JULY 19-21, 1986 (First Annual):
Jerry Fulgham of La Mirada, Calif., became the fastest man on the Savannah River when he pushed his top fuel hydro to an astonishing 218.97 mph semifinal victory over Kyle Walker of Houston, Texas in Fred Bray’s Coors Light Silver Bullet. Fulgham went on to win the championship round with a 213.77-mph pass, edging Billy (The Kid) Todd of Auburn, Calif., who ran 210.77. Top fuel boats of that era had open cockpits and Augusta fans were shocked to learn of Todd’s death during a California race later that year. Fulgham took home $6,000. Roger Monroe, who has become a fixture as race announcer, made his debut in Augusta.
The first Augustan to win on the river was Bob Jaenisch in the 70-80-mph inboards, but he never raced (or placed) again, according to Augusta Southern National records.
JULY 17-19, 1987 (Second Annual):
Equipped with a new safety cockpit and 300 pounds of extra foam flotation slowed down Jerry Fulgham’s Hillbilly, but not enough for his competitors in the top fuel hydro finals. He never bettered his 1986 passes, but did hit speeds of 203.57, 207.94 and 208.33 en route to his title run of 198.67. Runner-up was Freddie Neely of Covington, Ga., who had to back off when his boat started sponson walking during its pass. Hillbilly’s motor burst into flames at the end of the final pass, and Fulgham suffered superficial burns around his mouth.
Later in the year, the capsule-enclosed Hillbilly cockpit saved Fulgham’s life in a 211-mph crash in California, although he lost a part of one arm, ending his drag racing days.
Gaylord Wethered made the final run of the day in aptly named Final Effort, owned by Gordon Padgett of Fairfield, Ohio, and pushed the boat to a race-best 210.92-mph pass. The exhibition run came as dusk settled on the river, making for a spectacular display. The pass made by Kyle Walker in Fred Bray’s Spirit of America (192.47 mph) also was an exhibition run.
Bobby Crawley became the second Augustan to win a drag boat title by defeating Robbie Reeves of Salt Lick, Ky., in the 100-110-mph outboard class. Sharon Keller of Blountville, Tenn., became the first woman winner, racing in the 80-90 inboard class. Her brother, Jerry Goodson of Bristol, Tenn., was the pro-modified champion, thus becoming the first brother-sister winners in Augusta drag boat racing history.
JULY 15-17, 1988 (Third Annual):
Freddie Bray and Kyle Walker broke their “Augusta jinx” by winning the top fuel hydro class over Jay Harountunian (pronounced Hartoonian), who drove the Georgia Peach owned by Bob McIntyre of Fresno, Calif. Both drivers red-lighted, but Harountunian was the first to do so. “First is worst in this association,” said veteran drag boat announcer J.J. Johnson of Placentia, Calif.
None of the four top fuelers surpassed the 200-mph barrier. Tom Black of San Pablo, Calif. made his Augusta debut behind the wheel of Final Effort and finished third. Freddie Neely of Covington, Ga., returned for a second straight year, but his Intimidator failed to intimidate.
The infamous Augusta heat got to Walker and Black, but both had recovered by the time the races ended.
JULY 14-16, 1989 (Fourth Annual):
My story in The Augusta Chronicle of Monday, July 17, described what surely has to rank as one of the most exciting top fuel finishes of all times: “Dusk was settling over the Savannah River on Sunday when Kyle Walker rode a fiery-eyed, roaring monster of a drag boat down the quarter-mile course to his second straight top fuel hydro title in the Augusta Southern Nationals. “His ‘monster’ was Fred Bray’s new Spirit of America from Houston. Its 3,000-hp motor spit twin tongues of flame through the dual exhausts, giving the appearance of brilliant orange eyes on its 199.37-mph, near-darkness pass.”
His opponent, Freddie Neely of Covington, Ga., opted not to run for safety reasons. Neely said he couldn’t see clearly through the Georgia Peach’s safety capsule “and didn’t see any sense in making what could have been a dangerous pass.”
Race day had begun at 9 a.m., and didn’t end until 12 hours later, with electronic failures in the timing equipment and a mid-afternoon thunderstorm contributing to the delay. Still, few people left. “These wonderful people must really love us,” observed U.S. Drag Boat Association President Gaither Jenkins.
Race fans watched what could have been the most serious accident in Augusta Southern Nationals history when Mike Miller’s blown gas flat called Hang ‘Em High disintegrated at the end of a 136-mph pass. The boat was rocking and rolling as its driver tried to control it after the run --- then it soared upside down and crashed. Miller, from St. Louis, was kept out of harm’s way by his safety parachute, later walking away from the ambulance where he had been taken to be checked out by paramedics after the crash.
Karl Petrik of Aurora, Ohio set a USDBA blown gas hydro record of 6.22 seconds and his 181.34-mph pass was an Augusta speed mark for the class. A late afternoon thunderstorm cut the program short on Saturday.
