Photo by Tom Francisco, Speedpics.net

Drag racers took advantage of the final night of non-points competition to tune-up their vehicles and work out any last kinks during the fourth week of Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine at Atlanta Motor Speedway.As has been the story in previous editions of Friday Night Drags in 2013, a mix of new and familiar faces turned out to do battle on the eighth-mile pit lane drag strip for the last time this season before points go on the line during the May 31 contest.

The evening’s action was marked by several competitive matchups on the pit lane drag strip. The Super Pro division, AMS’ fastest division offered at Friday Night Drags, saw an intense final round race between Henry County residents Allen Kidd of Locust Grove and Matt Mayben of McDonough. The battle of Chevrolets went to the orange machine of Kidd this week, as his 1969 Camaro was able to top Mayben’s 1972 Nova.

The Pro division final featured a couple of FND veterans, as David Harbin of McDonough was able to power his 1969 Chevrolet Nova over Hampton’s Billy Clevenger, piloting a Dodge Barracuda.

Thanks to a red car win on Friday night, fans will be treated to a pizza discount on Saturday, courtesy of Papa John’s Pizza. Anytime a red car ends up in victory lane in any division, fans qualify for 50 percent off any regular priced menu item on Saturday when ordering online at PapaJohns.com. Fans are asked to use the promo code 50RED when ordering at participating locations.

Below is a complete list of the May 17 Friday Night Drag winners:

Super Pro: Allen Kidd (Locust Grove) in a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro
Pro: David Harbin (McDonough) in a 1969 Chevrolet Nova
Street Outlaw: Jeremy Rhodes (Hampton) in a 1989 Ford Mustang
Summit Racing Sportsman: Richard Riggi (Lovejoy) in a 1987 Ford Mustang Coupe
Truck Advanced: Lance Chitwood (Locust Grove) in a 1988 Chevrolet 1500
Diesel Truck: Dwayne Bethune (Covington) in a 2006 Dodge Ram
Truck: Shelton Maynard (Hampton) in a 1972 Chevrolet C-10
Domestic Advanced: Neal Skipper (Covington) in a 1988 Ford Mustang Coupe
Street Modified: Kyle Cumpton (Snellville) in a 2001 Chevrolet Camaro
Domestic: Kane Shavers (Griffin) in a 1970 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS
Tuner: Chase Ponder (Brooks) in a 1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse
Sport Compact: Erion Jackson (Miami, Fla.) in a 2011 Infiniti G37 Coupe
ATV: Rodney Tolbert (Locust Grove) on a 2010 Yamaha Banshee
Cycle Nation Super Bike: Toney Freeman (Stockbridge) on a 2002 Suzuki Hayabusa
Super Sport Bike: Desmond Huguley (Wedowee, Ala.) on a 2007 GSX-R 750
Sport Bike: Joshua Jones (Riverdale) on a 2002 Suzuki Hayabusa

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 17 winners:

Showroom Current (1973 through current):
First Place: Paul Gerald (Locust Grove), 2014 Ford Mustang
Second Place: Leigh Blakey (Jonesboro), 2011 Ford Mustang
Third Place: Tommy Hicks (McDonough) Chevrolet Camaro

Showroom Classic (1950 to 1972):
First Place: Robert Cheney (Jonesboro), 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302
Second Place: Christopher Byrd (Hampton), 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500
Third Place: John Michael Miller (McDonough), 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle

Sport Compact:
First Place: Jose Lopez (Griffin), Hyundai Genesis
Second Place: Mark Twigger (Sharpsburg), BMW M3
Third Place: Krystal Mendoza (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse RS

Classic Custom (1950 to 1972):
First Place: Gene Fuller (Hiram), 1955 Chevrolet Bel-Air
Second Place: Tony Taylor, 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle
Third Place: Mandy Campbell (Hampton), 1954 Ford F-1

