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Georgia Drag Racing News
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July 2003
Atlanta Dragway Results by Tim Glover
Posted Tuesday, July 29, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
RACE DATE: July 26-27, 2003
FROM: Tim Glover
EVENT: Phillips Motorsports 2nd annual Summer Shootout Bracket Race at
Atlanta Dragway in 2003
COALBURG RACING'S PENNINGTON DOUBLES UP IN FOOTBRAKE, HARDY FINISHES IN BOTH
SUPER FINALS
by Tim Glover
(Commerce, GA - July 26-27) Racers enjoyed race number three of the Phillips
Motorsports Super Eliminator Series at Atlanta Dragway. Coalburg Racing
member Jared Pennington had a tremendous weekend at the track. He began by
winning Saturday's Footbrake Run for the Money, and went on to win Saturday
night's Footbrake race against Team Ford Thunder racer Randall Roop. He
missed a little during Sunday's Run for the Money event, but made up by
earning a double win for the weekend by winning Sunday's Footbrake race
against local racer Andy Thigpen. The two wins also put him on top of the
weekend points. Charlie Hardy was another double finalist, finishing
runner up in Super Eliminator on Saturday, and taking all the marbles on
Sunday. The weather cooperated for the most part, allowing racers to enjoy
the action at the Phillips Motorsports second annual Summer Shootout Bracket
Race.
The format for the Super Eliminator Series changed a little. Door cars and
dragsters are still separated until 16 or less cars remain in each class.
At that point, the remaining cars combine to finish the race. In addition
to the purse, race winners received a three foot tall trophy and a two by
four foot check. This format will be continued through the rest of the
season.
SATURDAY
The first winners of the weekend were in Saturday's edition of Run for the
Money. Paul Gibbs won the Super Eliminator pot with his '72 'Cuda door car,
running 5.450, 127.19mph on a 5.45 target. Patrick Bowen, who races a
Horton dragster, was the runner up. Jared Pennington began his weekend
right with the Footbrake Run for the Money win, posting a 7.991, 86.99mph on
a 7.99 dial. All three received a first round bye run in their classes.
Jared Pennington from Fultondale, AL (a.k.a. Coalburg, AL) began his quest
for successful bracket world domination early in the day with the Run for
the Money win in Footbrake. He continued that streak in Saturday
eliminations, earning not one, but two bye runs (the final three had already
taken bye runs in previous rounds), and facing off against a former B&M
champion, Team Ford Thunder racer Randall Roop. When discussing lane choice
with Roop prior to the final run, Pennington said he didn't care, adding
"I'm bad in one lane and worse in the other." However, it didn't matter
because Roop was just a bit too pumped up about the final, and turned on the
cherry colored bulb at the starting line when he left a hair too soon in his
Canton, GA based '66 Mustang. Pennington was still running the 7.99 dial
(which he kept on the car all weekend) on his Coalburg Racing '79 Malibu,
and turned in a 7.97, 86.99mph winning pass. "This car pulled me out of a
crack a time or two today. Also, with the grace of God, and support from my
wife Jennifer, I'm lucky to race," added Pennington. Stockbridge, GA racer
Kelly King drove a '74 Vega all the way to the semifinals before being taken
out by Roop.
By the time the Saturday semifinals rolled around, it was apparent that a
Don Brown from Buford, GA was going to be in the final round. Father and
son faced each other in the semifinal round, and both gave it their all,
with Sr. taking the finish line a few thousandths of a second before Jr..
Brown, Sr. faced Charlie Hardy from Cartersville, GA in the final, reacted
with a great .505 second time, and then took advantage of his lead to slow
his '02 Spitzer dragster to a 4.99, 123.35mph (4.90 dial). Hardy, who had
been deadly all day, said he just got caught looking, and lost his
concentration for just a moment. Seeing he was not going to take the finish
line, Hardy lifted and turned in a 5.45, 97.10mph pass (5.00 dial). "I just
got the motor in this car yesterday. I'd also like to give a big thanks to
my crew chief Gary Peeples, and my son Donny for their help. I was hoping
to see Donny in the final, but it just didn't work out," added Brown. Donny
Brown, Jr. was one of the semifinalists with his '03 Spitzer dragster, and
Cliff Shipp ('70 Nova - Dallas, GA) was the other.
After Jared Pennington won Footbrake, he and his brother Ricky Pennington
of Coalburg Racing put on the "Scooter Nationals", letting racers enter
their pit bikes and golf carts into a 330 foot race. Although golf carts
didn't fare too well, everyone involved had a blast in this less than
serious race. Local racers Hank Wilhelm and Jacob Rutledge (both have other
race wins under their belts) squared off against each other in the final,
and the youngster Wilhelm prevailed for the win.
SUNDAY
Sunday's Run for the Money featured another set of winners. Tom Thompson
won the Super portion with his '92 Mustang, running 5.680, 122.47mph on a
5.68. The best dragster performance was Tommy Motes from Loganville, GA,
who posted a 5.311, 130.12mph on a 5.31 target. Rob Hogue won the Footbrake
pot with his '84 Monte Carlo SS, running 7.401, 94.66mph on a 7.40 dial.
Charlie Hardy picked up his brand new 2003 Miller dragster June 6, 2003,
and in a month's time put it into the Sunday winner's circle. He already
had Saturday's runner up against local racer Don Brown, Sr., coming into
Sunday's final, and was not about to give up the light this time. Hardy
reacted with a telepathic .503, and scrubbed off about .02 seconds at the
finish line, carding a 5.06, 134.34mph win (5.03 dial). His opponent,
Bennie Ulmer from Orangeburg, SC, had a .527 react, and that, combined with
a 5.16, 134.95 was good enough to take the runner up spot in his '03 Race
Tech dragster. "I'll get on the Miller web site now," exclaimed Hardy. He
then called his wife Tera, and gave her the good news. "I love my wife.
Thanks for letting me have this car," Hardy added. He also won the weekend
points in Super Eliminator for winning the most rounds. Peabody Harrell
('77 Monza - Vidalia, GA) was the lone semifinalist.
Jared Pennington didn't have much left to say after taking his second
Footbrake win in a row. "I was mediocre, and had a great car," was the
simple explanation. He was just glad to be there. Still running his 7.99
dial, he used a big reaction time advantage to run an 8.08, 82.98mph win
against Andy Thigpen from Flowery Branch, GA. Thigpen's '78 Monza turned in
a good 7.70, 90.42mph (7.67 dial). For the second day in a row, Kelly King
earned a semifinal finish after being defeated by Thigpen in the semis.
------------------------------------------------
SATURDAY SUPER ELIMINATOR CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Don Brown, Sr. '02 Spitzer dragster Buford, GA 4.99 123.35 (4.90)
R/U: Charlie Hardy '03 Miller dragster Cartersville, GA 5.45 97.10 (5.00)
Semi: Don Brown, Jr. '03 Spitzer dragster Buford, GA
Semi: Cliff Shipp '70 Nova Dallas, GA
------------------------------------------------
SATURDAY FOOTBRAKE CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Jared "Jed" Pennington '79 Malibu Fultondale, AL 7.97 86.99 (7.98)
R/U: Randall Roop '66 Mustang Canton, GA (foul) 16.16 32.47 (7.50)
Semi: Kelly King '74 Vega Stockbridge, GA
Semi:
------------------------------------------------
SUNDAY SUPER ELIMINATOR CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Charlie Hardy '03 Miller dragster Cartersville, GA 5.06 134.34 (5.03)
R/U: Bennie Ulmer '03 Race Tech dragster Orangeburg, SC 5.16 134.95 (5.15)
Semi: Peabody Harrell '77 Monza Vidalia, GA
Semi:
------------------------------------------------
SUNDAY FOOTBRAKE CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Jared "Jed" Pennington '79 Malibu Fultondale, AL 8.08 82.98 (7.99)
R/U: Andy Thigpen '80 Monza Flowery Branch, GA 7.70 90.42 (7.67)
Semi: Kelly King '74 Vega Stockbridge, GA
Semi:
KJ Powers to the Semi-finals in Seattle
Posted Tuesday, July 29, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
One of the hallmarks of Kurt Johnson's pursuit of the 2003 POWERade championship has been his ACDelco Cavalier's consistent performance. Solid qualifying efforts combined with an equally strong showing in eliminations have kept K.J. near the top of the standings since February.
This trend continued during Sunday's eliminations of the Carquest Nationals in Seattle, Washington. After qualifying second, Johnson used a pair of 6.83-second runs to eliminate Terry Adams and Greg Stanfield in the first two rounds, setting the stage for a semi-final encounter against Pro Stock veteran Larry Morgan.
Ironically, the race was almost over before it began, as Johnson's parachutes mysteriously deployed in the staging lanes. Fortunately, the team, assisted by Warren Johnson and Greg Anderson's crews, was able to repack the chutes in time.
Once the lights turned green, Johnson used a .033 reaction time to leave the starting line nearly two hundredths of a second ahead of Morgan. However, Johnson's mount uncharacteristically slowed, posting a 6.932-second elapsed time, allowing his opponent to overcome the lead and put a premature end to Johnson's day.
"Today's race is a perfect example of there being no room for error in Pro Stock. Our ACDelco Cavalier had been a dream throughout qualifying, making great runs every time down the track. We felt good entering today's race
"The first two rounds went just like we drew them up. We made two good runs against Terry Adams and Gene Wilson, and were reasonably confident going into the semi-finals. Unfortunately, the car didn't like the changes we made to it, and it cost us.
'You're only really happy when you win, but we'll take today's performance. Next week we race on our third different track in as many weeks, so we'll put this behind us, and get ready to get after them in Sonoma."
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
Warren Johnson Posts Semi-Final Finish in Seattle
Posted Tuesday, July 29, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
After qualifying 12th for Sunday's final eliminations of the Carquest Nationals in Seattle, WA, Warren Johnson knew he had his work cut out for him. Pacific Raceways is notorious for the disparity in its lanes, and Johnson would face Gene Wilson in the first round without the luxury of being able to choose his lane.
However, this apparent disadvantage made little difference to Johnson. First, he left the starting line one hundredth of a second ahead of his opponent thanks to a .016 reaction time, and then "The Professor" completed his lesson by powering his GM Performance Parts Grand Am down the quarter-mile in 6.808 seconds (the quickest elapsed time of eliminations) with a top speed of 203.00 mph to eliminate his young rival.
Johnson then scored an equally important victory over Jeg Coughlin in the next round. Coughlin is currently fourth in the NHRA's POWERade points standings, directly behind Johnson, and W.J.'s win extended his lead.
This set the stage for another important meeting, as Johnson would face current points leader Greg Anderson. Although Johnson made a valiant effort, posting a strong 6.851-second elapsed time with a top speed of 201.61 mph, it was not enough to overcome his rival's 6.840-second, 203.40 mph run.
"After starting behind the eight ball in qualifying, the GM Performance Parts team recovered nicely to make it to the semi-finals. Certainly we would have preferred to go on even further, but we are continuing to learn what our Grand Am needs, with each pass providing valuable information.
"We feel confident of making significant gains with this car in the near future. Certainly, not having lane choice against Anderson didn't help, but we were fully capable of winning that round. Developing this car further will go a long way towards further improving our chances of success in future encounters.
"We have some work to do in the next few days, but we will definitely be ready for Sonoma."
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
BAZEMORE GOES TO FINALS, GAINS 61 POINTS ON TONY PEDREGON
Posted Monday, July 28, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
KENT, Wash. (July 27, 2003) - Whit Bazemore shaved 61 points from Tony Pedregon's lead in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings today, by advancing to the final round for the sixth time this season. Pedregon, who did not have lane choice and was relegated to the notoriously bumpy left lane, did not advance to the second round, after being dismissed early by Del Worsham. Bazemore is now just 63 points behind.
Bazemore, driving the Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus in the left lane, came away with a runner-up finish to his nemesis John Force in the final round (5.036/300.80 to 5.215/272.28). But he was lucky to have even reached the finals after losing lane choice in every round but one.
The No. 9 qualifier didn't enjoy lane choice in the first round and had to accept running in the left lane. When Dean Skuza red-lighted, the two-time winner here at Pacific Raceways (1997 and 2001) may have dodged a bullet and was able to advance to the second round with his 5.123/294.37 pass. Lane choice for the next round, however, was again not an option for the Indianapolis resident.
On the other side of the ladder, Bazemore's teammate and No. 1 qualifier Gary Scelzi moved on to the quarterfinals after defeating Tom Wilkerson and would face his Don Schumacher Racing partner Bazemore in that round, with lane choice.