JULY 20-22, 1999 (Fifth Annual):
Ron Braaksma of Downey, Calif., who wasn’t a factor during his debut in the 1989 Augusta Southern Nationals, rocketed to speeds of 220.21, 220.91, 222.11, 227.10 and 217.86 mph in his boat called Madness during the wildest weekend in the history of the Hardee’s Augusta Southern Nationals. Hardee’s had come aboard as the race’s first national sponsor.
“It’s been the greatest weekend of my life,” said the super-emotional Braaksma, a 6-foot-4, 230-pounder who almost broke into tears following his 220.91-mph pass. His 5.18-second elapsed time joined the miles-per-hour as Augusta records, eclipsing the 218.97 and 5.51 set by Jerry Fulgham of La Mirada, Calif., four years previously. Braaksma’s 227.10 was also his personal and Savannah River bests.
Karl Petrik of Aurora, Ohio set U.S. Drag Boat Association records in his blown gas hydro Sundown of 188.91 mph and 6.19 seconds. Tom Smith of Chattanooga, Tenn., set a blown alcohol hydro mark of an unheard of 202.65 mph in Sudden Thunder, while Randy Fawks of Dallas, Texas posted a blown jet E.T. mark of 6.95 seconds in Smokin’ and Strokin’ and Bob Mitchell of Bellevue, Wash., made a quick 6.76-second record pass in Railer, a pro gas hydro.
O.B. Murphy of Dallas drove Hot Nuts to a pro gas hydro miles per hour mark of 168.19, while Jonas Singleton of Stevenson, Conn., hit a pro gas jet E.T. record of 7.98 seconds. Gary Wiggins’ 128.51-mph run in Obsession earned the Gilbertsville, Ky., driver a pro gas jet record.
Ronnie Dew of McLeansville, N.C., who had raced in Augusta, died in a crash in High Point, N.C., on the weekend following the Augusta races.
JULY 19-21, 1991 (Sixth Annual):
“Hot” Rod McAmis became the first Augustan to win a pro class and Tom Black of San Pablo, Calif., driving a boat from races past, captured the top fuel prize in the sixth annual Hardee’s Augusta Southern Nationals. McAmis edged Johnny Sanderson of Richmond, Va., in the blown alcohol flat class when Sanderson red-lighted at the start. “It wasn’t the way we wanted to win, but we’ll take it,” McAmis said.
Bob Fulgham of La Mirada, Calif., the father of Jerry Fulgham who had won back-to-back races in 1986-87 in Augusta, returned to racing this year in a new, bright-red Hillbilly. Fulgham loved the way he and his son were treated in Augusta. Tom Black was the driver. Black edged Lou Osman of St. Louis in Speed Sport Special, while defending top fuel champion Ron Braaksma (Madness), Kyle Walker (Spirit of America), Steve Varner (Caught in the Act) and Dean Kirchner, driving his first top fueler, G-Force, all suffered from “red-lightitis” or mechanical problems.
JULY 17-19, 1992 (Seventh Annual):
The specter of tragedy overshadowed the seventh annual Hardee’s Augusta Southern Nationals when unlimited outboard racer Tom Kunzeman, 31, of Meredosia, Ill., died when his boat crashed during final eliminations.
Kunzeman’s Sting was running at more than 100 mph against Doo Dad Too, driven by Jon Wright of Lexington, Ky., when it swerved and cartwheeled to the right. Kunzeman was ejected from the cockpit and parts of the disintegrating boat struck him. His death was the first drag boat fatality on the Savannah River. The accident brought a call for stricter safety standards from Jeff Banks, chairman of the Augusta Southern Nationals race committee.
A day earlier, Lou Osman of St. Louis survived a 172.77-mph crash of his Speed Sport Special top fuel hydro. The Osmans also were notified by telephone from St. Louis that daughter Sheri had given birth to 8-pound, 7-ounce Sean Patrick Ryan. “Osman gains grandson, loses boat on same day,” read a headline in The Augusta Chronicle.
Larry Harrell of Locust Grove, Ill., was hospitalized with a cracked rib and other injuries after his outboard flipped during a qualifying run on the races’ first day.
U.S. Drag Boat Association pro gas hydro records were set by Ken Hardy of Center, Texas in elapsed time (6.86 seconds) in his Phantom 309 and O.B. Murphy of Dallas, Texas in miles-per-hour (169.77) in Short Horn.
“Hot” Rod McAamis of Augusta won his second straight Augusta Southern Nationals title on a “legal single” pass after the Two Bit Trip boat of his Super Pro competitor, Charlie Zalaudek of St. Louis, broke down.
JULY 16-18, 1993 (Eighth Annual):
The Hardee’s eighth annual Augusta Southern Nationals began under a new sanctioning body after a one-year contract was signed on April 21 between the Augusta Southern Nationals Committee and the American Drag Boat Association. “We have had philosophical differences with U.S. Drag Boat Association officials,” said race chairman Jeff Banks, “mainly those dealing with race profits. Our group and the ADBA are non-profit, with the Augusta chapter of the Georgia Special Olympics our main beneficiary. The USDBA is a for-profit organization.”
One of the largest crowds ever to watch the races overflowed on the bank of the Savannah River and spectators were not disappointed. “Hot” Rod McAmis won his third straight Augusta title --- this time in the Unlimited Eliminator class --- by beating Sam Edwards of Raleigh, N.C.
