Drag Racing List - Midwest racers turn out in large numbers for inaugural ADRL Gateway Drags

Midwest racers turn out in large numbers for inaugural ADRL Gateway Drags

(4-17-2006) MADISON, IL - TEAM Motorsports led the way for all Midwest based Outlaw Pro Mod race teams at the inaugural ADRL Fatheadz.com Gateway Drags held at Gateway International Raceway in Madison, IL, near St. Louis, MO. The weather was hot, low 90’s with beautiful blue skies Friday and low to mid 80’s and clouds mixed with a little rain on Saturday. Here is a look into the Mid-west Pro Nitrous contingent and a look at how they did.

Aaron Hodges went into the ADRL Fatheadz.com Gateway Drags after running a best of 4.04 in testing with the ’63 Vette built in the family garage by Mike Hodges, Aaron’s dad. Hodges qualified the Vette #2 in the Pro Nitrous field with a 4.08/178.97 pass. They met up with Thomas Meyers in the first round with both cars having troubles but Hodges did get the win. In the second round Hodges broke during the burnout thus losing the round. “Overall the team was pleased with what we accomplished” said crew member Jim Kelley.

John Deflorian, shop manager at Jerry Haas Race Cars in Fenton, MO, brought out an ’06 Corvette that was finished at 1p.m. Friday. Deflorian’s 'Vette is the second half of TEAM Motorsports. John ran a 4.23 the first time out, made some changes and then qualified the car in the #12 spot with a 4.16/175.87 then beat Harold Martin on a holeshot with a 4.24 to Harold’s 4.23. Deflorian lost to Tennessean Terry Housley in the second round.

Dennis Griffen from Columbia, MO just picked up this ’68 Camaro a couple of weeks prior to the event, had little testing on the car and came out and qualified in the #13 spot with a 4.17/174.35. Griffen lost to Terry Housley in the first round.

Delon Joseph out of Kansas City, MO and his ’05 Cavalier qualified #14 with a 4.19/170.97. Joseph had a tough draw going up against #3 qualifier Todd Tutterow from Yadkinville, NC and his ’02 Mustang. Joseph lost in the first round to Tutterow.

On his home track Dan Saitz put his turbo powered ’97 Probe into the field in the 16th spot with a 4.29/172.43. Saitz lost in the first round to #1 qualifier Burton Auxier and his beautiful ’53 'Vette from Dixie, WV. Dan Saitz currently has a new car being built.

Other Mid-west teams that were in Madison but were not able to qualify in the very tough field were from Laplata, MO David Janes in a ’06 Grand Am, Janes qualified 17th, Rick Corn brought his Top Sportsman ’05 Stratus out and qualified 19th, and Scott Lowrey wheeled his ’57 Bel Air turbo to the #21 spot.

Now here is a look at the Mid-West contingent in the Pro Extreme division and how they faired. You had to run better than a 4.090 to qualify. Cody Barklage was the only Mid-west driver to qualify. The top nine drivers were in the three-second zone. Like I said very tough field to crack.

Cody Barklage from Lake Ozark, MO one half of the Barklage Racing Team was out in his ’95 GTO and qualified in the #16 spot eventually losing in first round to newly crowned e.t. and m.p.h. record holder Jason Scruggs from Saltillo, MS.

The other half of Barklage Racing Team is Cody’s older brother Zach Barklage. Zach is like a veteran of Pro Mod racing and he is only twenty-one years old. Zach debuted a new Steve Bruce built ’57 Bel Air but failed to qualify for the extremely tough field with a best of 4.09/177.04 still a very good showing for a new car.

The rest of the Mid-west contingent are as follows Andy McCoy with a McCoy Race Cars ’57 Bel Air qualified 20th, Ron Muenks out of Springfield, MO and his ’58 Vette qualified 22nd, Buddy Farmer qualified his ’03 Vette in the 25th spot, Travis Swearingen and the “Junk Yard” ’41 Willy’s qualified 26th, followed by Pro Mod legend Bill Kuhlman of Perry, MO in the 31st position, Bill had a tough time getting the big Hoosier tires to hook up and finally qualifying in the 32nd spot from Wildwood, MO driving his McCoy Race Cars ’63 Chevy II was Tim Branson.

The inaugural ADRL Fatheadz.com Gateway Drags was a great event, it was a safe event except for the electrical problems with tree and a little rain on Saturday it was truly awesome to see all of those Pro Mods here in the Midwest on the Gateway track.

Photos courtesy of Jeff Helmkamp/ www.ProModSource.Com

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