Crew chiefs Lee Beard (Bazemore) and Mike Neff (Scelzi) agreed that the Matco Tools driver would take the right lane. Scelzi's reaction time was quicker (.080 to .119), but it was Bazemore to the finish line first with a 5.123/294.37 lap, while Scelzi lost traction over the bumps, posting a 6.911/130.51 pass. That solid run gave Bazemore lane choice for the semis.
In the semifinal against Johnny Gray, Bazemore dropped a cylinder, yet still scored the win with a 5.073/291.32.
"We had a good day in the Matco Tools Dodge," said Bazemore. "We basically lost the race in the semis. We did everything we could do in the semis to get lane choice for the final, then dropped a cylinder and came up a little short. Force's team was perfect and they had lane choice. And for the Funny Car class that pretty much spelled the result.
"So I feel like we did the very best we could do and we came away with the maximum amount of points that we realistically could get and we're going to go to Sonoma and try to do it again."
Contact: Judy Stropus
DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Millican, Castellana, Atchison and Dobbins Win the Hooters IHRA ACDelco Canadian Nationals
Posted Monday, July 28, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
Charlie Peppers goes down in round two of Pro Stock.
Millican Ties Garlits' Record. Sunday Recap
Dixon, Force, and Anderson Win the NHRA POWERade CARQUEST Auto Parts Nationals
Posted Monday, July 28, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
Dixon/LaHaie stuns everyone in the final, John Force dominates, and Anderson keeps adding to his points lead.
Whit Bazemore gains ground on Tony Pedregon with his RU finish.
Barry Grant, Terry Adams, and Gene Wilson go out in the first round of Pro Stock. WJ and KJ go down in the semi final round.
NHRA RECAP
Warren Johnson Responds to the Challenge, Qualifies 12th in Seattle
Posted Sunday, July 27, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
The pressure was on Warren Johnson entering the final qualifying session for the Carquest Nationals in Seattle, Washington. After opening with a solid 6.887-second effort on Friday, Johnson battled severe tire shake on his next two runs and entered his final attempt outside the top sixteen necessary to qualify. Complicating Johnson's task even further was the fact that the temperatures during the final time trial at Pacific Raceways were much higher than the preferred session on Saturday morning.
Undaunted, Johnson powered his GM Performance Parts Grand Am through the quarter-mile in 6.822 seconds with a top speed of 202.94 mph, the quickest elapsed time of the final session, and the only run in that round quick enough to qualify for Sunday's final eliminations. This impressive effort placed "The Professor" in the 12th position, as he looks to repeat his winning performance from Denver a week ago.
"This track threw us curves for the first three sessions. After being a little light on the clutch on our first run, we shook on the next two. Faced with the possibility of missing the race, we went back to our notes and came up with a workable solution. Fortunately, our GM Performance Parts Grand Am responded, we made a representative run and got ourselves in the field. After all, that is what matters.
"However, we've only passed the first test. Tomorrow we start all over, without any room for error. We take the information from tonight, assimilate it with our notes, and come up with a game plan for race day."
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
KJ Remains Rock Steady, Slots Second in Seattle
Posted Sunday, July 27, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
Weather conditions for the second day of qualifying for the Carquest Nationals were ideal for the Pro Stock contingent, producing a marked drop in elapsed times. Kurt Johnson's ACDelco Cavalier remained among the elite in the category, posting no worse than the second quickest elapsed time in each of the four qualifying sessions.
Johnson's run of record came on Saturday morning, when he posted an elapsed time of 6.784 seconds with a top speed of 203.61 mph to qualify second for Sunday's eliminations at Pacific Raceways.
"This is a tough place. You have to balance power, which we had plenty of today, with getting down the track. Fortunately, everything is coming together for us right now. Our ACDelco Cavalier is responding well to the adjustments we're making to it, and the crew is making good decisions. If everyone continues to do their job tomorrow, including the driver, we have a good chance at winning. It's just up to us to make sure it happens."
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
Charlie Peppers Qualifies #9 in Pro Stock at the Hooters IHRA ACDelco Canadian Nationals
Posted Sunday, July 27, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
Charlie lays down a 6.600 @ 211.53 in his Ford Mustang Pro Stocker to qualify #9. He faces Doug Kirk in round one of eliminations.
Pro Stock Final Qualifying Order
Whisnant Out Of Show in Seattle
Posted Sunday, July 27, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
SEATTLE, Wash. – Mark Whisnant, driver of the RW Performance / Snap-On Tools Pro Stock Chevrolet Cavalier, came to the 16th annual Carquest Auto Parts NHRA Nationals with high expectations of being in the show come Sunday morning. Whisnant who qualified Number 1 at this race last year had a weekend of highs and extreme lows.
The RW Performance team came off the trailer quick, and at the close of qualifying Friday night had high hopes of making the Pro Stock field.
Saturday morning Whisnant started the day in the 12th position and ran his best time of the weekend a 6.839 / 202.30 mph, in the morning session. However, his time would not be good enough to keep him in the field. Whisnant would finish the day 18th and out of tomorrow’s race.
"We came close, but close is not good enough," said Whisnant of Stockbridge, Ga. "We didn’t make the race, but we are encouraged with the way we ran this weekend. We are still struggling, but we seem to be gaining on it. All we can do now is go the Sears Point and try again."
RW PERFORMANCE PRO STOCK CHEVY CAVALIER
MARK WHISNANT – DRIVER
REID WHISNANT – OWNER
CONTACT: Patti Miles-Hamlin
Dixon, Scelzi, and Anderson are Top Qualifiers at the NHRA POWERade CARQUEST Auto Parts Nationals
Posted Sunday, July 27, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
NHRA Saturday Recap
Gary Scelzi notches his first #1 Funny Car qualifying position while Whit Bazemore qualifies in the #9 position.
In Pro Stock, KJ qualifies #2 and Barry Grant makes his best effort of the year, qualifying #3. Gene Wilson qualifies #5, WJ survives a last ditch effort to qualify #12, and Terry Adams puts Barry Grant's second car in the field with a 15th best effort. Mark Whisnant just misses and ends up 18th.
Pro Stock Final Qualifying Results
BAZEMORE DEPLOYS CHUTE EARLY IN FIRST ROUND, TAKES NO. 8 SPOT IN SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND
Posted Saturday, July 26, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
KENT, Wash. (July 25, 2003) - Whit Bazemore had a surprise in the first
round of qualifying today when the parachute deployed at the hit of the
throttle on his Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus Funny Car, which
virtually aborted the run, resulting in a non-qualifying 10.863/74.74 pass.
In the second round, Bazemore pulled off a 5.030-second elapsed time in the
fourth pass of the round, which was low e.t. at the time. However, seven
cars that followed him bettered his score, dropping Bazemore to No. 8.
Bazemore's Don Schumacher Racing teammate Gary Scelzi, in the Oakley Time
Bomb Dodge Stratus, was low qualifier for the day.
"We had a part of the parachute mechanism break on the Matco Tools Dodge in
the first run, so the 'chute came out and that run was trash," said
Bazemore, second in the POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car point
standings. "That put us in the front of the line for the second round and we
were actually tuned up a little bit more. Then we saw one good strong car go
down there and smoke the tires so we made a decision to back it off a little
bit. It was so critical that we go down the track and get qualified, we were
conservative and at the time we were low e.t. We weren't that conservative
until Gary (Scelzi) ran. We were only a half a 10th off of low, basically,
so we're not too unhappy. It's going to be tricky tomorrow."
Bazemore was pleased for his teammate and the Oakley Time Bomb team. "They
deserve it. They've worked hard all year. They've had limited success and
it's great to see them be No. 1 and hopefully it will last for them
tomorrow. That would be a great thing. Hopefully we can catch up a little
bit and be 1-2, which would be nice. Tomorrow's going to be hard. We'll just
have to see what the conditions will let us do."
Contact: Judy Stropus
DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Dixon, Scelzi, and Anderson Lead Fridays Qualifying at the NHRA POWERade CARQUEST Auto Parts Nationals
Posted Saturday, July 26, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
Whit Bazemore is #8 in Funny Car with a 5.030 @ 303.50.
Georgia has 4 Pro Stock teams qualified: Kurt Johnson (#2), Terry Adams (#4), Mark Whisnant (#12), and Gene Wilson (#13). Surprisingly, WJ is not in the program......yet. He is #17. Barry Grant is #22 after the first day.
NHRA RESULTS
Whisnant Hoping to Get Back On Track in Seattle
Posted Saturday, July 26, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
SEATTLE, Wash. – Mark Whisnant, driver of the RW Performance / Snap-On Tools Pro Stock Chevrolet Cavalier, has a good record in Seattle. Last year Whisnant qualified Number 1 and posted a runner-up finish at this race. So naturally, Whisnant is looking forward to this weekend 16th annual Carquest Auto Parts NHRA Nationals.
"We did very well here last year, but this is another year," said Whisnant of Stockbridge, Ga. "Lately we have not been able to get our act together, but I feel like this weekend we will have our best chance to show what this car and team can do.
"Last year it felt like we could not do anything wrong here in Seattle. We qualified on the pole and went all the way to the final round. If the tree had not malfunctioned, we would probably have won the race, but right now that is all hindsight.
"We are back to a sea-level situation at this race. We will not have to fight altitude or heat, so that should make it better for all the Pro Stock cars. The best thing we have going for us this weekend is that we have good data on this racetrack. We will go back to our notes to give us a starting point for this race. Then we will go from there.
"If we can qualify for this race, that will be a small victory for this team, and hopefully a sign we are getting back on track."
RW PERFORMANCE PRO STOCK CHEVY CAVALIER
MARK WHISNANT – DRIVER
REID WHISNANT – OWNER
CONTACT: Patti Miles-Hamlin
Warren Johnson Set to Succeed in Seattle
Posted Saturday, July 26, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
GM Performance Parts driver looks for fifth win in the Pacific Northwest
SUGAR HILL, GA., July 23, 2003 - Over the course of his illustrious career,
GM Performance Parts Grand Am driver Warren Johnson has competed in 20 NHRA
national events at Pacific Raceways. Since his first visit in 1975, when he
qualified fifth but fell to Bob Glidden in the first round, Johnson has
forged an unparalleled elimination round record at the track located in the
shadow of Mt. Rainier, with four wins in six final round appearances.
In that same period, Johnson has also witnessed a change in both the
ownership and the track name. However, as he arrives in Kent for the
Carquest Nationals, the fourteenth event of the 2003 POWERade Drag Racing
season, Johnson points out that the racing surface remains much like it was
twenty-eight years ago, which actually favors someone with his many years of
experience.
"The track at Pacific Raceways is one of the most challenging on the
circuit, and really hasn't changed much since I first raced here in 1975,"
stated Johnson. "The racing surface has a split personality. On one hand,
you have an extremely good concrete launching pad. However, once you hit
the asphalt, you have to deal with a series of bumps that are notoriously
bad.
"The winter weather tends to roughen the surface up, and since the asphalt
is so thin, they really can't address the issue by grinding it. As a
result, it is getting increasingly more difficult to stay on a successful
run all the way down the track.
"Ironically, these conditions seem to work in our favor, as I learned to
race at some places where calling it a racetrack was a rather liberal use of
the term. This has allowed me to become rather proficient at getting down
marginal surfaces, including four wins in six final rounds in Seattle."
The GM Performance Parts crew arrives in Washington on a high note, having
scored their third win of the season in Denver just a few days ago.
However, there has been little time to celebrate, as the first qualifying
session in Seattle will come less than five days after the Colorado final.
First came the lengthy drive from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific
Northwest, followed by the normal between-race maintenance. Finally, time
will be spent studying notes from previous races at Pacific Raceways, as
Johnson & Co. formulate a game plan for the weekend.
Making this assignment somewhat easier is the ever-increasing bank of
knowledge they continue to compile on their race car. Although this event
will be only their sixth with this particular chassis, all signs point to
this being a very special machine.
"We know we'll have a 300 horsepower increase from last week, but we have to
put that power down on a marginal racing surface," detailed Johnson.
"Fortunately, with every race, we're getting more and more comfortable with
this current GM Performance Parts Grand Am, and this weekend's race should
solidify the picture we have of it.
"The Denver race showed us that we have a much wider window to work in than
we expected, which should really play in our favor in Seattle. We should be
able to adapt it rather quickly to the characteristics of Pacific Raceways,
which we hope will ultimately give us a performance advantage."
