All posts by Van Abernethy
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Van Abernethy | January 11, 2021
Changing Times: NEOPMA Completes First Season After Quarter-to-Eighth-Mile Switch
Old habits die hard they say, but if the changing times bring about success, it sure makes the...
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Van Abernethy | December 23, 2020
On the Road: Funny Car Chaos Series
Imagine for a moment a group of Funny Car racers who all decided to give their cars catchy...
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Van Abernethy | November 25, 2020
ON THE ROAD: Van Abernethy Talks Holly Springs Motorsports
This coming December 23 will mark five years since a devastating tornado completely flattened Mississippi’s Holly Springs Motorsports....
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Van Abernethy | November 25, 2020
DIALED IN: Minnesota’s Multi-Purpose Brainerd International Raceway Stays Busy
If ever the description “multi-purpose” could be placed on a dragstrip, Brainerd International Raceway and Resort would most...
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Van Abernethy | November 5, 2020
Land of 10,000 Races: Minnesota’s Brainerd International Raceway Stays Busy
If ever the description “multi-purpose” could be placed on a dragstrip, Brainerd International Raceway and Resort would most...
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Van Abernethy | November 4, 2020
On The Road: Holly Springs Motorsports
This coming December 23 will mark five years since a devastating tornado completely flattened Mississippi’s Holly Springs Motorsports....
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Van Abernethy | September 18, 2020
On The Road: Cedar Falls Raceway
Iowa’s Cedar Falls Raceway has a rich history dating back to 1964 when they first broke ground on...
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Van Abernethy | September 16, 2020
Tennessee’s Crossville Dragway Weathers The Storm
When it comes to dragstrips with “curb appeal,” you’d be hard-pressed to find another track that has a...
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Van Abernethy | August 28, 2020
On The Road: Sallisaw Outlaw Drag Strip
Oklahoma’s Sallisaw Outlaw Drag Strip is a classic example of someone deciding to construct a dragstrip squarely in...
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Van Abernethy | August 19, 2020
Ezell, Wheeler and Alonzo Lead Winners at CP Promotions’ Texas Two-Step $50K
Cody Pollage was no different than any other race promoter at the onset of a brand-new season of...
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Van Abernethy | July 21, 2020
On The Road: Van’s Visit With ‘Big Daddy’ Don Garlits
If ever there was a column I wished I had more than just a single page in which...
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Van Abernethy | July 20, 2020
Level Playing Field: WSC 4.90 Outlaws Offers Even Competition for Sub-5-Second Door Cars
If ever there was a racing club that’s brimming with stiff competition and tons of diversity, not to...
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Van Abernethy | April 15, 2020
ON THE ROAD: U.S. 19 Dragway
Albany, Georgia, is a small town that’s famous for several things, not the least of which is being...
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Van Abernethy | April 14, 2020
Show-Stopper: How Lifelong Ford Fan Gary Varney Turned A Former Glidden Display Car Into A Race Winner
When it comes to cars that make a lasting impression, few have ever impacted Gary Varney the way...
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Van Abernethy | April 3, 2020
CLOSE-UP: Kevin Prior Pays Tribute to ‘The Professor’
Kevin Prior is a perfect example of how organized drag racing can turn a young man’s wayward life...
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Van Abernethy | April 2, 2020
CLOSE-UP: Pamala Wade and Her ‘Snafu’ ’37 Chevy Coupe
Pamala Wade is a woman with extremely varying interests. On one hand, she’s cultivated a lifelong passion for...
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Van Abernethy | March 27, 2020
Growing Pains: Florida’s Immokalee Regional Raceway Fending Off Nearby Airport’s Expansion
South Florida’s Immokalee Regional Raceway has always been a favorite place to compete for so many racers who...
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Van Abernethy | March 24, 2020
DI CLASSIC: Chris Rini’s Empire State of Mind
Whenever Chris Rini rolls into the water box, just moments away from doing his burnout, most any track...
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Van Abernethy | March 24, 2020
ON THE ROAD: Nahunta Dragway
When it comes to hidden gems tucked away deep inside North Carolina’s racing landscape, Nahunta Dragway may just...
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Van Abernethy | March 20, 2020
DI CLASSIC: The Legend of Todd Tutterow
Even though it’s been 27 years, Maurice Hayes vividly recalls the greatest drag racing success story to ever come...
