O'Reilly Auto Parts Friday Night Drags isn't just a place for fast cars and bikes — powerful pickups are also right at home on Atlanta Motor Speedway's pit lane dragstrip.
Some of the fastest trucks can be found in the Truck Advanced class, which this year has been led by a bright yellow 1977 Ford F150 piloted by Glenn Evans of McDonough.
"There's no nitrous, no turbo - it's just all the motor in the truck," Evans said. This year his yellow pickup's power plant has been up to the task and Evans sits atop the division standings after several weeks of trading wins with fellow Truck Advanced racer Taylor Wilder of Locust Grove.
"It's been great," Evans said of the competition between himself and Wilder. "I mean that makes the night, coming out and saying, 'Alright you got me, but I'm gonna beat you next week.'"
Evans' success is made even more impressive by the fact his truck didn't start its racing days on asphalt.
"We used to do mud drag racing, which is why the 4 wheel drive is still in it," Evans said. "All of that extra weight is still being hauled around, but that's how this truck got its start."
Evans converted his truck to take on the pit lane dragstrip after moving from Tennessee.
"I lived in Chattanooga for a while when they first started the series," Evans explained. "I would drive my Mustang from Chattanooga down here to go race, to hang out with my buddies and have a good time.
"Then we moved back and I was like, 'Hey, Friday Night Drags is still going,' after I had sold the Mustang, so let's take the truck."
Now hitting the track to see how fast he can go is a weekly ritual for Evans, who can't get enough of the Friday night thrills.
"I love it. You see kids walking around having a great time, asking questions about the truck. Those are future racers," Evans said. "My family comes out - I have two daughters that go around the track in their Jeep doing the Show-N-Shine.
"It's a good family fun atmosphere to get the weekend started off right."
Atlanta Motor Speedway's O'Reilly Auto Parts Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine return to the pit lane dragstrip on Friday, Aug. 16. 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.
