Championships Settled At Atlanta Dragway

P.J. Raines scored the Super Pro victory Saturday at Atlanta Dragway. Photo by Tim Glover

The 2011 Summit ET Series is now in the history books.

Coming in to the day, all six championships were still up for grabs, although Super Pro and 13-17 Jr. Dragster were essentially settled coming into the final event due to 50 point leads. By the end of the day, the titles were settled. The 2011 champs are Jeremy Hancock (Super Pro), Chad Brewer (Pro), Jim Burford (Sportsman), Tim Sutton (Motorcycle), Wesley Mayfield (Jr. Dragster) and Austin Carden (8-12 Jr. Dragster).

Super Pro racer P.J. Raines from Monroe, GA raced at Atlanta Dragway in the early 90s as soon as he received his driver’s license, and then began traveling to NHRA Divisional and National events in the late 90s and 2000s. However, he made the switch back to bracket racing this year, partly due to the economy. Raines enjoyed taking the top spot with his ’98 Undercover dragster against Don Brown Jr. from Buford, GA.

Both racers did very well, and Raines claimed victory with a dead-on 5.105 at 134.50 mph. Brown’s ’03 Spitzer was close, but second across the stripe with a breakout 4.918 second pass at 140.49 mph (4.92 dial). Mark Hancock (’76 Vega – Commerce, GA) and Gary Dunn (’82 S-10 – Flowery Branch, GA) were the semi-final pair.

The top five 2011 points earners in Super Pro were Jeremy Hancock (720), Brad Howard (640), Jessie Young (620), Wayne Brooks (590) and John Hobbs (580).

Gary Burrell drove his '72 Chevy Nova to the victory in the Pro division. Photo by Tim Glover

Pro racer Gary Burrell from Donalds, SC enjoyed his last Atlanta Dragway win in 2005 during a B&M event, and returned today to visit with friends Woody Bryant, Wade Bryant and John Norris. Burrell reeled off a string of very good reaction times in his ’72 Nova, including two perfect 0.000 second reaction times en route to tonight’s Pro winner’s circle.

In the final, Burrell faced off against friend John Norris, who had also reeled off two 0.000 second reacts during eliminations. Unfortunately, Norris’ final round react in his Royston, GA based ’86 Camaro was -0.007 red, handing the automatic victory to Burrell. Burrell would have been extremely tough anyway, with a 0.012 react and a dead-on 7.409 at 91.19 mph. Norris’ mount slowed a bit to 7.42 at 91.94mph (7.38 dial). Dickey Forrester (’67 Camaro – Hickory Flat, GA) was the semi-final finisher.

“All the stars, moons and planets must have lined up tonight,” Burrell said. “I just came here to race with my friends.”

The top five 2011 points earners in Pro were Chad Brewer (740), Bruce Wilson (720), John Norris (660), Ryan Johnson (650) and Woody Bryant (610).

Jay Rhyne of Athens, Georgia came out on top of the Motorcycle class Saturday. Photo by Tim Glover

By the time the Motorcycle semi-finals came around, the remaining racers were none other than the top three points earners for 2011. Motorcycle winner Jay Rhyne of Athens, GA met last week’s winner Brian Wilson (’82 Suzuki – Tallapoosa, GA) in the final. Wilson was two hundredths quicker off the starting line, but Rhyne’s ’82 Suzuki pulled out the victory with a dead-on 5.849 at 115.72 mph. Wilson crossed the stripe 0.03 seconds later with a 5.66 at 122.96 mph (5.60 dial).

By finishing in the semi-final round, Tim Sutton (’89 Suzuki – Gainesville, GA) sealed the 2011 motorcycle championship. Sutton had won the first event of the season, fell behind Rhyne, but then caught up with him late in the season. Rhyne raced his trusty ’82 Kawasaki for much of the season, but brought out his much faster Suzuki three times this year, winning twice with it. Wilson was glad to make it to the final, as he had already broken a chain earlier in the day, and was having problems shifting during eliminations.

The top five 2011 points earners in Motorcycle were Tim Sutton (820), Jay Rhyne (800), Brian Wilson (550), Howard Bowman (460) and Paul Cavanaugh (440).

J.D. Burford powered his 2007 Corvette to the Sportsman victory. Photo by Tim Glover

Even though he has done very well throughout the year, newly crowned 2011 Sportsman champion J.D. “Doc” Burford of Greenville, SC was having some problems staging his ’07 Corvette, so he used the Year One Fast Friday Test and Tune session Friday evening to try different burnout procedures. He found out what he needed to know, and applied that knowledge today to take his fourth 2011 victory in that class, this time against the ’95 Camaro belonging to Mark Smith from Jonesboro, GA.

Smith was late off the starting line, and broke out with a 10.94 at 64.02 mph (10.99 dial) trying to stay ahead of Burford’s ’07 Corvette. Burford, in the meantime, trimmed a little bit of elapsed time at the finish line, crossing 0.049 seconds ahead of Smith with an 8.31 at 89.36 mph (8.28 dial). Harold Wilson (’74 Nova – Winder, GA) and Mel Abney (’67 Camaro – Cumming, GA) took home the semi-finalist portion of the purse.

