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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128152
AMA U.S. Drag Racing Championships Rounds 1 & 2: Atlanta oregway Top fuel champ Lany "Spldennan" McBride kicked off the 2002 season wlth a win and a runner-up. McBride ran a. quick as 8.009 second. at 243.28 mph to set the speed ..-d for the cl•••• STORY AND PHOTOS BY MATT POLITO COMMERCE, GA, APR. 5-7 MA/ProStar may have had trouble getting the 2002 season under way, but the series had a fine second effort at the Star Racing Nationals at Atlanta Dragway. When the season-opening MRE Nationals at Gainesville Raceway were postponed due to rain after just one day of qualifying, the Atlanta date was expanded to three days to finish up qualifying and eliminations from Florida. Atlanta was as good a race as it gets. Terrific atmospheric condmons and a tight race course combined for blistering performances, while strong racer participation and spectator attendance seemed to rejuvenate the season, which had trouble getting under way at Gainesville. The continuation of the Gainesville event saw Tommy Smith take his second-ever win in Top Fuel. Coincidentally, Smith's last win was during the postponed Atlanta event run-off in Chicago. This time, Smith got by Larry "Spiderrnan" McBride in a tiresmoking duel, 7.29 to 7.44. The Atlanta event was all McBride, however. The two-time champion held the pole, with a stout 6.09 at 241 mph, and ran the hot lap of the event in the first round of eliminations, recording a 6.00 at 243 mph (the second fastest speed ever) on a single. With the run, McBride eclipsed the last record held by the late Elmer Trett. McBride faced a resurgent Ron Webb in the final, and in what was one of the best side-by-side Top Fuel 42 MAY 1 . 2002' cue • • races in years, took the win, 6.23/209 to 6.25/221. In the Orient Express Funnybike class, Jerry Lonwdsberry took his first -ever win when Kawasaki factory rider Chip Ellis bogged on the launch in the Gainesville final. Lonwdsberry looked to double up, making the Atlanta final against reigning champ Robert Giard, who scored a massive holeshot victory over Ellis in the semis. Lonwdsberry put down a game 6.93/194 in the final, but it was not enough, as the champ overcame a holeshot and took the win with a 6.85 at 202 mph. The Gainesville Fast by Gast Pro Mod final between John Sachs and Louie Grist went unresolved at Atlanta. Run on Saturday afternoon, both bikes left on green with Sachs crossing the finish line first, but the timing system recorded no numbers. Prostar officials decided to re- run the final but because of time constraints decided to run it off at the next event in Virginia. Gennard Thomas took the pole in the Atlanta event but didn't stage on time in the first round and lost to the number 16 qualifier Nikie Corley. The final pitted Grist against 2001 Indy winner Ashley Owens. Owens took the holeshot and needed every bit of it, staying ahead of Grist with a 6.87 to Grist's quicker 6.86. Defending Lectron Pro Stock champ Todd Doege served notice that he isn't letting go of the numberone plate easily, taking a double win. Doege beat Paul Gast in the Gainesville final, 7.13 to 7.22, and n811VS ended up as the number-one qualifier for Atlanta with the 7.13 timeslip. In the Atlanta fjnal, Doege brought the Ward Performance Hayabusa to the win getting by Billy Vose with a 7.09 at 195 mph to Vose's 7.18/189. The 2002 season marked the new look of the Suzukj Formula Superbike class which now features all-motor (no turbos or nitrous), big-bore sportbikes. Jim Carroll, riding the Kawasaki ZX-12R built by Coby Adams and Chip Ellis, instantly established himself as the class of the field, taking a double win and running performances never before seen. Carroll took the Gainesville final, running a jaw-dropping 8.16 to take out number-two qualifier Ryan Schnitz, who tumed in an 8.44 on the Muzzys ZX-12R. Carroll held the pole for Atlanta and ran a stunning 8.07 at 164 mph 00 a first-round single. Ryan Schnitz started the season with a perfect record In 600 SuperSport. The Team Green rider went from the pole to the winner's circle In both evenb while establishing new performance mar\(s for the class. Schnitz won his first-round race with Chris Harvey but was disqualified when the bike didn't meet minimum ground-clearance regulations. In the Atlanta final, Carroll met Superbike veteran Phill Davis, who installed a big motor in his trusty GSXR. Carroll got the holeshot and took the win with an 8.14 to Davis' 8.38. In Streetbike Shootout, the factory turbo bikes held court over the nitrous privateers. Current champ Kent Stotz brought the Honda-backed Hahn Racecraft turbo CBR 11 OOXX Blackbird to a pair of wins, looking to end his streak of taking a championship once every three years. In the Gainesville final, Stotz faced past series champ James "Duck" Lauer on the Flo-Tec nitrous GSX-R. In a close one, Stotz took the holeshot win 7.99 to 7.98. For Atlanta, Rickey Gadson held the pole with a 7.96 on the Muzzy Kawasaki turbo ZX-12R. Gadson ran his ZXR1100 for Gainesville but debuted the new 12R for the running of Atlanta. Gadson and Stotz met up in the final, where Gadson redlighted away a 7.86 as Stotz took his second win of the young season with a back-breaking 7.64 at 192 mph on the Honda. From the looks of it, Ryan Schnitz will be unstoppable in the Zero Gravity 600 SuperSport series this season. Schoitz, the number-one-plate holder in the class, was simply spectacular on his Team Green ZX-6R, taking both poles and both wins, while leveling the record books in the process. Schnitz qualified number one for the Gainesville event, besting his own elapsed-time record with a 9.75 before facing fellow Team Green member Chip Hunter in the final. Hunter redlighted in the final and put down a 9.89, which was still no match for Schnitz, who turned in a 9.706 at 137 mph. Schnitz again took the pole for Atlanta, this time with a 9.77. Hunter looked to put up a fight, running as quick as 9.77 in eliminations, but Schnitz countered with another new record, lowering the mark to a 9.656 at 140 mph in round two against Pat Leonard.