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
Ten Years Later, Kurt Johnson Looks for History to Repeat Itself in Seattle
Posted Friday, July 25, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
ACDelco driver has sights set on repeating winning performance from rookie season
SUGAR HILL, GA., July 23, 2003 - Kurt Johnson is one of the standouts of
arguably the most competitive category in all of motorsports, the NHRA's Pro
Stock division. With 27 national event wins to his credit, Johnson is a
threat to win every race he enters. In the first thirteen races of the 2003
POWERade season, he has powered his ACDelco Cavalier to the winner's circle
four times in six final round appearances. Entering this weekend's Carquest
Nationals in Seattle, WA, Johnson is in a prime position to capture his
first championship.
However, when Johnson first came to Pacific Raceways in 1993, things were
very different. For example, the track was known as Seattle International
Raceway, and Johnson was a relatively unknown rookie competing in his first
full season with the "factory hot rods". Although there had been flashes of
brilliance in his first eleven races with three runner-up finishes, that
first win eluded him.
All that changed on a summer Sunday in the Pacific Northwest. After
qualifying third, Johnson eliminated stalwarts Joe Lepone and Steve Schmidt
in the first two rounds before upsetting his father (defending champion and
No. 1 qualifier) Warren Johnson in the semi-finals. Johnson then collected
his first winner's trophy by defeating Mark Pawuk in the championship round.
"I remember that day as if it was yesterday," detailed Johnson. "I was
driving Don Beverly's Cutlass, and we'd been making good runs all weekend.
Bob Glidden even told me at the top of the track that if I kept my head on
straight, that I could win.
"We won with a combination of good luck and performance. I shook the tires
against Schmidt in the second round, but he had left a spark plug wire off,
so I still able to win. I changed gear ratios before the semis and got by
Dad on a holeshot. I then left on Pawuk and never looked back. When I put
the car in second gear, it charged all the way to the finish line, and
turned that win light on. It was a memorable day."
Ten years later, Johnson returns to the Seattle area looking to duplicate
that winning performance. However, the stakes are now higher. With the
completion of this weekend's event, there will be less than ten races left
in the season. The championship battle remains extremely tight, with every
point at a premium. Armed with the combination of a powerful race car and a
history of success at this track, Johnson sees this weekend as an
opportunity to gain ground.
"Looking over the information we've gathered during the last few races, and
seeing how well our ACDelco Cavalier ran in Denver, we should be in
excellent shape in Seattle," stated Johnson. "It's a nice, wide track, with
trees everywhere - it's like racing in a campground. In fact, it reminds me
a little of Minnesota where I grew up.
"As long as we keep tire shake to a minimum and get over the bumps in good
shape, we should be able to use our power to run in the low to mid 6.70's.
If we can do that, and the driver does his job, we just might end up in the
same place we did in 1993 - the winner's circle."
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
Warren Johnson is King of the Mountain in Denver
Posted Monday, July 21, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
SUGAR HILL, GA., July 20, 2003 - GM Performance Parts Grand Am pilot Warren Johnson scored a dramatic win at today's NHRA Mile-High Nationals in Denver, CO. After qualifying ninth, Johnson defeated George Marnell, Greg Anderson and Mike Edwards in the earlier rounds to reach his third final round of the 2003 season.
Facing rival and defending Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin, Johnson recorded his quickest elapsed time of the day at 7.225 seconds, with a top speed of 191.05 mph to score his third POWERade win of the year, fourth at Bandimere Speedway, and 91st of his career.
"Today's win was extremely rewarding for our entire team," stated Johnson. "Not only does it allow our GM Performance Parts team to gain 60 points on the two drivers ahead of us, but by defeating Greg (Anderson) in the second round, we were able to keep Kurt in close proximity to the points lead. The bottom line is that it's always special when you win."
Heading into Sunday's final eliminations, a Johnson victory seemed far from certain. Although "The Professor" has been a contender for the win at any Pro Stock event contested at Bandimere Speedway for the past 20 years, throughout qualifying, the team struggled to find the right set-up to tame the combination of the thin air and tricky racing surface.
For only the sixth time in 417 starts, Johnson would start final eliminations in the ninth spot. Ironically, in his previous five starts from this position, he had not been able to advance to the second round. However, any concerns were quickly dispelled in his first round encounter against George Marnell, when Johnson bettered his qualifying effort by two hundredths, recording a 7.247-second elapsed time with a top speed of 190.46 mph to earn the round win.
"A lot of our wounds in qualifying were self-inflicted," detailed Johnson. "We had tested here for three days after the St. Louis event. Kurt was exceptionally strong in the front part of the track, but weak in the back half, while I was exactly opposite. We looked at our notes at the shop and tried to figure out exactly what we needed to do to adjust both cars.
"Kurt found the sweet spot on his Cavalier right off the bat. Our GM Performance Parts Grand Am is much newer, with a chassis whose structural integrity is radically different than anything else out here. Therefore, it took us a little longer to get it dialed in. This is only our fifth race with this car, and it's coming around nicely."
Johnson's assignment would not get any easier in the second round, as he would face No. 1 qualifier and current POWERade points leader Greg Anderson, who had recorded the quickest elapsed time in every session throughout the weekend. With the 2003 season entering its second half, this race took on added significance, as Johnson could ill afford to let his opponent extend his lead in the title chase.
As expected, Johnson responded to the challenge, using a near-perfect .013-second reaction time to gain over a one hundredth of a second starting line advantage, and then out ran Anderson with a 7.245 second elapsed time and a top speed of 190.48 mph to score the all-important victory.
"With ten races left in the season, we are definitely in the hunt. With the gains Kurt and I have made in performance, especially relative to warmer conditions, I think we're in excellent shape. We're still figuring out all the nuances on this GM Performance Parts Grand Am, and once we do, it's going to be an exceptional race car. Kurt's obviously in a better position than I am, but we're doing our best to keep pecking away at it."
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
Kurt Johnson's day ends early in Denver
Posted Monday, July 21, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
Kurt Johnson entered Sunday's final eliminations of the Mile-High Nationals in Denver, CO, as one of the favorites to take home the win. Throughout, Johnson's ACDelco Cavalier was consistently among the quickest cars at Bandimere Speedway, posting the second quickest time in each of the four qualifying sessions.
Starting from the second position, Johnson's strong performance continued in the first round, as he posted a 7.238-second elapsed time (second quickest of the round) with a top speed of 190.38 mph to eliminate Taylor Lastor.
This set the stage for a second round match-up with Jeg Coughlin. Although Johnson recorded the quickest time of the round at 7.242 seconds with a top speed of 190.24 mph, it was not enough to overcome his opponent's starting line advantage, prematurely ending Johnson's day.
Fortunately, Johnson's championship hopes were not seriously affected, as his father, Warren Johnson, also defeated current POWERade points leader Greg Anderson in the second round.
"I knew I was late when I let the clutch out. The tree happened to be on the quick side of the tumbler, and it seemed to go green as soon as I turned on the bottom bulb. Our ACDelco Cavalier made another fantastic run, nice, smooth and straight, but it was just an unfortunate situation that we weren't able to gain any points.
"Dad certainly saved us by beating Greg, but you hate to miss any opportunity. Fortunately, it's easier to fix the driver than the race car. My lights were good in qualifying and in the first round, but I was just off on that run, and it cost us.
"However, we're happy with how the car's performing. It's extremely consistent, and I'm looking forward to running it at sea level to see what it can do. We'll head on to Seattle, where we've done well in the past, and see what we can do there. We're excited at the potential."
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
BAZEMORE SLICES HIS FUNNY CAR POINTS DEFICIT
Posted Monday, July 21, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
DENVER, Colo. (July 20, 2003) - Whit Bazemore benefited from his teammate Scotty Cannon's defeat of Funny Car points leader Tony Pedregon in the first round of eliminations and by advancing to the second round to cut his points deficit to 124 out of first place (1143-1019).
Driving the Matco Tools-sponsored Mopar 'Bling-Bling' Dodge Stratus Funny Car here at the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals, Bazemore sent Terry Haddock home packing in the first round, ousting him with a 5.118-second pass at 290.94 mph under the heat of the afternoon Colorado sun.
The second round found the two-time winner here at Bandimere Speedway facing Pedregon's team owner John Force. Force lucked out with his .017 reaction time to Bazemore's .084, which could easily have resulted in a red light, but that's all it took for Force to grab the victory with a 5.131-second pass at 290.69 mph to Bazemore's 5.202/278.23.
"We had a great opportunity to make up a lot of points," said Bazemore. "Scotty did a tremendous job in the first round going down the race track and taking him (Pedregon) out and we were just a little bit too conservative against Force. It's a fine line between under-performing and over-performing and smoking the tires. We had to go down the race track and we could have been quite a bit more aggressive as it turns out with our Matco Tools Dodge this weekend and been more competitive against Force. As it was, the numbers weren't there and we got beat.
"I had my best light (reaction time) of the weekend," he added, "and it was equal to my teammate Gary Scelzi's in the first round, and Gary and I virtually had the same 60-foot times. It's frustrating, trust me. I want to be the best all the time at everything I do."
The NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series heads to Seattle next weekend for the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at Pacific Raceways on July 25-27.
DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Contact: Judy Stropus
Bazemore Runs to Second Round
Posted Monday, July 21, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
MORRISON, Colo. (July 20, 2003) – Whit Bazemore drove his Mopar ‘Bling Bling’ Dodge Stratus to the second round of eliminations during today’s Mopar Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway.
Bazemore, who is also sponsored by Matco Tools, ran into the buzz saw known as John Force. It was a close drag race, but John Force ran a 5.131-second elapsed time at 290.69 mph to beat out Bazemore’s 5.202-second pass at 278.23 mph. The Indianapolis resident advanced to the second round when he defeated Terry Haddock in round one with a 5.118-second elapsed time at 290.94 mph.
“We just didn’t turn it up enough for the second round against Force,” Bazemore said. “We got beat -- it’s that simple. It’s a long second half of the year and we have more wins in us this season.
“We had a good weekend because we got to know a lot of people from Mopar,” Bazemore continued. “They got to see how our team operates and what we’re made of. It was a really good weekend in that regard.”
The Oakley-sponsored Dodge Stratus of Gary Scelzi barely missed upsetting No. 1 qualifier Tim Wilkerson in today’s opening round. Scelzi held a slight .013-second elapsed time off the starting line, but a 5.130-second elapsed time at 296.11 mph wasn’t enough to corral Wilkerson’s 5.102-second pass at 287.35 mph.
"For getting beat again, we're pretty happy," Scelzi said. "We're using some of the new clutch stuff. We actually got a little more aggressive with it early, but when you get behind in qualifying and you don't have that shot to see where you can go, that's what happens when you have to run the fast guy the first round. Everything went right for Tim.
"We got the car to not smoke the tires," Scelzi added. "It ran 296 mph and dropped a cylinder down there, which probably cost us the race, but it went perfectly straight. The motor is perfect, the clutch is still soft on a hot race track. The race track was 125 degrees, which is probably what we're going to have in Seattle or Sonoma.
"I'm sure we're not done with this hot weather yet. So, that tells us that we've got a really good baseline when we go to Seattle now or Sonoma -- either one -- so that's going to work. We're going to get four more runs, hopefully, if the weather is good, to try some more things. I think the bugaboos are a little bit behind us now.”
Johnson, Alderman & Stanfield Out After One…
Gremlins struck Allen Johnson and the Mopar Parts Dodge Stratus in the first round of Pro Stock eliminations. Jim Yates ran a 7.257-second elapsed time at 190.06 mph to beat Johnson’s 7.309-second lap at 189.31 mph.
“We hurt the engine on that run,” Johnson said. “We spun a little too hard. We didn’t run like we should have all weekend and we pushed it a little hard on the tune up there. We burnt a piston. We’ll get off this hill and go to Seattle where the conditions are normal.
“It’s always fast up there,” Johnson continued. “We’re going back to our St. Louis-style Pro Stock tune up and consistently be up in the top five and go some rounds.”
Mopar driver Darrell Alderman lost in the first round to Ron Krisher. Despite holding a .023 to .048 starting-line advantage, Krisher was able to run down Alderman with a 7.276-second lap at 189.60 mph. Alderman clocked a 7.314-second elapsed time at 188.91 mph.
“It was a good drag race,” Alderman said. “We went in there and didn’t have lane choice and my car had been going down the right-hand lane better. We’ll just go to Seattle, get back down to sea level, and see if we can’t get back in the top half of the show.”
