services. Their state-of-the-art machine shop houses a 5-Axis Haas CNC machine, Sunnen boring and honing equipment, a Spintron; DTS and Superflow engine dynos, and a DynoJet chassis dyno. Check them out on the web at www.starracing.com or call 800-841-7827.

FURNISHED BY:
STAR RACINGOWNERS: GEORGE & JACKIE BRYCE
DISTRIBUTED HERE BY: Jerry Battle

The Woodstock of Drag Racing!!!

1st Annual Legends of Drag Racing…
Reunion, Races, Music and Art Festival

East Coast, West Coast, Midwest Old School Shoot-Out

Don’t miss the first annual Legends of Drag Racing Festival June 12, 13 and 14, 2009 at the legendary Great Lakes Dragaway in Union Grove, Wisconsin. We’re celebrating drag racing from back in the day!

What better track to hold our inaugural event at? Great Lakes Dragaway is the world’s longest operating drag strip, established December 1954!

The legendary “Broadway Bob” will be on hand to meet and greet everyone. “Broadway Bob” is the only drag racing promoter inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Some of the famous racers will include: Butch Leal, Bill Shrewsberry, Fred Sibley, Doug Rose, Jess Tyree, Arlen Vanke, Big Willie…King of the Street Racers, John Wiebe, Dick LaHaie, Pat Minick, Larry Reyes, the Rocketmen…Ky Michaelson and Ed Ballinger, Tommy Grove, Tommy Ivo, Gas Ronda, George Montgomery, Arnie Beswick, Bruce Larson, Hubert Platt, Earl Wade and Kenny Youngblood!

Our pre-1972 Invitational will include: Top Fuel Front Engine Dragsters, Nitro Burning Funny Cars, Blown Gassers and Altereds, Super Stockers, A F/Xers, Jet Cars and Wheelstanders. Also, Motorcycles and Hot Rods, all racing HEADS UP, with a full tree!!!

This is a “Run What Ya Brung, And Hope Ya Brung Enough” event!

You will also see Jack Chrisman’s Comet, the world’s first Nitro Burning Funny Car, owned and driven by Jim Barillaro.

This event will also include a Car Show, Swap Meet, Vendors, Bench Racing With The Stars and a Pin-Up Girl contest. And the fun doesn’t stop there! We will also have a huge Beer Garden, Carnival Rides, Drive-In Movie, Model Car Contest, onsite camping and great music too! On Friday night, spend an evening with Jimi Hendrix featuring Randy Hansen. Randy will be doing his tribute to Hendrix and performing some great blues as well. The phenomenal Jan and Dean Show, featuring Dean Torrence, will take the stage on Saturday night and will be rockin’ the house under the stars, playing all your favorite Jan & Dean and Beach Boys songs!
Plus, special guest star Jimy Sohns from Shadows of Knight will be stopping by!

Make plans now.

Don’t miss this unforgettable weekend of fun, music and racing!

Catch us online at: http://www.oldschooldrags.com/ to register or buy tickets.
Our Race Hot Line is: (847) 359-3232.

“Old School Is Cool!!!”

29TH ANNUAL SOUTHERN NATIONALS SET FOR APRIL 16-19 AT ATLANTA DRAGWAY

by Tim Glover

The hills of North Georgia will be echoing thunder coming from Atlanta Dragway again April 16-19, 2009 when the 29th Annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals rolls into its sixth stop of the season at Hotlanta.

The Southern Nationals features the best racers from all over the world, all competing on the quarter mile surface to claim the coveted winner's trophy, also known as a "Wally".

The wildly popular Funny Car racer Ashley Force Hood will be gunning for her third win. Force beat her legendary dad, John Force (14 time Funny Car champion) to earn her first win at the 2008 Southern Nationals and is hot off her O'Reilly Spring Nationals win at Houston Raceway Park. However, points leader Ron Capps will have something to say about that.

Last year's Southern Nationals Top Fuel Dragster winner, Antron Brown, is doing well in his sophomore season. Brown was leading the points chase until six time world champion Tony Schumacher took yet another win at Las Vegas on April 5, but look for Brown to claw his way back to the top. The rest of the class, including third place Brandon Bernstein and fourth place Larry Dixon, are hot on his heels.

