Puckett, Longhany, and Hidalgo lead South Georgia Motorsports Park winners
Jimmy Hidalgo Jr. raced his way into the final round in not one by two classes this weekend for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at South Georgia Motorsports Park and took home the win in Stock Eliminator.
The second-generation driver, Hidalgo worked his way through the fields in both Stock and Super Stock and posted a solid .024 second package in Stock to take out Daniel Young, Palm Harbor, Fla., for the first half of the possible double-up. Young ran too quick as he tried to chase Hidalgo down.
In the Super Stock final, Hidalgo, Donaldsonville, La., faced off with Jeff Longhany, Wade, N.C., who got the jump off the start and took the win as Hidalgo was forced to run too quick and broke out. Longhany posted a 9.842 second lap at 133.91 mph.
Van Puckett, Monroe, Ga., returned to the winner’s circle for the first time since 2009 in taking the Comp Eliminator trophy over Jim Kimbrough, while Mark Jones and David Marcus each won for the first time in the Lucas Oil Series. Puckett wheeled his ’05 Cavalier to an 8.286, 163.26 mph run as Kimbrough slowed with problems. Jones and Marcus both won via the starting line with Jones taking the holeshot in the Hickory Trailers Top Dragster to defeat Elie McGee and Marcus took the win in Super Gas as James Justice left early with a red light. Jones went 6.259, 223.25 on his victory lap and Marcus was 9.909 on the 9.90 index to capture the win.
Wrapping up the weekend’s winners were Dylan Stott with a big holeshot over Bruce Duncan for the Stott’s Ford Top Sportsman crown; Ray Miller III grabbed his second win of the year to oust Buck Holmes in Super Comp; and Matt Weston won on a double breakout over Jesse McKnight in Super Street.
The NHRA Summit Jr., Drag Racing League was also in action this weekend at South Georgia with Michael Carpenter leading the charge with a win in the 13-17 year old class. Carpenter beat out Carson Brown with a lap of 8.012 at 77.67. Dylan MacNicol downed Hayden Miller in the 6-9 class and Budd Trammel II upended Wyatt Palmatier in the 10-12.
NHRA Southeast Division racers head to Silver Dollar Raceway in Reynolds, Ga., for the next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, Sept. 28-29.
The following are Saturday's final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Southeast Division event at South Georgia Motorsports Park:
COMPETITION ELIMINATOR
Van Puckett, Monroe, Ga., '05 Cavalier, G/AA, 8.286, 163.26 def. Jim Kimbrough, Pace, Fla., '10 dragster, C/ED, 16.559, 60.60.
SUPER STOCK
Jeff Longhany, Wade, N.C., '99 Firebird, SS/HA, 9.842, 133.91 def. Jimmy Hidalgo Jr., Donaldsonville, La., '99 Firebird, SS/GA,
9.776, 133.14.
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Jimmy Hidalgo Jr., Donaldsonville, La., '04 GTO, E/SA, 10.874, 115.83 def. Daniel Young, Palm Harbor, Fla., '88 Camaro, J/SA,
SUPER COMP
Ray Miller III, Spring City, Tenn., '17 Miller, 8.924, 173.43 def. Buck Holmes, Chipley, Fla., '07 Undercover, 8.919, 167.55.
SUPER GAS
David Marcus, Sarasota, Fla., '92 Worthy, 9.909, 162.24 def. James Justice, Gotha, Fla., '68 Nova, foul.
SUPER STREET
Matt Weston, Hendersonville, N.C., '70 Camaro, 10.898, 141.59 def. Jesse McKnight, Piedmont, Ala., '00 Camaro, 10.882, 125.49.
TOP SPORTSMAN
Dylan Stott, Columbus, N.C., '18 Mustang, 6.642, 208.33 def. Bruce Duncan, Crawfordville, Fla., '68 Camaro, 7.054, 194.18.
TOP DRAGSTER
Mark Jones, Marrero, La., '09 Spitzer, 6.259, 223.25 def. Elie McGee, Gray, La., '12 Racecraft, 6.459, 209.04.
JUNIOR DRAGSTER 13-17
Michael Carpenter, St Petersburg, Fla., dragster, 8.012, 77.67 def. Carson Brown, Blountville, Tenn., dragster, 8.028, 75.95.
JUNIOR DRAGSTER 6-9
Dylan MacNicol, N Port, Fla., dragster, 12.223, 52.43 def. Hayden Miller, Mobile, Ala., dragster, 12.126, 53.03.
JUNIOR DRAGSTER 10-12
Budd Trammel II, Aynor, S.C., dragster, 8.944, 72.15 def. Wyatt Palmatier, Deland, Fla., dragster, 9.064, 60.79. 11.910, 108.26.