Greg Stanfield and the DBP Enterprises Dodge Neon fell in the first round to Jeg Coughlin, Jr. Stanfield held a .020 advantage at the start, but was unable to hold off a quicker Coughlin, Jr., in the end.
David Harris, Cox Marketing Group
Public Relations Manager
Team Mopar
Dixon, Force, Warren Johnson, and Hale Win the NHRA POWERade Mopar Mile High Nationals
Posted Monday, July 21, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
RESULTS
Atlanta Dragway Results by Tim Glover
Posted Monday, July 21, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
THOUSANDS OF SPECTATORS ENJOY FIRST ANNUAL TUNERS GONE WILD SHOW
by Tim Glover
(Commerce, GA - July 19, 2003) "For the first year, we thought we had a
great turnout. We appreciate everyone who came and look forward to next
year," stated promoter Mike Hayes about the first annual Tuners Gone Wild
event, presented by Hayes Mopar Speedshop, at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce,
GA. He already has plans in the works for next year's edition of Tuners
Gone Wild. Hundreds of cars and thousands of fans were on the property
enjoying a multitude of events, including a drag race, exhibition runs by
the Mopar teams of Mike Crawford and Shaun Carlson, a large car show, wheels
of all sizes (mostly large) on the vendor's midway, three bands, a bikini
contest, a chassis dynomometer and much much more. The event was geared for
the next wave of hot rods, the sport compacts. Sport compacts are both
imported and domestic late model cars, where performance oriented people get
the most out of a little engine displacement.
The Mopar PVO (Performance Vehicle Operations) trailer was on hand with all
the latest four cylinder hot rod parts for the Neon and PT cruisers they
sell. Mike Crawford made some killer passes with his '03 Dodge Neon SRT-4
(Street Racing Technology - four cylinder), running as quick as 8.85 seconds
at 168.90mph on Friday. He broke his three speed automatic transmission
Saturday morning, but had it back together by the afternoon for another
exhibition pass. The car had the same tires as many of the old model
musclecars that run at Atlanta Dragway on other weekends, 28" x 10.5" M/T
slicks and 24" x 4.5" M/T front runners. The major difference was the
slicks were on the front end of his '03 Neon SRT-4 and the front (rear)
runners held up the back end of the race car. These attractions and many
more are sure to bring an even larger crowd back when the second annual
Tuners Gone Wild show comes back to Commerce in 2004.
An audio competition was held, and several cars rocked the place. One of
the more serious entries was the '88 Ford Aerostar Kicker van, sponsored by
Kicker and belonging to Greg Welch from Clayton, GA. It is equipped with
Mustang running gear, including a 302 engine. That engine was needed to
pull three specially built alternators that keep 28 batteries charged up.
The batteries have to support eighteen 1500watt amplifiers. The machine was
registered at 173 decibels, and the sound pressure was so great the door
latches refuse to hold the doors shut, forcing the owner to literally bolt
them shut for competition. The one inch thick lexan windshield is just
enough to hold all the wild sound waves inside.
The car show featured many wild machines, both imported and domestic.
Several car clubs brought all their machines to be admired, including Wicked
Onez from Gainesville, GA and Perfected Images from Lawrenceville, GA. They
enjoyed a day at the track as well as the camaraderie of their friends.
Killer stereos, large wheels, fast dump air suspensions, lots of chrome and
high tech gadgets set these cars apart from your regular daily driver, even
though many of these machines are driven daily.
The bikini contest was well attended, and at the end of the day, Nicki
Black was crowned Miss Import South. Joy Thomas, Debbie Hamilton, Shanna
Walsh and Julie Hyatt took second through fifth place. Another big
attraction was the D&D Mobile Dyno Services Chassis Dyno. Lots of fans
witnessed street cars being tested for the real power they actually put to
the ground. Although the numbers displayed on the output screen might not
have been what was expected, when an Acura Integra put an actual 147
horsepower to the dyno roller, the crowd was impressed.
Arash Mahdavi, one of the Mahdavi Motorsports team, was on hand with their
'90 Honda "CR-NS-X", a highly modified CRX. The team put an entire Acura
NSX running gear into the car, making it a rear wheel drive, turbocharged V6
beauty. They made several exhibition passes, netting 11.50 second, 123mph
passes.
The drag races were held in the style currently favored by many sport
compact racers, heads-up, no breakout, winner take all. Six classes were
contested to even the fields up. David Carson from Pendleton, SC won FWD
(Front Wheel Drive) Stock, Jeff Davis from Canton, GA won FWD - One Power
Adder, Trinh Nguyen from Duluth, GA won FWD - Two Power Adders, David Cross
from Lawrenceville, GA won RWD (Rear Wheel Drive) Stock, Keith Fortner from
Ballground, GA won RWD - One Power Adder and Daniel Willie from Atlanta, GA
had the baddest of them all, winning RWD - Two Power Adders with his high
nine second, street legal '94 Supra.
FWD STOCK CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH
Win: David Carson '03 Sport Compact Pendleton, SC 13.63 102.58
R/U: Peter Heu '03 Sport Compact Commerce, GA 13.75 98.72
Semi: Cliff Bassett '00 Honda Stockbridge, GA
Semi: Matt Perron '03 Sport Compact Suwanee, GA
------------------------------------------------
FWD ONE POWER ADDER CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH
Win: Jeff Davis '03 Dodge Canton, GA 14.88 94.41
R/U: Robert Rock, Jr. '03 Focus Auburn, GA 15.43 88.04
Semi: Jonna Hamel '03 Sport Compact Alpharetta, GA
------------------------------------------------
FWD TWO POWER ADDERS CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH
Win: Trinh Nguyen '92 Civic Duluth, GA 11.38 132.52
R/U:
Semi:
------------------------------------------------
RWD STOCK CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH
Win: David Cross '03 Sport Compact Lawrenceville, GA 13.86 103.42
R/U:
Semi:
------------------------------------------------
RWD ONE POWER ADDER CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH
Win: Keith Fortner '03 Sport Compact Ballground, GA 11.63 129.27
R/U: Patrycia Wodecka '94 Supra Snellville, GA 12.64 116.30
Semi: Mystery Racer '03 Sport Compact United States
------------------------------------------------
RWD TWO POWER ADDERS CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH
Win: Daniel Willie '94 Supra Atlanta, GA 9.97 145.89
R/U:
Semi:
5th Annual Buford Car Show Photos
Posted Sunday, July 20, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
I've posted a few photos from the car show with more to come as I have time.
BUFORD CAR SHOW PHOTOS
Kurt Johnson Remains Consistent, Qualifies Second in Denver
Posted Sunday, July 20, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
Kurt Johnson completed a very impressive qualifying session on Saturday at the Mile-High Nationals in Denver, CO, capturing the second position. In fact, on each of his four attempts at Bandimere Speedway, Johnson's ACDelco Cavalier posted the second quickest elapsed time among the 27 competitors vying for a spot in Sunday's final eliminations. His best effort came on Saturday morning, when he posted an elapsed time of 7.227 seconds with a top speed of 190.51 mph.
"The ACDelco Cavalier was extremely consistent throughout qualifying, running as straight as can be. I also had a good day on the tree, with a .30 and a .10 on the tree today. If I can continue that tomorrow, I should be able to go some rounds and earn some POWERade points. That's what it's all about right now. It's definitely hardball out here, but we're not about to give up."
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
Warren Johnson Will Start Ninth at the Mile-High Nationals
Posted Sunday, July 20, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
On the strength of a 7.265 second, 190.82 mph pass made on his second attempt on Friday evening, Warren Johnson qualified his GM Performance Parts Grand Am ninth for Sunday's final eliminations of the Mile-High Nationals in Denver, CO.
As Saturday's conditions prevented any major changes in the line-up, the Pro Stock contingent used their two attempts to fine-tune their set-ups for Bandimere Speedway. Despite posting the seventh quickest time in the morning session, Johnson continued to search for ways to better his performance for race day, efforts that were hindered by a mechanical problem on his final attempt.
"We've been fighting to hit the set-up on our GM Performance Parts Grand Am all weekend. We had run well in testing here a few weeks ago, and the conditions this weekend are quite similar. However, despite not having made any changes since then, we're just not getting off the starting line as well as we were a few weeks ago.
"On top of that, we lost a run tonight when a water fitting was left off, and that is information we certainly could have used. We'll spend the time between now and tomorrow's first round going over our car and our notes to find the solution. We have our work cut out for us, but we're up to it."
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
BAZEMORE TAKES NO. 3 AFTER SHORT RAIN DELAY
Posted Sunday, July 20, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
DENVER, Colo. (July 19, 2003) - Whit Bazemore had to endure sitting in his Matco Tools Iron Eagle-sponsored Mopar 'Bling-Bling' Dodge Stratus Funny Car for nearly a half-hour before he was able to run the final qualifying session today. Although the skies looked clear and sunny to the casual observer, slight sprinkles delayed the completion of the final round for two pairs of Funny Cars. Bazemore jumped out of the car for a short period of time, then returned to face his fierce rival Tony Pedregon in a qualifying match-up.
Both cars were aiming for the No. 1 spot, and neither one accomplished that feat. Bazemore fell to No. 3 from his No. 2 spot (based on his 5.061/300.00 run from last night), after Pedregon posted a 5.034/301.74 to move into second. Tim Wilkerson, who earned the No. 1 position last night, held on as low qualifier.
"We are a little bit disappointed because the conditions were there to set low e.t of the weekend," said the two-time U.S. Nationals champion who's second in Funny Car point standings. "We were trying to do that. We were just a little bit too aggressive with the Matco Tools Dodge Stratus - we took some wing out of it - so we spun the tires down track a little bit. But, I think we're in a great position for tomorrow. We ended up third and I think Lee (Beard, crew chief) and the team have a pretty good handle on the conditions here when the track gets hot, and I think it's certainly going to be hot tomorrow again.
Having to wait for the rain to stop and the track to be cleaned was no big deal, he said. "You're ready to go and you're ready to get it on and get the job done and if you have to wait, that's part of it. It was definitely raining a little bit. I feel like we could have run in those conditions, and the team does, but if we'd smoked the tires, then we would have wished we had waited."
Bazemore will face Terry Haddock in first round of final eliminations tomorrow.
DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Contact: Judy Stropus
Whisnant to Sit Out Denver
Posted Sunday, July 20, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
MORRISON, Colo. – Mark Whisnant, driver of the RW Performance / Snap-On Tools Chevrolet Cavalier has failed to qualify for the 24th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals. Whisnant’s best attempt of the weekend came in the Friday night session of qualifying where he ran a 7.302 / 188.96 mph which would only be good enough for the 17th position and out of Sundays race.
“I am very disappointed,” said Whisnant. “We are trying our hardest, but we are coming up short. It is hard to keep a positive attitude, but we are trying to keep our heads up. We are working hard trying to get this RW Performance / Snap-On Tools car back on track. We know that with time and hard work it will come back around, but right now it is hard to see that light at the end of the tunnel.”
RW PERFORMANCE PRO STOCK CHEVY CAVALIER
MARK WHISNANT – DRIVER
REID WHISNANT – OWNER
CONTACT: Patti Miles-Hamlin
Mopar Places Three Into Pro Stock Field - Bazemore Takes Home Third
Posted Sunday, July 20, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
MORRISON, Colo. (July 19, 2003) -- Allen Johnson and Darrell Alderman paced the Mopar factory Pro Stock effort for tomorrow’s Mopar Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway.
Johnson, who wields the Mopar Parts Dodge Stratus R/T, maintained the 13th-qualifying position with a 7.269-second elapsed time at 189.68 mph. The Greeneville, Tenn., resident will face off against Jim Yates in round one.
“We still missed it down low a little bit,” said Johnson, talking about his fourth-round qualifying pass. “It felt like we made up some ground in a positive direction on that last one. We had a couple of hundredths left in it. We felt like we should have run a 7.28 or a 7.29 (second elapsed time). Those numbers would be in the hunt.
“This track gets really tricky,” Johnson said. “I think we had a bad set of tires during the first few rounds of qualifying. We changed tires for that run, but we needed to adjust a little more. When you put something new (tires) on like that, you’re not sure which way to go. We feel like we’re ready for tomorrow and we think we can go some rounds.”
Three-time POWERade Pro Stock World Champion Darrell Alderman qualified right behind his Johnson & Johnson Racing teammate. Alderman’s Hemi-powered Dodge Stratus clicked off a 7.279-second lap at 189.92 mph, setting up a first round match up with Ron Krisher. Alderman defeated Krisher in the first round of last year’s Mopar Mile-High Nationals.