Current Custom (1973 through current):
First Place: Steve Kochik (Stockbridge), 2008 Ford Mustang
Second Place: Christopher Shinkle (Zebulon), 1991 GMC Sonoma
Third Place: Michael Baucom (Milner), 1993 Toyota Pickup

Truck:
First Place: Michael Thomas (Fayetteville), 1968 Chevrolet C-10
Second Place: Adam Wallace (McDonough), 1985 Chevrolet Silverado
Third Place: Kaylee Spivey (Fayetteville), Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD

Open:
First Place: Jason Turner (McDonough), 1936 Ford Cabriolet

Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine will have an off-week on May 24 for the Memorial Day weekend. Friday Night Drags will return May 31 with week five of the season and the opening of points racing for 2013. Grandstand gates open at 6:30 p.m. and nightly drag race eliminations start at 9:15 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 at Friday Night Drags are just $8 for adults and children five 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.

Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s Patriotic Chevrolet, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 18, 2013 in Concord, North Carolina. Credit: Geoff Burke/NASCAR via Getty Images

The Brothers Busch won the first four segments of Saturday night’s Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, but Jimmie Johnson took the one the counted—the 10-lap dash to the finish—and continued to build his legacy, not to mentioned his bank account.

Speeding away from Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kasey Kahne after a restart on Lap 81 of 90, Johnson won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series all-star exhibition race for a record fourth time, beating charging Joey Logano to the stripe by 1.722 seconds.

Kyle Busch, who won the second and third segments of 20-laps each, ran third, followed by Kahne and Kurt Busch. The elder Busch brother won the first and fourth segments and was first onto pit road before the final dash but exited fifth with a less-than-stellar pit stop.

Despite changes to his pit crew this week, Johnson’s over-the-wall gang performed an 11-second pit stop that got him out of the pits on the front row, beside Kahne, for the final restart. Ultimately, that made all the difference.

Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s Patriotic Chevrolet, races Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 National Guard Chevrolet, and Kurt Busch, driver of the #78 Furniture Row/Sealy Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 18, 2013 in Concord, North Carolina. Credit: Streeter Lecka, Getty Images

With the victory, Johnson broke a tie with teammate Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Sr. for most wins in the non-points race, won his second straight All-Star Race and collected $1 million for his efforts.

“To beat Jeff and Earnhardt, two guys I’ve looked up to my whole life—two massive icons of our sport—this means the world to me,” said Johnson, who started 18th after sliding through his pit box and drawing a penalty for a loose lug nut during Friday’s qualifying session.

“I really didn’t think we had a shot at winning tonight, starting (18th), but we had a great race car and worked our way through there and got the job done. Over time, honestly, it’s just dedication and drive from every member at Hendrick Motorsports, every member on this No. 48 team. We’re very proud of what we’ve accomplished, but we know we’ve got to keep pushing harder and pushing one another.”

Kyle Busch thought he had the fastest car, but a slower-than-usual four-tire stop put his No. 18 Toyota on the second row for the final restart.

“We just didn’t get the best pit stop there at the end to get us out on the front row, and when you’re back behind cars, you’re getting beat up on,” Busch said. “It is what it is. We’ll just take this as a good learning day and hopefully bring back some speed like this to the (Coca-Cola) 600 (May 26).”

NASCAR’s luck with weather held Saturday night, with a large enough window to complete the race with just one delay.

With Kurt Busch leading from the outset, NASCAR called a caution because of rain after Lap 8 and red-flagged the race after 13 laps when the shower intensified. The drivers came to pit road, parked in their stalls and waited.

The rain didn’t come soon enough, however, to save reigning Cup champion Brad Keselowski. On the second lap, transmission troubles sent his No. 2 Penske Racing Ford to the garage.

“Something just broke in the back half of the drive train, either the transmission or drive shaft gear – I’m not sure which one – but it’s one of those deals, unfortunately,” Keselowski said. “We’ll try to learn from it and move on.”

