It’s race number two for the NMRA All-Ford Drag Racing Series as the blue oval competitors join their NMCA cohorts at the Atlanta Dragway for the NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals. It’s early in the season, but if you’re going to make a move to build some momentum going into the summer months, now is the time to do it, and rest assured that thought is on everyone’s mind as they take to the Georgia quarter-mile. StangTV is in the house and will have notes, results, and the hottest photos all weekend long. If it’s Mustang racing you crave, this is where you’ll want to be!

Special thanks to our presenting sponsor SCT Performance, who allows us to make our coverage happen!

The midway is a bit sparse this morning as Saturday is the big day for spectators. There are plenty of companies here representing including Mickey Thompson as this pair of racers totes some new tires back to the pits.

Tremec Transmission has their display set up as well as being a class sponsor for True Street. Under the tent are several different transmissions with a cut away view to show the workings of the internal parts.

Bradenton Coyote Stock winner Joe Charles has both ends of the class record and is looking o improve on that this weekend with the better weather. The car is a 2001 Bullet built by MV Performance who is also his major sponsor. Joe’s crew chief is Paul Dishroon with the team based out of Adairsville, Georgia.

Texas based Kenjo Kelly made the haul to Commerce and was busy swapping in a fresh transmission when we stopped by this morning. He runs Procharger Super Street Outlaw with a Jeff Naiser engine using Slick Rich Heads on top fed by a Precision turbo. Crew Ace Pearl is helping out with the trans among other duties.

Don Bowles is here running the combined Hot Street/Pro Stock class, putting up an 8.59 @ 157 testing this morning despite an off pace 60′. Bowles is excited about a new NA 10.5 class coming as well as trying to get a NA Outlaw 10.5 class started. Between Don and Robbie Blankenship they have preliminary draft rules together and from what he told me this morning that could easily shape up to be an exciting and popular class if it gets the green light.

Round One Qualifying Results

2011 SSO Champ John Urist sits on top after one round of qualifying with a nice 7.12 @ 202. I spoke wih crew chief Mike King and there is little new for the 2012 season, just working on the combo to get the most out of it. He is running the same combo as before, a 9.5 deck SBF with Race Flow Development Edelbrock SC1 heads. Phil Hines sits second with a personal best 169 MPH to the 1/8th and is looking to bump down to the sixes if the track holds in round two.

Jason Lee has the top qualified spot in AFCO Drag Radial in a seven car field. Many racers like the All Star format as it allows them to race against new faces and other brands. Dan Kroll is doing well with a 7.68 @ 184 for the nitrous folks.

Only three cars so far for the combined Hot Street/Pro Stock class here in Atlanta with Hudson, Florida racer Robbie Blankenship leading with an 8.41 @ 159 using a 399 ci Ford engine from Roush Racing.

Another champion leads the field in Blow By Racing Renegade as Brian Mitchell ripped off an 8.41 @ 162 with his 04 Cobra.

A nice launch for Carlos Sobrino in Nitto Tire Factory Stock put him a full tenth ahead of number two man Louis Sylvester Jr. with a 10.93 @ 123 MPH, just a tick less speed through the traps for Sobrino.

Two cars this weekend so far for Strange Engineering Coyote Stock with Joe Guertin running a clean 11.27 @ 118 over Bradenton event winner Joe Charles.

Round Two Pit Notes

Not a pretty site for the Alton Clements crew as it torched a head gasket in a major way. Pictured is crew member Bill Gillen

The team is based ot of Clemson, South Carolina and Alton took the ride home to get a spare head as this one is not usable in this condition. Clements was the 2009 Renegade champion, finished second last year and has won this race the past two years.

Phil Hines has a fresh bullet from BES Racing Engines with a new set of the Edelbrock SC1 heads and has picked up about 5 miles an hour.

Jim Monson matched his personal best with a 6.94 @ 204.79 making him very happy as it's the first pass down the track since Indy last year. The Pro Outlaw racer hails from Brighton, Michigan and runs a 407 ci. Small Block Ford with a single Precision turbo worked over by Works Performance.

Mike Murillo has been struggling a bit for 2012 making this the first full hit on the car, his 6.54 is a new best in competition which had been a .58, with a testing best of a .53. Here his wife Lisa is packing the chutes in preparation for next round.