This event is the third on the schedule to feature the high-revving 190-mph Pro Stock Motorcycles, piloted by racers like the ever popular Steve Johnson, who hails from nearby Alabama. Local standout Junior Pippin is entered, along with his protege, first year racer Douglas Horne, who finished runner up at the O'Reilly event.

Six time Pro Stock champion Warren Johnson from nearby Sugar Hill is already on the entry list, along with his son Kurt Johnson. Look for these cars to dip into the mid six second range at well over 200mph!

Five more fast action classes are on tap, along with many exhibition runs. The pit side of the track will be packed wall to wall with all kinds of speed equipment on display, and there will be something for everyone for the entire weekend at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Georgia on April 16-19.

Recognizing the tough times currently faced by fans across the country, NHRA has announced several fan-relief programs for the 2009 season, including reduced-priced general-admission tickets, the admittance of children 12 and under for free, and a military-appreciation offer. For details, please visit www.nhra.com, or www.atlantadragway.com .

Upsets abound at the SGMP NHRA Division 2 Points Meet

More photos

April 5, 2009

There were plenty of upsets and some familiar winners at the NHRA Division 2 Points meet last weekend. In Alcohol Dragster, Artie Allen scored the number one qualifying position with a track record and personal best 5.29 run. The star-studded field included recent Gatornationals winner Duane Shields, Art Gallant (new SGMP mph record holder at 271), Robin Samsel, Dan Mercier, Jared Dreher, Bill Evans, and Cherissa Griffis. Round One winners included Shields, who improved to a 5.303 at 270, Gallant (5.34 at 270), Allen (5.34 at 263), and Bill Evans (5.70). In round two, Evans surprised Gallant with a 5.45 holeshot win over Gallant's better 5.405 at 269, and Allen defeated Shields with a 5.38 when Shields was forced to shut off early. Allen was the heavy favorite in the final, but turned on the red light to give the win to Bill Evans who ran 5.78 at 254.

In the seven car Top Alcohol Funny Car field, Mickey Ferro set the qualifying pace at a new track record 5.600 at 260.ll mph. Just a tick behind was Mick Snyder with a 5.61, Alexis De Joria (5.67), Thomas Carter (5.68), Terry Munroe (5.72), Mark Billington (5.76), and John Sullivan (9.76). Ferro got the round one bye, and make a tire shaking early shut off pass. Snyder beat Sullivan with a new track record 5.578, Billington got the hole shot victory over De Joria, 5.71 to 5.70, and Carter took out Munroe with 5.69 at 253. In Round Two, Ferro beat Carter, 5.65 to 5.99, and Billington upset new track record holder Snyder with a steady 5.78 when Snyder got badly out of shape and slowed to a 6.79 at 147. In the final, Billington took the surprise victory over favored Ferro when Ferro had problems at the line. Billington ran a troubled 6.40 at 237 for the win.

Kurt Damron won Top Sportsman over Mike Thompson. Damron had earlier beaten number one qualifier Ronnie Davis. Glen Treadwell won Competition Eliminator over his daughter Jenny when Jenny failed to appear. Treadwell had earlier set a new NHRA national record. Mike Crutchfield won Super Stock over Bo Butner. Mickey Whaley won Stock over Bud Rowe. Steve Cohen won top dragster over Ken Wells. Sherman Adcock, Jr. won Super Comp over Trevor Wiggins. Steve Furr won Super Gas over Mike Corry. In Super Street, Greg McInerny beat MikeDesio.

Marvin T. Smith

NHRA Division 2 Points meet at SGMP

Photos and text by Marvin T. Smith

More photos

It was a beautiful day at the track for the NHRA Division 2 Points meet at SGMP. NHRA national records and all of the Alky track records took a beating, with more to come tomorrow. In Alky Dragster, Artie Allen ran a personal best and new track record 5.295 (265) to qualify number one in the nine car field. Arthur Gallant set the track Alky dragster speed record with a great 271.13 and qualified 3rd with a 5.38. Second went to Robin Samsel with a great 5.37 at 265.90.

In Alcohol FC, the track records again took a beating. Mick Snyder temporarily set the record at 5.62, and Mickey Ferro took the speed record with a 259.26 in round one, but when the clutch dust settled, the record went to Mickey Ferro with a fine 5.600 at 260.11 to reset both ends of the record in the final qualifying session. Tom Carter and Alexis DeJoria (tuned by Bob Newberry) also ran in the 5.60s.