With Keselowski in the garage, the race resumed after a stoppage of 41 minutes 28 seconds. Kurt Busch pulled away from brother Kyle Busch to win the first 20-lap segment by .751 seconds.

Kyle Busch kept the second segment in the family, pulling away from Clint Bowyer after a restart on Lap 29—after Ricky Stenhouse Jr. bounced off the Turn 4 wall and knocked Mark Martin for a loop through the grass in the quad-oval.

Jamie McMurray led wire-to-wire to win the Sprint Showdown and transfer into the main event. McMurray, who started second, took two tires during the halfway competition caution after 20 laps and pulled away to beat Cup rookie Stenhouse to the finish line by 1.226 seconds.

Stenhouse transferred into the All-Star Race as the second-place finisher. His romantic interest, Danica Patrick, finished ninth in the Showdown but punched her ticket into the All-Star Race as the winner of the Sprint Fan vote.

“Obviously being out front is massive,” McMurray said during the break between the Showdown and the main event. “When I got by (polesitter) Martin (Truex Jr.) at the start of the race… I was trying to take it easy because I didn’t know with the track being green how quickly the tires would fall off, and even running at like 80 percent it was amazing what a difference just being in clean air was.

“I had a really good car in practice (Friday). I thought honestly the 56 (Truex) and I had the two best cars looking at times yesterday, and then the two tire stop was the right call for us. It got us up front.”

McMurray’s words proved prophetic. Being out front for the final 10-lap run was crucial to Johnson’s record run.

Dick Trickle died May 16, 2013, from a self-inflicted gun shot wound. The incident occurred at 12:02PM at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Boger City, North Carolina. The Lincoln County Communications Center received a call, apparently from the victim, saying that “there would be a dead body and it would be his.”

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Dick Trickle on his passing today. Dick was a legend in the short-track racing community, particularly in his home state of Wisconsin, and he was a true fan favorite.  Personalities like Dick Trickle helped shape our sport. He will be missed.”

– Brian France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO

Eight-year-old Dick Trickle was playing tag with his cousin Verlon on the rafters in a house under construction when he fell two floors to the basement and broke his hip.He was transferred from a local hospital to the University of Wisconsin Hospital with slow recovery. His recovery was so slow that the doctors gave up and sent him home presuming that he would be an invalid for the rest of his life.

Trickle later began to walk, although he walked with a slight limp for the rest of his life. He spent three years in a cast from his waist to his foot. While he was recovering as a nine-year-old, a friend took him to his first races at Crown Speedway in his hometown of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. “When I got there I was flabbergasted,” Trickle said. “I thought it was the neatest thing. Free shows were nothing compared to it. That race never left my mind until I was 16. I knew I was going to drive a race car when I was 16.”

Trickle married his wife Darlene in 1961. They originally lived at his grandmother’s house for a while before they bought a trailer home on someone else’s property. His nephew, Chris Trickle, was an up-and-coming race car driver before dying in a drive-by shooting.

Trickle’s family lived on welfare, so there was no money available for racing.Trickle spent his summers from young on working for area farmers, starting as a 13-year-old. He also spent a lot of time at the Rudolph Blacksmith shop that his father was a partner in. While his father was ill, his uncle Leonard ran the shop.

“I worked part time at the shop to earn a nickel or dime,” Trickle said. “At that age, it was mostly sweeping the shop, but I started to play with the welder and soon I could make an arc and then weld. I started junking machinery. I save some things getting a head start for when I would go racing at 16. I didn’t have any money, but I had this pile of stuff to build a race car with. It was a hope chest.

When I turned 16, I let the farmer I was working for keep most the money I earned until fall. That fall I collected my money and went down Main Street wheeling and dealing. I finally bought a 1950 Ford in good condition for $100. It was going to be my street car, but the urge to race got too strong and I cut up and made a stock car out of it.”

