Friday Night Drags returns to Atlanta Motor Speedway

Tue, 07/31/2007 - 12:54pm
By: The Citizen

The Castrol GTX Friday Night Drags returns to action this Friday night, August 3rd, as Atlanta Motor Speedway kicks off the second half of the points season on the eighth-mile drag strip along pit road. All eight divisions of racing will be in action along with the waxed shimmer of the Show-N-Shine car, truck and motorcycle show. Race fans can also look forward to the first appearance of the Wheel-Standing School Bus, which will travel the drag strip at just over 100 miles per hour while riding on its two rear wheels.

“The excitement of Friday Night Drags will be added to with this wild show of a school bus riding on two wheels,” said Brandon Hutchison, VP of Events at Atlanta Motor Speedway. “For the fans who have never had the opportunity to see Ken Nelson and his world famous dragster, this is a show you will want to see again and again.”

Ken Nelson has traveled the world showcasing his unbelievable wheel-standing school bus. The nearly two ton behemoth will be fired up at the starting line with an alcohol fueled, blown and injected 502 big block Chevy that will create over 1,000 horsepower. The massive bus will raise up on it’s back wheels and travel the entire length of the drag strip on two wheels showering sparks throughout the entire ride. Nelson will pilot the machine while watching through a plexi-glass window on the bottom of the school bus and using only rear brake controls to steer.

The second half of the drag racing season is sure to be exciting and hard fought as drivers vie for the titles in the Domestic, Tuner, Truck, Sportsman, Pro Four, Street Outlaw, Pro and Super Pro divisions. The top four drivers in the annual point standings after the final six events will be invited back to the speedway to compete in a special ‘bracket championship.’ The special race will take place in front of nearly 35,000 fans on Oct. 26, during the NASCAR Nextel Cup weekend at the speedway. This will be the first time in history that a drag racing event will be held in conjunction with a NASCAR Nextel Cup event on the same track.

The Castrol GTX Friday Night Drags gates open at 6 p.m. this Friday night. Drag racing practice begins around 6:30 p.m. The Show-N-Shine Parade is set for 8 p.m. with eliminations to begin at 9 p.m.

Tickets are $7 for spectators (children age five and under admitted free). It is $20 to drag race of participate in the Show-N-Shine. Additional information is available at www.atlantamotorspeedway.com or by calling 770-946-3954.

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