“I think we could have run just a little bit better,” Alderman said. “We tried some new tires on our last run, but we spun them a little more than we would have liked. We’re going back to our baseline tomorrow and hopefully go some rounds.
“The track should be hot for tomorrow,” Alderman added. “If it’s going to be as hot as it was today, it will be a challenge for us.”
The DBP Enterprises Dodge Neon of Greg Stanfield landed the 10th-qualified slot after running a 7.266-second elapsed time at 189.90 mph. The Bossier City, La., racer has a round one match with defending Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin, Jr.
“We need to get a handle on this car,” Stanfield said. “We’re backing up. We’re going to go back to a baseline and go from there. I don’t think lane choice is going to mean a lot, and if we go back to what we first qualified with, we should be okay. I also want to get him (Jeg) on the starting line too.”
Larry Morgan was unable to crack the top 16 with his Mopar Parts Dodge Stratus. The Newark, Ohio resident ran to a 7.312-second elapsed time at 188.57 mph. Morgan’s Mopar teammate and 2002 NHRA Rookie of the Year Gene Wilson also missed the show. The 30-year-old hotshoe ran a weekend best time of 7.350 seconds at 188.25 mph.
Bazemore Takes Third; Scelzi Grabs the 16th Slot…
Matco Tools Funny Car driver Whit Bazemore, who is piloting the Mopar ‘Bling Bling’ Dodge Stratus this weekend, maneuvered his way to the third-qualified position with a 5.061-second elapsed time at 300.00 mph. The Indianapolis resident will take on Terry Haddock in the first round of eliminations.
“We are a little disappointed because the conditions were right to grab the pole,” said Bazemore, on his 5.19 second fourth session pass. “We were trying to get the top spot on that last one. We took some spoiler away from the car, and we were just a little bit too aggressive for these conditions.
“It’s still been a decent weekend so far,” Bazemore continued. “The heat is pretty amazing out here. It’s the same for everyone and we’re fortunate that we can adjust the aerodynamics on this Dodge Stratus body. We can turn up the downforce a lot more than the others. That will give us an advantage and we know where we are for tomorrow. We just have to get more control on our engine and clutch. The guy that wins tomorrow will be the one that spins the tires the least.”
Gary Scelzi squeaked into the field with his Oakley-sponsored Dodge Stratus Funny Car. Despite improving his elapsed time at 5.192 seconds at 287.84 mph, it wasn’t enough to move up the elimination ladder. The Fresno, Calif., resident’s round one opponent is No. 1 qualifier Tim Wilkerson.
“We’ve been behind with our superchargers this weekend,” Scelzi said. “We got to the point where we just had to get down the race track. We figured we could have run a 5.13-second elapsed time and that’s what we were trying for. We had a supercharger eat itself on that run. It was a blessing that it actually made it to the finish line. We spun the tires and did everything that we shouldn’t have done. Tomorrow is going to be hot and slippery. We’ll see. This place is one of those places that’s like no other, but we have a few tricks up our sleeves.”
David Harris, Cox Marketing Group
Public Relations Manager
Team Mopar
Dixon, Wilkerson, Anderson and Tonglet are Low Qualifiers at the NHRA POWERade Mopar Mile-High Nationals
Posted Sunday, July 20, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
History was made in Pro Stock Bike when GT Tonglet qualified his Harley Davidson #1 position. This was the first pole for H-D. Fred Collis qualified #3 with a 7.569 @ 173.85.
Whit Bazemore qualified #3 in Funny Car with a 5.061 @ 300.00.
Kurt Johnson ( #2 - 7.227 @ 190.51 ), Warren Johnson ( #9 - 7.265 @ 190.67 ), and Terry Adams ( #16 - 7.293 @ 189.04 Team Barry Grant ) were the Georgia Pro Stock qualifiers. Barry Grant (#17 - 7.296 @ 189.44 )and Mark Whisnant ( #18 - 7.302 @ 188.96 )just missed the program while Gene Wilson ( #24 - 7.350 @ 188.25 )and Chris Garner ( #27 - 7.654 177.72 )were farther down the qualifyng list.
NHRA Saturday Recap
KJ Slots Second on Friday in Denver
Posted Saturday, July 19, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
After uncharacteristically qualifying in the bottom half of the field at the last two races, Kurt Johnson and the ACDelco crew went to work on their race car. As part of their preparation for this weekend's Mile-High Nationals in Denver, they went over their Cavalier from nose to tail, replacing any part they deemed suspect.
The team's hard work was rewarded during Friday's qualifying sessions, as Johnson was among the quickest and fastest cars on each run. After opening with a 7.300-second effort on his first attempt, K.J. came back in the evening to post a 7.230-second elapsed time with a top speed of 190.38 mph to place second midway through qualifying.
"We're pretty pleased with our ACDelco Cavalier. For the last few races, it did not want to go straight, so we did some work to it over the last few weeks, replacing several pieces in the rear suspension, and today we had two perfect runs, straight as a string.
"We may not have run a 7.21 (the time of current No. 1 qualifier Greg Anderson), but we certainly had the potential to. Right now, we're happy to be number two - we were tired of qualifying in the bottom half of the field on our last attempt, as we did at the last two races.
"We'll keep fine-tuning it tomorrow. It might be quicker in the morning, so we could still have a shot at the top spot. "
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
Sitting Ninth, WJ Looks to Step Up on Saturday in Denver
Posted Saturday, July 19, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
Warren Johnson had a solid first day of qualifying at the Mile-High Nationals in Denver, CO. His best effort was a 7.265 second, 190.82 mph pass made during the evening session at Bandimere Speedway, placing the GM Performance Parts Grand Am ninth heading into Saturday's final two attempts. Although this performance would satisfy many of the 28 competitors attempting to make Sunday's final eliminations, Johnson and crew immediately got to work looking for ways to improve their standing.
"We certainly left ourselves room to improve. On the first run, we blew the tires off, while tonight it was lazy in low gear, locking the clutch up for no apparent reason. There was nothing wrong with the top speed, it just didn't cover the first sixty feet as fast as it should have. It's obviously a problem that we will we will have to fix for tomorrow, and get our GM Performance Parts Grand Am back at the top of the chart.*
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
Bazemore Makes Statement With Dodge Stratus - Johnson & Alderman Lead Mopar Pro Stock Attack
Posted Saturday, July 19, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
MORRISON, Colo. (July 18, 2003) – Whit Bazemore unveiled his new Mopar ‘Bling Bling’ Dodge Stratus paint scheme yesterday. He then uncovered the power of Schumacher Racing today by nabbing the provisional second slot for Sunday’s Mopar Mile-High Nationals at picturesque Bandimere Speedway.
Bazemore’s Dodge Stratus, which also wears the Matco Tools colors, logged a 5.061-second elapsed time at 300.00 mph. The Indianapolis resident commented on the group behind his efforts.
“Every amount of success we have had this year can be attributed to all the hard work put in by (aero-thermal engineer) Terry DeKoninck, the Dodge Motorsports Engineering staff and this Schumacher Racing team,” Bazemore said. “They are all apart of this success. One of the keys to being successful up here in the thin air is having a lot of downforce. We have that with this Dodge Stratus.
“We’re also battling a lot hotter conditions than we’re used too,” Bazemore continued. “At this altitude, the sun is also hotter on this race track. It was important to run well tonight. Tomorrow we’re going to be working on our race day set up.”
Gary Scelzi broke out the Dodge Dealers Dodge Stratus Funny Car in the second round of qualifying tonight. The California resident smoked the tires, but was still able to nab the 16th slot with a 5.906-second elapsed time.
“We tested at Indianapolis a couple of weeks ago to make the car not so sensitive,” Scelzi said. “We know we have an animal on our hands. We know its fast, but it doesn’t repeat, and we can’t win races that way. We made some changes in our clutch department and we also tried some things with the track conditions in the 130-degree range. It was still too sensitive.
“Our first run was a nice, easy run,” Scelzi added. “We came back and wanted to get after it tonight. The numbers we ran up to the 400-foot mark would have put us in the 4.90-second area. It just smoked the tires. We just got to the spot that the track wouldn’t take it. Even with maximum downforce, it didn’t save us. We’re okay though. We run at three and around seven and the conditions should be good for us.”
Johnson Collects Provisional 13th Slot; Alderman 14th…
Allen Johnson and his Hemi-powered Mopar Parts Dodge Stratus topped the Mopar factory contingent following the first day of qualifying. Johnson collected the 13th slot after posting a 7.269-second elapsed time at 189.68 mph. The Tennessee native described his day.
“We went out in these conditions last week and went a 7.22 (elapsed time),” Johnson said. “We’re giving it up down low because we’re spinning so bad. I don’t know if the track is prepped differently or what, but we’re sure chasing it.
“We have a quite a bit left,” Johnson added. “We think we could have gone a 7.22 or a 7.23 (elapsed time) that last time. We’re not very happy because we’ve come out here to win the pole. The track should be a little warmer tomorrow, and not quite as good, but the air should be better, so it will be about the same. We can still jump up there.”
Factory Mopar teammate Darrell Alderman, a three-time POWERade Pro Stock World Champion, grabbed the provisional 11th-qualifying slot with a 7.279-second elapsed time at 189.92 mph. The Morehead, Ky., resident talked about his first two runs in Colorado’s thin air.
“I think I could have done a little bit better job that time,” said the 28-time NHRA national event winner. “We feel we have a couple thousandths left in it. The temperatures should be a little cooler tomorrow and we feel that our 10:30 run tomorrow morning will make the conditions a lot better. We’ll go out there tomorrow and get them.”
Greg Stanfield pushed his DBP Enterprises Hemi-powered Dodge Neon to the 10th position. The former multi-time Sportsman category NHRA World Champion clicked off a 7.266-second elapsed time at 189.90 mph and took home the provisional 10th-qualified position.
“We didn’t make very good runs out there,” Stanfield said. “I’m thrilled with where we are in the standings considering that. We need to work on the clutch a little bit and we’ll see what we can do for tomorrow.”
Larry Morgan barely missed making it into the provisional Pro Stock field. The Newark, Ohio resident, logged a 7.321-second pass at 188.46 mph.
“We’ll be fine for tomorrow,” Morgan said. “We’re working on some shock stuff because the car jumps up off the line. We should be in good shape for tomorrow because the conditions should be a little better in the morning.”
It wasn’t the day 2002 NHRA Rookie of the Year Gene Wilson was looking for. After prematurely shutting off his Mopar Parts Dodge Stratus in the first round of eliminations, the automatic timers counted Wilson out in the second round.
David Harris, Cox Marketing Group
Public Relations Manager
Team Mopar
BAZEMORE QUALIFIES NO. 2 BEFORE MOUNTAIN RAINS CAME
Posted Saturday, July 19, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
DENVER, Colo. (July 18, 2003) - Whit Bazemore held the No. 1 qualifying position for a short time in tonight's second round of qualifying with his 5.061-second elapsed time at a speed of 300.00 mph. Although his speed in the Matco Tools Iron Eagle-sponsored Mopar 'Bling Bling' Dodge Stratus was the fastest of the day, he had to settle for second spot behind Tim Wilkerson's 5.007/297.16. Two Funny Cars didn't get to qualify as the remainder of this qualifying session was cancelled due to rain and lightning.
Bazemore's first round of qualifying went up in smoke.
"The first run was in the heat of the day and we just smoked the tires; we were a little too aggressive at about two and a half seconds into the run. No big deal, really. We were on the edge, and we were just over the edge a little bit. It's very important that we ran well tonight. That will allow us to concentrate on race day setups for tomorrow and try to be consistent and quick on what will be a very tricky race track.
"We're at about 6000 feet here at Bandimere and that altitude presents a very specific set of problems that we don't encounter any other time during the season. With the thin air there's a lack of pressure on the race car as it goes down the track and that translates into a lack of downforce. So, it's very important to have your downforce maximized on your race car. We're fortunate having Dodge come on board with the Stratus R/T; we're in a position to have significantly more downforce than we had last time we were here with the car we ran last year. I think that will certainly play to our favor tomorrow and Sunday on race day. It doesn't guarantee we're going to win; it does give us a little bit of an advantage that helps us be competitive with some of the other teams out there."
When asked if he was disappointed by not being low qualifier, he responded, "Well, yeah, but when we ran 5.06 it was low at the time. We didn't think it would be No. 1 for very long. Honestly, Lee (Beard, crew chief) thought it would be good for fourth or fifth and I kind of agreed with that, but as it is we're No. 2."
DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Contact: Judy Stropus
McClenathan, Wilkerson, Anderson, and Tonglet Lead Day One Pro Qualifying at the NHRA POWERade Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals
Posted Saturday, July 19, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
After two Pro qualifying sessions ( 1 for Top Fuel ), Cory McClenathan, Tim Wilkerson, Greg Anderson, and GT Tonglet are on top.
NHRA Friday Recap
Whit Bazemore holds down the #2 spot in Funny Car.
Georgia Pro Stock racers Kurt Johnson ( #2-7.230 @ 190.38 ), Warren Johnson ( #9-7.265 @ 190.67 ), and Barry Grant ( #16-7.296 @ 189.44 ) are in the field for now. Mark Whisnant ( #17-7.302 @ 188.96 ), Terry Adams ( #18-7.304 @ 189.26 ), Chris Garner ( #26-7.691 @ 180.19 ), and Gene Wilson ( #27-10.253 @ 96.96 )will have two more chances on Saturday to qualify for eliminations.
Pro Stock Qualifying Order
Fred Collis is qualified #11 in Pro Stock Bike.
Whit Bazemore Interview
Posted Saturday, July 19, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
Mopar Pro Bazemore ready for his favorite race
Whisnant Is Looking Forward to Denver
Posted Thursday, July 17, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
MORRISON, Colo. – Mark Whisnant, driver of the RW Performance / Snap-On Tools Chevrolet Cavalier, is one of the few Pro Stock racers that looks forward to attending the 24th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Denver, Colo.
"I think Denver has been given a bad rap," said Whisnant of Stockbridge, Ga. "Everyone dreads coming to Denver, but I have always done pretty well here.
"Denver’s bad reputation comes from the high altitude and the conditions we have to race under. Everyone will be down 300 horsepower, not just us. So to be successful in Denver you have to be able to change your tune-up for the conditions you have. That is the same thing we do at every race. The only difference is that the changes we make for this weekend will be more extreme.
"My crew chiefs Markus Svensson and Gary Pearman have made many trips up this mountain. They know the track well, and will know what this Cavalier will need to qualify.
"I feel good about Denver, and I feel good about our chance of qualifying. This has always been a good race for me, and I don’t expect this years race to be any different."
Qualifying at the 24th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals will begin on July 18, and continue on July 18. Eliminations will take place Sunday July 20 at 12:30 MT.
Whisnant Quick Facts
Currently 17th in 2003 NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Points (290 points)
Finished 10th 2002 NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Points
Career Best ET 6.772 (Houston 2003)
Career Best MPH 202.73 (Englishtown 2002)
RW PERFORMANCE PRO STOCK CHEVY CAVALIER
MARK WHISNANT – DRIVER
REID WHISNANT – OWNER
CONTACT: Patti Miles-Hamlin
Ed Miles' Report from the York US30 Musclecar Madness Event
Posted Wednesday, July 16, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
York US30 Musclecar Madness-July 10,11,12,13
Our trip got underway around 3am on Thursday, with Fred Simmons, Bob
Beasley, myself, all guests of Georgia Drag Racing Legend, The "Georgia
Shaker" himself, Mr. Hubert Platt. It was an honor and a special treat for
all of us to be provided the opportunity to be included in the
accommodations and activities arranged by Hubert through Darwin Doll and
Bill Stiles. We all give special thanks to them for including us.
The 12 hour trip up went well despite about a thirty minute diversion
because the driver (me) missed peeling off on I-81 north and we went through
the huge tunnel leading to Bluefield W.Va., and after getting directions
from a local we got to ride back through the mountain and were on the right
path again.
After checking in and a short break we were off again to the York Expo
Center for a reception cookout for the attendees and their guests (Thanks
again Hubert).We met Tom Sneden and Dave Reitz of the famous Bob Banning
Dodge Team. They raced many Dodges but the one they brought to the show was
a 1964-1/2, one of only fifty built, completely restored, and ironically the
only one of that era that they never actually campaigned. Other attendees I
got to chat with were Linda Vaughn and Jack Duffy of Hurst Shifter Fame,
Malcolm Durham and his lovely wife and Mr.. Julio Marra, east coast drag
racing promoter. Julio shared a story of an event he held on a Saturday
night in 1968 at Capitol Raceway featuring a Miss America of Drag racing
contest won by Linda Vaughn who had brought the other Hurst girls, a
mini-skirt race of the women fans attending, racing with Della Woods and
Paula Murphy and a late entry by a woman he got a call from that he didn't
even know of at the time by the name of Shirley Muldowney. He agreed to let
her come and she showed up with a twin engined dragster! Our York Expo
reception event concluded with King and Marshall team firing up their Top
Fuel dragster for all to enjoy.
Since Friday's show did not open until 6pm, we used the free time during the
day to hook up with Billy"High Gear" West, to travel through the beautiful
southern Pennsylvania farmland northward to Carlisle, Pa. for the All
Chrysler Nationals featuring not only antique and classic cars, the mighty
MOPAR musclecars of the sixties and seventies, many restored police cruisers
representing several states, thousand of car parts and collectibles and a
look into the future with the Chrysler Concept Cars. Included were the Dodge
Magnum, Super 8, and Kahuna, the Jeep Willys2, and although the Plymouth
brand is no more, their sports car concept of the Pronto Spyder two seater
convertible was included in the display. We had to cut it short to head back
to York for the Friday evening event, where we found automobiles including
Tony Nancy's 22 JR, Bruce Larson's USA-1 Camaro, two cars of Ronnie Sox, one
of "Grumpy" Jenkins cars, Joe Jacono's beautiful "Rolling Stoned" funny car,
the "Old Reliable" 63-Z11, 68-Camaro, 62-Chevy, Bud Faubel's '64 Dodge S/S,
Rod Saboury's '63 Pro Street Corvette, Malcolm Durham's '65 Chevelle "Strip
Blazer", Pittman and Edward's '41 Willys, Boss Hydro '33 Willys AA/GS, Hill
Bros.Willys Gasser, the Pete's Patriot '69 AMX Factory S/S, Lou Sgro's '71
Challenger F/C, Scotto & Blevins '55 Chevy Nomad, the "Daddy Warbucks"
Falcon and the list goes on and on.
Signing autographs were Linda Vaughn, "Ohio George" Montgomery, Dick
Brannan, Hubert Platt, "Jungle Pam" and many others.
After the show closed on Friday night, I was honored to be joined at dinner
by Hurst's Linda Vaughn and Jack Duffy among others. What a way to cap of
the first day of the show.
Saturday was more of the same stunning stars and cars filled with autograph
sessions and "Cacklefests" erupting from various cars throughout the
exposition hall. Saturday evening event ended with a lively auction with
Hubert Platt and Bob Beasley in the thick of things with their "money rolls"
capturing several rare items. After the closing of the show the excitement
continued at dinner with Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins who turned out to be anything
but grumpy sharing stories from his first race in Manassas, VA with a '53
Chevrolet 6 cylinder, which he won of course, until he slammed the door for
the last time in 1980. He now is premier engine builder and technical
advisor and has no foreseeable plans to walk away from that.
At various times through the weekend we ran across the charming and gracious
Nancy Wilson of Henderson, N.C. who is quite a promoter herself and every
time we saw Joe Jacono he made us feel like he was on the accommodation
committee with the chamber of commerce as he was so friendly and
informative. Thanks to him, Joel Naprstek and Bob Fermier, among many
others for making this a very memorable visit.
Mr. Ed Miles
Photos
Warren Johnson Turns Back the Clock to Prepare for Denver
Posted Tuesday, July 15, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
GM Performance Parts driver relishes opportunity for success at Mile-High Nationals
SUGAR HILL, GA., July 14, 2003 - The NHRA's POWERade Drag Racing Series will kick off the second half of the 2003 season with a stop at one of the most picturesque tracks on the circuit, Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, CO. The traditional site of the Mile-High Nationals, this family-owned facility is nestled into the side of a mountain just outside of Denver, and offers a spectacular view of the city below.
However, the scenery is not the only aspect of this race that is breathtaking, as Bandimere's 5,860-foot elevation challenges competitors to compensate for the lack of oxygen at this altitude. The Pro Stock division is the most heavily affected of all the professional categories, as their naturally aspirated engines strain to create horsepower. Although the task of taming the Colorado quarter-mile may seem daunting to some, for GM Performance Parts Grand Am pilot Warren Johnson, it is an eagerly anticipated return to his roots.
"You know you're in trouble when you get to town and the air is so thin that even the birds are walking" stated Johnson. "Even so, I look forward to our annual visit to Bandimere Speedway. It's a tremendous facility. There's not a bad seat in the house for the spectators, and although the cars may not go as fast, the racing is great.
"I actually have quite a bit of experience racing in the altitude. In the early stages of my career, I competed in the NHRA's Division Five, which included races in Denver as well as Pueblo and Castle Rock, each of which is located at well over 5,000 feet. Therefore, I have raced in both divisional and national events under these conditions, giving me a better backlog of information to work from than most people.
"Basically, you have to back up fifteen years to find a performance level equivalent to what you'll run in Denver, because we lose between 250 and 300 horsepower running in the thin air. However, today's engines are different, turning more rpm's, so you have to adjust accordingly. This includes changes in the gearing, as well as the mixture to the carburetor. The lack of power also means you can't use the same suspension set-up as you do at sea level. The bottom line is that you have to maximize what you have and use it as efficiently as possible."
Although many of his rivals would be content to simply complete this trying race without losing ground in the points championship, Johnson sees this event as an opportunity to claim his third win of the 2003 season and narrow the gap between himself and those ahead of him in the POWERade title chase.
"Many people approach this race with the attitude of keeping their losses to a minimum," explained Johnson. "Personally, I see it as just another race on the circuit, paying the same amount of points as all the rest, so I might as well try and win.
"From a performance standpoint, it's certainly not as fast as we like, but on the competitive side, I don't care if it takes an hour to cross the finish line, as long as I get there first. Some teams will go to Denver trying not to get embarrassed, while this GM Performance Parts Grand Am crew is going in with the mindset to make them all look bad."
Facts on Warren Johnson and the GM Performance Parts Racing Team entering
the Mile High Nationals:
* WJ is King of the Mountain: This will be Warren's twentieth NHRA Pro Stock national event appearance at Bandimere Speedway, where he has three wins in eight final round appearances (leading all active Pro Stock drivers, and second all-time), with his most recent win coming in 2001. WJ's elimination round record on the mountain is a stout 42-16, for a .724 winning percentage, with only two first round losses (both to Bob Glidden) in his nineteen starts.
* Bandimere Qualifying Stats: In his nineteen previous races in Denver, Warren has been the No. 1 qualifier four times (1984, 1990, 1998 & 1999), and has only qualified outside the top half of the field twice. WJ's overall qualifying average in Denver is a very impressive 3.42.
* One year ago: WJ qualified seventh for last year's race in Denver with an elapsed time of 7.289 seconds and a top speed of 189.55 mph, and advanced to the semi-finals.
* Winning Streak: With his win in Atlanta, Warren Johnson has now won at least two races in 18 of the past 22 years. In addition, his current streak of winning at least one race a year for 22 consecutive years is the longest in NHRA history.
* POWERade Points standings: After the twelfth of 23 events, WJ stands third in the 2003 POWERade points standings with 759 points, 304 behind current leader Greg Anderson, and trails second place Kurt Johnson by 234 markers.
* No. 1 in National event wins: WJ's 90 national event victories are the most ever in the history of the Pro Stock division and place him second on the all-time NHRA win list. His most recent win came at the 2003 Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals in Atlanta, Ga.
* Career best elapsed time: 6.715 seconds, Englishtown 2003
* Career best top speed: 205.69 mph, Englishtown 2003
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
Kurt Johnson Aims for the Top of the Mountain in Denver
Posted Tuesday, July 15, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
ACDelco crew looks to score third win at picturesque Bandimere Speedway
SUGAR HILL, GA., July 14, 2003 - Throughout the course of its 23-race season, the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series competes at 20 racetracks across the United States. With locations ranging from Pomona, California to Englishtown, New Jersey, and Gainesville, Florida to Seattle, Washington, each facility has its own characteristics that differentiate it from the other stops on the circuit.
However, Bandimere Speedway, site of this weekend's Mile-High Nationals, boasts distinguishing features that make it the most unique of all. It is arguably the most scenic location in drag racing, with the entire facility carved into the side of the Rocky Mountains overlooking the city of Denver. In addition, with an elevation of 5,860 feet, the thin air challenges teams to find a way to compensate for the dramatic drop in horsepower.