I did run the car a little bit before I cut it up and I ended up drag racing a classmate, Melvin Hunsinger, who had a 1949 Ford. He beat me. It seems kind of dumb when I already knew there was a car that could beat me. Eventually, I bought Hunsinger’s 1949 Ford for $32.50 and put the motor in my car”.

Trickle raced at over 100 events each year for over 15 years. He was racing at Tomah-Sparta Speedway when Francis Kelly noticed that Trickle was always in contention for winning the races, but he lost a lot of them because he had junky motors. One day Kelly approached Trickle and asked him what it would cost for Trickle to win. Trickle told him a new motor; Kelly asked Trickle to compile a list of parts that he needed. When Kelly asked who would assemble the motor, Trickle responded that he could but he was a junkyard mechanic. Trickle suggested that Alan Kulwicki’s father Jerry Kulwicki, who was building motors for Norm Nelson’s USAC stock cars, should build the engine.

In 1989 Trickle made his full schedule debut driving the #84 Miller High Life Buick for Stavola Brothers Racing. He had raced an occasional race during the 1970s and 1980s.He was Rookie of the Year in NASCAR’s Winston Cup (now the Sprint Cup) at age 48 (and a grandfather), becoming the oldest driver in Winston Cup history to do so. His best career Winston Cup finish was third (5 times). He started 303 races, with 15 Top 5 and 36 Top 10 finishes.

In 1990, he won the Winston Open (now the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race) in the #66 TropArtic Pontiac. It was a non-points All-Star event for drivers who did not win in the previous year. He beat Rob Moroso by 8 inches, the smallest margin of victory at the event. He also won his only career Cup pole at Dover Downs International Speedway. In the middle of the 1991 season he went to drive the #24 Team III Racing Pontiac. His best finish was 6th at Dover International Speedway. In 1992 he teamed up once again with the Stavola Brothers, driving the #8 Snickers Ford. In 1993 he drove the #75 Carolina Pottery Ford for Butch Mock Motorsports and then the #41 Manheim Auctions Chevy for Larry Hedrick Motorsports.

Part of his popularity stemmed from his unusual, double-entendre name. ESPN’s Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann often made it a point to mention where he finished whenever NASCAR highlights were featured on Sportscenter. He was either referred as Mr. Trickle or “The Man”. He was also widely noted for having drilled a hole in his safety helmet so that he could smoke while racing, and for installing cigarette lighters in his race cars. [1] Trickle was allowed by NASCAR to smoke in the race car during yellow flag periods, and in the 1990 Winston 500 (now the Aaron’s 499), Trickle was seen on live television by the in-car camera lighting up and smoking a cigarette.

Trickle even made fun of his lack of success in NASCAR’s top-level series in a 1997 TV commercial for Napa Auto Parts. In it, Trickle announces a contest where fans can win $100,000 if they pick the winner of that year’s Napa 500 race. “A little tip…it’s gonna be me!” he says, as an on-screen graphic points out “Dick is 0 for 243 in Cup races”. “I think we get champagne (after winning),” says Trickle.

Dick also raced in the Busch Series, where he won two races. He had 158 career starts, with 24 Top 5 and 42 Top 10 finishes. He made his Busch Series debut in 1984.

Until his death in 2013, Trickle continued to race in occasional events in Wisconsin, including the 2007 Slinger Nationals at Slinger Super Speedway and in the ASA Midwest Tour.

The La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway created the Dick Trickle 99 race, a 99 lap Super Late Model event during its annual Oktoberfest race weekend.Wisconsin International Raceway has named a building in Turn 2 the “Dick Trickle Pavilion”.

His crashes at the Lake Placid bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track at the Geoff Bodine Challenge (NASCAR and NHRA drivers raise funds for the United States bobsleigh team to build the sleds) has that turn (17, 18, 19, the “heart curve”) named the Trickle Turn.