Cliff Bingham of Huntington Beach, Calif., became the second blown alcohol driver to hit the 200-mph barrier and the first to rake in a $500 bonus for doing it. He later proved his 200-mph-even pass was no fluke, but didn’t win his class, red-lighting Money for Nothin’ against Brian Dooley of Terre Haute, Ind., in Wiley Coyote in the final.
Tom Smith of Chattanooga, Tenn., in 1990 posted the first 200-mph pass on the Savannah River, hitting 202.65 mph. His world record lasted three years.
Karl Petrik of Aurora, Ohio and Rex Yoder of Chesterfield, Va., were hospitalized after high-speed crashes. Yoder suffered a broken right leg and neck injuries, while Petrik injured his left eye and was sore from multiple bruises and abrasions. Petrik was in Sundown, his top fuel boat, while Yoder was in a blown alcohol boat.
JULY 21-23, 1994 (Ninth Annual):
Would you believe 230.17 mph over the quarter-on-the-water in just 5.05 seconds? That’s what Rocket Ron Braaksma of San Bernardino, Calif., accomplished during the ninth annual Hardee’s Augusta Southern Nationals. However, Braaksma failed to back up the fastest Savannah River drag boat run by just 200ths of a mile per hour, according to American Drag Boat Association officials. He could hit “only” 227.84 mph. His first pass of the day was 226.70 mph.
The motor locked up on Rod McAmis’ Liquid Assets, breaking the Augustan’s three-race winning streak, but Mike Hill of McCormick, S.C., won the stock eliminator class in Wette Vette.
Skip Willett’s Thriller lost power during its modified eliminator run and his opponent red-lighted at the start. Willett had to paddle his boat across the finish line, earning the “Top Paddle Hydro” sobriquet.
JULY 21-23, 1995 (Tenth Annual):
Charlie Fegan of Bosque Farms, N.M., drove his star-spangled American Flyer to an easy victory over Brian Richter of Alta Loma, Calif., in Roger Way’s Spirit of America to win the top fuel hydro title in the 10th annual Hardee’s Augusta Southern Nationals. The victory was Fegan’s fourth straight of the year, but his winning pass was eclipsed by Kyle Walker in Will Browning’s Spirit of Texas during a $2,000, winner-take-all grudge race with Tom Cantrell of Albuquerque, N.M., in Beautiful Noise. The pair ran the fastest side-by-side race in Augusta Southern National’s history, with Walker winning in 220.58 mph and 5.52 seconds to Cantrell’s 215.82 and 5.72.
The races raised $10,000 for the Augusta chapter of the Georgia Special Olympics.
Cliff Bingham, of Huntington Beach, Calif., set the fastest ever blown alcohol hydro standard with his title-winning, 211.76-mph pass in 5.82 seconds.
JULY 12-14, 1996 (Eleventh Annual):
This was the year of Kentucky Thunder, the blown alcohol hydro that was pushed by Scott Price of Adairville, Ky., to unheard of (in Augusta) performances: 218, 222, 227.10, 217.85 and 222.33 mph.
Price challenged Kyle Walker in the top fuel hydro Spirit of Texas to a winner-take-all, $2,000 race and won with his 227.10-mph pass. But Price’s weekend was marred when his engine’s blower belt snapped on the championship pass against Randy Reynolds of Cocoa, Fla., in Dangerous Obsession.
Charlie Fegan made it two in a row for his American Flyer top fueler, beating Brian Richter at the starting line. His reaction time of .043 of a second was the difference between success and failure (Richter left in .212 of a second). Fegan’s victory was all the more remarkable since he had to overcome a hole in his boat that happened during his second-round pass against Walker, who red-lighted. The hole was caused when a coupler on the drive shaft split, tearing away the gasket that keeps water out at the point where the shaft leaves the boat.
Will Browning took the part out of his Spirit of Texas and gave it to Fegan, who wouldn’t have been able to get into the finals without it. “Will knows we’d do the same thing for him. We’re all friends here,” Fegan said.
JULY 18-20, 1997 (Twelfth Annual):
After all of the good years gone by, there was bound to be a bad one coming up and it happened during the 12th annual Augusta Southern Nationals. Because of a number of factors (failure of the timing system and lots of rollers on the river, making for too-dangerous-to-run conditions), time ran out before the top fuel and blown alcohol hydro finals could be held.
American Drag Boat Association officials called the 12th annual races at 8:43 p.m., “because when the drivers closed the lids of their capsules, they couldn’t see the end of the quarter-mile course downstream,” said race announcer Roger Monroe. That disappointed race fans that had stuck around to the end.
Karl Petrik of Aurora, Ohio, president of the ADBA, wrote a letter of apology to Augusta fans that was published under the Letters to the Editor column on The Augusta Chronicle’s editorial page.
More bad news arrived in Augusta when it was learned that veteran drag boat racers Tom Black of San Pablo, Calif., and Tom Cantrell of Albuquerque, N.M., had died of injuries received in crashes during the International Hot Boat Association Summer Nationals at Chowchilla, Calif., the weekend before. Both had raced in Augusta. Cantrell had stunned the drag boat-racing world the previous April when he pushed his boat to a fastest-ever 241.96 mph.
