Roach Wins the Battle, but Thomas Wins the War

By Danny and Gena White

David Smith was a DNQ with a 5.05 best.

After an earlier rainout, the Outlaw Top Sportsmen were able to finish the year’s final race at Redline Raceway. The points battle came down to Mat Thomas, Michelle Wilson, and Steve Gorman. Thomas came into the last race with the points lead with Michele Wilson and Steve Gorman each having an outside chance to catch him. Mat went on to win the championship, but lost in the final round to Ed Roach. Ed won his first ever OTS race with dead on consistent runs in the cool, dry air that permeated Redline Raceway.

OTS burnout king Alfred Whiteside beginning his full track burnout.

The first round of qualifying started at 7:00 p.m. The first racers out to qualify were HT Wilson and Melvin Ross. Wilson was in his Firebird and Melvin Ross was in the only Ford in the field, which is also the world’s fastest Maverick. Wilson laid down a great 4.718 to beat Goes’ 4.83. Michele Wilson and David Smith were next. Wilson got there first in her Camaro with a 4.705 for the top spot, while Smith had ran a troubled 6.57 in the Smith family’s 55 Chevrolet.

Kenny Duke broke an input shaft for the second week in a row.

Chuck Poindexter qualified with a 4.73, but broke and could not make the first round.

Steve Gorman was next in his Grand Prix running against burnout king Alfred Whitehead. The Pontiac broke out with a 4.68, while Whiteside ran 4.88. Kenny Duke was up next against Charlie Matthews. Duke broke an input shaft for the second week in a row and had a nitrous backfire. Matthews got crossed up on a 5.52 run. Chuck Poindexter and Ed Roach then laid down great side-by-side runs. Poindexter ran a 4.73 in the XS Luv and Roach ran a 4.72. Chuck had a pan gasket leak that left a little fluid on the track and put him out for the night.

The Pool Man Charlie Matthews was a DNQ with a 5.01.

Steve Gorman did not qualify for the race, but ran 4.44 in testing.

Brad Jones next took the first of solo runs. Brad was racing the Young Racing Neon out of nearby Leonard, Texas. Jones had the only small block in the field. The little car with one carb ran a tire shaking 4.84. Mat Thomas then took the NX Express Camaro to a good 4.74. David Baldwin drove his bright green Corvette to a 4.75, and OTS rookie Bobby Fuentes ran a 4.81 his wildly flamed Monte Carlo. Eric Clark finished out the round with a 4.96 in the Clark Bros. Trans Am.

First Round Qualifying Results

1 4.70 Michele Wilson
2 4.71 HT Wilson
3 4.72 Ed Roach
4 4.73 Chuck Poindexter
5 4.74 Mat Thomas
6 4.75 David Baldwin
7 4.81 Bobby Fuentes
8 4.83 Melvin Goss

DNQs

9 4.84 Brad Jones
10 4.88 Alfred Whiteside
11 4.91 Eric Clark
12 5.57 Charlie Matthews
13 6.57 David Smith
14 4.68 Steve Gorman
15 N/T Kenny Duke

Brad Jones also was DNQ with severe tire shake in the Jones Racing Neon.

There goes Da' Dog!

Kenny Duke and Chuck Poindexter were done for the night, leaving an eight-car field to compete. That left the number nine spot as the magic spot to get into the field. Steve Gorman was up first in the former Jim Yates Grand Am in the pit lane against Alfred Whiteside’s Da Dog Camaro. Both Gorman and Whiteside had troubles and both did not qualify, Gorman at 5.29 and Whiteside at 5.05. Mat Thomas ran 4.75 to David Smith’s 5.01 that left Smith on the outside. Michele Wilson ran a 4.78 as Goss ran an improving 4.80.

Michele Wilson fell short to Mat Thomas for the 2006 OTS race, coming in second.

David Baldwin races his super sano Corvette in OTS and Pro Mod.

