HOT SUMMER NIGHTS!!!!

Atlanta Motor Speedway kicks off their Hot Summer Nights racing series next Thursday and Friday, June 4th and 5th. A summer full of action packed, family fun is set to begin with the respective season opening events for the Thursday Thunder Series and Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine. The 2009 schedule will conclude with the very first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held under the lights in Atlanta Motor Speedway history.


THURSDAY THUNDER ENTERS IT’S 12TH SEASON
Atlanta Motor Speedway’s longest running summertime series of racing is the Thursday Thunder Racing Series. The ten night series showcases drivers from the age of eight to eighty competing in legends cars, bandolero cars and thunder roadsters. The family oriented entertainment series has spring-boarded the careers of current NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers Reed Sorenson, David Ragan and Joey Logano. All three of the star drivers began their racing careers on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s thunder ring quarter-mile.

Race fans can look forward to seeing some of the sports emerging stars compete this season with ‘Racin’ Mason Massey (Winston, GA) and Blake Jones (Sevierville, TN) making the switch from Bandolero Cars to Legends Cars. Twelve year old Massey was the Bandolero Bandits division champion in 2008 while Jones claimed the laurels in the Bandolero Young Guns last season. The youngsters will be joined by former NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Bill Elliott’s son, Chase Elliott (Dawnsonville, GA), national bandolero champion Ronnie ‘The Rock’ Bassett (Winston-Salem, NC) and the ‘Tennessee Terror’ Chad Finchum (Knoxville, TN) as they vie for the coveted Young Lions title.

The 2009 season kicks off on Thursday, June 4th with racing in eight divisions. The gates open at 6pm. The on-track autograph session opens at 7:15pm with feature races planned for 7:35pm. Thursday Thunder remains the most affordable ticket in the area with adult prices set at $5 and children’s tickets only $1. Kids five and under are admitted for free. For additional information on Thursday Thunder racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com or www.legendsofga.com.


FRIDAY NIGHT DRAGS & SHOW-N-SHINE SET TO BEGIN
The wildly popular Friday Night Drags and Show-N-Shine will kick start it’s third full season of racing on Friday, June 5th. The street drag racing style event has taken the area by surprise as weekly competitors from a seventy mile radius compete for points, trophies and bragging rights on the 1/8th mile long pit road drag strip. Fourteen divisions allow drivers to compete in classes similar to their vehicle while keeping the drag racing close throughout the event. Drag racers will compete in everything from wide open dragsters in the Super Pro class to ‘off the lot’ four cylinders in the Sport Compact class. There are divisions for trucks, ATVs and motorcycles as well.

The Show-N-Shine welcomes all classic, custom and showroom vehicles to compete for best judged entries each Friday night. Fans will see flashy colors, sparkling chrome, jet black tires and feather-dusted rides in all shapes and sizes. Cars, trucks and motorcycles are eligible for competition in six different classes. Each night will also feature a President’s Award determined by the speedway president and new for 2009 is the weekly ‘special’ class awards. Another special activity for the Show-N-Shine participants is the weekly Speedway Cruise where they can drive their beauties on the high banks of Atlanta Motor Speedway. The vehicles sparkle under the lights before stopping along the front stretch for the awards ceremony.

Opening night, June 5th, will feature the kid’s candy and coin scramble during our short break before drag racing. All kids 12 and under are invited to scramble into the infield grass finding FREE candy and coins. Atlanta Motor Speedway will separate the kids into age groups and all participants will receive prizes. There will also be the first of our weekly special awards in the Show-N-Shine area. The category on June 5th will ’50s are Forever’ and judges will determine the best entries that were built during the decade of the 50’s. A complete activity listing for the 2009 season is attached below.

The garage are opens every Friday night at 6pm. The grandstands open at 6:30pm. Drag practice runs end at 8:15pm with the Show-N-Shine Speedway Cruise set for 8:20pm. Opening ceremonies begin around 9pm with the first drag race elimination round starting at 9:09pm. Tickets are $7 with children five and under admitted for free. It costs $20 to enter the drag races or show-n-shine. For additional information on the Friday Night Drags and Show-N-Shine visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.


HOT SUMMER NIGHTS – THURSDAY THUNDER SCHEDULE & FAMILY ACTIVITIES
* Each night includes a full racing card with Legends Cars, Bandolero Cars and Roadsters
6/4 Thursday Thunder Season Opener – Autograph & Photograph Night
6/11 Thursday Thunder – Georgia Auto Racing Hall of Fame ‘Vintage Race Cars’ and Kid’s Candy & Coin Scramble
6/18 Thursday Thunder – Mascot Mania Race
6/25 Thursday Thunder – Kid’s Bike & Trike Races
7/2 Thursday Thunder – America’s Birthday Celebration and FIREWORKS
7/9 Thursday Thunder – Trailer Race of Destruction and Joe Momma Night (If your name is Joe and you bring your momma, both get in for FREE)
7/16 Thursday Thunder – Faster Pastor 2009. Area church leaders compete for the annual title of Atlanta’s ‘Faster Pastor’
7/23 Thursday Thunder – Bandolero Car Nationals pre-event ceremonies and Disco Night
7/30 Thursday Thunder – Classic Car Cruise Night
8/6 Thursday Thunder – Championship Night

