Dooley Drives To First Super Pro Win At Atlanta Dragway

Paul Dooley (far lane) beat out Gary Dunn (near lane) to score his first Super Pro victory Saturday at the Atlanta Dragway. Photo by Tim Glover

Paul Dooley led a group of seven racers to score their first class victories Saturday night at the Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, GA.

Dooley, of Gainesville, GA enjoyed his first ever win in the quickest class, Super Pro. Dooley lined up against Gary Dunn, who was enjoying his second final round in a row, having won the May 2 race. Dooley’s ’06 Racetech dragster was spot on, posting a 4.95 at 138.84 mph (4.94 dial). Dunn’s Flowery Branch, GA based ’82 S10 pickup had been deadly all day, but rattled the tires pretty badly in the final, slowing his truck a bit to a 6.13 at 110.66 mph (6.06 dial). Brian Smith (’07 Undercover dragster – Flowery Branch, GA) was the lone semi-finalist.

“That’s how hard (Dunn) is to beat,” Dooley said. “You have to win the coin toss to beat him.”

The Pro Class final featured two veterans squaring off against each other, as Travis Bryant (’68 Camaro – Bowman, GA) and Bill Boomhower (’65 Belvedere – Walhalla, SC) battled for the win. Both drivers ran close to their numbers, with Bryant earning his first win of the year, carding a .01 over 6.44 at 105.62 mph. Boomhower was dead-on with a 6.081 at 114.65 mph. Reaction times made the difference, with Bryant’s slightly quicker .013 react getting the nod. Danny Gunter (’87 Mustang – Commerce, GA) and Jimmy Mason (’93 Camaro – Canon, GA) ended their day in the semi-final round.

First time Sportsman winner Allen Smith from Cleveland, GA did win another class in drag racing, his last win dating back to 1979. Saturday’s win in his ’91 Silverado can be credited to his great final round call of 15.87 seconds, posting the winning 15.879 at 81.82 mph. Runner up for the second event in a row was Scott Reynolds (’02 Camaro – Cartersville, GA). Reynolds ran a very good 13.13 at 104.11mph (13.10 dial), but was second across the big end stripe by 0.021 seconds. Russell Haskins (’13 Mustang – Marietta, GA) finished his day in the semi-final rounds.

“I haven’t had this much fun for a long time,” said Smith. “It was a good, good day.”

Super Pro Bike winner Randy Barnett from Colbert, GA has won in Street ET Bike before, and enjoyed the first Super Pro Bike win aboard his ’08 Suzuki. Barnett faced Randy Day’s Anderson, SC based bike in the final and used a stellar 0.006 second reaction time to win with a 9.22 at 135.31 mph (9.17 dial). Day was just a bit behind, finishing runner up with an 8.82 at 158.46 mph (8.78 dial). Dave Hamilton (’06 Suzuki – Braselton, GA) and David Fletcher (’84 Kawasaki – Lawrenceville, GA) were the semi-finalist pair.

Tim Houghland won his first race by taking the win in Street ET Bike against Randall Long of Buckhead, GA. Houghland’s Lawrenceville, GA based ’12 Suzuki won with a blistering 8.93 at 147.60 mph (8.92 dial). Long broke out trying to keep ahead of Houghland with a 9.35 at 133.59 mph (9.38 dial). Daryl Johnsey (’91 Honda – Cartersville, GA) and Jimmy “ChaCha” Heisler (’00 Kawasaki – Woodstock, GA) finished the day in the semi-final round.

Not many first time winners were more excited about their win than the normally quiet Stephen Skelton, who is six years old and had just won his first race in the 6-9 Jr Dragster class. Skelton’s time was off a bit, posting a 17.02 at 34.96 mph (16.60 dial), but the win light was glowing in his lane after Kimberly Vancica (9 – Atlanta, GA) broke out with an 11.78 at 52.83 mph (11.90 dial). Previous event winner Alayna Carden (6 – McDonough, GA) finished in the semi-final round.

