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Redline Raceway: Outlaw Top Sportsman
Text and Photos by Danny and Gena White
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| David Baldwin was the low qualifier with a 4.70. |
The Outlaw Top Sportsman returned to Harry Hronas' Redline Raceway in Caddo Mills. The Outlaw Top Sportsman came in as a last minute replacement to put on a show for the fans on Tee Shirt night. 16 cars showed for the race before Mother Nature stepped and ended the race for the night.
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| H.T. Wilson made his first appearance of the year at Redline Raceway. |
The first round of qualifying began at 8.00 under overcast skies. The first pair up to take the hit at 4.70 index was David Moser and Melanie Cain. David Moser in his former Pro Stocker still with the five-speed transmission and Cain in the Cain Concrete blown Firebird. The pair left together but Cain got loose on the big end shutting off to a 5.08 111.41 and Moser ran 4.81 145.82.
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| Mat Thomas flies the flag on his burnout. |
The next to take the track was H.T Wilson in his Camaro and Chris Dollar and the Wichita Tank Firebird. Dollar had won both Outlaw Top Sportsman races this year so far at Redline Raceway and Wilson was making his first race this year at Caddo Mills. Dollar got there first with a 4.81 149.90 and Wilson ran 4.90 139.23 trailing Dollar to the finish line.
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| Jerry Heferich ran 4.74 in his Calais. |
Outlaw Top Sportsman newcomer John Brinkerhoff was making his first race at Redline Raceway in his naturally aspirated Firebird. Facing Brinkerhoff would be longtime Outlaw Top Sportsman racer Ed Roach, Roach ran a 4.77 147.88 in his Firebird. Brinkerhoff had problems on his run shutting off to a 7.08 69.48.
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| John Brinkerhoff moved to Texas from South Dakota bringing his sleek 92 Trans Am. |
Two of the best Outlaw Top Sportsman racers were next, David Baldwin in the Butler Motorsports Corvette and Mat Thomas in the family's Firebird. David Baldwin went to the top of the qualifying order with a 4.74 145.30 and Thomas ran 4.78 with a big end charge of 152.49.
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| Melanie Cain ran 4.81 on her second shot. |
Jerry Heferich made a rare Outlaw Top Sportsman appearance away from his regular NHRA schedule. Heferich would be running Randy Rencher in the Money Shot Corvette. Heferich ran a solid 4.77 146.01 in his Oldsmobile Calais and Rencher ran 4.90 142.68 in his Vette.
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| Chuck Poindexter has the loudest OTS car by far. |
Two pickups were next to race each other. Chuck Poindexter and the wild XS Luv and Outlaw Top Sportsman newcomer John Blankenship and his small block S-10. Chuck got the holeshot on Stamp but had troubles on the big end. Stamp had a wild wheelstand and almost caught Poindexter. Blankenship ran a 5.26 130.89 and Poindexter ran a 5.27 122.88.
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| Poindexter facing John Blankenship in the first round of qualfying. |
The next pair was two Vegas, yes two Vegas! Dewayne Pebworth in his wild Vega Station Wagon facing Kent Birkes in the Clark Bros. Paint and Body blown small block Chevy Vega. The pair left together but Pebworth had some handling problems with the Vega shutting off to a 6.71 69.56, Birkes meanwhile ran hard to mid track then the Vega laid over running a 5.30 131.60.
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| Ken Birkes in the Clark Bros Paint & Body Vega. |
David Smith ended the round in the Smith Family's wild injected 55 Chevrolet with a solo. Smith ran good 4.82 143.22 on the single bring the first round to an end the first round.
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| Two Vegas fighting it out! |
First Round Qualifying
1 4.74 David Baldwin
2 4.77 Ed Roach
3 4.77 Jerry Heferich
4 4.78 Mat Thomas
5 4.81 Chris Dollar
6 4.81 David Moser
7 4.82 David Smith
8 4.90 H.T. Wilson
9 4.90 Randy Rencher
10 5.08 Melanie Cain
11 5.26 John Blankenship
12 5.27 Chuck Poindexter
13 5.30 Kent Birkes
14 6.71 Dewayne Pebworth
15 7.08 John Birkerhoff
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| Chris Dollar is the OTS points leader. |
Chris Dollar and Chuck Poindexter began the second round of qualifying, both racers improved with Dollar getting there first with a 4.75 150.75 and Chuck running a 5.08 140.10. Dollar had some excitement running off the end of the track, thankfully there was no damage.
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| Dollar in a close action shot went 4.75 and off the end of the track. |
Jerry Heferich and Ed Roach were the next to run and both improved on their earlier run with side-by-side 4.74's. Ed ran 148.92 on his run while Jerry ran 147.83.
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| David Moser shows that he can burn out. |
Mat Thomas and David Moser paired off in their Firebird from Wichita Falls. The pair also improved on their runs Thomas ran 4.77 152.49 and Moser got loose on the big end running a 4.78 146.85.
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| The beautiful 55 of David Smith. |
Melanie Cain faced off with Randy Rencher in the classic battle of blown vs. nitrous. The blown gang won this one with Cain improving to a 4.81 137.11, while Rencher blew the tires off at the hit shutting off to a 13.49 33.38.
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| Dewayne Pebworth and his Vega Station Wagon. |
It was a battle of Vegas again with Dewayne Pebworth racing Kent Birkes. Pebworth took this one with a good 4.89 144.83, while Birkes shut off to a 7.92 68.65.
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| David Baldwin went 4.70 on this run. |
H.T. Wilson and David Balwin were next to race at Redline. Both cars can run way under the index if they want to, but here 4.70 is the number. Baldwin ran a great 4.70 149.52 to keep the number one spot and Wilson improved to a 4.78 149.95 run.
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| Randy Reschner ran 4.90 in qualifying. |
Eric Clark got to the track just as the OTS came to the lanes for the second round, the Clark Bros got the car ready just in time to face David Smith. Clark ran a good 4.80 at a whopping 161.70, while Smith had troubles on a 5.48 130.74.
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| Ed Roach ran 4.74 in his Trans Am. |
John Blankenship was the last Outlaw Top Sportsman to hit the track in the second round. The sharp little S-10 had to be shut off with a leak.
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| John Blankenship in his small block S-10. |
Second Round Qualifying
1 4.70 David Baldwin
2 4.74 Ed Roach
3 4.74 Jerry Heferich
4 4.75 Chris Dollar
5 4.78 Mat Thomas
6 4.78 David Moser
7 4.78 H.T. Wilson
8 4.80 Eric Clark
9 4.81 Melanie Cain
10 4.82 David Smith
11 4.89 Dewayne Pebworth
12 4.90 Randy Rencher
13 5.08 Chuck Poindexter
14 5.26 John Blankenship
15 5.30 Kent Birkes
16 7.08 John Birkerhoff
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| Latecomer Eric Clark ran 4.80 at 161! |
Right after the second round of qualifying the rain that had held off all night came. The race would have likely resumed if not for the dangerous lighting that came with the rain hitting very close to the track. The racing was called for the night with the Outlaw Top Sportsman coming back in July.
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