HOT SUMMER NIGHTS – FRIDAY NIGHT DRAGS & SHOW-N-SHINE SPECIAL EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
* Each night includes a full night of drag racing in 14 divisions along with a full show-n-shine event
6/5 Friday Night Drags – Season Points Opener & Kid’s Candy and Coin Scramble
Show-N-Shine – All divisions and the special 50’s are Forever
6/12 Friday Night Drags – Kid’s Power Wheel Races (you know the little electric cars – bring ‘em out for some kiddie drag racing)
Show-N-Shine – All divisions and the special 60’s Muscle Cars
6/19 Friday Night Drags – Backwards Drag Racing
Show-N-Shine – All divisions and the special Modern Day Tuners
6/26 Friday Night Drags – Lucky Ladies Night (All female drag racers receive FREE drag race entry)
Show-N-Shine – All divisions and the special Hot Rod Heaven
7/3 Friday Night Drags – FIREWORKS, FIREWORKS, FIREWORKS
Show-N-Shine – All divisions and the special Harley-Davidson Motorcycles
7/10 Friday Night Drags – Double Points Night in all divisions
Show-N-Shine – All divisions and the special Ford Owners Rally
7/17 Friday Night Drags – Kid’s Candy & Coin Scramble II
Show-N-Shine – All divisions and the special Mopar Owners Rally
7/24 Friday Night Drags – Ride Along Night (take along a passenger down the drag strip - $20 per person)
Show-N-Shine – All divisions and the special Foreign Car Owners Rally
7/31 Friday Night Drags – Kids Power Wheel Races II
Show-N-Shine – All divisions and the special Chevy Car Owners Rally
8/7 ***NO RACING***
***NO SHOW-N-SHINE***
8/14 Friday Night Drags – Double Points Night in all divisions
Show-N-Shine – All divisions and the special Trucks
8/21 Friday Night Drags – The Great Moodini death-defying stunt
Show-N-Shine – All divisions and the special Super Bike Motorcycle
8/28 Friday Night Drags – Lucky Ladies Night II
Show-N-Shine – All divisions and the special Classic Car Showcase
9/4 ***NO RACING – NASCAR WEEKEND***
***NO SHOW-N-SHINE***
9/11 Friday Night Drags – Championship Night
Show-N-Shine – All divisions and the special Season’s Winners Showcase




Ted Austad
Event Promotions Coordinator
Atlanta Motor Speedway
www.atlantamotorspeedway.com

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Memorial Day Observance

Today (and always), please remember the veterans and all of those that paid the ultimate price so that we may live free in the greatest country on Earth.

Joe Tillman scores rare triple at All Mopar Southern Nationals at South Georgia Motorsports Park May 22-24

Article and photos by Marvin T. Smith

Joe Tillman won three classes at the All Mopar Southern Nationals presented by the South Georgia Mopar Association. His victories were even more impressive because they all happened on Sunday after rains washed out the Saturday racing. Tillman raced two vehicles in three classes and took home the title in Pro, Street, and the Mopar Muscle Magazine Young Guns categories. The event featured eighth mile racing on the strip, a car show, and a parts swap meet.
New this year was the Mopars “All Out” arm drop start event sponsored by Brangus Beef. Sixteen tightly clustered cars (based on elapsed time) were selected for the event. In the final, Woody Dunkin defeated Cleve Edgerton in an exciting race. John Tyler and Ken Grant were the semifinalists.
In Creative Customs Super Pro, thirty cars from as far away as Ohio battled for the win. In the final, Jim Berkeben, Jr. defeated local racer Ray Lloyd when Lloyd fouled. Berkeben would have been hard to beat with a 5.787 on his 5.78 dial and a reaction time of .021. Chris Adam and Jeff Warry were the round five losers.
After seven rounds of racing, Joe Tillman won the Cooper’s Pro category driving a Plymouth Scamp. In the final, his 7.889 on his 7.87 dial beat Garret Struck’s 6.449 on his 6.42 dial. Tillman had the starting line advantage and never looked back. Cleve Edgerton was the Round Six loser.
In Jones Chrysler Dodge Street class, Tillman again won, driving his Dodge Ram 2500 truck. He took the starting line advantage again, and ran a 10.599 (10.58 dial) to defeat Mike Jubinski who broke out with an 8.751 on his 8.76 dial. Ken Grant and Kevin Davis were the semifinalists.
Tillman also took the Mopar Muscle Magazine Young Guns class driving the big Dodge truck when James Guy fouled in the final. Kevin Davis was the lone semifinalist in the odd number car field.
More Mopar Meet photos by Marvin T. Smith here.