21ST ADVANCE AUTO SOUTHERN NATIONALS
(MAY 3-6, 2001) Commerce, GA
Notes| Results|
Photos
NATIONALS NOTEBOOK:
For the 5th time this season nitro FC racers establish the quickest
field NHRA history. Bump spot dips to a thrilling 4.957 secs which eclipses
the 4.958 secs mark set at Las Vegas. FC racers put on a great show
at Atlanta with numerous 4.8 secs runs and upsets all around. John Force's
3-car team is rudely sent packing in round one in dramatic style with
Force himself and then team driver Tony Pedregon and Gary Densham all
being bounced consecutively. Frank Pedregon puts the C.S.K. blue car
in victory lane when he downs Bristol winner Ron Capps in the final
round. Frankie and his team owner Del Worsham also stage the best match
of the season so far in the semis. Frank edges out Del teamate 4.871
secs at 309.13 mph to 4.897 secs at 307.98 mph. That ET is Frank Pedregon's
career best lap.
Mike Dunn hits his second home run of the season in Top Fuel driving
Darrell Gwynn's N.Y. Yankees dragster. Dunn gets a free trip to victory
lane in the final round when scheduled opponent Darrell Russell cannot
find reverse after his burnout. Dunn powers through anyway with a 4.591
secs 325.06 mph lap (top speed). Dunn takes over the 2001 Winston points
lead with the win. Kenny Bernstein has low ET in Top Fuel with a track
record 4.521 secs and appears to have the field covered. Bernstein then
has a shocking red-light foul to Russell in the semi final round.
Pro Stock truck racing sees an all "Team Panella" final round
as Bob Panella Jr., takes out his racing team Jeff Gracia. Panella gets
an easy victory when Gracia goes .351 "red" in what was his
first career NHRA final round appearance. Gracia had however done himself
proud earlier by taking out both of Panella's top class rivals -- Randy
Daniels and then Greg Stanfield -- in consecutive rounds. That combined
with the win moved Panella to second behind Stanfield in Winston points.
Once again Bob Panella Jr., is the performance star of the event in
PST -- running low ET and top speed at 7.471 secs and 180.94 mph.
Jim Yates, who was runner-up to Greg Anderson at Bristol the previous
week avenges that at Atlanta by beating Anderson in the Pro Stock final.
Anderson who won two rounds on holeshots in earlier competition cuts
things a little too close in the final and has a .362 foul start. Yates
is steady throughout eliminations driving the Splitfire/Peak Antifreeze
Pontiac. Anderson has low ET of the event in qualifying at 6.884 secs.
PS racing sees both hometown heros Warren Johnson and his son Kurt on
the trailer after round one. Warren's loss is blatant -- he runs 6.905
secs but has a .522 light, which gives the win to Mark Osborne's hard
running Dodge, which records a much slower 6.963 secs. Kurt Johnson
also falls on a holeshot -- to eventual winner Yates.
Jerry Toliver goes for the quickest ride of his life in FC qualifying
when he earns the pole at 4.843 secs. The WWF/XFL team driver hoped
that would help his struggling team turn the corner but that ultimately
does not happen. Toliver spins his tires in round one and loses to Johnny
Gray. Gray runs very well at Atlanta with tuning help from Wayne Dupuy
-- hitting a career best 4.892 secs while taking out Toliver.
Sportsman racing features for the third year in a row a win in Competition
eliminator by Canadian Brian Browell. Browells wheels his Chevy V6 powered
D/Dragster past Mike Saye's G/Altered Olds in the final round. All three
of Browell's career national event titles have come at Atlanta. Browell
is not the only Canadian to find victory lane however. Super Comp (8.90)
races sees Ontario's Al Kenny prevail. It is Kenny's first career NHRA
national event win.
Legendary Top Fuel racer Chris "Greek" Karamesines goes for
the fastest ride of his life during Advance Auto Parts Southern Nationals
event. 73-year old drag racing icon, who first ran over 200-mph 30-years
ago, goes 302.89 mph in round one but loses to Darrell Russell. Karamesines
also hits a career quick 4.803 secs in the loss.
Pit oddity at Atlanta race includes a foiled attempted robbery by an
alert member of the media attending the event. Photographer Mike Fischbeck
(from Wisconsin) is credited with apprehending a robber who attempts
to make off with one of the doors off Warren Johnson's Pro Stock car.
Fischbeck chases and tackles the culprit in the spectator parking area
and holds him until authorities arrive. Police discover stolen items
from other racers in the trunk of the thieves car. Southern justice
sees the culprit taken into the nearby woods for some conditioning (not
really!)
Pro Modified cars are in attendance at Atlanta participating in the
third of five scheduled exhibition eliminators at NHRA events this season.
Ed Hoover dominates -- qualifies on the pole at 6.313 secs and 223.95
mph (top speed and low ET) and goes on to win the event. Hoover wheels
his nitrous-injected '63 Corvette past Rickie Smith's Dodge Viper in
the final round. Hoover goes 6.328 secs at 220.87 mph for the title.
Smith runs 6.343 secs at 222.22 mph.
Jay Meyer continues his 2001 power play in Federal Mogul Dragster.
Meyer, from Texas, wins for the second week in a row when he takes out
surprising class newcomer Jason Cannon in the final round. Meyer wins
5.548 secs to 5.658 secs. Art Gallant has low ET with his injected nitro
car at 5.312 secs but falls in round two when his car will not fire.
Frank Manzo wins the FMFC show beating Jay Payne in the final round.
FMFC racing does not produce a full field as only 11 cars show for the
eliminator.
