Atlanta Motor Speedway was abuzz of activity for the O'Reilly Auto Part Friday Night Drags with drivers burning up the asphalt on the pit lane drag strip and drifting through the media center parking lot.
While the drag racing points season reached the half way point, drifting made its first appearance at the O'Reilly Auto Parts Friday Night Drags.
"I definitely wanted to come out and have some fun," said Zachary Brown when asked about the addition of drifting to drags. "I just finished painting the car last week and I couldn't wait to get it out here and see what I could do."
With clutch kicks, countersteering, and brake drifting through the exhibition drift, drivers zig-zagged through the course with hairpin turns billowing smoke to the enjoyment of the crowd.
"The drifting here has been a great time," said Brown. "It's the best thing out there."
Paul Flannigan of Forsyth agreed, "I had a blast out here tonight. Everyone seems to be happy with it and I was able to make a lot of runs and got a lot of seat time, which is a big thing to have fun as a driver. So it was lots of fun."
While the drifting concluded, the pit lane drag strip produced its own smoke show as it reached the mid-way point of the points season.
Behind the burnout smoke in the South River Agency New Edge Division, Bentley Bidot won for the second consecutive week as he looks to make a charge in the points standing.
"I'm just out here for fun, but now that I've won a couple of rounds already," said Bidot. "I'm going to keep my points going and see if I can keep my position."
Bidot has been fighting a broken car, but it hasn't stopped him from finding victory lane as he knocked off Steve Shaffer of Newnan in the final.
"I got a good light. I tree-ed him pretty good on that one," said Bidot. "We [Shaffer and I] make about the same power. I did a good light and a good burnout and you are there."
While Bidot is looking to get back into the points race in the South River Agency New Edge Division, Ed Blanford has a stranglehold on the Starfire Automatic Gates Division as he remains undefeated in the points season with his sixth consecutive victory. Blandford took down James Ragsdale of Hampton in the final for the fourth consecutive event.
Other notable winners include Dale Rogers in the QuikTrip Pro Division with his first final round victory of the season as he piloted his 1981 Firebird to victory lane by out dueling Greg Fowler of Griffin and his 1964 Chevy II. Toney Freeman of Stockbridge earned his fourth victory of the season in the Super Bike Division.
Below is the complete list of July 12th race winners:
Harding Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Domestic Division: David Smith (Jackson); 1990 Isuzu
South River Agency New Edge Division: Benley Bidot (McDonough); 2015 Chevrolet SS
QuikTrip Pro Division: Dale Rogers (Oxford); 1981 Firebird
Super Pro: Mike Chambers (Griffin); 1992 Pontiac Firebird
Harbin's Mechanical Services Street Outlaw Division: Richard Corcoran (Locust Grove); 1985 Ford Mustang
Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Division: Vincent Varda (Jonesboro); 1979 Mazda RX-7
Truck Advance: Glenn Evans (McDonough); 1977 Ford F-150
Ultimate Tailgating Street Performer Division: Tory Hornsby (Senoia); 1973 Datson 240z
Super Bike Division: Toney Freeman (Stockbridge); 2008 Suzuki Hayabasa
Sport Bike: Eric Denham (Williamson); 2018 Busa
US Marine Corps Motorcycle Division: Keith Stamps (Tyrone); 2002 Honda CB900
Cruiser Division: Bobby Cole (Williamson); 2014 Harley Davidson Low Rider
Quad/Tri Division: Robert Alled (Winston); Yamaha Banshee
Street Modified Division: Kelly Morgan (Jonesboro); 1968 Ford Mustang
Starfire Automatic Gates Truck Division: Ed Blanford (McDonough); 1968 F100
Metro by T-Mobile Tuner Division: Lamar Chambers (Griffin); 1966 V61
AT&T Mobility Sport Compact Division: Amanda Brown (Senoia); 2012 Ford Mustang V6
Diamond Resorts Factory Street Division: Keith Shockey (Peachtree City); 2015 SRT 392 Challenger
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.
Classic (1980 or older classic; restored; modified cars or trucks)
Winner: Rod Harris (Stockbridge), 1971 Camaro SS
Runner Up: Spencer Spayd (Hampton), 1978 Dodge Avenger
Generation X (1981 - 2008 cars)
Winner: Tim Hatcher (North Carolina), 1999 SVT Cobra
Runner Up: Dawson Stewart (Newnan), 1998 Ford Mustang GT
Current (2009 - current cars)
Winner: Kevin Bridgewater (Fairborn), 2012 Ford Mustang
Runner Up: Tim O'Connor (Senoia), 2019 Mustang
Trucks (1981 - Does it really need any more explanation?)
Winner: Austin Sollsberger (Pike Co.), 2001 Chevy Silverado
Runner Up: Evan Rogers (Fayetteville), Ford F-150
Open
Winner: Chino (McDonough), Lexus GS 300
Atlanta Motor Speedway's O'Reilly Auto Parts Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine returns to the pit lane drag strip next Friday, July 19th. Grandstand gates open at 6:30 p.m., and nightly drag race eliminations start just after 9:00 p.m. Drifting returns to Atlanta Motor Speedway on August 9th.
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.