There was a bit of excitement on the second day when the clutch on Kyle Walker’s top fuel hydro Spirit of Texas failed to disengage. The boat hit the bank below the out-ramp. “I’ve been racing top fuel since 1986 and it’s the first time I’ve ever hit the beach,” said a red-faced Walker. “I did what I always do, but the clutch would not disengage. This boat will do 90-mph idling and I guess I was doing 40 when I hit the bank. The boat stopped when the propeller hit the mud.”
His wife, Pam, asked, “How big did your eyes get, baby?” “This big,” he replied, making silver dollar-sized circles with his thumbs and forefingers.
John Hipwell of Landing, NJ owned the top speed of the week, a 5.60-second, 210-mph pass in Triple Digit, to earn his top fuel license. Defending blown alcohol hydro champion Scott Price and Kentucky Thunder hit 209 on a Friday qualifying pass, while Charlie Fegan of Bosque Farms, N.M. ran a 200.979 on his last Saturday pass. He was the defending Augusta top fuel champion.
JULY 17-19, 1998 (Thirteenth Annual):
Shannon Stewart of Hesperia, Calif., took advantage of John Irvine’s red-light start in the top fuel hydro finals and coasted to victory, saving California Quake’s motor for the next weekend’s races in High Point, N.C.
Irvine, from La Habra, Calif., almost didn’t make it. His MegaForce boat had too much power on an early afternoon run and broke the vee drive. His crew worked hard, but Irvine couldn’t answer the call to the ramp so his final pass was really for second place.
Tim Stokes of Eufaula, Okla., won the blown alcohol hydro class in Widowmaker, edging Randy Reynolds of Cocoa, Fla., despite losing a blower belt near the end of the run.
Jon Wright of Georgetown, KY set an American Drag Boat Association elapsed time mark for unlimited outboards in 7.63 seconds.
JULY 16-18, 1999 (Fourteenth Annual):
Charlie Fegan not only is defending champion of top fuel hydros --- he also is the reigning Savannah River speed king following his 235.277-mph pass on his final run in the 14th annual Augusta Southern Nationals. The incredible run ended the brief reign of Lou Osman of St. Louis, who pushed his Speed Sports Special top-fueler to a career-best 232.208 mph on Sunday morning. “Fame is fleeting,” joked Osman following Fegan’s pass.
Fegan, driving for Roger Moore Racing of Mooresville, N.C., left the starting line behind finalist Shannon Stewart of Hesperia, Calif., in California Quake. “Roger pulled the motor out of the truck and told me it would run in the teens,” Fegan said. “It was really trucking at the half-track, but it didn’t have anything left after 1,320 feet. It went ‘Bang!’ on the 1,321st foot.” “We had him at the first buoy, but then my boat’s power dropped off and he left me like I was tied to a tree,” said Stewart, who had dominated the top fuel scene for most of the qualifying. Stewart set ADBA marks of 223.925 mph and 5.233 seconds in elapsed time.
Both Osman and Fegan eclipsed the previous Savannah River speed record of 230.17 set by Rocket Ron Braaksma of San Bernardino, Calif. in 1994. Braaksma, who made a 227.733-mph pass on Saturday, had made the semifinals and was sitting on the hold rope next to Fegan when officials red-lighted the start because of a series of rollers moving up the river. The heat and humidity proved too much for Braaksma, who opted not to make the run. “It’s nobody’s fault, just one of those racing deals,” he said.
July 21-23, 2000 (15th Annual).
A total of 126 boats participated in the 15th Annual Augusta Southern Nationals Drag Boat Race in Augusta the weekend of July 21-23, 2000. In the Pro Classes a total of 32 boats were registered. Twenty-two states and Canada were represented at the race. For a complete listing of all boats by class refer to the 2000 List of Participants elsewhere on this web page. Also, the final race results are listed under race results on the web page.
A highlight of the race was the attendance of legendary top fuel driver Kyle Walker on Friday and Saturday. Walker had participated in almost all of the previous races in Augusta and was always one of the Augusta favorites. His presence marked the first time that many had seen him since his crash at the IHBA Mid-America Summer Nationals in Chouteau Bend, Oklahoma in August 1999.
Jon Wright driving his Tinker Toy in the Unlimited Outboard class set a new world record during his final qualifying pass Saturday at 156.26 mph. The previous record was 149 mph. John Haas driving Roger Way’s top fuel hydro had the fastest pass of the weekend at 5.516 seconds and 222.96 mph.
A severe thunderstorm struck the race site late Sunday afternoon resulting in the race being cancelled prior to the semi-final and final runs. Consequently, winners in each class were determined by the fastest times of boats that were still alive in the eliminations for their respective class.
During the awards ceremony, numerous drivers contributed over $4,800 of their winnings or boat sponsorship money to the Georgia Special Olympics, the beneficiary of the race. Will Browning, owner of the Spirit of Texas top fuel hydro, started this practice several years ago.