Although he won no points-paying races in NASCAR Winston Cup, he was very successful elsewhere:

• 1 NASCAR Winston Open (exhibition race, 1990)
• 2 NASCAR Busch Series wins
• 32 American Speed Association wins
• 68 ARTGO Challenge Series wins
• 2 NASCAR Southwest Tour wins
• 2 USAC wins

“It is quite the thrilling ride,” said Head.  “It’s just as much fun for me to hear the person screaming with excitement as I rip around the track getting closer and closer to the concrete wall each lap.”

Head is raising money this weekend to assist his sister-in-law with the funeral expenses for his late brother Donald Head.  Mike’s sibling passed away earlier this week.  Donald was instrumental in Mike’s success at Senoia Raceway and other southeastern regional short tracks.  The rides cost $50 per three lap ride with all proceeds assisting Donald’s widow.

“He was a good man, my brother,” explained Mike Head.  “He loved this place (Senoia Raceway) and was key to why I ran so well here.”

Mike Head is a member of the National Dirt Racing Hall of Fame and the Georgia Auto Racing Hall of Fame.  He won hundreds of feature events across the southeast in many different kinds of race cars.  The 1966 Chevrolet Corvair that he will have on display is the car he raced at Senoia Raceway in early years of his career.

“I sold this car to Joe Lee Johnson for his son to race,” said Head.  “It was Ronnie Johnson’s first race car.  In fact, they painted over the #4 in my number and raced it with the #5 for Ronnie.  He never changed his number to anything else.”

Race fans can sign up for the three lap rides with the hall of famer throughout the night.  A registration table will be available near his Corvair display at the grandstand entrance.

“I hope we are here until 3am giving fans rides,” said Senoia Raceway promoter Tim Moses.  “Help out a great racing family and get to ride with a hall of fame racer.  It’s a can’t miss opportunity.”

This Saturday, May 18, Senoia Raceway will be running double features for all their weekly divisions.  The Jodeco Auto Sales Late Models will run twin 20’s paying $750 to win in each.  Plus, The Newnan Bonding B Cadets, Summit Racing Equipment Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks, Bombers and Modified Mini will run only features on the twin bill.

The pits open at 5pm.  Grandstands at 6pm.  Hot laps crank up at 7:15pm.  Racing will go green at 8pm.  Grandstand ticket prices will be $12 for adults; children twelve and under are admitted for free.  Pit passes are $25 for adults; children 4 through 12 are $12; three and under are admitted for free.  Trackside Parking and Tailgating is also available on a limited basis and includes access to the pit area.

Senoia Raceway is located just five miles west of Senoia, GA on Georgia Highway 16.  Easy access from both Interstate 85 or Interstate 75.

For more information, visit the Senoia Raceway website at www.senoiaraceway.com or call the speedway at 404.796.1435.

Photo: Tom Francisco, Speedpics.net

The competition proved fierce during the third installment of Atlanta Motor Speedway’s seventh full season of Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine. In the 16 classes that drag-raced the evening of May 10, 13 competitors went to Victory Lane for the first time in the 2013 season.

Only the three racers of Kyle Cumpton, Toney Freeman and Tony Morse captured a second win from the first three weeks of racing.Morse went head-to-head with Scott Bates in the final elimination round for the Summit Racing Sporstman class. The match was a dead heat; however Bates looked like he had some mechanical problems near the finish line with Morse coming out the victor.

The Street Outlaw division’s finals paired Vic Vickers against Will Coots. It looked as if Coots might take the win as Vickers got sideways down the left lane, but Vickers was able to get it under control and grab the win in a close finish.

Tony Byrd and David Harbin were matched up in the Pro class’ final round. Earlier rounds showed the cars to be equal, but Harbin jumped off the line quickly to leaving Byrd with no chance. Harbin collected the win handily.

The Super Pro division elimination race lineup was David Sisk versus Bobby Daniel. Most fans thought Sisk would score the win as he got an amazing start off the line; however you could hear the fans gasp as Daniel’s car was much faster and he closed the gap to beat Sisk to the line and steal the trophy.

