Entries by Amy Glover

After a week’s delay due to wet weather, the Atlanta Dragway picked up where it left off with the National Dragster Challenge Saturday, with competitors from all over coming out to vie for top honors.

Joe Haddon of Oxford battled his way to the Super Pro finals, lining up against hometown hero Jeremy Hancock of Commerce, who took a bye run to the finals. Haddon was dialed only slightly slower with a 4.86 prediction, next to Hancock’s 4.81 dial-in.

Hancock launched a tad early for a -.004 red light, instantly handing victory to Haddon, who left the line with a .023 green light. Haddon took a 4.85 second joy ride at 142.18 mph, while Hancock let off for a 9.43 second run at 43.55 mph.
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Any football fan worth his pigskin has heard about the horror stories. Some, if old enough, have even lived though them.

Tales of football practices from decades ago talk of practices in the grueling summer heat with no water breaks, salt tablets given to players and the act of “toughening up” players with methods unthinkable today. [Full Story »] 

This year’s Night of Fire at the Atlanta Dragway in Commerce showcased fast cars and featured an all Jefferson showdown in one category.

Cole Wood, age 11, and Salina Shanks, age 12, both of Jefferson, raced in the 8-12 Junior Dragster final. Shanks wrapped up the run with a -.011 foul, while Wood cut a .020 green light. Shanks made the run bittersweet with a dead-on finish in 8.98 seconds at 72.55 mph, as Wood finished with an 8.89 ET on an 8.92 dial-in, at 74.37 mph.

Wood, a seasoned junior racer in a self-proclaimed slump, found his way back to the top tonight in an all-or-nothing fashion. [Full Story »] 

Atlanta Dragway held their second Saturday Insanity event, giving fans some not-to-be-missed moments as racers pushed the limits in pro-mods and old school cars. The competition was intense, with three hole shot wins out of four finals, coupled with very close margins of victory.

The 6.50 index final was a run between beauty and the beast, as Mike Johnson’s ’66 Mustang faced off against Joe Rampley’s ’76 Vega Wagon. Johnson traveled all the way from Easley, S.C. to join the show, while Rampley is a much closer Gainesville local. Rampley launched with a .014 green light, Johnson following with a .027 reaction time. [Full Story »] 

By Amy & Tim Glover

The Hayes Automotive group and YearOne teamed up this past weekend for the Hayes Automotive American Muscle Meet, presented by Year One, at the Atlanta Dragway. The show featured all makes of American muscle cars in many different settings, including a Car Show, Swap Meet and Car Corral.

Seven different classes contested on the quarter mile, ranging from the popular Jr. Dragsters for kids eight to seventeen years old to the ultra quick Super Pro machines.

The Junior Dragster class may have had the tightest final of the night, without advantage as a result of no tree-end red lights or top-end breakouts. It came down to the older boys of the category to finish the race, with Homer’s Brett Bowman, 17, and Chase Mullinax of Buford, also 17, facing off. [Full Story »] 

Hancock Gets First “Wally” Trophy

Every race weekend is an important one, but this weekend’s event took on special significance out at the Atlanta Dragway, as the National Dragster Challenge and Junior Dragster Challenge was held on Saturday.

The annual event provides a chance for bracket racers to pick up an NHRA Wally Trophy, the ultimate prize to represent the best drag racers.

Mark Hancock of Commerce earned his first Wally in the Sportsman class, a long-overdue triumph after previously running in four other finals competing for the trophy, three of them in the motorcycle rank and one in the same ’00 Jeep Cherokee with which he won Saturday’s race. [Full Story »] 

The three car-class winners in Saturday night’s Atlanta Dragway Summit ET Series action used “well-seasoned” vehicles, proving one doesn’t need the latest technology and fancy equipment to win.

Super Pro winner Joshua Cohen of Lawrenceville secured his first victory with a well-seasoned ’77 Camaro. Running in only his sixth race, Cohen pulled off a beautiful win with a .0004 margin of victory, running a 5.13 on a 5.08 dial, against Woodstock’s Michael Morris, who ran a 6.73 on a 6.70 dial in his ’01 Undercover Dragster. [Full Story »] 

Mother Nature waited until after the fans were satisfied with a classic Commerce vs. Banks County show on the quarter-mile before she rained on Atlanta Dragway’s parade, at the 2008 Night of Fire event Saturday.

The ever-changing weather precipitated a challenge for all racers, dial adjustment being the main issue, when predicting elapsed times throughout unpredictable conditions.

In the 13-17 Junior Dragster Category, both 16-year old Brett Bowman of Homer and 15-year old Taylor Ramsey of Commerce struggled with matching their dial-ins, Bowman running an 8.05 on an 8.00, and Ramsey an 8.02 on a 7.99.
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Despite predictions of thunderstorm, the first day of summer and the second points race of the season met with sunshine at the Atlanta Dragway.

Each class was full, and many final rounds were decided by break outs and fouls in the face of some great runs and race vehicles that seemed to run better broken down.


Super Pro Winner Stacey Blanton, Jefferson, pulled a near perfect package in his ’05 Undercover Dragster, running dead on with a zero at 5.04. Clay Fancher of Loganville would have faced a tough run with or without his breaking out (5.336 on a 5.34), which gave Blanton the win light.
[Full Story »]