Outlaw Pro Mods Shine at Redline Raceway

By Celeste Smith & Danny White

Clyde Scott, winner at Caddo Mills. Photo by David Elrod of prestagephoto.com.

The Texas Outlaw Pro Modified Association returned to Redline Raceway on July 23, 2005. Twelve teams made the trip to Caddo Mills to race in the oppressive July Texas heat. There were a couple of new faces at this year’s race. Troy Critchley was there with the AMS Second Hammer Corvette. Chuck Nuytten made his return to racing with his CN Blocks ‘63 Corvette; two years ago at Redline Raceway Nuytten severely crashed the Corvette. Curtis Ward, an Outlaw Top Sportsman regular, brought the Ward Brothers Cutlass out to race. Bobby Booth also debuted a new car, a sleek ‘53 Corvette.

Final Qualifying Results

1 4.199, 172 - Clyde Scott - Blown 1963 Corvette
2 4.253, 166 - Gaylen Smith - Blown 1995 Camaro
3 4.259, 171 - Frankie Taylor - Blown 1953 Corvette
4 4.302, 166 - Thomas Myers - Nitrous 2002 Firebird
5 4.309, 163 - Perry Dunn - Blown 1992 Trans Am
6 4.320, 149 - Troy Critchley - Blown 1994 Corvette
7 4.404, 160 - Bobby Booth - Blown 1953 Corvette
8 4.608, 160 - Rickey Cates - Nitrous 1967 Chevy II

DNQs

9 4.815, 152 -Wes Johnston - Blown 1953 Corvette
10 5.095, 146 - Curtis Ward - Nitrous 1986 Cutlass
11 5.108, 146 - Jerry Hicks - Blown 1963 Corvette
12 5.391, 108 - Chuck Nuytten - Nitrous 1963 Corvette

The first round began with Clyde Scott taking on Rickie Cates in the "Dangerous Toy" ‘67 Nova. Scott took the win with a 4.220, 178 over Cates’ trailing 4.584, 161. Thomas "Tom Slick" Myers took the next win in his nitrous Firebird with a 4.290, 160 over the redlighting "Fire Chicken" of Perry Dunn. Gaylen Smith stepped up to 4.201, 174 to defeat Bobby Booth's new Vette, which ran a 4.391, 161. Frankie Taylor finished the round with a 4.20, 176 that easily put away the 5.084, 141 of Curtis Ward. Ward took the place of Troy Critchley when the AMS Second Hammer broke a rear end.

Clyde Scott opened up the semi finals with a good 4.17, 177 pass that defeated Thomas Myers’ 4.35, 165. Gaylen Smith set Low E.T. of the night with a 4.167, 174 that defeated Frankie Taylor’s 4.75, 116 shut off. The finals would pit the Texas Bounty Hunter of Gaylen Smith against the Texas’ Most Wanted of Clyde Scott.

The final was the best race of the night. Clyde Scott got the slight holeshot over Gaylen Smith and ran a 4.178, 179 to Smith's very close 4.205, 171. Scott extended his lead in the 2005 TOPMA Points Championship while Smith gained some ground in his first final of the year. The next scheduled TOPMA race will be at Texas Raceway in Kennedale on August 12.

David Elrod photo courtesy of www.prestagephoto.com and www.texasoutlawracing.com.