Week 11 in the 16-week O'Reilly Auto Parts Friday Night Drags and Show-N-Shine lit up the pit lane drag strip at Atlanta Motor Speedway Friday evening, resuming its regular points competition following last week's Week 10 Street Wars II action.
It was old-hat night at the track Friday, as 12 out of the 18 racing divisions saw repeat winners, while just six new drivers picked their way through the competition to earn a trip to Victory Lane.
New Edge Division driver Jody Scott of Griffin is more than familiar with hoisting the winning trophy on Friday nights. Entering last night's competition, Scott had claimed three victories on the 2017 season and two in the past three weeks behind the wheel of his 1995 Chevrolet S-10 pickup.
But Scott hasn't always been a quick-on-the-gas drag racing king. He only climbed behind the wheel six months ago, after finishing a four-year project to build the high-powered machine that he and his wife' cousin, Brandon Samlin, had been working on.
After wrapping up the project just in time for the 2017 Friday Night Drags season, Scott and Samlin brought the modified Chevy pickup out to the drag strip, made racing a family affair, and the rest is pretty much history.
"We finished about six months ago, and we've been racing ever since," said Scott. "I love cars. I love seeing the cars, and I love the people here."
No doubt, Friday Night Drags fans will be keeping an eye on Scott as the latter half of the season kicks into high gear. He leads the New Edge Division by near double-digit numbers and has his sights set firmly on the 2017 title.
Meanwhile, Hampton's David Clevenger put his 1986 Chevrolet Corvette back into Victory Lane for the third time this year by edging out four-time winner Kevin Mayo in the Pro Division. But it was a different story for his father, Billy, who made it to the Super Pro Division finals with his 1963 Chevrolet Corvette but wasn't able to beat out Jonesboro's Robert Cheney, who drove his American Dragster to a win for the second time this year.
Other notable Friday night winners included Matthew Mobley of Monroe in the Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Division, Mike Capozzoli of Williamson in the Harding Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Domestic Division, Courtney Perry of Covington in the Harbin's Mechanical Sport Compact Division and Jeff Nance of Cleveland, Tennessee in the New Edge Division
Below is a complete list of the July 14 winners:
Super Pro
Robert Cheney (Jonesboro); American Dragster
Pro
David Clevenger (Hampton); 1986 Chevrolet Corvette
Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman
Matthew Mobley (Monroe); 1963 Chevrolet
Harding Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Domestic
Mike Capozzoli (Williamson); 1968 Ford Mustang
Harbin's Mechanical Sport Compact
Courtney Perry (Covington); 1995 Honda Del Sol
Street Modified
David Waksman (Sharpsburg); 1994 Chevrolet Camaro
Factory Street
Keith Shockey (Fayetteville); 2015 Dodge Challenger
Street Outlaw
Mike Chambers (Griffin); 1973 Volkswagen Beetle
New Edge
Jeff Nance (Cleveland, TN); 2015 Chevrolet Corvette
Street Performer
Jody Scott (Griffin); 1995 Chevrolet S-10
Diesel Truck
Logan Rhodes (Hampton); 2008 Ford F-350
Truck
Brian Leath (Hampton); 1976 Chevrolet C-10
Super Bike
Lionel Ramirez (Stockbridge); 2007 Suzuki Hayabusa
Sport Bike
Bryan Berube (Forest Park); 2013 Suzuki Hayabusa
Motorcycle
Jamar Copes (Locust Grove); 2007 Suzuki 750
Cruiser
Daniel Leath (Fayetteville); 2014 Yamaha Bolt
ATV:
Omar Ruiz (Cumming); ATV
The Show-N-Shine competition featured everything from new imports to classic muscle cars and automobiles ranging as far back as the 1930s. Those vehicles then took part in the Speedway Cruise following judging.
Below is a complete list of the July 14 winners:
Classic Custom (Through 1972)
First Place: Playton Rainford (Locust Grove), 1972 Cutlass
Modern Custom (1973 through 1999)
First Place: Ryan Wilson (McDonough), 1998 Ford Mustang
Second Place: Tyler Bunn (Milner); 1995 Ford Mustang
Third Place: Blake Bragonone (McDonough); 1988 Ford F-150
Current Custom (2000 through current)
First Place: Austin Chaffin (Hampton); 2002 Ford Mustang
Showroom Classic (Through 1972)
First Place: Tony Tayla (Stockbridge); 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle
Showroom Modern (1973 through 1999)
First Place: Chris Gallagher (Fayetteville), 1998 Pontiac Trans Am
Second Place: Terry Sark (Conyers), 1991 Chevrolet Corvette
Third Place: Shane Prestridge (Zebulon); 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara
Showroom Current (2000 through current)
First Place: Misty Presley (Griffin), 1969 Chevrolet Camaro
Second Place: Wade Mobley (Griffin), 1964 Ford Galaxy
Third Place: Brandon Mullinax (Griffin); 2013 Chevrolet Camaro
Tuner
First Place: Adam Wallace (McDonough), 2007 Mini Cooper
Second Place: Taylor Green (Stockbridge); 1988 Mazda RX7
Third Place: Alex Gordon (McDonough), 2002 Honda Accord
Truck
First Place: Steven Wood (Henry County), 2005 Ford F-150
Second Place: Colby Bookout (McDonough), Chevrolet
Third Place: Jake Haddock (Barnesville), 2015 Ford F-150
Open
First Place: Chuck (Covington), Pontiac LeMans
Second Place: Elijah Waits (Senoia), 1990 BMY Haraco 5-Ton Military
Third Place: Tristan Cumbrun (Locust Grove); 1946 Chevrolet International
Atlanta Motor Speedway's O'Reilly Auto Parts Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine continues with Week 12 next Friday, July 21. Grandstand gates open at 6:30 p.m., and nightly drag race eliminations start just after 9:00 p.m.
Entry to drag race or for the Show-N-Shine is just $20 or competitors can purchase a combo ticket for $30. Spectator tickets are just $10, and children 5 and under are free. More information can be found at www.atlantamotorspeedway.com/drags or by calling the Atlanta Motor Speedway Ticket Office at (770) 946-4211.