The Augusta Race Committee announced that the race dates for 2001 are July 20-22 for the 16th Annual Augusta Southern Nationals.
July 20-22, 2001 (Sixteenth Annual).
The sixteenth edition of the Augusta Southern Nationals Drag Boat Race registered a number of “firsts” in the following respects:
A total of ninety-six boats representing twenty-four states were registered for the event. The action got underway on Friday with a test and tune day which meant that none of the passes were counted as qualifying for Sunday’s finals.
In Saturday’s qualifying action in the TFH class, Greg Tedesco driving his Loose Cannon boat blistered the racecourse with a 230.06 mph pass in 5.13 seconds to take the number one qualifying position for Sunday. Both Lou Osman’s Speed Sport Special and Ron Braaksma’s Madness were both running smooth and it was a real battle for the number two qualifying spot. Kebin Kinsley in the Speed Sport Special assumed in the number two spot with a 222.26 mph hour pass in 5.209 seconds to edge out John Hipwell in Madness, who had a 219.1 mph in 5.231 seconds.
Warren Jones in Kemosabay and Michelle Updegraff both made license passes in the TFH class. Updegraff gave the large crowd in attendance quite a scare as the boat was rolling badly as she came out of the gate before she got it under control and motored on through the race track.
In TAH action, Widowmaker driven by Tim Stokes who earlier in the year set the TAH record at 5.40 let everyone know that he was ready with a 212.32 mph in 5.438 seconds to take the number one qualifying position. Ted Faggart in Superstar, who has been in the finals in all six events he has entered this year, qualified in the number two position with a 5.48 at 210.46 mph.
Legendary driver Paul Showman from Broken Arrow, OK paid his first visit to Augusta and qualified in the number seven position in the Stock Eliminator class. It was doubtful if Showman would even be able to compete after he had a nasty fall in the pits shortly after his arrival.
In Sunday’s round one eliminations for TFH John Hipwell showed everyone that he was ready as he dispensed Scott Lumbert in Public Nuisance with a smooth 5.246 at 222.08 mph. In other round one action Kebin Kinsley (5.201, 215.46) powered his Speed Sport Special by Scott Price in Kentucky Thunder; John Haas in Roger Way Racing defeated Ron McCellan’s Liquid Quicker; and Greg Tedesco moved his Loose Cannon to round two when Craig Caulk and Nitro Fish X broke at the line.
The shock of the day in round one TAH action saw Stokes’ Widowmaker eliminated when he broke at the line allowing John White to advance his Nitro Fish to round two. Ted Faggart showed everyone that his Superstar was ready for the finals with a 5.437 at 211.9 mph to defeat Daryl Ehrlich’s Screamin Demon.
In the only crash of the weekend Jon Wright and Tinker Toy wrecked while racing in the first round of the unlimited outboard class. As he reached half-track, going 119 mph, his boat begin to wobble, then went nose first into the water completely destroying the boat on impact. After being checked out by the Medical College of Georgia’s trauma unit on site he was released with only minor bruises and scrapes.
Second chance grudge challenge action saw the TAH Widowmaker take on Scott Price in his TFH Kentucky Thunder. Price was no match for the Widowmaker as Stokes put down a 5.35 at 221.34 mph to Price’s 5.47 at 209.56 mph.
Kebin Kinsley’s thoughts of advancing to the finals were doused when his Speed Sport Special was eliminated in round two by Hipwell’s Madness. The prop on Kinsley’s boat had broken during round one action and the replacement didn’t perform as well. Hipwell didn’t register a time during the pass as the timing malfunctioned for his lane during the run, but he was first to the finish line and into the finals.
Hipwell has been coming to Augusta for ten years without making it into the finals, but in his first year driving for Ron Braaksma’s Madness he made the most of the opportunity. Paired against John Haas in the Roger Way Racing entry that had won the TFH class for the past two years in Augusta, Hipwill ran the second fastest time of the weekend with 229.62 mph at 5.146 seconds and had finally broken his jinx in Augusta to win top honors in TFH.
Ted Faggart picked up his fourth win of the season in the TAH class with 5.446 at 212.30 mph. He was paired with John White who broke at the line.
2001 Winners by Class:
|
Class
|
Boat #
|
Driver
|
Boat Name
|
RT
|
ET
|
MPH
|
|
TFH
|
726
|
John Hipwell
|
Madness
|
.209
|
5.146
|
229.62
|
|
TAH
|
387
|
Ted Faggart
|
Superstar
|
.119
|
5.446
|
212.3
|
|
TAF
|
449
|
Eric Morris
|
Bad Influence
|
.202
|
8.026
|
103.58
|
|
PM
|
025
|
Charlie Zalaudek
|
Two Bit Trip
|
.013
|
7.115
|
166.26
|
|
PCE
|
285
|
Steve Schmidt
|
Bad Influence
|
.193
|
7.807
|
141.32
|
|
UO
|
222
|
Paul Wheeler
|
Bad Influence II
|
.939
|
8.575
|
124.00
|
|
PE
|
383
|
Leland Bailey
|
Liquid Invader
|
.103
|
9.445
|
109.18
|
|
CE
|
702
|
Wendell Vinson
|
Final Edition
|
.044
|
10.126
|
83.62
|
|
TE
|
199
|
Greg Kordsmeier
|
Spoiled Rotten
|
.215
|
8.814
|
112.66
|
|
ME
|
829
|
John Schokey
|
Capital Felony Dollars
|
.183
|
9.938
|
103.76
|
|
SE
|
92
|
Dallas Moore
|
Scalded Cat II
|
.099
|
10.996
|
88.14
|
|
RR
|
712
|
Bobby McMasters
|
Water Rocket
|
.109
|
12.076
|
76.64
|
|
PCW I
|
121
|
Stacy Way
|
N/A
|
.703
|
17.468
|
52.96
|
*Outdoor Editor (Retired) of the Augusta Chronicle. Bill covered all of the Augusta Southern Nationals Races until his retirement after the 1999 race.
