Racing Where The Peaches Grow

Georgia peaches, pecans, and fast Fords. The second race of the NMRA All-Ford Nationals race season brings us to Commerce, Georgia. Atlanta Dragway played host to the 4th annual Nitto Tires NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals.

When the cars and stars of the NMRA and NMCA run together, the on-track action is unbeatable. With similar rulebooks in multiple classes, the two sanctioning bodies combine classes, allowing NMRA and NMCA racers to compete against each other for inter-series dominance.

SCT Pro Outlaw 10.5 is one of the combo classes at the joint events. It's run as part of the NMCA's Super Street class, but in Atlanta, it was the" Mike Murillo show". The San Antonio, Texas-native qualified in the top spot with a blistering 6.49-second e.t. at 232 mph. This is the quickest run in the history of the class, and Murillo was the first Pro Outlaw car to break the 6.50 barrier. At the end of eliminations, Murillo took the win against Eric Laferriere.

Nitto Tires Factory Stock saw eight cars take to the strip at Atlanta Dragway. In the first round of eliminations, Sondra Leslie cranked out an 11.37-second pass in her Coyote-equipped '06 Mustang. Although Leslie went out in the first round, her 11.37 is the quickest pass to date for a Coyote-powered Mustang in Factory Stock competition. Defending champ Carlos Sobrino qualified number one and took his checkered '88 Mustang all the way to the win, defeating Matt Amrine in the final.

Exedy Racing Clutch Mod Muscle saw Randy Mounce and Gary Parker in the final. Both cars are sponsored by Exedy, and Mounce took the win home to Woodstock, Ontario, Canada, in this international final.

Sixteen cars competed in Roush Performance Super Stang. Larry Firestone of Leesburg, Indiana, was on his game all weekend. Firestone took his '08 Mustang all the way to the final, where he met the 2011 class champion, "Rockin" Al Miller and his BMR-sponsored '11 GT. Firestone left the line first and was closer to his dial-in, taking the Super Stang win.

Tremec True Street presented by Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords is always a fun class to watch and compete in, and this event was no different. You don't have to have an 8-second car to take the win, and this race was the perfect example. Forty-six cars took to the streets of central Georgia, but only 27 competitors survived the cruise and all three quarter-mile passes. In the end, Jack Young, owner of Emmett Head Performance, took the overall win in his '88 LX with an 11.24 average. The black coupe named Sally is also his wife's daily driver, which was driven three hours to get to the race, then driven home.

With Atlanta wrapped up, we look forward to the NMRA's first event at Maryland International Raceway in May. Be sure to check online at www.musclemustangfastfords.com for exclusive photos from the event. See you in Maryland!