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JACKIE ROBISON
racing, and Jackie experienced a setback when a crash at Greer in 2010 left his car badly damaged. Mike White put the car back together after the mishap, while Robison’ s famous cousin, Scotty Cannon, set the car up for him. Additionally, a few changes were made to the car after they dropped it off at Donnie Gibbs’ Mooresville, NC race car shop.
Perhaps the most interesting story that
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stemmed from the car’ s post-crash restoration was when it was time for a new paint job.“ My friend of 30 years, Donnie Farmer, of Farmer’ s Body Shop, repainted the car for me, and amazingly it was the first race car he ever painted! Donnie told me to never bring him another race car, but he also said I could bring the Chevy II back if I ever needed to,” laughed Robison.
The car looks sharp and it turns heads wherever Jackie races it. He’ s getting geared up for the 2017 season and plans to race more than ever.
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“ I’ ve teamed up with Doug Dailey from Maryville, TN, who has a David Monday-built 1963 Corvette.”
Together, they plan on competing in every NHRA national event, as well as every Lucas Oil race in Division 2.“ Racing at this level takes so much support and I’ ve got to thank my dad, Johnny, because without him I’ d never be where I am today. I’ ve got a great crew of help that includes, Stan and Tina Rabb; Paul Campbell; Rusty Hawkins; Mickey Bailey and Wendell Davis.” DI
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On Fire Jonathan Anderson’ s Dominant Sunfire Owns NHRA Division 2 Super Street
By Van Abernethy
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Jonathan Anderson enjoyed a dominating season in 2016 while competing his 2005 Pontiac Sunfire in NHRA Super Street competition. The lifelong Griffin, GA native ran the table early within the Division 2 region, winning three of the first four events this year. It was pretty clear by mid-season that the chance of anyone catching Anderson was largely out of the question and eventually, his season-ending point total was more than anyone had tallied in recent memory( or maybe ever) within the ranks of Super Street. Very little went wrong for Anderson in 2016, although a mechanical problem in Atlanta dashed the hopes of him altogether sweeping the first three events this year.
“ They held a double race in Atlanta and when the call came for third round eliminations my car wouldn’ t crank, so that ended my day for the first race that weekend. I fixed the problem and entered the second race( the fourth of the season) and ended up winning the race, which brought me to winning three of the first four events!” reflected Anderson, who had already picked up wins in Gainesville and Charlotte going into the Atlanta contest.
As the season progressed, Jonathan quickly locked up the title in dominating fashion within the competitive 10.90-index category. His championship-winning
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Pontiac Sunfire is a car he instantly fell in love with when he first bought it three years ago. It was originally built for Super Stock competition by Ohio’ s P & K Race Cars, although Anderson thought the set up would be a perfect match for Super Street, so he began hitting the NHRA trail, while also entering various IHRA meets.
“ This Sunfire is the best car I’ ve ever driven! It doesn’ t matter what you do to it, it likes it,” says Anderson, who promises he intends to keep the car forever.“ It was for sale for quite awhile before I bought it, so I guess it was meant to be.”
Jonathan, alongside his entire family, grew up racing together at nearby Silver Dollar Raceway,
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where he’ s accumulated four track championships, including three Super Pro titles in a rear-engine dragster, along with a Super Street Championship in the Sunfire. He finished second in points in both classes at Silver Dollar in 2015. In addition to the NHRA Lucas Oil series, Anderson enjoys entering big money bracket races.“ We’ ve kinda stayed close to home this year, so our 7 year-oldson, Johnson, can race in Junior Dragster locally.”
Still very much a bracket racer at heart, Anderson is currently constructing a 1965 Nova Station Wagon exclusively for local brackets.“ I want something I can race so that I don’ t have to drive a big rig down the road... something I can just throw behind a pick-up truck and go racing,” he smiles.
For 2017, Anderson says he’ ll be ready to defend his Super Street championship, and also contemplates the near future where he hopes to compete for a national championship in NHRA Super Comp.
“ I want to thank my wife, Melissa, along with my dad, John, as well as my uncle, David Simmons for all their support. I also appreciate Brad Plourd, Sherman Adcock and David Tatum for all their help and for being able to call them at any time.” DI
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PHOTOS: VAN ABERNETHY, RHONDA MCCOLE |