July 19-21, 2002 (Seventeenth Annual).
After experiencing a respite from the normal Augusta hot weather in the 2001 race, the temperature was back to normal with the temperatures hovering around the 100-degree mark throughout the weekend. In contrast the air temperature the action in the TFH class could only be described as cool at best. The gremlins that have plagued the class throughout the 2002-racing season continued in Augusta.
A total of eighty-eight boats were registered for the race from twenty-three states and one from Canada. Action started on Friday with a “test and tune” day.
In qualifying action on Saturday in the TFH class only three of the seven boats in attendance were able to post qualifying runs. Two-time IHBA champion Greg Tedesco in Loose Cannon took the number one slot with a 167.12 mph pass in 6.01 seconds. Scott Lumbert in Public Nuisance qualified number two with an ET of 6.04 in 187.82 mph. The only other fuel boat to register in qualifying was Kebin Kinsley in Lou Osman’s Speed Sport Special with an ET of 6.14 at 193.8 mph. The real excitement of the day occurred when John Haas driving the Roger Way Racing entry suddenly veered to the left crossing over into the left lane barely missing Osman’s Speed Sport Special. Haas was heading straight for some docks on the South Carolina bank of the river before finally straightening out the boat. Once on dry land it was revealed that the rudder was severely bent on the Roger Way entry.
Roger Way has followed the lead of other racers and converted to a twin prop. This was the first race that the boat had been tested and he found like the others that it is going to take a while to figure out the new setup.
In TAH action on Saturday Tim Stokes driving the Widowmaker posted what was to be the low ET for the weekend at 5.53 seconds to qualify in the number one position at 215.14 mph. Close behind was Ted Faggart in Super Star at 210.30 mph at 5.54 seconds. The Widowmaker, trailing the Super Star boat in the point’s race, eagerly looked forward to the Sunday final action.
The only accident of the weekend occurred on Saturday morning when Charley Wilkie driving his Black Widow in the Pro Eliminator class crashed. His boat was totaled and he suffered a few cuts and bruises but after a trip to the hospital to be checked out was released.
In round one eliminations on Sunday for the TFH class Kebin Kinsley in the Speed Sport Special (an ET of 6.377 at 144.08 mph) put away John Haas in the Roger Way Racing boat who was still having problems adjusting to the twin prop; Scott Lumbert advanced to the semifinal round with an ET of 6.961 at 193.94 mph when Joe Reinhardt’s’ Whad-A-Hoot broke at the start line; Frank Carter’s Aquaholic had his best run of the weekend with an ET of 5.812 at 187.76 mph over Kevin Burgess in The Patriot; and number one qualifier Greg Tedesco in Loose Cannon eased through a bye run in 5.912 seconds at 150.9 mph.
Round two semi-final action saw Speed Sport Special eliminate Pubic Nuisance with a 6.174 at 156.14 mph, and Tedesco advanced to the finals when the Aquaholic broke at the start line.
The TFH finals matched Kebin Kinsley in Speed Sport Special with Tedesco’s Loose Cannon. Kinsley ran a 7.377 at 107.74 mph and thought he had taken down the points leader but red lighted, handing the victory to Tedesco who a had a trouble plagued run at 10.139 at 39.98 mph.
Action in the TAH class had been providing the spectators with the only true speed all weekend. In round one eliminations Mike Robbins in Blown Bull broke at the start line allowing Sam Shaffer in Skywalker to advance with a 6.757 and 115.02 mph pass; Gus Ward in Ole Yeller (6.009 & 166.36 mph) was eliminated by Andy Reynolds in Parental Discretion with an ET of 5.732 at 198.14 mph; Fair Warning driven by Terry Newton broke at the start line sending Fed Faggart in Super Star with a 5.511 ET at 210.2 mph to round semi-finals; and number one qualifier Tim Stokes in Widowmaker had a bye run and he simply motored down the course.
In the semifinals in TAH Ted Faggart came out on top of Sam Shaffer’s Skywalker with a 5.551 at 208.9 mph compared to Shaffer’s 5.823 at 198.88 mph; and Stokes’ Widowmaker showed he was ready for the finals with a 5.75 at 210.76 over Parental Discretion who ran a 5.82 at 196 mph.
