By Amy and Tim Glover
It was a fast and furious weekend at the Atlanta Dragway in Commerce that saw records tied and winners crowned in victory lane in the Southern Nationals.
Larry Dixon tied his role model, Joe Amato, on the all-time Top Fuel Dragster win list with his 52nd Top Fuel Dragster victory against former Southern Nationals winner Brandon Bernstein. Dixon turned in a 3.913-second, 311.49 mph pass against Bernstein’s red-lighting and tire smoking attempt.
“I feel unworthy to tie with Amato,” Dixon said. “I looked up to Prudhomme, Muldowney, Garlits, Amato and others. They didn’t have the opportunity to rack up the numbers like we do now with 23 events per year.”
The winners in Sunday’s Southern National finals celebrate in the winners circle after the event. Pictured from left to right are Pro Stock winner Jeg Coughlin Jr., Pro Stock Motorcycle winner Andrew Hines, Funny Car champ Robert Hight and Top Fuel winner Larry Dixon. Photo by Wanda Glover
Dixon Picks Up 52nd Southern Nationals Victory
Dixon’s win increased his lead by 112 points over second place Cory MacClenathan. Tony Schumacher and Doug Kalitta ended their day in the semifinal round.
In Funny Car competition, it was a big day for Team Force, with Robert Hight besting teammate Ashley Force Hood for the win. Hight gained the advantage with a .082 reaction time, with Force Hood trailing with a .105 launch. At the big end of the track, Force Hood's 4.23-second run at 297.48 mph wasn't enough to outrun Hight's consistency. Hight set off the win light in 4.18 seconds at 298.01 mph, gaining his 16th win overall.
Force Hood began the weekend as the top Funny Car qualifier at 4.104, with Hight as the second qualifier and the weekend's top speed holder at 305.98 mph. The Force team had already squared off earlier in the day, when Ashley beat her father John Force by 22 thousandths of a second in round two.
In Pro Stock competition, Jeg Coughlin Jr. recorded win number 50 with a victory over Rickie Jones.
The run was tight from the starting line, Coughlin launching with a .024 green as Jones followed closely with a .029 reaction time. Coughlin had just enough edge, crossing the win stripe in 6.65 seconds at 207.21 mph before Jones' 6.68 ET at 206.35 mph.
The win meant a lot to the JEGS.com team. As car number 50, Coughlin secured his 50th Pro Stock win during the 50th anniversary of JEGS. Coughlin is only the fourth Pro Stock driver to have such an achievement.
"We want a run at the championship in our 50th year." Coughlin said.
Pro Stock Motorcycle winner Andrew Hines had to hang on tightly to his ’10 V-Rod during his final round win against Hector Arana after his bike started bouncing a little near the finish line. It didn’t matter, as his .006-second reaction time and 6.968-second at 207.21 mph pass relegated Arana’s 7.047 at 188.12 mph to second place, and increased Hines’ Pro Stock Motorcycle win total to 20.
“I had to push it in the final, as Hector is running good,” Hines said. “The bike was flawless every run.”
In other competition, Vinny Barone won in Competition Eliminator, Todd Ewing won in Super Stock, Anthony Fetch won in Stock, Ray Miller won in Super Comp and Jeffrey Baker won in Top Sportsman.
The NHRA Full Throttle tour will return to action on May 21-23 for the Summer Nationals at Topeka, Kansas.
In Funny Car competition, it was a big day for Team Force, with Robert Hight besting teammate Ashley Force Hood for the win. Hight gained the advantage with a .082 reaction time, with Force Hood trailing with a .105 launch. At the big end of the track, Force Hood's 4.23-second run at 297.48 mph wasn't enough to outrun Hight's consistency. Hight set off the win light in 4.18 seconds at 298.01 mph, gaining his 16th win overall.
Force Hood began the weekend as the top Funny Car qualifier at 4.104, with Hight as the second qualifier and the weekend's top speed holder at 305.98 mph. The Force team had already squared off earlier in the day, when Ashley beat her father John Force by 22 thousandths of a second in round two.
In Pro Stock competition, Jeg Coughlin Jr. recorded win number 50 with a victory over Rickie Jones.
The run was tight from the starting line, Coughlin launching with a .024 green as Jones followed closely with a .029 reaction time. Coughlin had just enough edge, crossing the win stripe in 6.65 seconds at 207.21 mph before Jones' 6.68 ET at 206.35 mph.
The win meant a lot to the JEGS.com team. As car number 50, Coughlin secured his 50th Pro Stock win during the 50th anniversary of JEGS. Coughlin is only the fourth Pro Stock driver to have such an achievement.
"We want a run at the championship in our 50th year." Coughlin said.
Pro Stock Motorcycle winner Andrew Hines had to hang on tightly to his ’10 V-Rod during his final round win against Hector Arana after his bike started bouncing a little near the finish line. It didn’t matter, as his .006-second reaction time and 6.968-second at 207.21 mph pass relegated Arana’s 7.047 at 188.12 mph to second place, and increased Hines’ Pro Stock Motorcycle win total to 20.
“I had to push it in the final, as Hector is running good,” Hines said. “The bike was flawless every run.”
In other competition, Vinny Barone won in Competition Eliminator, Todd Ewing won in Super Stock, Anthony Fetch won in Stock, Ray Miller won in Super Comp and Jeffrey Baker won in Top Sportsman.
The NHRA Full Throttle tour will return to action on May 21-23 for the Summer Nationals at Topeka, Kansas.
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