Throughout his Pro Stock career, ACDelco Cavalier pilot Kurt Johnson has responded well to the challenge of "racing on the mountain" with two wins and a stellar .724 elimination round win percentage in his ten previous appearances.
"The conditions at Bandimere Speedway are unlike any other we face throughout the course of the year, and the entire ACDelco crew takes a very aggressive approach to racing there," detailed Johnson. "First, I really get after the motor, trying to make as much power as we can in the thin air. In addition, I try to develop a feel for the car and what it does on the track, particularly getting off the starting line.
"For example, when we tested there last week, I could really feel what the car was doing on our first run. We came back and made some changes based on that, and we picked up a couple hundredths on our next pass. Driving and tuning by the seat of your pants can be a big part to winning in Denver."
In addition to the unique tuning conditions, this event is also significant as the first leg of the NHRA's "West Coast Swing", where the world's best quarter-milers traditionally start the second half of the season with three races on consecutive weekends. It is a difficult stretch, with the combination of extended travel and a compressed schedule putting added pressure on all involved.
Some participants will approach this period much as they will race in the altitude this weekend, hoping to survive, and keep any losses to a minimum. However, Johnson and the ACDelco crew prefer to focus on the immediate task at hand, with the final objective remaining constant - winning.
"We have never gone to Denver hoping to just qualify and grab a point or two," stated Johnson. "Bandimere Speedway is an awesome facility, and a great track to race on, which just makes winning there even sweeter. This race pays just as many points as the other twenty-two on the circuit, and we want to leave with the most possible.
"As for this being the first stop of the West Coast Swing, there's no point in looking beyond this race, because the conditions at the next two will be completely different. Our game plan remains the same as it has all season. We'll take it one run at a time, avoid mistakes, make smart decisions, hope for good luck and try to end the weekend with the ACDelco Cavalier in the winner's circle."
Facts on Kurt Johnson and the ACDelco Racing Team entering the
NHRA Mile-High Nationals:
* KJ Bats .700 at Bandimere: This will be Kurt's eleventh appearance at Bandimere Speedway, where he has scored two wins (in 1995 and 2000) in four final round appearances. In his ten previous starts, he has compiled a 21-8 elimination round record, for a .724 winning percentage, with only one first round loss (to Mike Thomas in 1994).
* Kurt Qualifies near the Top on the Mountain: KJ was the No.1 qualifier in Denver in 2000, and has qualified in the top half of the field in all ten previous attempts.
* Traveling in Elite Company: Kurt's 27 national event victories tie him with Cory McClenethan for 15th on the all-time NHRA professional win list, and give him sole possession of fifth in the Pro Stock Career Victories, breaking a tie with legendary Pro Stock driver Lee Shepherd. Kurt's most recent win came at the Lucas Oil NHRA Route 66 Nationals in Joliet, IL.
* POWERade Points standings: After the twelfth of 23 events, Kurt sits second in the 2003 POWERade Championship standings with 993 points, 70 behind current leader Greg Anderson, and 234 ahead of his father, Warren Johnson, who is in third. Kurt finished sixth in 2002, his tenth consecutive Top 10 finish.
* Winning percentage: Kurt's .642 elimination round winning percentage (326-182) ranks 11th among all active NHRA professional drivers.
* Career best elapsed time: 6.716 seconds, Englishtown, NJ, 2003
* Career best top speed: 206.61 mph, Englishtown, NJ, 2003
Event schedule:
Qualifying: Friday, July 18: Two sessions at 4:15 & 7:15 p.m.
Saturday, July 19: Two sessions at 2:15 & 5:15 p.m.
Eliminations: Sunday, July 20: Pre-race ceremonies - 11:30 a.m.
First round of eliminations - 12:30 p.m.
TV Schedule:
Qualifying Highlights: Saturday, July 19: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. (ESPN)
Early Eliminations Coverage: Sunday, July 20: 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Final Eliminations Coverage: Sunday, July 20: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. (ESPN2)
NHRA2Day: Sunday, July 20: 11:00 - 11:30 a.m. (ESPN2)
(Note: All TV times are Eastern. Please check your local listings for updated air times.
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
BAZEMORE GETS HIGH ON BANDIMERE
Posted Tuesday, July 15, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
DENVER, Colo. (July 14, 2003) - While many Funny Car teams head into the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals with trepidation, as the altitude and thin air can play havoc with the performance of their supercharged 6000-plus-horsepower motors, Whit Bazemore and his Matco Tools Dodge Stratus team -- which will introduce the Mopar 'Bling Bling' Dodge Stratus.paint scheme here -- are high on Bandimere Speedway.
"Bandimere is a great track," says the two-time Denver winner, in 1997 and 2000, and runner-up in 1999. "It's a very hard race due to the altitude. There are great great fans here. It's one of those races that you really look forward to because of the tremendous facility, the city and the fans.
"In the early days of my career when I had my own team and we were on a very very tight budget, I dreaded going to Denver because it was so different," he adds. "We had to change the car so much that it was kind of a crapshoot and it's really easy to blow stuff up here. I was always really nervous that we were going to blow the car up and if we had only one supercharger in the trailer we were going to be done. It ended up that we never really had big problems, and a lot of other people had. As time went on we became more competitive and we started having good results here."
Bazemore, who is second in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Funny Car point standings, just 143 points behind Tony Pedregon, remembers his 1997 victory at Bandimere: "My favorite moment was in 1997 when we beat Chuck Etchells in a tire-smoking final round. Chuck is someone I consider to be one of the masters of getting down 'bad' race tracks and we beat him. That was really rewarding."
Another career highlight came at this track in 2000, when Bazemore recorded the first four-second Funny Car pass ever made at Bandimere Speedway while winning his second event at the facility. "That was very cool," he recalls.
The Dodge Stratus body should have an advantage here, adds Bazemore. "It's a track where aerodynamics plays a more important role than ever because of the altitude. Our Dodge Stratuses are very aerodynamically efficient so that will definitely help. If we have a good result here it will be in large part due to the body and the effort of the Dodge engineers."
Bazemore is in contention for his first NHRA Funny Car driver's championship this season, having reached the semifinal round in nine of the 12 events so far and winning two titles after advancing to five finals. As the season is now in its second-half stretch, his goal to take over the No. 1 spot from John Force's team driver Pedregon is even stronger. "We're continuously trying to improve the car and we've got a great team," he says, "so we expect to win more races and be a little stronger in the championship. We're still chasing the No. 1 team and John Force's second car. For overall performance they're the class of the field right now. We're not far behind. We're trying to get to that level and we know we can. That's what we're trying to do."
CREW CHIEF LEE BEARD A COLORADO NATIVE
Whit Bazemore's Matco Tools Dodge crew chief Lee Beard arrived in Colorado a week early to "do some fly-fishing" and visit friends and family in Pueblo, Colorado, where he was born. Beard graduated from Central High School in Pueblo, about 100 miles South of Denver. He went on to earn an Industrial Arts degree from the University of Southern Colorado in Pueblo before leaving in 1975 to pursue his drag-racing career. Beard, who now lives in Indianapolis, worked for Kenny Bernstein (Sept. 1997-2000), Bruce Sarver (1997), Joe Gibbs Racing (1995-1996), Larry Minor Motorsports (1992-1994), Gary Ormsby (1983-1991), Jim Barnard (1982) and Jerry Ruth Racing (1976-1981). He joined Don Schumacher Racing in 2001. Beard also drove Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars in the early 1970s.
DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Contact: Judy Stropus
SPORT COMPACT LIFESTYLE EVENT SLATED FOR ATLANTA DRAGWAY
Posted Tuesday, July 15, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
COMMERCE, GA..The sound systems will be cranked and six classes of Sport
Compact cars will be racing at "Georgia's House of Speed" as Atlanta Dragway
hosts "Tuners Gone Wild, presented by The Hayes Mopar Speedshop" this Friday
and Saturday, July 18 and 19. Included in the show will be a sport compact
Car Show, with over 200 awards up for grabs, a SLAP ("Sound Looks And
Performance") stereo sound-off, engine Dyno competition, and a $3000 Bikini
Contest. NHRA Sport Compact Series stars Shaun Carlson of Team Mopar, and
Team Phatrydz, will also make special appearances on Saturday.
"This is the first time we've ever presented a whole lifestyle event like
this at the Atlanta Dragway," said track General Manager Craig Armstrong.
"But since we're in the outdoor entertainment business, not just the drag
racing business, I'm very excited about presenting an event that is more
than just motorsports." (FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Craig Armstrong (706) 335-7736)
Registration for all competitive events, as well as the Spectator admission
gate, will open on Friday, July 18, at 6 PM. A Sport Compact Test & Tune -
free to registered competitors - is slated for 6 PM to 1 AM, while DJ's will
spin the latest beats all night long on Friday, and will kick off a "Get
Lost In The Music" Foam Party, scheduled from 10 PM until 1 AM.
On Saturday, July 19, the Spectator gates will open at 9 AM, with non-stop
entertainment continuing throughout the day. Drag Racing, SLAP sound-off,
Dyno competition and judging for the Car Show all begin at 11 AM, with the
special on-track exhibitions starting at Noon. Displays by leading sport
compact accessory manufacturers and retailers will be open all day, and will
feature a Hayes/Mopar display of the new Dodge SRT-4 sport compact cars.
Live music will begin at 1 PM on Saturday, with "Rock Tha' House". Three
local bands will compete for bragging rights and $2000 in cash prizes in the
headline "Battle of the Bands". The Bikini Contest eliminations will also
begin at 1 PM, with categories for Club Wear, Sleep Wear and Beach Wear. At
7 PM, Team Mopar's Shaun Carlson will take on the champions of the sport
compact Drag Race, with the "Tuners Gone Wild" Awards Party scheduled for 8
PM.
"This is one of the biggest 'lifestyle' events in the Southeast," said Chris
Thomas of ImportSouth.Com, co-promoter of Tuners Gone Wild. "We believe
that this show will become an annual 'happening', and look forward to making
it the most talked-about event of 2003."
Spectator tickets are priced at $10 on Friday, and $15 on Saturday. A
two-day Spectator pass is available for $20 by presenting a Tuners Gone Wild
"rave-card". The Entry Fee for all of the competitive events is $50, which
includes admission for two people. Event officials also stated that the
first 500 people to register for any of the competitive events will receive
a free Tuners Gone Wild T-shirt and decal.
Additional information on tickets, pre-registration and show schedule for
"Tuners Gone Wild, presented by The Hayes Mopar Speedshop" is available
online at www.importsouth.com, or by calling Atlanta Dragway at either
770-682-3782 or 706-335-2301.
FACT SHEET
"TUNERS GONE WILD!, presented byThe Hayes Mopar Speedshop"
· WHAT: Inaugural TUNERS GONE WILD!, presented by The Hayes Mopar
Speedshop.
·
· WHERE: ATLANTA DRAGWAY. 500 E. RIDGEWAY RD., COMMERCE, GA (TAKE I-85 TO
EXIT 147 OR 149, AND FOLLOW THE SIGNS).
·
· WHEN: FRIDAY & SATURDAY, JULY 18-19, 2003.
·
· FEATURING: ON FRIDAY NIGHT . . . "PRE-PARTY", WITH TEST & TUNE FROM 6 PM
'TIL 1 AM, PLUS TOP D.J. DANCE MUSIC AND FOAM PARTY 'TIL 1 AM! ON SATURDAY
. . . NON-STOP ACTION ALL DAY, FEATURING A HUGE CAR SHOW, WITH "TOP 100
MILD" AND "TOP 100 WILD" AWARDS; SPORT COMPACT DRAG RACING, WITH $2000 CASH
PAYOUT IN 6 CLASSES; S.L.A.P. "SOUND OFF", WITH 17 CLASSES FOR HIGHEST SPL,
HIGHEST SQL AND BEST INSTALL; DYNO CHALLENGE FOR 4, 6 & 8-CYLINDER CARS;
BIKINI CONTEST WITH $3000 IN CASH PAYOUTS, AND A "ROCK THA' HOUSE" BATTLE OF
THE BANDS FOR CASH AND BRAGGING RIGHTS!
·
· SCHEDULE: GATES OPEN AT 6:00 PM ON FRIDAY, JULY 18TH, FOR THE TEST & TUNE
AND "PRE-PARTY"; SATURDAY, JULY 19TH, GATES OPEN AT 8 AM FOR COMPETITORS,
AND 9 AM FOR SPECTATORS, WITH NON-STOP ACTION ALL DAY LONG!