In the finals, Widowmaker thought he had taken Super Star only to find out he had left the line a little early and had red lighted. Stokes had a 5.446 at 218.04 mph compared to the Faggart’s 5.546 at 209.96 mph.
The winners and runners-up for all classes is as follows:
2002 Winners by Class
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TFH
|
1
|
Greg Tedesco
|
Loose Cannon
|
.045
|
10.139
|
39.98
|
Winner
|
|
TFH
|
300
|
Kebin Kinsley
|
Speed Sport Special
|
.008RL
|
7.377
|
107.74
|
Runner-up
|
|
TAH
|
387
|
Ted Faggart
|
Super Star
|
.121
|
5.546
|
209.96
|
Winner
|
|
TAH
|
2
|
Tim Stokes
|
Widowmaker
|
.067RL
|
5.446
|
218.04
|
Runner-up
|
|
TAF
|
7
|
Jimmy Parsons
|
High Risk
|
.268
|
6.649
|
158.5
|
Winner
|
|
TAF
|
665
|
Dave Ferguson
|
Big Trouble
|
.042RL
|
6.774
|
150.30
|
Runner-up
|
|
PM
|
28
|
Liquid Quik
|
Ron McClellan
|
.125
|
7.13
|
151.82
|
Winner
|
|
PM
|
333
|
Brace Yourself
|
Jimmy Parsons
|
1.058
|
26.077
|
35.40
|
Runner-up
|
|
PCE
|
285
|
Steve Schmidt
|
Bad Influence
|
.107
|
7.747
|
141.2
|
Winner
|
|
PCE
|
508
|
David Lipinski
|
Hot Shot
|
.214
|
9.097
|
119.00
|
Runner-up
|
|
UO
|
222
|
Paul Wheeler
|
Bad Influence II
|
.731
|
7.881
|
136.58
|
Winner
|
|
UO
|
57
|
Kevin Mumford
|
Gas Plus
|
.039
|
9.337
|
112.72
|
Runner-up
|
|
PE
|
381
|
Ray Wahler
|
Fuelish Reaction
|
.089
|
7.916
|
128.16
|
Winner
|
|
PE
|
383
|
Leland Bailey
|
Liquid Invader
|
.184
|
7.854
|
141.60
|
Runner-up
|
|
TE
|
597
|
Dan South
|
Way To Cool II
|
.202
|
9.00
|
106.88
|
Winner
|
|
TE
|
551
|
Gregg Sink
|
Daddy Rat
|
.205
|
8.975
|
117.46
|
Runner-up
|
|
ME
|
118
|
Hank Arnold
|
Flat Crankin’
|
.187
|
10.073
|
99.68
|
Winner
|
|
ME
|
961
|
Paul Rodgers
|
Heritage
|
1.183
|
10.484
|
106.02
|
Runner-up
|
|
SE
|
917
|
Bill Bailey
|
Bailey’s
|
.280
|
11.028
|
102.88
|
Winner
|
|
SE
|
911
|
Rich Gauss
|
Breakin’ Wind
|
.027RL
|
11.104
|
93.24
|
Runner-up
|
|
RRI
|
712
|
Bobby McMasters
|
Water Rocket
|
.188
|
12.239
|
85.56
|
Winner
|
|
RRI
|
789
|
Tony Leonardi
|
Jitterbug
|
.534
|
13.801
|
72.62
|
Runner-up
|
For the first time since the Augusta race was started in 1986 racers were unable to go to High Point, NC the weekend following the Augusta race. The High Point Jaycees cancelled that race after the 2001 event. Instead, the Gadsden, AL officials moved their race date to keep back-to-back races with Augusta.
July 18-20, 2003 (Eighteenth Annual).
A record ten top fuel hydros were a part of the eighty-four boats registered for the eighteenth running of the Augusta Southern Nationals Drag Boat Race. The participants represented eighteen states and Canada. This represented the third year that the event had been sanctioned by the International Hot Boat Association (IHBA).
At the press conference held on Thursday, prior year TFH champion Greg Tedesco predicted that the Augusta mile per hour record of 235 would be broken during the event. While the MPH record was not eclipsed, John Hipwell driving the Madness boat did set a new Augusta ET record for the TFH class of 5.023 seconds. Ironically, the old mark of 5.05 seconds had been on the books since Madness boat owner Ron Braaksma had set it in 1994.
The Augusta committee promoting the event dedicated this year’s race to six individuals who had died during the previous year. These included Cindy Fegan, wife of IHBA president Charlie Fegan; Jim Ermshar, a former participant in the TAF class; DeAnn Schaffer, wife of TAH participant Sam Schaffer; Greg Hodges who for many years was one of the local sponsors for the race; Tom Sitler and Bobby Thompson, members of the local committee promoting the event.
Action got underway on Friday with a Test and Tune Day. This allowed the drivers to test their boats on the river for changes they had made coming into Augusta and most importantly to check out the current in the river at the start line and Augusta‘s humidity.
