The first-ever Street Wars night took center stage during Week 4 action of O'Reilly Auto Parts Friday Night Drags at Atlanta Motor Speedway Friday evening, as several of the Southeast's fastest drag cars went head-to-head in an all-out battle for handsome cash prizes in two separate racing divisions.
With unprecedented high-powered competition heating up the pit-lane drag strip, it was a battle of speed, muscle and lightning-fast reactions in the first of three payout nights during the 2017 season, which drew a boisterous crowd and a healthy dose of intense, side-by-side straight-line racing.
In the Hard Tire Division, fast cars ranging from a 1948 Willy's truck to a 1968 Ford Mustang put their money on the line in the single-elimination street-style competition. In the final race of the evening, it was David Waksman in a 1994 Chevrolet Camaro taking on Darrell Hallford in a 1997 Ford Mustang for all the marbles.
Hot of the line, Hallford got a jump on Waksman as the green lights illuminated, but he was a split-second too fast, red-lighting on the finale and handing the victory to Waksman.
For Waksman, there wasn't too much to think about coming into the evening. It was pedal to the medal every single time.
"Just gave it everything she's got," said Waksman following his Street Wars I victory. "I was running her as hard as she would go.
"I've been working on (the car) all winter, so I was nervous. I was hoping it would just hook up, and I got lucky he red-lighted."
As far as his plans for the $500 spoils, Waksman didn't hesitate: "I'm putting it back into the car."
The 28-inch and 275 drag radial Big Tire Division, featured two of the fastest cars of the evening, with John Bonner driving a souped-up 1998 Ford Mustang going up against Shane Elgie in a 2000 Chevrolet Camaro in the final.
It was Elgie who blasted off from the line first, pulling ahead early, but it was Bonner's Mustang that proved to be the faster car in the end, as he drove away with the first-ever Street Wars title in the Big Tire Division and $1,000 as well as the drivers' pot.
For all other Friday Night Drags racing divisions, Friday night was the first of a three-event Street Wars championship series for the 2017 season, which continues on June 23 and wraps up on Aug. 4.
Jumping out to early series leads with Friday night victories were Kevin Mayo of Milner in the Pro Division, Chance Turner of Villa Rica in the Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Division, Cody Royals of Williamson in the Harding Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Domestic Division and Wayne Harris of Griffin in the Street Outlaw Division.
Other notable winners include Heather Utt of Fayetteville in the Harbin's Mechanical Sport Compact Division, Damon Waldrop of Stockbridge in the Metro PCS Tuner Division and Keith Shockey of Fayetteville in the Factory Street Division.
Below is a complete list of the May 19 winners:
28-Inch Big Tire Street Wars
John Bonner; 1998 Ford Mustang
Hard Tire Street Wars
David Waksman; 1994 Chevrolet Camaro
Pro
Kevin Mayo (Milner); 1969 Chevrolet Nova
Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman
Chance Turner (Villa Rica); 1991 Ford Mustang
Harding Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Domestic
Cody Royals (Williamson); 1953 Chevrolet Handywagon
Harbin's Mechanical Sport Compact
Heather Utt (Fayetteville); 2014 Ford Mustang
Metro PCS Tuner
Damon Waldrop (Stockbridge); 1994 Honda Civic
Street Modified
Anthony Kirkland (Jonesboro); 2017 Dodge Charger
Factory Street
Keith Shockey (Fayetteville); 2015 Dodge Challenger
Street Outlaw
Wayne Harris (Griffin); 1968 Chevrolet Camaro
New Edge
George Calverton (Duluth); Ford Lightning
Street Performer
Jody Scott (Griffin); 1995 Chevroleet S-10
Diesel Truck
Brian Sparrow (Flovilla); 2005 Ford F-250
Truck
Ed Blanford (McDonough); 1968 Ford F-100
Super Bike
Graham Mayo (Griffin); 2007 Hyabusa
Sport Bike
Robin Malcolm (Lithonia); Suzuki
Motorcycle
Bo price (Stockbridge)
ATV
Omar Ruiz (Cumming)
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 May 19 winners:
Classic Custom (Through 1972)
First Place: Buddy Mendias (Griffin); 1959 Willys
Second Place: Frankie Hicks (Stockbridge); 1968 Chevrolet Impala Convertible
Third Place: Stan Brown (Griffin); Mustang
Modern Custom (1973 through 1999)
First Place: Will Frazier (Panama City, FL); 1973 Chevrolet Caprice
Current Custom (2000 through current)
First Place: Alrico Arnold (Hampton); 2017 Chevrolet Camaro
Second Place: David Schmid (Peachtree City); 2017 Corvette Grand Sport
Third Place: Dick Borrelli (Newnan); 1986 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car
Showroom Modern (1973 through 1999)
First Place: Chris Gallagher (Fayetteville); 1998 Pontiac Trans Am
Second Place: Pamela Kendrick (Acworth); 1993 Ford Mustang GT
Third Place: Justin Osterland (Griffin); Ford Mustang GT
Showroom Current (2000 through current)
First Place: Hunter Hartley (Milledgeville); 2013 Chevrolet Camaro
Second Place: Eddie Chegan (McDonough); 2008 Chevrolet Corvette
Third Place: Savannah Brown (Griffin); Ford Mustang
Tuner
First Place: Patrick Smith (McDonough); Scion FR5
Second Place: Cody Smith (McDonough); Mitsubishi Lancer
Third Place: Ricky Harrelson (McDonough); 2004 RX GT
Truck
First Place: Richard Williams (Pike County); 2015 GMC 3500 Dually
Second Place: Blake Williams (McDonough); 1996 Chevrolet 1500
Third Place: Jon Jackson (Griffin); Ford F-250
Open
First Place: Terry Sark (Conyers); 2001 Harley-Davidson
Second Place: Danny Baute (Marietta); Tesla Model X
Third Place: Randy Evans (Greeneville); Ford F-250
Atlanta Motor Speedway's O'Reilly Auto Parts Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine continues with Week 5 and the 2017 regular season points opener on Friday, June 2 after an off-week next Friday in observance of the Memorial Day Weekend. Grandstand gates open at 6:30 p.m., and nightly drag race eliminations start 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.