FRIDAY
The following are Friday's qualifying results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Southeast Division event at South
Georgia Motorsports Park:
COMPETITION ELIMINATOR
1) Craig Bourgeois, Metairie, La., '05 Haas, A/ND, 6.841 seconds, -0.589 (under index)
2) Van Puckett, Monroe, Ga., '05 Cavalier, G/AA, 8.260, -0.570
3) Jim Kimbrough, Pace, Fla., '10 Prostart, C/ED, 7.386, -0.544
4) John Frech, Cortland, Ohio, '88 Weddel, F/D, 8.094, -0.496
5) Jenny Treadwell, Mount Plymouth, Fla., '01 Undercover, E/ED, 9.111, 0.281
SUPER STOCK
1) Leonard Mattingly, Cox's Creek, Ky., '95 Achieva, GT/MA, 10.234 seconds, -0.966 (under index)
2) Jeff Adkinson, Damascus, Ga., '05 Sunfire, GT/GA, 9.451, -0.949
3) Jarrod Granier, Labadieville, La., '66 Chevy II, SS/F, 9.493, -0.857
4) Michael Bryant, New Orleans, La., '08 Pontiac, GT/KA, 10.047, -0.853
5) Ronnie Dutton, Southside, Ala., '80 Monza, GT/OA, 10.635, -0.815
6) Jeff Longhany, Wade, N.C., '99 Firebird, SS/HA, 9.793, -0.807
7) Jimmy Hidalgo, Donaldsonville, La., '99 Firebird, SS/GA, 9.768, -0.782
8) Joel Warren, Clinton, N.C., '98 Formula, SS/HA, 9.851, -0.749
9) Michael Volkman, Campobello, S.C., '00 Sebring, GT/LA, 10.313, -0.737
10) Joe Tysinger, Wrightsville Bch, N.C., '87 Firebird, GT/NA, 10.569, -0.731
STOCK ELIMINATOR
1) Jimmy Hidalgo, Donaldsonville, La., '04 GTO, E/SA, 10.736 seconds, -0.964 (under index)
2) Jimmy Hidalgo, Donaldsonville, La., '91 Corvette, G/SA, 11.122, -0.878
3) Jim Cassels, Cairo, Ga., '69 Nova, B/SA, 10.376, -0.874
4) Jeffrey Bragg, Fort Myers, Fla., '18 Copo, FS/AA, 8.536, -0.864
5) Kenneth Stott, Landrum, S.C., '90 Camaro, I/SA, 11.467, -0.833
6) Clay Bullard, Camden, S.C., '98 Pontiac, B/SA, 10.425, -0.825
7) Richard Mace, Jacksonville, Fla., '90 Corvette, G/SA, 11.180, -0.820
8) Terry Hembree, Idaho Falls, Idaho, '69 Camaro, E/SA, 10.893, -0.807
9) Blake Hickman, Laurinburg, N.C., '83 Camaro, K/SA, 11.855, -0.795
10) Jeff Hairrington, Kathleen, Ga., '14 Cobra JET, FS/E, 10.159, -0.791
TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Sandy Wilkins, Mount Ulla, N.C., '69 Camaro, 6.465 seconds, 214.72 mph
2) Dylan Stott, Columbus, N.C., '18 Mustang, 6.636, 210.50
3) Jackie Robison, Greer, S.C., '66 Chevy II, 6.708, 205.01
4) Don O`neal, Evansville, Ind., '99 Monte Carlo, 6.785, 202.70
5) Vince Hoda, Diamondhead, Miss., '68 Camaro, 6.819, 202.18
6) John Taylor, Naples, Fla., '99 Dakota, 7.030, 194.63
7) Bruce Duncan, Crawfordville, Fla., '68 Camaro, 7.159, 195.59
8) Jascky Bennett, Palatka, Fla., '16 Camaro, 7.520, 182.08
9) Douglas Gbur, Greer, S.C., '02 Trans Am, 7.544, 180.33
10) David Tatum, Palmetto, Ga., '03 S-10, 7.749, 175.84
TOP DRAGSTER
1) Lindsey Barker, Kathleen, Ga., '18 Miller, 6.030 seconds, 224.40 mph
2) Wayne Brooks, Monroe, Ga., '14 Miller, 6.075, 224.10
3) John Strassweg, Evansville, Ind., '08 Undercover, 6.140, 215.96
4) Bill Earnest, Knoxville, Tenn., '14 Miller, 6.192, 225.41
5) Mark Jones, Marrero, La., '09 Spitzer, 6.228, 223.88
6) Steven Furr, Harrisburg, N.C., '13 American, 6.283, 220.22
7) Bryan Ferrell, Pounding Mill, Va., '13 Diamond, 6.362, 218.97
8) Casey Spradlin, Ranburne, Ala., '14 Miller, 6.375, 217.00
9) Jeff Strickland, Red Bay, Ala., '14 American, 6.428, 213.64
10) Elie McGee, Gray, La., '12 Racecraft, 6.469, 212.39
PREVIEW
CECIL, Ga. - The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Southeast Division arrives at South Georgia Motorsports Park September 7-8 for the make-up of the rained-out event from May.
The event is one of 44 scheduled across the country where drivers in the NHRA Lucas Oil Series earn points leading to divisional and national championships as well as a chance at a share of the year-end purse of more than $519,000. Categories include Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The division’s Stott’s Ford Top Sportsman Series and Hickory Enclosed Trailer Sales Top Dragster Series will also be run in conjunction with the event.
Gates at South Georgia Motorsports Park open at 8 a.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. on Saturday. Qualifying and time trials start at 9 a.m. on Friday. Top Dragster, Comp Eliminator and Top Sportsman qualify Friday at noon, 3 and 6 p.m. Eliminations for all classes begin on Saturday at 9 a.m. Top Dragster, Comp Eliminator and Top Sportsman start eliminations at 11 a.m.
Tickets for South Georgia Motorsports Park are $20 on Friday and $25 on Saturday. Children 10 and under are admitted free with a paid adult.
South Georgia Motorsports Park is located at 2521 Hwy US-41, Adel, GA 31620. For more information call the track, (229) 896-7000, or visit www.gorecesgmp.com