·
· TICKET PRICES: FRIDAY - "TEST & TUNE" $20 (INCLUDES CAR/DRIVER AND ONE
SPECTATOR); SPECTATORS $10. SATURDAY - SPECTATORS $15; COMPETITORS $50
(INCLUDES ENTRY INTO ONE EVENT - CAR SHOW, DRAG RACE, DYNO, S.L.A.P.
SOUND-OFF - PLUS ONE SPECTATOR). TWO-DAY SPECTATOR $25.
·
· DISCOUNTS: $5.00 OFF ONE SPECTATOR SATURDAY OR TW0-DAY ADMISSION WITH
"TUNERS GONE WILD!" RAVE CARD FLYER!
·
· FOR MORE INFORMATION: LOG ON TO WWW.IMPORTSOUTH.COM
NGUYEN COPS 'TRIPLE CROWN' DURING YEAR ONE FAST FRIDAY
Posted Tuesday, July 15, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 14, 2003
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Craig Armstrong
COMMERCE, Georgia . . .Trinh Nguyen pulled off the "Hat Trick" at Atlanta
Dragway on Friday, July 11, winning all three categories of the Year One
Power Hour competition. Nguyen's .513-second reaction time, 10.794-second
quarter mile elapsed time, and 136.97-mph top speed were the best of the
special one-hour, Street Legal Grudge Match, and netted the Duluth, Georgia
driver all three $50 Year One Gift Certificate vouchers.
Nguyen, who won Atlanta Dragway's 2002 Import Challenge, especially
appreciated the prizes, offered by Braselton specialty automotive
distributor Year One.
"This was a lot of fun," Nguyen said. "I can't wait to get to Year One and
get some new stuff for my car!"
The Year One Fast Friday program was virtually completed when clouds over
the track suddenly opened up, drenching the dragstrip and ending the
festivities prior to the running of the Hayes Import Challenge. Racers
entered in the evening's Hayes Import Challenge will be given credit to
re-enter that competition during the next Year One Fast Friday on August 1.
The Georgia Automobile Racing Hall of Fame Association Invites You to Become a Member
Posted Monday, July 14, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
For anyone interested in the preservation of the rich Georgia auto racing heritage ( all kinds ), please take a look at this:
Membership Invitation
I've recently joined and attended a few of their meetings/events. I've enjoyed it and I'm impressed by the association! Tell them David at Georgia Drag Racing sent you!
Atlanta Dragway Results by Tim Glover
Posted Sunday, July 13, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
RACE DATE: July 13, 2003
FROM: Tim Glover
EVENT: Summit / Hayes ET series event with National Dragster Challenge at
Atlanta Dragway in 2003
SISTER AND BROTHER FINALISTS, TURNER WINS FIRST RACE, RUTLEDGE WINS FIRST
WALLY
(Commerce, GA - July 13) When the day began, Team PTI (Prestressed
Transport, Inc.) racers Lauren and Johnny Turner may not have thought they
would both be contenders to win their respective classes. However, Lauren
Turner took the win in 8-12 Jr. Dragster against Ashton Shubert and her
brother, Johnny Turner, narrowly missed the 13-17 Jr. Dragster win by .03
seconds to Melissa Camp. "Wally" awards were given to the winner in Super
Pro, Sportsman, Motorcycle and Trophy Street. The "Wally" is a coveted
trophy given out by NHRA to National and Divisional event winners, as well
as certain special event winners, like those tonight participating in the
National Dragster Challenge. Jacob Rutledge has been in all three National
Dragster Challenge finals, and finally won his first one, against Kelly
King, who won the "Wally" last year.
"I'll take 'em any way I can get 'em," exclaimed Super Pro winner Thomas
Bell as he collected his "Wally". Bell had some trouble with reactions
tonight, but his '01 Undercover dragster kept nailing its dial in times,
thanks in part to his crew chief, Bobby Harrison. He also thanked his wife,
Tammy Bell. Bell's Toccoa, GA based machine capped off the evening with a
4.835, 144.97mph blast (4.83 dial) against Henry Snelgrove from Dahlonega,
GA. Snelgrove's '98 Bos dragster broke out just a little, running 5.152,
134.52 on a 5.16 target. B.J. Pitman ('95 Tin Man dragster - Roswell, GA)
was the lone semi-finalist.
The Sportsman final was a repeat of last year's National Dragster Challenge
race, with Jacob Rutledge from Braselton, GA facing Kelly King out of
Stockbridge, GA. Unlike last year, where King won, Rutledge won his first
"Wally" by using a better reaction time and running a dead-on 12.169,
106.11mph in his '79 Capri. King's '70 GTO broke out, running 11.71,
109.59mph on an 11.73 target. Rutledge has been in all three National
Dragster Challenge Sportsman finals held at Atlanta Dragway, and took the
win this time. His wife, Holly, won the Challenge race two years ago in
Trophy, and said the guy sure has been lonely for two years sitting on the
shelf. In addition to his wife, Rutledge thanked his sponsor Nan, who came
up for the first time to watch him race, and Mr. Gasket for their help. The
"Mayor of Hickory Flat", Dickey Forrester ('68 Firebird - Hickory Flat, GA)
and Kevin Gooch ('70 Nova - Hoschton, GA) finished their day in the
semi-final round.
Loganville, GA racer Jerry Haney's regular car, a '92 Camaro, has been
broken for a few weeks, so he has been using Kim Callahan's '02 Chevrolet
pickup to race. Haney ran close to his dials all night, and did the same in
the final, running 16.00, 84.08mph on a 15.97 dial. The race was over,
however, when his opponent, Brat Pack racer Phillip Wigington left the
starting line a split second too early in his Canton, GA based '00 Camaro,
leaving the cherry colored bulb glowing on the Christmas tree. Wiginton
then chose to lift, and cruised his machine down the track to a 15.18,
81.40mph (13.85 target). "I haven't been able to get out of third round
this year," said Haney after the race. Mardy Kennedy ('64 Econoline pickup
- Auburn, GA) and Mike Newby ('69 Chevelle - Marietta, GA) finished in the
semis.
Riverview, FL racer Stewart Taft commutes to places in Georgia and the
Carolinas on his job, and has chosen to race at Atlanta Dragway for 2003.
His efforts were rewarded with a win in Motorcycle against Mark Hancock, who
was also runner up in last year's National Dragster Challenge. Taft's '00
Kawasaki turned in a "Wally" winning 12.28, 104.85mph (12.10 dial) against
Hancock's '00 Harley, which slowed to a 12.79, 104.80mph (12.34 target). "I
knew it was going to be my day. I knew I was going to get it," added Taft.
"Jay Bird" Rhyne ('81 Kawasaki - Athens, GA) and Jimmy "Cha Cha" Heisler
('00 Kawasaki - Woodstock, GA) were the semi-final pair.
"The monkey is finally off her back," said George Turner, father of 8-12
year old Jr. Dragster winner Lauren Turner from Pendergrass, GA. Turner has
been to nine finals in her PTI backed Jr. Dragster, and took her first win
against ten year old Ashton Shubert in the final. Turner nailed her 9.17
dial with a 9.174, 69.13mph pass, bettering the Commerce, GA racer Shubert's
effort of 11.35, 55.12mph (11.25dial). Holly Timblin (8 - North Augusta,
SC) earned a semi-final trophy for her efforts. After the race, Georger
Turner said, "Thank God. Also, thank Matt Tomlinson, crew chief of all
three PTI Jr. Dragsters and Chris Garrish, Terry Samples and my wife, Cindy
Turner."
Melissa Camp from Douglasville, GA prevented George Turner's son, Johnny
Turner, from winning the 13-17 Jr. Dragster final and making the night a
family sweep. Camp won her second race of the season on both ends of the
track, with a .016 second holeshot at the starting line and a .02 over
11.04, 58.01mph pass. Turner's Pendergrass, GA based PTI machine went a
close 9.08, 69.58mph (9.05 dial). "I'm tired," added the happy "Camper",
after the race was over. Another PTI race car finished in the semi-finals,
piloted by Whitney Samples (14 - Jefferson, GA).
High School Eliminator was also contested tonight. Eighteen year old Jesse
Young from Danielsville, GA took the win with a 10.61, 66.23mph pass (10.59
dial). His final round opponent, Ashley Dumas (17 - Commerce, GA) broke out
with a 10.57, 68.76mph (10.65 dial). Kelly Moore (16 - Westminster, SC)
finished in the semis.
PRO / SUPER PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Thomas Bell '01 Undercover dragster Toccoa, GA 4.83 144.97 (4.83)
R/U: Henry Snelgrove, Sr. '98 Bos dragster Dahlonega,
GA 5.15 134.52 (5.16)
Semi: B.J. Pitman '95 Tin Man dragster Roswell, GA
------------------------------------------------
SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Jacob "Lucky" Rutledge '79 Capri Braselton, GA 12.16 106.11 (12.16)
R/U: Kelly King '70 GTO Stockbridge, GA 11.71 109.59 (11.73)
Semi: Dickey Forrester '68 Firebird Hickory Flat, GA
Semi: Kevin Gooch '70 Nova Hoschton, GA
------------------------------------------------
TROPHY STREET CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Jerry Haney '02 Chevy pickup Loganville, GA 16.00 84.08 (15.97)
R/U: Phillip Wigington '00 Camaro Canton, GA (foul) 15.18 81.40 (13.85)
Semi: Mardy Kennedy '64 Econoline pickup Auburn, GA
Semi: Mike Newby '69 Chevelle Marietta, GA
------------------------------------------------
MOTORCYCLE BIKE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Stewart Taft '00 Kawasaki Riverview, FL 12.28 104.85 (12.10)
R/U: Mark Hancock '00 Harley Conyers, GA 12.79 104.80 (12.34)
Semi: Jay Rhyne '81 Kawasaki Athens, GA
Semi: Jimmy "Chacha" Heisler '00 Ninja Woodstock, GA
------------------------------------------------
JR. DRAGSTER 8-12 AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Lauren Turner 12 Pendergrass, GA 9.17 69.13 (9.17)
R/U: Ashton Shubert 10 Commerce, GA 11.35 55.12 (11.25)
Semi: Holly Timblin 8 North Augusta, SC
------------------------------------------------
JR. DRAGSTER 13-17 AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Melissa Camp 15 Douglasville, GA 11.04 58.01 (11.02)
R/U: Johnny Turner 14 Pendergrass, GA 9.08 69.58 (9.05)
Semi: Whitney Samples 14 Jefferson, GA
Semi:
------------------------------------------------
HIGH SCHOOL AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Jesse Young 18 Danielsville, GA 10.61 66.23 (10.59)
R/U: Ashley Dumas 17 Commerce, GA 10.57 68.76 (10.65)
Semi: Kelly Moore 16 Westminster, SC
Tim Nabors is #10 Pro Stock Qualifier at the Hooters IHRA Inaugural Motor City Nationals
Posted Sunday, July 13, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
MILAN, Michigan
Tim Nabors ( Lawrenceville, GA )nails down the #10 spot in Pro Stock. He drove his 2001 Chevy Cavalier to a 6.686 @ 208.55 best. Charlie Peppers ( Auburn, GA ) fails to qualify in his Ford Mustang with a best run of 7.785 @ 156.46 that leaves him in the #23 spot.
Final Pro Stock Qualifying Order
Mopar Announces ‘Big Block Party’ for Downtown Golden - Second Annual Event To Kick Off Mopar Mile-High Nationals
Posted Saturday, July 12, 2003 by DavidDilbeck
GOLDEN, Colo. (July 11, 2003) -- The second annual Mopar ‘Big Block Party’ will take to the streets of downtown Golden, in celebration of the Mopar Mile-High Nationals at historic Bandimere Speedway. Activities are set to kick off Thursday, July 17 at 6 p.m., MST.
The national unveiling of Whit Bazemore’s new Mopar ‘Bling Bling’ Funny Car paint scheme should highlight this high-energy event. Also present will be Gary Scelzi’s Dodge Stratus -- the fastest Funny Car in NHRA history at 328.06 mph.
“This is our way of saying ‘thanks’ to all of our great Mopar racers, employees, customers, fans and supporters,” said Kevin Miller, Mopar Brand Excitement Manager. “Downtown Golden is a perfect place to hold this event, and we feel it is a great way to celebrate the longest current running sponsorship of an NHRA national event.”
This is the 15th year Mopar has sponsored the Mopar Mile-High Nationals at Ban |