Fans should also be happy with Daniel’s win since he his 1999 Monte Carlo is painted red. Anytime a red car ends up in victory lane in any division, fans qualify for 50 percent off any Papa John’s Pizza regular priced menu item on Saturday when ordering online at PapaJohns.com. Fans are asked to use the promo code 50RED when ordering at participating locations.

Below is a complete list of the Friday Night Drags May 10 winners:

Super Pro: Bobby Daniel (Stockbridge) in a 1999 Monte Carlo
Pro: David Harbin (McDonough) in a 1968 Chevrolet Camaro
Street Outlaw: Vic Vickers (McDonough) in a 1998 Ford Mustang
Summit Racing Sportsman: Tony Morse (Grantville) in a 1981 Chevrolet Malibu
Diesel Truck: Will Rick (Loganville) in a 2003 Chevrolet Duramax
Truck: Buddy Patrick (Stockbridge) in a 1948 Willys
Domestic Advanced: Terry Bates (Locust Grove) in a 1988 Mustang Coupe
Street Modified: Kyle Cumpton (Snellville) in a 2001 Chevrolet Camaro
Domestic: David Anglin (McDonough) in a 1988 Ford Mustang
Tuner: Chase Ponder (Brooks) in a 1990 Mitsubishi
Sport Compact: Damon Waldrop (McDonough) in a 1998 Ford Mustang
ATV: Daniel Rice (Jonesboro) in a 2007 Yamaha Raptor
Cycle Nation Super Bike: Toney Freeman (Stockbridge) on a 2004 Suzuki GSX-R 1000
Sport Bike: Jeremy St. Julien (Fairburn) in a 2008 Suzuki GSXR 1300
Motorcycle: Randall Cross (Stone Mountain) in a 2003 Kawasaki ZX9
Cruiser/Dirt Bike: Tim Houghland (Lawrenceville) in a 2002 Harley Dyna Glide

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 Show-N-Shine May 10 winners:

Showroom Current (1973 through current):
First Place: Chris Gallagher in a 1998 Pontiac Trans Am
Second Place: Justin Osterland (Griffin) in a 1996 Mustang Cobra
Third Place: Heather Chafin (Covington) in a Toyota Camry SE

Showroom Classic (1950 to 1972):
First Place: Reid Harris (Stockbridge) in a 1971 Z28 Camaro
Second Place: Pepper Norris (Stockbridge) in a 1968 Chevelle
Third Place: Wayne Hansard (Tyrone) in a 1970 Chevrolet Camaro

Sport Compact:
First Place: Leo (Peachtree City) in a Genesis Coupe
Second Place: Jim Dean
Third Place: Thomas Hill

Current Custom (1973 through current):
First Place: Patrick Jones (Stockbridge) in a 2005 Pontiac GTO
Second Place: Jessica Craddock (Fayetteville) in a 2008 Ford Mustang V6
Third Place: Lee Thomas in a 2006 Mustang GT

Truck:
First Place: Adam Wallace in a 1985 Chevrolet Silverado
Second Place: Kaylee Spivey (Fayetteville) in a 2002 Chevrolet Silverado
Third Place: Ray Wallace (Decatur) in a 1978 Chevy C-10

Open:
First Place: David Sims (Hampton) in a 1931 Ford
Second Place: Jason Turner (McDonough) in a 1936 Ford Cabriolet
Third Place: Bill Steele (Hampton) in a Plymouth

Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine returns May 17 with week four of the drag racing season. Grandstand gates open at 6:30 p.m. and nightly drag race eliminations start at 9:15 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 at Friday Night Drags are just $8 for adults and children five 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.

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No points. No problem. Just follow the money.

That’s the easiest way to describe Saturday night’s 29^th NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Twenty-two drivers will battle for a winner’s payout of more than $1 million without worrying that failure might damage their Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™ chances.