8-12 Jr Dragster winner Adam Brown from Covington, GA is in his third year of racing, and enjoyed his first ever win with a convincing 0.014 second package in his newly overhauled race car. The 11 year old Brown had a 0.013 second reaction time and posted an 8.901 lap at 69.15 mph (8.90 dial), good enough to win any of the classes on the day, including Super Pro. Adam’s opponent was Dakota Bradley, who runner-upped with a breakout 8.87 at 74.21 mph (8.90 dial). Nate “Hot Rod” Halsey was the sole semi-final finisher.

Sixteen year old Austin Carden from McDonough, GA increased his points lead in 13-17 Jr Dragster with his second win in a row, this time against Maddie Kate Halsey (14 – Clermont, GA) who went on to win the first Junior Street event at Atlanta Dragway. Carden’s 0.003 second reaction time gave him plenty of time at the top end of the track to slow to the winning time of 8.07 at 79.22 mph (7.90 dial). Halsey crossed the finish line shortly after with a 7.94 at 82.24 mph (7.90 dial). Adrian Wilson (15 – Tallapoosa, GA) and Hunter Ramsey (17 – Commerce, GA) made it to the semi-final round.

A new class, Junior Street, was introduced by the NHRA for 2015. Youths 14 to 16 year old can earn an NHRA license to race a “big car” on the eighth mile course. They have to ride with a licensed adult, and can go no quicker than nine seconds flat. Fourteen year old Maddie Kate Halsey from Clermont, GA became the first Atlanta Dragway Junior Street winner in their family’s ’90 S10 pickup with only 252,000 miles on the odometer. Halsey nailed her 10.94 dial in time with a 10.944 at 61.49 mph (10.94 dial) for the first Junior Street victory. In contrast, this was exactly three seconds and 21 mph slower than her Junior Dragster final round pass a few minutes earlier. Katie Wilhelm’s car was off the pace just a little, with a 9.35 at 74.51 mph (9.26 dial). Adrian Wilson (15) was the semi-finalist in an ’04 Silverado.

For more info on the Atlanta Dragway, visit AtlantaDragway.com.

Atlanta Dragway – Commerce, GA
Race Results – May 23, 2015

SUPER PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN

Win: Paul Dooley ’06 Racecraft Gainesville, GA 4.95 138.84 (4.94)

R/U: Gary Dunn ’82 S10 pickup Flowery Branch, GA 6.13 110.66 (6.06)

Semi: Brian Smith ’07 Undercover Flowery Branch, GA

PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN

Win: Travis Bryant ’68 Camaro Bowman, GA 6.44 105.62 (6.43)

R/U: Bill Boomhower ’65 Belvedere Walhalla, SC 6.081 114.65 (6.08)

Semi: Danny Gunter ’87 Mustang Commerce, GA

Semi: Jimmy Mason ’93 Camaro Canon, GA

SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN

Win: Allen Smith ’91 Silverado Cleveland, GA 15.879 81.82 (15.87)

R/U: Scott Reynolds ’02 Camaro Cartersville, GA 13.13 104.11 (13.10)

Semi: Russell Haskins ’13 Mustang Marietta, GA

SUPER PRO BIKE BIKE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
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Win: Randy Barnett ’08 Suzuki Colbert, GA 9.22 135.31 (9.17)

R/U: Randy Day ’12 Kawasaki Anderson, SC 8.82 158.46 (8.78)

Semi: Dave Hamilton ’06 Suzuki Braselton, GA

Semi: David Fletcher ’84 Kawasaki Lawrenceville, GA

STREET ET BIKE BIKE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN

Win: Tim Houghland ’12 Suzuki Lawrenceville, GA 9.22 135.31 (9.17)

R/U: Randall Long ’00 Motorcycle Buckhead, GA 9.35 133.59 (9.38)

Semi: Daryl Johnsey ’91 Honda Cartersville, GA

Semi: Jimmy Heisler ’00 Kawasaki Woodstock, GA

6-9 JR DRAGSTER AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN

Win: Stephen Skelton 6 Cleveland, GA 17.02 34.96 (16.60)

R/U: Kimberly Vancica 9 Atlanta, GA 11.78 52.83 (11.90)

Semi: Alayna Carden 7 McDonough, GA