34th ANNUAL SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT NHRA SOUTHERN NATIONALS COMING TO ATLANTA DRAGWAY MAY 16-18
by Tim Glover – photos by Wanda Glover
For the 34th time, the best and biggest event of the year is returning to Commerce, GA, the 2014 Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals, which will be held May 16 – 18 at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, GA. The event is the seventh of 24 in the 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season, and will also be televised on ESPN2.
Atlanta Dragway could have the distinction of being the venue where a woman makes history by becoming the 100th NHRA female professional class winner. Shirley Muldowney was the first, winning Top Fuel on June 13, 1976 at Columbus. Everyone will be watching Erica Enders-Stevens in Pro Stock, Alexis DeJoria and Courtney Force in Funny Car, Brittany Force and Leah Pritchett in Top Fuel, and Katie Sullivan and Angie Smith in Pro Stock Motorcycle to see if they are the one.
All the pros in the sport will be calling Atlanta Dragway home for a few days, featuring Top Fuel Dragsters, Top Fuel Funny Cars, Pro Stockers and also Pro Stock Motorcycle, which is returning after a year off from the venue. In addition, eight other Sportsman classes will also be competing for one of 12 coveted NHRA “Wally” trophies.
There is a new Force in Top Fuel Dragster, Brittany Force, who will be competing alongside three time Southern Nationals winner Antron Brown, Tony “Sarge” Schumacher, Bob Vandergriff Jr. and many other stars of the sport. Another Force girl, Courtney Force, will be competing in the Funny Car class.
Many-time Pro Stock Champion Warren Johnson from Buford, GA (2010 Pontiac GXP) and also his son Kurt (2010 Pontiac) are already entered into Pro Stock competition.
As always for NHRA events, every ticket into the event is also a pit pass, where one can get up close to the racers, and watch as they reconstruct their race cars between each round of racing or simply get an autograph and cheer for their favorite drivers.
The 2013 Southern Nationals pro winners were Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Johnny Gray (Funny Car – retired) and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock – retired).
Hot off their wins at the O’Reilly Spring Nationals in Houston, Texas and looking for another are Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Erica Enders-Stevens (Pro Stock). Brown will be gunning for three in a row after winning at Charlotte and Houston.
There are several former Atlanta Dragway regulars pre-entered, including Jerry Sosebee in (’97 Mullis dragster) and Jeremy Hancock (’05 Undercover dragster) in Super Comp, Jacob Rutledge Super Street (’79 Capri) and several more.
Atlanta Dragway
500 E. Ridgeway Road
Commerce, GA 30529
Elevation: 1,100 feet
Tickets: NHRATix.com; 800-884-NHRA (6472)
Radio Frequency: 96.7 FM
How to Get There: The track is about 65 miles north of Atlanta on Interstate 85 at U.S. Highway 441. From Atlanta, take I-85 north to Exit 149 (Highway 441). Travel north on Highway 441 to Steven Tanger Boulevard. Go left on Tanger Boulevard, then right on E. Ridgeway Road, and follow the signs to the track (approximately a half-mile on the right).
Visitor Information: Atlanta Dragway, 706-335-2301; Banks County Chamber of Commerce, 706-677-2108; Banks County Convention and Visitors Bureau, 706-677-5265
