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PINKS All Out Results
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ATLANTA DRAGWAY RACER PAUL SMITH JR WINS PINKS ALL OUT EVENT AT ATLANTA DRAGWAY
by Tim Glover
The increasingly popular Speed TV show, Pinks All Out, came to Atlanta Dragway May 9-10, 2008 to tape another episode of its growing series. Well over 20,000 spectators (a one day attendance figure rivaled only by the NHRA Southern Nationals) packed the grandstands on both sides of the track. They definitely received their money’s worth during the event, which features nearly 500 “little guy” racers vying for a spot in the 16 car field that the show revolves around. David Harris, media relations manager for Speed said, “Never has there been so much excitement over the little guy racer.”
Six Atlanta Dragway regulars experienced the thrill of a lifetime by being selected. They were: eventual winner Paul Smith, Jr. (’98 Corvette – Alpharetta, Ga.), Wendy Moulton (’80 Camaro – Winder, Ga. – quarter-finalist), Larry Chance (’68 Camaro – Canton, Ga.- eighth-finalist), Roger Kobos (’78 Monte Carlo – Guyton, Ga. - eighth-finalist), Travis Bryant (’68 Camaro – Bowman, Ga. - eighth-finalist) and Jody Blalock (’49 Hudson – Commerce, Ga. - eighth-finalist).
In addition to the main event 16 car field, a Nate’s Quick Eight field was also contested, which paired the quickest eight cars on the grounds in what turned out to be a $6000 (cash and prizes) winner take all competition, thanks to help from several sponsors, beginning with Atlanta Dragway, which put up $500. Drama and excitement were the rule of the day, illustrated by a first round carburetor explosion and subsequent fire in Bobby Daniels’ Hurst Olds (he was unable to restart for competition). Mike Ghee’s Loganville, Ga. based ’71 Camaro was actually the second quickest car on the grounds
(7.81 second quarter mile time). However, it didn’t matter in the final after opponent Alvin Conner’s ’85 Mustang broke on the starting line, allowing Ghee to take an uncontested $6000 victory.
To keep the crowd entertained while the finalist’s cars were equipped with cameras and microphones for the show, numerous exhibition runs were made.
Elaine Larsen wowed the crowd with a smoke and fire show, followed by a blistering 5.588 second pass at 283.37mph in her Embry Riddle Aeronautical University jet car. Larsen’s car was also equipped with a microphone, and she kept the crowd cheering by speaking to them all the way up to the time she staged her car, and immediately after the pass while she was coasting to a stop. Danny O’Day, who recently reset the world record wheelstander elapsed time to 8.67 seconds at Gainesville Raceway, drove his Superwinch ’34 Ford wheelstander to an impressive 8.90 second time, tripping the timers with his rear wheels. The Dixie Pro Mods put on a show, along with some Pro Stock bikes, Outlaw 10.5 cars and nitromethane burning Harley motorcycles. Four of Atlanta Dragway’s Junior Dragster competitors, Cole Wood, Dylan Hutchins, Ashton McCammon and Jackie Lastinger, showed the crowd what the kids could do, running their 80 mph dragsters on an eighth mile course.
Sanctioned by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), Atlanta Dragway is located just off I-85 at Exit 149 in the Banks Crossing area of Commerce, Georgia. Information on all 2008 events, including the Super Chevy Show, may be obtained by calling the track office (706-335-2301) or logging on to
www.atlantadragway.com.