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FINAL ROUND DEJA-VU FOR BRAND, BREWER, AND WILLIAMS
By Amy Glover
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| Diana Harker tested her Top Alcohol Dragster. |
(Commerce, GA – May 22) Racers eagerly returned after a long break, following the 30th annual Southern Nationals, making for the best turnout Saturday Insanity at Atlanta Dragway has seen since its start in 2009. The event saw enough Open Comp entrants for a $1,000 prize, and many finalists from the first Saturday Insanity event made it to the finals a second time, some for revenge and some for defense. Fortunately, the skies purged themselves Friday evening, giving a clear, albeit hot and humid, Saturday race. Diana Harker’s Top Alcohol Dragster lent more excitement to the event. Her team was testing various tuneups, and made several high 3.70 second, 205mph plus half track passes for the crowds enjoyment. Racers were also pleasantly surprised to find the Contingency Connection program has been renewed, which gives awards to each winner that uses a sponsor’s product and displays the sponsor’s decal on their race car.
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| In the 6.50 index final, David Brand defeated Matt Ward. |
David Brand (Covington, GA) returned to the 6.50 Index finals to defend his points standings against Matt Ward (Fair Play, SC). Brand’s silver ’67 Camaro left the starting line first with a .031 green light; Ward followed with a .052 reaction in his jet black ’69 Camaro. Brand’s light did all the work—Ward couldn’t catch him at the top end, finishing with a 6.55 elapsed time at 106.34 mph. Brand claimed the win in a 6.56 second run at 104.93 mph, with a .01 margin of victory. “This is my home track. It’s been good to me.” Brand thanked his girlfriend Barbara for support, and gave a special thanks to Atlanta Chassis Dyno. TJ Thomas (Demorest, GA) was the 6.50 semi-finalist, in a ’71 Chevelle.
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| 7.50 index winner Shane Williams. |
The 7.50 final was an all-Mustang showdown, with returning finalists Shane Williams (’99 Mustang— Knoxville, TN) and Ricky Page (’80 Mustang—Monroe, GA). Page won the tree with a .028 light against Williams’ .030 reaction; Williams chased Page hard to the finish, passing for the win in 7.54 seconds at 85.11 mph. Page finished in 7.55 seconds at 90.42, lending Williams a .01 margin of victory. “I had a rough first round,” Williams said, having faced some car problems, but made up for it with his final round revenge. Williams and Page are now neck-and-neck in the points. Williams thanks MV Performance and Tim Matherly. Rob Hogue (’68 Camaro—Loganville, GA) and Danny Towe (’70 Mustang, Lawrenceville, GA) ended their evening in the semi-finals.
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| Open Comp winner Chad Brewer |
Canton’s Chad Brewer in his borrowed ’67 Camaro came back to the Open Comp finals for more, after finishing second in the last Saturday Insanity event. Brewer, dialed at 7.26, staged against Russell Haskins (’88 Mustang—Marietta, GA), who dialed in at 7.26. Brewer treed Haskins with a .030 light against a .037 reaction, and sealed the deal with a 7.29 second run at 90.90 mph, a better package than Haskins’ 7.19 second run at 93.91 mph. Brewer felt the thrill of the .04 margin of victory: “Open Comp is a blast.” Brewer confessed to a difficult start, the sun in the perfect position to blind the right lane, but evidently “it just takes a good car.” Of course, Brewer thanked the Mayor of Hickory Flat for his success. Eric Smith (’71 Nova—Baldwin, GA) and Jimmy Mason (’93 Camaro—Canon, GA) finished in the semi-final round.
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| In the Old School final, Tracy Simmons (right) defeated Wesley Anglin. |
Old School ran as one class tonight. Tracy Simmons (Danielsville, GA) took his orange ’88 Mustang to the finals against Wesley Anglin (Carlton, GA) in his classically red ’51 Ford Truck. Simmons gained a killer advantage with his .095 green light, as Anglin left the line with a .226 start. Although Anglin had the better ET in 5.83 seconds at 121.26 mph, Simmons’ light secured the win for his 5.92 second, 110.20 mph run. “I thought he had me,” Simmons, said. “I tune that truck, too,” Simmons added, but denied any shenanigans. “We’re like John Force: we pull up to that line and we gun for it.” Simmons thanked “the good Lord, and my family” for the victory. Trent Sanders (’91 Mustang—Jefferson, GA) and Jamie Haynes (’91 Mustang—Atlanta, GA) were the Old School semi-finalists.
RACE DATE: May 22, 2010
FROM: Amy Glover
EVENT: First Saturday Insanity event at Atlanta Dragway in 2010
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| 6.50 index winner, David Brand. |
6.50 HEADS-UP CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH INDEX
Win: David Brand ’67 Camaro Covington, GA 6.561 104.93 (6.50)
R/U: Matt Ward ’69 Camaro Fair Play, SC 6.552 106.34 (6.50)
Semi: TJ Thomas ’71 Chevelle Demorest, GA
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| 7.50 index winner, Shane Williams. |
7.50 HEADS-UP CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH INDEX
Win: Shane Williams ’99 Mustang Knoxville, TN 7.543 85.11 (7.50)
R/U: Ricky Page ’90 Mustang Monroe, GA 7.555 90.42 (7.50)
Semi: Rob Hogue ’68 Camaro Loganville, GA
Semi: Danny Towe ’70 Mustang Lawrenceville, GA
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| Open Comp winner, Chad Brewer. |
OPEN COMP CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Chad Brewer ’68 Camaro Canton, GA 7.294 90.90 (7.26)
R/U: Russell Haskins ’88 Mustang Marietta, GA 7.194 93.91 (7.12)
Semi: Eric Smith ’71 Nova Baldwin, GA
Semi: Jimmy Mason ’93 Camaro Canon, GA
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| Old School finalists, winner Tracy Simmons and wife (left) and runner up Wesley Anglin and wife (right). |
OLD SCHOOL CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH
Win: Tracy Simmons ’88 Mustang Danielsville, GA 5.837 125.02
R/U: Wesley Anglin ’51 Ford Truck Carlton, GA 6.235 115.18
Semi: Trent Sanders ’91 Mustang Jefferson, GA
Semi: Jamie Haynes ’91 Mustang Atlanta, GA
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