In TFH action during Saturday qualifying, John Hipwell showed the crowd that the Madness crew had done a terrific job in rebuilding the boat after it was destroyed in a July 11th trailer fire on the way to the Waco race. Hipwell qualified #1 with a 5.117 ET at 215.68 MPH over the #2 qualifier Scotty Lumbert who dialed in a 5.362. Defending champion Greg Tedesco driving his loose Cannon boat caught fire during his second qualifying run and had to jump out of his boat ending his chance to defend his Augusta title. Kebin Kinsley driving Lou Osman’s Speed Sport Special broke a prop during his first run and using a back-up prop in round 2 had the boat rocking and rolling at the finish line but qualified #4 for Sunday’s finals. Tim Stokes qualified his TAH Widowmaker in the #1 slot with a 5.407 at 215.74. John Heidemann in Nightmare qualified #2 in the TAF class but broke the old Augusta MPH record of 162.88 set in 2001 by Don Ermshar with passes of 168.36 and 171.10. The top qualifiers after Saturday’s action in each class is as follows:
Saturday’s Top Qualifiers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TFH
|
726
|
John Hipwell
|
Madness
|
5.117
|
215.68
|
|
TAH
|
2
|
Tim Stokes
|
Widowmaker
|
5.407
|
215.74
|
|
TAF
|
1
|
Ken Singleton
|
High Risk
|
6.732
|
156.86
|
|
PM
|
189
|
Ron Chevillet
|
Massacre
|
7.009
|
170.44
|
|
PCE
|
285
|
Steve Schmidt
|
Bad Influence
|
7.84
|
N/A
|
|
PE
|
178
|
Doug Maderer
|
More Reach
|
8.052
|
130.10
|
|
TE
|
005
|
Tin Townsend
|
River Rat
|
9.006
|
121.58
|
|
ME
|
14
|
Kevin Blount
|
Fastest Realtors.com
|
10.088
|
108.62
|
|
SE
|
004
|
Rob Harris
|
The Hooterganooter
|
11.025
|
94.32
|
|
RRI
|
3
|
John Black
|
Total Package
|
.501
|
N/A
|
Saturday’s action was delayed for three hours due an afternoon storm that passed through the area with heavy lightning that caused some problems getting the starting lights working again.
In Sunday’s elimination action John Hipwell justified his #1 qualifying position when in the first round he set a new ET record for Augusta with a 5.023 ET in the Madness boat eclipsing the former record of 5.05 established in 1994 by boss and boat owner Ron Braaksma. In round 2 he disposed of the Speed Sport Special with a 5.105 at 223.50 and advanced to the finals against Scotty Lumbert. In the finals, he posted the best MPH of the weekend at 227.96 and defeated Lumbert for the trophy who had a nice run of 5.201 at 219.40 MPH.
In TAH action #1 qualifier Tim Stokes continued his domination of the field by disposing of Mike Robbins in Blown Bull with a 5.454 at 210.94MPH.
2003 Winners by Class
|
Class
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TFH
|
726
|
John Hipwell
|
Madness
|
.643
|
5.038
|
227.96
|
Winner
|
|
TFH
|
619
|
Scotty Lumbert
|
Public Nuisance
|
.668
|
5.201
|
219.40
|
Runner-up
|
|
TAH
|
2
|
Tim Stokes
|
Widowmaker
|
.217
|
5.454
|
210.94
|
Winner
|
|
TAH
|
311
|
Mike Robbins
|
Blown Bull
|
.281
|
5.979
|
199.54
|
Runner-up
|
|
TAF
|
1
|
Ken Singleton
|
High Risk
|
.176
|
6.747
|
156.02
|
Winner
|
|
TAF
|
674
|
Don Ermshar
|
Black Rushin’
|
.167
|
6.813
|
159.74
|
Runner-up
|
|
PM
|
028
|
Bob Montgomery
|
Liquid Quick
|
.220
|
7.01
|
167.84
|
Winner
|
|
PM
|
25
|
Charlie Zalaudek
|
Two Bit Trip
|
.113
|
7.124
|
165.90
|
Runner-up
|
|
PCE
|
285
|
Steve Schmidt
|
Bad Influence
|
.224
|
7.880
|
140.08
|
Winner
|
|
PCE
|
031
|
Phil Roeschen
|
Quick Trip
|
-.062
|
8.652
|
114.88
|
Runner-up
|
|
PE
|
202
|
Bobby Mills
|
Stars and Stripes
|
.207
|
8.276
|
130.50
|
Winner
|
|
PE
|
178
|
Doug Maderer
|
More Reach
|
-.168
|
8.106
|
128.70
|
Runner-up
|
|
TE
|
005
|
Tim Townsend
|
River Rat
|
1.876
|
9.960
|
76.20
|
Winner
|
|
TE
|
702
|
Wendell Vinson
|
Final Edition
|
Broke
|
Broke
|
Broke
|
Runner-up
|
|
UO
|
222
|
Paul Wheeler
|
Bad Influence II
|
-.307
|
7.764
|
141.08
|
Winner
|
|
ME
|
917
|
Bill Bailey
|
Hugum
|
.205
|
10.196
|
104.66
|
Winner
|
|
ME
|
406
|
Jeffrey Field
|
Third Shift
|
|
