23rd Summit Racing Southern Nationals
Commerce GA. May 1-4th, 2003
Notes |
Results | Photos #1 | Photos #2
NATIONALS NOTEBOOK:
Warren Johnson earns his 90th career win in Pro Stock with a timely win in front of a partisan home state crowd. Warren wheels the GM Performance Parts Pontiac to a holeshot victory over his former crew chief, Greg Anderson, in the final round. Warren has a superior .018 RT to seal the win by about a margin of eight inches -- 6.853 secs to 6.839 secs. WJ had strong reaction times throughout. That included while defeating his son and overall NHRA points leader Kurt Johnson in round two of competition where he also used a holeshot to win; 6.845 secs to 6.824 secs.
Pro Stock racing performance marks are set by R/UP Greg Anderson who sped to both ends of the Atlanta Dragway track record at 6.815 secs and 203.06 mph. Anderson’s second place finish did help him close up the gap behind points leader Kurt Johnson.
Geno Scali, riding the Trim-Tex Suzuki, earned his second career win in Pro Stock Bike. Scali ran low ET of the meet at 7.167 secs in round one of competition and ins the final when his opponent Antron Brown red lights. Anton does a great job of keeping control of his bike during the losing run after a fairing breaks off at high speed.
Pro Stock Bike racing at Atlanta includes some more Harley Davidson brand history. For the first time in competition two V-Rod bikes qualify as both Andrew Hines and G.T. Tonglet make the quick field riding for Vance & Hines. Andrew runs a stunning 7.179 secs in round one, which is the quickest run ever for the HD brand. Both Hines and Tonglet do however lose out in round two.
Matthew Smith, who is son to Pro Stock/Pro Mod driver “Tricky Rickie” Smith has a great run in Pro Stock Bike in what was only his second career NHRA start in the class. Smith qualifies #15 but then earns a shocking win in round one when Angelle Savoie goes .002 red. Smith rides his Red Line Oil sponsored Suzuki to a semi final round placing, narrowly losing out to Antron Brown.
Larry Dixon and his Miller Lite Top Fuel team bounce back huge following their big crash at Bristol the week before - recording a serious victory. Dixon takes full advantage of Brandon Bernstein’s surprising first round exit to take back the overall NHRA POWERade points lead. Dixon rips on a tire smoking Darrell Russell in the final round to earn his 3rd win of the season.
Legendary “Big Daddy” Don Garlits enters competition for the second time this season with help from sponsor Summit Racing. The 72-year old icon thrills the public by qualifying on the bump with a run of 4.788 secs at 319.98 mph. Garlits gives pole sitter Brandon Bernstein a great go in round one but ultimately loses a 4.615 secs 321.42 to 4.737 307.44-mph decision.
Brandon Bernstein runs 4.505 and 327.98 mph in qualifying which sets both ends of the Atlanta Dragway track record.
Top Fuel racing also features a spectacular debut performance by Chris Vandergriff who is younger brother to former NHRA class racer Rob Vandergriff. Chris qualifies #14 at his first race ever in the category at 4.701 secs at 306.95 mph but loses a close first round match to David Baca 4.603 secs to 4.743 secs. Post race rumours at the event have Atlanta Dragway being sold by NHRA to the Vandergriff family -- but that has not been announced officially.
Tony Pedregon pads his overall points lead in Funny Car recording his 4th win of the season so far driving the Castrol Syntec Mustang. Pedregon ends Johnny Gray’s bid for his first FC title in the final round winning a 4.874 secs 318.77 mph to 5.009 secs 304.60 mph decision. Pedregon’s victory comes at the site of his first ever class win (at Atlanta) in 1996.
FC racing is paced by a resurgent John Force who appears to be getting back on his game. Force rips the track record at 4.786 secs driving the Castrol GTX/King Of The Hill Mustang and goes on to a semi final round placing which is his best finish of the ‘03 season so far. Force loses out to Johnny Gray when the car spins it’s tires.
Alcohol Funny Car racing features a national record setting performance by Frank Manzo who upped the NHRA official speed mark to 260.56 mph driving the Kendall Firebird. Manzo parlayed that into his 52nd career victory. Manzo’s win came over a weakly attended TAFC field with only 8-cars entered.
The TAD title went to Illinois-racer Marty Thacker who won his first career title. Thacker’s supercharged machine was able to overcome the class which had been dominated by injected nitro cars in qualifying. Thacker gunned down defending NHRA World Champion Art Gallant in the final round 5.454 secs to 5.455 secs.
David Rampy continued his red-hot streak in Competition eliminator winning for the third time in the last four NHRA events. Rampy won from the pole driving his Chevy-powered A/EA when he defeated the F/SM Pontiac driven by Charlie Westcott Jr in the final round.