The strategy is simple enough: Checkers or wreckers. Just bring back the steering wheel – as long as you’re carrying it to Victory Lane.

The odds favor defending All-Star Race winner Jimmie Johnson, a three-time event winner. He shares the all-time victory record Hendrick teammate Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt.

Parity, however, has been the watchword in recent All-Star races: 12 different winners in the most recent 14 events, six of them NASCAR Sprint Cup champions.

A surprise is who hasn’t won the event, starting with Joe Gibbs Racing. That may change this year as JGR’s lineup contains two of the season’s hottest competitors. Matt Kenseth, the 2004 All-Star winner, counts three victories. Kyle Busch has won twice. The pair has led a combined 1,521 laps during the season’s first 11 races.

Three All-Star berths remain up for grabs. The top-two finishers of the Sprint Showdown will transfer. The winner of the Sprint Fan Vote gets the final starting slot. Among those on the outside looking in are Sunoco Rookie of the Year rivals Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

The NASCAR Nationwide Series takes a one-week breather in advance of the May 25 History 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Kyle Busch won his fifth race of the season at Darlington Raceway, adding to the lustrous resume of crew chief Adam Stevens. The former JGR NASCAR Sprint Cup engineer has won 14 times with Busch and Joey Logano during the past two seasons. The Stevens-led No. 54 JGR Toyota team holds a 20-point NNS owner championship lead.

Matt Crafton, a former North Carolina Education Lottery 200 winner, attempts to add to his championship lead as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway Friday night. Kyle Busch chases Charlotte truck win No. 5 while reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski – second a year ago – wants to join his father, Bob Keselowski, as the only father-son winners in the series record book.

If it has horsepower, we’ll be there! Take a look at MSA Staff photos of the Atlanta event!

Antron Brown raced to the Top Fuel victory Saturday at the weather-delayed Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway.

Johnny Gray (Funny Car) and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) also were winners at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event, which was delayed for one week due to persistent rain showers.

Brown claimed his second victory of the season and his fifth win at the Georgia dragstrip, powering past Brandon Bernstein in the final round. Brown covered the distance in 3.801 seconds at 321.25 mph in his Matco Tools dragster, while Bernstein’s ProtectTheHarvest.com dragster lost traction at the start and finished in 7.105 at 90.64.

A packed field of 38 Pro AM Drifting Competitors from all over the East Coast as well as the Caribbean will be descending on Gresham Motorsports Park to do battle on the banked oval and infield track course .

Since 2010 Streewise Drift has run their Rd 1 Pro AM events along side the Formula Drift Pro Competitions at Road Atlanta. Road Atlanta is considered to be hallowed ground for drifting on the east coast. The growth of SWD’s driver ranks and the limited amount of space and time allotted for Pro AM activities at the Formula Drift events resulted in a necessary venue change to better serve the Pro AM drivers.

“With the improvements made to the GMP facility over the last few years including new pavement, updated grandstand viewing , media facilities and track side parking, Gresham Motorpsports Park was a natural and easy choice for us to make as a change of venue for Rd 1.” SWD Founder, Brian Phillips

This event will have a lot to offer spectators and fans too. The constant high impact action of drifting will obviously be the main focus of the event . There will also be a vendor row, food vending, open pit access for fans to meet the teams and a Show and Shine VIP Car Corral for local automotive car clubs and individuals to come in and show off their rides.

Tickets are 15.00 for General Admission – + 5.00 to Park in the VIP Car Corral Show and Shine.

Many new sponsors and supporters have stepped up in 2013 to support the series’ growth and reward the drivers for their success at the track. Both cash and valuable contingency packages will be up for grabs for the top performers , qualifiers and podium winners.

THIS EVENT WILL BE BROADCASTED LIVE! TO WATCH THE EVENT LIVE, CLICK THE LIVESTREAM LINK BELOW
Livestream.com

NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series teams will return to Atlanta Dragway this weekend for the completion of the rain-delayed Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals. The seventh round of the 2013 season was put on hold one week ago after heavy rains forced NHRA officials to postpone the race until this weekend, May 10-11.