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Van Abernethy | February 28, 2020
ON THE ROAD: Bradenton Motorsports Park
If you’ve ever wanted to journey to Bradenton Motorsports Park to enjoy the legendary Outlaw Snowbird Nationals, the...
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Van Abernethy | February 26, 2020
Turkey Beach Bash: A Look Back at Gaylon Rolison’s Inaugural Pre-Thanksgiving Bracket Race
When race promoter Gaylon Rolison Jr. wanted to put together a pre-Thanksgiving race at his local Gulfport Dragway...
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Van Abernethy | April 23, 2019
Self-Proclaimed “Hobby Racer” Fredy Scriba Dishes on Nitrous Record-Setting 5.676-second Blast
Pro Mod racer, Fredy Scriba, raised eyebrows at Maryland International Raceway during the season-opening Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod...
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Van Abernethy | December 8, 2018
ON THE ROAD: Van Wins ‘Best Appearing Journalist’ Award
I never imagined the fun I could have with a trophy that clearly wasn’t deserved, but I actually...
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Van Abernethy | December 7, 2018
ON THE ROAD: Coles County Dragway
I thoroughly enjoy when my On the Road gig unearths a gem of American history as I trek...
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Van Abernethy | December 5, 2018
ON THE ROAD: Alien City Dragway
Who doesn’t love a quality UFO story? Oh sure, there’s plenty of time-honored tales, eyewitness accounts, even the...
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Van Abernethy | December 3, 2018
ON THE ROAD: Osceola Dragway
I will always remember the first time I rolled through the gates of Osceola Dragway back in 2015....
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Van Abernethy | November 29, 2018
‘Mutt and Jeff’ Inject Fun Into Annual Bracket Race
Paul Burruss and Dylan Griffey readily admit they’re a couple of “goofy guys” who don’t take themselves too...
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Van Abernethy | November 27, 2018
Northeast Dragway’s Unlikely Road to Success
Northeast Dragway continues to thrive since opening for business 18 years ago. Nestled in Hertford, North Carolina, which...
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Van Abernethy | September 21, 2018
Vance Usilton’s Black Magic
Sixteen-year-old Vance Usilton has been patiently waiting his turn to experience the euphoria that is “Black Magic,” a...
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Van Abernethy | September 20, 2018
Donnie Gibbs Jr. is Bringing North Carolina’s Famed Mooresville Dragway Back From the Brink
Longtime chassis builder and racer Donnie Gibbs Jr. says that owning a drag strip was something of a...
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Van Abernethy | June 16, 2018
Louisiana’s No Problem Raceway Keeps the Tires Turning Year-Round
If there’s ever been a drag strip that’s perfectly positioned to take advantage of year-round racing, Belle Rose,...
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Van Abernethy | June 15, 2018
Keep on Truckin’: John Taylor’s Highly Successful Pickups
John Taylor vividly recalls those exhilarating radio spots he used to hear as a kid growing up in...
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Van Abernethy | May 23, 2018
Southern Outlaw Top Sportsman Series Enjoys Surging Car Counts
The Southern Outlaw Top Sportsman series has been consistently exceeding expectations since day 1, beginning with the Saturday...
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Van Abernethy | May 19, 2018
HOOSIER STATE HIT: Racers and Fans Flock to Muncie Dragway
Five years ago, Muncie Dragway was in a state of noticeable decline. Interest was waning from both racers...
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Van Abernethy | April 25, 2018
ON THE ROAD: Roxboro Motorsports Park
When I begin to think of tracks that host well-known events that have stood the test of time,...
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Van Abernethy | March 1, 2018
ON THE ROAD: Saying Goodbye to the DI Sprinter
Every time I head to Florida in the wintertime, I’m always reminded of the first time I ever...
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Van Abernethy | February 28, 2018
Sisters Hailey and Camryn Hawkins Excel in PDRA Pro Junior Dragster
Although the Hawkins sisters literally grew up at the dragstrip from the time they were infants, their love...
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Van Abernethy | February 27, 2018
Wilkins’ Engine Building Talent and Driving Skills Result in ‘Dream Season’
Drag racing veteran Sandy Wilkins seems to age like fine wine within the Top Sportsman division where he’s...
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Van Abernethy | January 22, 2018
NORTHERN EXPOSURE: Montana Brothers Represent Long Island in NEOPM
When one thinks of Long Island, New York, one doesn’t immediately conjure up images of a Saturday night...