HAMPTON, Ga. - There was a charge in the air as Week 12 of O’Reilly Auto Parts Friday Night Drags hit the pit lane drag strip at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga. Friday night. Well into the second half of the 18-week season, drivers began to jockey for the lead in their respective division standings and set themselves up for a stretch run.
Courtney Perry accelerated through line in his Honda Del Sol for his first win of the season in the Sport Compact Division, knocking off two-time winner Damon Waldrop in the process.
“It was good competition tonight,” said Perry. “Amanda (Prince) in the Mustang and Damon in the Civic, they’re fast. They’ve got some pretty fast cars.”
Though trailing the top spot in the division by six points entering the night, Perry wouldn’t count himself out of the race for the championship.
“I’m trying to build some points,” he said. “Just trying to get a good launch coming out of the hole. If you leave out of the hole weak, you’re probably not going to get good results. Tonight was my lucky night.”
Prince, tied for the division lead with 15 points coming into the night, got as far as the semi-final round before being eliminated. Waldrop, who trailed Prince by a single point at the beginning of the evening, pulled into a first-place tie in the division standings with Prince.
In the Harbin’s Mechanical Services Super Pro Division, Kevin Mayo broke through for his first victory of the season, behind the wheel of his Chevrolet Nova. He beat out Robert Chaney’s American Dragster in the final race of the evening. It was his fourth trip to the finals.
Repeat winners from Week 11 include David Clevenger in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Pro Division, his seventh win in eight races, Kyle Cumpton in the Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Division, Taylor Wilder in the Diesel Truck Division and Jamar Copes in the Motorcycle Division.
Atlanta Motor Speedway’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Friday Night Drags continues with Week 13 on Friday, July 24.
More information can be found at AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com/Drags.
Atlanta Motor Speedway – Hampton, GA
Friday Night Drags Week 12 – July 17, 2015
Super Pro: Kevin Mayo – Chevrolet Nova
Pro: David Clevenger – 1986 Chevrolet Corvette
Street Outlaw: Shannon Shelton – 2000 Pontiac Trans Am
Sportsman: Kyle Cumpton – 1996 Ford Mustang
Domestic: Andrew Morgan – 1987 Ford Mustang
Domestic Advanced: Jon Stovall – 2006 Dodge Viper
Truck Advanced: Mike Chambers – 1970 Ford F-100
Street Modified: Ryan Daya – 1991 Ford Mustang
Factory Street: Justin Keeton – 2013 Ford Mustang
Diesel Truck: Taylor Wilder – 1994 Dodge Ram 1500
Truck: Shelton Maynard – 1972 Chevrolet C-100
Tuner: Jose Sameniego – 1994 Honda Civic
Sport Compact: Courtney Perry – 1995 Honda Del Sol
Super Bike: Tony Freeman – 2006 Suzuki
Sport Bike: James Roberts – 2000 Suzuki Hayabusa
Motorcycle: Jamar Copes – 200 Suzuki GSXR 750
ATV: Chris Bearden – 2004 Honda TRX 450R
http://accesswdun.com/article/2015/7/324565/perry-powers-to-sport-compact-friday-drags-win-at-ams