The Sportsman championship came all the way down to the semi-final round, as Burford and Wilson each had 670 points coming in to the day. They matched each other round for round until the semi-finals, where they ended up paired against each other, and Burford took the narrow victory.

“Wow! I’m just so pumped,” said Burford. “I’m going to wake up all my relatives tonight.”

“I appreciate the class competition Harold (Wilson) gave,” Burford added. “It’s been a great experience this year. I’m happy to be included in this racer’s fraternity.”

The top five 2011 points earners in Sportsman were J.D. “Doc” Burford (740), Harold Wilson (720), Scott Reynolds (650), Mel Abney (610) and Steven Wagner (590).

Saturday’s number one qualifiers in Jr. Dragster were Jacob Wilson (8-9 year old), Christopher Kittle (10-12 year old) and Brittney Hellemn (13-17 year old). Early in the season, twelve year old Austin Carden announced he was not only going to win the 2011 8-12 Jr. Dragster championship at Atlanta Dragway, but he was also going to win the same championship at Silver Dollar Raceway in Reynolds, GA.

Carden did just that. He sealed the Atlanta Dragway championship by winning the semi-final round, jumped into a chartered helicopter, flew the 175 miles south to Silver Dollar and sealed the Silver Dollar 8-12 Jr. Dragster championship during the same evening by winning that event.

Coming in to the final events, Carden was 20 points ahead in Atlanta, and four points behind at Silver Dollar, but ended up on top in both categories by the end of the evening. Three long time Junior competitors (nine years each), announced their retirement from Junior Drag Racing due to college and other callings. They are Kelsey Lynn (senior this year at Hillgrove HS), Blake Griffiths (senior at Banks County HS and plans to attend Clemson) and Jackie Lastinger (graduated Brookwood HS and is now a student at Southern University).

8-12 Jr. Dragster winner Austin Solsebee took a single pass in the final round. Photo by Tim Glover

8-12 Jr. Dragster winner Austin Solesbee (12 years old – Sautee, GA) came into the final race 20 points behind Austin Carden (12 – McDonough, GA). Solesbee did everything he could, including winning the event, but Carden stayed one step ahead during competition by matching every one of Solesbee’s round wins up through the semi-final round.

After Carden sealed the Atlanta championship by breaking the starting line beams in a semi-final bye run, he left the Atlanta Dragway facility to fly down to Silver Dollar Raceway and thus did not show up for the Atlanta final round. Solesbee, who moves to 13-17 Jr. for 2012, uncorked his 8.90 car and put the winning time of 8.78 at 73.17 mph on the scoreboards (8.90 dial). Christopher Kittle (11 – Oxford, GA) was the lone semi-finalist.

The top five points earners in 8-12 Jr. Dragster were Austin Carden (520), Austin Solesbee (510), Charlie Smith (480), Mackenzie Butler (360) and Austin Bowden (320).

Cole Sheriff celebrates his win in the 13-17 Jr Dragster finals with his dad, Todd and his mom, Misti. Photo by Tim Glover

“I raced my best friend in the final, and we’ve been waiting all year to run in the finals,” said 13-17 Jr. Dragster winner Cole Sheriff from Lula, GA.

The 13 year old racer faced off against the newly crowned 13-17 champion Wesley Mayfield (15 – Gainesville, GA) and took the win light with a close breakout time of 7.941 at 81.87 mph (7.95 target). Mayfield, who had the reaction time advantage with a 0.002 second react, actually crossed the top end stripe first by 0.0315 seconds, but broke out more than Sheriff with a 7.888 at 79.98 mph (7.90 dial). Bailey Denton, former champion, took home the semi-finalist trophy.

“I want to thank God first, my parents Todd and Misti Sheriff, and also Whaley Motorsports and Motivational Tubing,” Sheriff said.

The top five points earners in 13-17 Jr. Dragster were Wesley Mayfield (430), Maddie Lee (370), Bailey Denton (360), Jackie Lastinger (320) and Hunter Ramsey (310).

The top five 2011 points earners in Open Comp Full Body were John Norris (440), Chad Brewer (300), Jesse Young (290), Charlie McCulloch (250) and John Hobbs (240).

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The top five 2011 points earners in 6.50 Index were Stan Sinack (320), Michael Goodwin (260), Sean Garner (140), Lloyd Shanks (110) and Matt Ward (90).

Atlanta Dragway – Commerce, GA
Race Results – Sept. 17, 2011

SUPER PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN

Win: P.J. Raines ’98 Undercover Monroe, GA 5.105 134.50 (5.10)

R/U: Don Brown Jr. ’03 Spitzer Buford, GA 4.918 140.49 (4.92)

Semi: Gary Dunn ’82 S-10 Flowery Branch, GA

Semi: Mark Hancock ’76 Vega Commerce, GA

PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN

Win: Gary Burrell ’72 Nova Donalds, SC 7.409 91.19 (7.40)

R/U: John Norris ’86 Camaro Royston, GA (foul) 7.42 91.94 (7.38)

Semi: Dickey Forrester ’67 Camaro Hickory Flat, GA

SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN

Win: J.D. Burford ’07 Corvette Greenville, SC 8.31 89.36 (8.28)