Brad Jones again fought tire shake with a 4.82 that left him number nine for the time being. David Baldwin ran under the index with a 4.67 that left him number six, and HT Wilson fell off to a 4.87 on his solo pass. Charlie Matthews babied his car off the line to run a 5.01 that left him on the outside of the field. Eric Clark got the number eight spot and into the field with a 4.81. Ed Roach then ran under the index with a 4.65, but kept his number three spot. Bobby Fuentes jumped to the top half of the field with a 4.71, bumping all but the top two on the final run of qualifying.

First Round Qualifying Results

1 4.70 Michele Wilson
2 4.71 HT Wilson
3 4.71 Bobby Fuentes
4 4.72 Ed Roach
5 4.73 Chuck Poindexter
6 4.74 Mat Thomas
7 4.75 David Baldwin
8 4.80 Melvin Goss

DNQs

9 4.81 Eric Clark
10 4.82 Brad Jones
11 4.88 Alfred Whiteside
12 5.01 Charlie Matthews
13 5.05 David Smith
14 5.29 Steve Gorman
15 N/T Kenny Duke

Bobby Fuentes burns out in the beautiful Monte Carlo.

Eric Clark getting crossed up on a burn out in the Clark Bros TA.

Steve Gorman's DNQ ended his championship run.  He came back to make test runs, including a best ever, out the back door 4.44.

The first round began with HT Wilson taking on seventh qualifier David Baldwin. HT won with a 4.79 to Baldwin’s shut off 4.84. Mat Thomas then beat Bobby Fuentes with a 4.76 to a close 4.79. Michele Wilson holeshot Melvin Goss to win with a 4.75 to a 4.73. It was the closest race of the round and of the night with a true win margin of .005 seconds! Eric Clark redlighted and shut off to a 7.69 as Ed Roach ran a winning 4.77 shut off pass.

Melvin Ross was out racing the world's fastest Maverick.

Michele Wilson was the number one qualifier and lasted til the semis

Round 1

W 4.79 140.58 Michele Wilson
L 4.84 129.58 David Baldwin

W 4.76 146.15 Mat Thomas
L 4.79 146.72 Bobby Fuentes

W 4.75 147.01 HT Wilson
L 4.73 148.78 Melvin Goss

W 4.77 128.31 Ed Roach
L 7.69 57.28 Eric Clark (foul)

Here are Steve Gorman's voodoo dolls of the night, that is Michele Wilson on the left and Mat Thomas on the right. LOL!

HT Wilson ran a 4.71 for the number two spot.

Ed Roach and HT Wilson faced off to begin the semi-finals. Roach won with a 4.72, 139.36 to defeat Wilson’s 4.82, 153.98. In the battle for the championship, Mat Thomas won with a good 4.75, 140 that held off Michele Wilson’s tire shaking 4.77. The win sealed the 2006 OTS Championship for Mat Thomas.
Semi-Finals

W 4.72 139.36 Ed Roach
L 4.82 153.98 HT Wilson

W 4.75 140.50 Mat Thomas
L 4.77 142.99 Michele Wilson

Ed Roach burns out.

Mat Thomas burning out on the rev limiter.

In the final, Mat Thomas faced Ed Roach. Thomas had been in the final of every OTS race at Redline this year, while Roach was considered a win waiting to happen. The race was tight, with Mat running a breakout 4.69, as Ed won with a dead on 4.70, 139.71. The win was Ed’s first in OTS racing and got him a $400 bonus from Hans Fuestal Racing Engines.

Baldwin under the great lights at Redline.

Thomas staging against Fuentes in the first round.

W 4.70 139.71 Ed Roach
L 4.69 151.72 Mat Thomas

Roach beat HT Wilson this time.

Ed Roach won the final 4.70 to the 4.69 of Thomas! Way to go Ed!

Ed Roach gave thanks to sponsors Brink Racecraft, Big Ed Prater and Big Ed’s Racing, Maney Tire & Wheel, Outlaw Ink & Tattoo, Hans Fuestal Racing Engines, and Frankie’s Racing Engines. Ed thanked his crew and added that he was "Just glad to finally get a win."
For more info about the Outlaw Top Sportsman go to www.texasoutlawracing.com and for more info on Redline Raceway go to www.redlineraceway.com.

Mat Thomas celebrates his runner up and OTS championship.

Ed Roach and his happy crew in the winner circle!

Danny and Gena White