The two-day race weekend will resume with two qualifying sessions on Friday, May 10 at 2 and 4 p.m. Eliminations will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday May 11. Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) are the defending winners of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event that will be televised on ESPN2HD.

John Force, the 15-time NHRA world champ who has won at Atlanta Dragway seven times during his career, is really pumped up to give a spectacular show to the fans in the area who have waited patiently for two weeks.

“Having rain postpone us really hurts because we want to race,” said Force, driver of the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang. “It is what we do. We want to hear the roar of the crowd. I hope all the fans come back Friday for qualifying and then the race on Saturday. We will put on a great show and I am looking to go rounds.”

Top Fuel driver Morgan Lucas, pilot of the GEICO/Lucas Oil dragster who earned his first career victory at Atlanta Dragway in 2009, says a victory on Saturday would become a very special present on the following day.

“It’s going to be a unique opportunity for all of us to try and win a Wally as a Mother’s Day gift,” said Lucas, whose Mother, Charlotte, often competes in NHRA’s Super Comp category. “We’ll come back with the same positive attitude and try to win some rounds.”

With only two qualifying sessions available to get into the 16-car fields, most drivers know they will need to be on their toes for Friday’s racing.  Veteran Funny Car driver Tim Wilkerson says a premium will be placed on making a solid run down the track on the first qualifying attempt so his Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Mustang team doesn’t enter the final session on the bubble, frantically trying to get into the starting lineup for Saturday’s eliminations.

“Only getting the two qualifying runs is always tough, but that’s the way it’s been at the last two races and we’ve done okay, so I’m not complaining,” Wilkerson said. “We’re all in the same boat on that deal.”

In Top Fuel, Tony Schumacher is again a championship contender early in the season after securing two wins, in Phoenix and Las Vegas, at the controls of his U.S. Army dragster. Antron Brown and Spencer Massey have had success this year as well and will be aiming to top their Don Schumacher Racing teammate in the standings. Al-Anabi Racing’s Shawn Langdon, Doug Kalitta, Houston winner and local favorite Bob Vandergriff, and Clay Millican will challenge for the win as well.

The extremely competitive Funny Car category is led by two-time season winner Cruz Pedregon and his “No-Name” crew.  Courtney Force also has proven to be a tough challenger on the strength of two final-round appearances and one win in Pomona. Others to watch in the 8,000-horsepower category are Four-Wide Nationals winner Matt Hagan, defending event winner Capps and defending world champion Jack Beckman.

The Pro Stock category is once again shaping up to be a tight battle with two-time Atlanta winner Mike Edwards holding the series lead over defending world champ Allen Johnson. Jeg Coughlin, Vincent Nobile, Shane Gray and Erica Enders-Stevens are also among the pre-race favorites in the 200-mph factory hot rod category.

The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series also will thrill the crowds during the weekend with intense side-by-side competition.

As always, fans can interact with their favorite drivers because every ticket is an exclusive pit pass, allowing them to see firsthand the highly skilled mechanics service their hot rods between rounds. Spectators also won’t want to miss the popular interactive NHRA Nitro Alley and the NHRA Manufacturers Midway.

• SCHEDULE: NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying sessions are scheduled for 2 and 4 p.m. Friday, May 10. Final eliminations will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 11.

• TICKETS: For tickets, log on to www.NHRATix.com or call the NHRA Ticket Sales Center at (800) 884-NHRA (6472).

• TELEVISION: ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise one hour of qualifying coverage at 10 a.m. (ET) on Saturday, May 11, and three hours of eliminations coverage at 8 p.m. (ET), also on Saturday, May 11.

• ON THE WEB: Get instant results, access to photos, video and audio clips and the latest news updates from every NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event on the Internet at www.NHRA.com.