NHRA Legend Don Garlits at the Southern Nationals in Adel, Georgia
MOTORSPORT AMERICA PHOTOS FROM THE NHRA SOUTHERN NATIONALS by FRED HANYON & DOUG LEWIS
by Derek Jackson
NHRA Fans woke up to a soggy track on Saturday morning.Rain or Shine, the NHRA faithful turned out to see the Southern Nationals at South Georgia Motorsports Park.NHRA Rookie Maddie Gordon thrills a young fan with an autographed photo.Young NHRA Fans pose with the Carlyle spin-the-wheel outside Maddie Gordon’s Garage at the Southern Nationals in Valdosta, Georgia.Racing Legend Tony Stewart posing for our camera with Austin Scott, U.S. Representative for Georgia’s Eighth Congressional District.Steve Johnson is celebrating his 40th year with the NHRA.NHRA Legend and Top 50 driver, Darrell Gwynn poses with a Maddie Gordon fan at the Southern Nationals in Valdosta, Georgia.Antron Brown at the Southern Nationals. Antron hails from Trenton, New Jersey and is a 4X NHRA Top Fuel Champion.Leah Pruett’s American Rebel Light Beer Top Fuel Dragster.Will Smith’s Bluebird Turf Top Fuel Dragster in Valdosta, Georgia.Justin Ashley’s Dragster in the SCAG Power Equipment Garage in Valdosta, Georgia.Erica Enders Pro Stock Machine.Erica Enders Johnson’s Horsepowered GarageErica Enders Pro Stock ChevroletJeg Coughlin, Jr’s GarageJ.R. Todd’s crew prepares his Funny Car at the Southern NationalsJ.R. Todd’s DHL Funny Car at the Southern Nationals.Antron Brown’s MATCO Tools Garage at the Southern NationalsNHRA Fans at the Southern NationalsThe City of Adel, Georgia encourages you to Shop with a Cop!NHRA Fans at the Southern Nationals in Adel, Georgia.FRED’S FOOD TRUCK was on hand at the Southern Nationals!After a lengthy rain delay, the fans who braved the elements at South Georgia Motorsports Park were rewarded with an outstanding show as NHRA’s top pros delivered the goods.Khalid Al Balooshi encourages NHRA Fans to Visit Qatar!NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Marc IngwersenSpencer Hyde in the near lane vs Steve Jackson in the Q1 round. Hyde is the substitute driver this weekend for Stan Shelton. He is straight down the groove with a good pass. Jackson launched hard and kept it hooked up to go to the number one spot. Jackson won the round with an ET of 5.707 at 253.42 mph vs. Hyde’s ET of 5.754 at 253.23 mph in a photo finish race.Sidnei Frigo in the near lane vs. Mike Castellana in Q1 Pro Mod action. Frigo was straight down the groove and hitting on all eight to go to the number two spot with an ET of 5.729 at 252.95 mph vs. Castellana’s ET of 5.784 at 249.03 mph.Mike Thielen in the near lane vs Lyle Barnett in the Q1 round. Thielen was real loose, but he stayed with it. Barnett kept it hooked up and hitting on all eight to go to the number one spot. Lyle Barnett ran a 5.728 ET at 251.67 mph for the win.Spencer Hyde’s NHRA Funny Car at the South Georgia Motorsports ParkAlexis DeJoria crew member gets a close up look at the track at South Georgia Motorsport Park.Racing Legend Tony Stewart poses for photos with fans.Sold-Out Crowd for the Southern Nationals at South Georgia Motorsports Park!Troy Coughlin, Jr. at South Georgia Motorsports Park!Double Wheelies at SGMP!Austin Alvey advanced to the E4 Round in NHRA Super Stock competition.NHRA Racing at the Southern Nationals!Wheel Stands in Valdosta, Georgia at the SGMP!NHRA Stock Eliminator’s Jeff Anderson does a burnout at the Southern Nationals. Anderson advanced all the way to the E4 Round but lost out to Daniel Fletcher with an ET of 11.181 vs Fletcher’s 11.026Funny Car Driver Matt Hagan autographs the NHRA Championship Drag Racing sign.Top Fuel Driver Tony Stewart poses with a fan after autographing his NHRA sign.NHRA Goodyear Racing EaglesNHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera.Top Fuel Dragster Tony Schumacher clowns for our camera at the Southern Nationals!Shawn Langdon signs a fan’s South Georgia Motorsports Park hoodie after his NHRA Record Setting Run of 345 mph!Maddie Gordon joined the exclusive 340-mph club and only the 4th person in history to do so last weekend at the Southern Nationals in Adel, Georgia!Matt Smith suits up for competition at the Southern NationalsFast Jack Beckman chats with Maddie Gordon at the Southern Nationals.Hunter Green awaits competition at the Southern Nationals.Atlanta, Georgia’s Jordan Vandergriff suits-up before competition at the Southern Nationals.Alexis DeJoria’s Funny Car in Valdosta, Georgia.Troy Coughlin Jr. in the Southern Nationals Garage.Tony Stewart at the Southern Nationals.Tracy Barnes in the near lane in Super Gas in the E4 Round against David Polichena. Polichena with the starting line advantage, but Barnes chase him down for the win. Tracy went on to face Chris Lewis and Barnes won his first Super Gas Wally in his Corvette Roadster with an ET of 9.920 at 166.42 mph!Michael Brand prevented Dan Fletcher from what would have been his second career double, defeating him in the Stock final round for his fourth career win in Stock Eliminator with an ET of 8.767 at 151.83 mph!Lyle Barnett in Pro Mod competition at the Southern Nationals.Casey Smith advanced to the Super Stock Finals at the Southern Nationals against Daniel Fletcher but came up short. Fletcher won his 110th Wally.Michael Pearson made it all the way to the E3 round in Super Stock against Austin Alvey. Michael ran an ET of 10.328 at 126.28 mph vs Alvey’s 9.393 ET at 129.89 mph.Holden Laris in his Laris Motorsport Insurance Top Dragster at the Southern Nationals. Holden brought home the Wally in Charlotte at the 4-Wide but missed out on the finals at the Southern Nationals. His best run at Valdosta last weekend was an ET of 6.177 at 227.96 mph.James Brown took home the Wally in the Top Dragster, his first win in the class.Mila Figueroa advanced to the Southern Nationals Junior Dragster finals against Matthew Peterson.Matthew Peterson advanced to the Southern Nationals Finals in Junior Dragster competition against Mila Figueroa. Peterson won the Wally with a top speed of 76.32 mph.J.R. Todd’s crew makes final adjustments to his Funny Car at the Southern Nationals in front of the sold-out crowd at South Georgia Motorsports Park!Don Garlits legendary Swamp Rat XII Dragster at the Southern NationalsKids make the most fun out of sliding down the hill at the Southern Nationals in Adel, Georgia.South Georgia Motorsports Park hosted the first running of the NHRA Southern Nationals since the NHRA left the State in 2021!
The NHRA travels next to Joliet, Illinois for the running of the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Anti-Freeze.
