US Outlaw Nationals: Texas Pro Modified Association

Photos by Gena White ~ Text by Danny and Gena White

Randall Reid debuted the Predator Studebaker, but had problems running a best 5.12 at the US Outlaw Nationals.

The three day weekend of April 18th-20th had the Texas Motorplex at a buzz. There was never a dull or boring moment. Everywhere you looked racers and crew members worked steady and hard to prepare their cars to make their class field.

Outlaw Top Sportsman racer Ed Roach entered the TOPMA race and ended up in the thirteenth spot with a 4.76.

Six classes came together to battle wits and muscle to ultimately make a awesome show! The Texas Outlaw Pro Mod Association was one of the classes that came out to thrill and awe the fans. The crowd was kept on their toes because TOPMA provided the noise and thunder with the times to back them up!

Another OTS racer Eric Clark ran a 4.52 with the Clark Bros. Tran Am for the twelveth spot.

Round One of Qualifying

Randall Reid debuted the new Predator Studebaker from Wichita Falls, Texas against Wes Johnston. Johnston got there first with a 4.10 at a whopping 195 MPH, while Reid struggled to a 5.70. Jackie Deaver made his 2008 debut running a 5.05, Eric Clark goes down the track with a 4.52. Wes Johnston runs a good 4.101 195.36. Ken Thomas and the Bad Bird Firebird faced off with OTS racer Ed Roach, Thomas had a problem staging and both cars were backed off the starting line.

Famed Outlaw 10.5 racer Todd Moyer brought his Firebird and ran a 4.522 for the eleventh spot.

Steve Wiley and Doug Riesterer were the next pair to race, both Camaros had tire shake issues with Riesterer running a 4.58 and Wiley very close 4.59. Gaylen Smith had tire problems with a 4.80 run against Todd Moyer's troubled 5.51. Chris Smith ran a good 4.13 in the Smith Family Camaro and Ron Muenks ran a 4.45 in his Corvette. Frankie Taylor was all over the track with a wild 3.98 that featured a early chute, Taylor's opponent Lamar Swindoll broke in his NHRA legal Pro Stock GTO. Thomas and Roach came back to run 4.58 and 4.78 respectively in the next pair. Swindoll ran a early shut off 7.62 to end the round.

Ron Muenks ran a 4.03 in test and tune in the Lil' Black Bat Corvette, but could only run a 4.45 in qualifying to land him the tenth spot.

Randall Reid  5.708 114.95
Wes Johnston  4.10  195

Jackie Deaver 5.05
Eric Clark    4.52

Ken Thomas    RL
Ed Roach      shut off

Doug Riesterer  4.58 167.78 
Steve Wiley   4.59 170.64

Jackie Deaver ran a 4.39 in the last session, but hurt the engine earning him the nineth spot.

Gaylen Smith   4.803 135.00
Todd Moyer     5.516 88.13

Chris Smith   4.137 173.97
Ron Muenks    4.456 169.30

Frankie Taylor   3.982 157.87
Lamar Swindoll   broke

Ken Thomas   4.548 173.07   
Ed Roach     4.784 149.17

Lamar Swindoll   7.626 60.31

Doug Riesterer suffered tire shake on most of his runs and went out in the first round.

Round Two of Qualifying

Steve Wiley smoked the tires on a 4.66 165.52, while Ken Thomas improved to the number 3 spot with a 4.10 178.53. Two OTS guys racing each other, Roach runs a consistent 4.76, Clark shuts it off early due to breakage. A Turbo and a blown car face off next Muenks pushed off the line, Moyer had major handling problems shutting off early.

Lamar Swindoll ran a 4.38 to land in the final spot in his NHRA legal Pro Stocker.

Swindoll was testing  Mike Edwards ex GTO with backing from Medina River Resort Ranch while racing TOPMA also. Frankie Taylor and Swindoll both cars suffered severe shake. Wes Johnston cannot fire, Chris Smith ran straight and true on a 4.20. Jackie Deaver broke, Riesterer ran a 4.03 in the heat of the day. Gaylen Smith went to the third spot with a good 4.04 run to end the round.

Gaylen Smith ran his first three ever Friday and qualified number one Saturday with a 3.95 188.33.

Round Two

4.10 178.52 Ken Thomas
4.66 165.52 Steve Wiley

5.87 100.09 Eric Clark
4.76 148.07 Ed Roach

N/T        Ron Meunks
N/T        Todd Moyer

6.06 80.44  Lamar Swindoll
8.53 80.44  Frankie Taylor

Ken Thomas got a solo win in the first round with a 4.07 in the Bad Bird.

4.20 172.32  Chris Smith
broke       Wes Johnston

4.03 180.21  Doug Riesterer
broke       Jackie Deaver

4.04 186.69  Gaylen Smith

Wes Johnston broke in the first round, but later ran a 3.89 194 to end the race on a test pass.

Third Round of Qualifying

Thomas ran 4.06 to improve from his 4.10, while Deaver improved a bunch with a 4.39 but with smoke on the top end. Frankie Taylor and Ed Roach was next both cars move hard to the right after the 60 FT mark. They both shut off and coasted to the finish line.

Chris Smith beat Doug Riesterer 4.19 172.70 to 4.35 173.65.

Wiley improved a bunch on his run with Riesterer with a 4.14 and Doug ran 4.15. Smith ran his best ever with a 3.95, Moyer improved  with a 4.52 run. Johnston rolled the beam and gets the red light, Chris Smith made a hard right past mid-track and gets out of it to end the round.

Riesterer got out on Smith, but Smith drove around the nitrous Camaro.

*

4.39 136.11  Jackie Deaver
4.06 179.71  Ken Thomas

4.79 104.48  Frankie Taylor
DQ         Ed Roach

4.158 159.44 Doug Riesterer
4.140 176.21 Steve Wiley

Frankie "Mad Man" Taylor got the easy win in the first round when Steve Wiley could not stage the Texas Grim Reeper Camaro.

3.952 188.33 Gaylen Smith
4.522 161.04 Todd Moyer

4.709 117.23 Chris Smith
RL         Wes Johnston

4.385 161.19 Lamar Swindoll
5.128 116.22 Randall Reid

Gaylen Smith beat Lamar Swindoll 4.08 to 4.39 in the first round.

Final Field

1  3.95  Gaylen Smith
2  3.97  Frankie Taylor
3  4.03  Doug Riesterer
4  4.06  Ken Thomas
5  4.10  Wes Johnston
6  4.13  Chris Smith
7  4.14  Steve Wiley
8  4.38  Lamar Swindoll
9  4.39  Jackie Deaver
DNQ
10 4.45  Ron Meunks
11 4.52  Todd Moyer
12 4.52  Eric Clark
13 4.76  Ed Roach
14 5.12  Randall Reid

Chris Smith best Taylor in the semis 4.25 to 4.56.

Ken Thomas got the first round win as Wes Johnston broke on the burnout. Thomas ran a 4.07 178.69 on the solo. Doug Riesterer lost to Chris Smith, Smith ran 4,172 172. 70 to Doug's tire shaking 4.35 173.65. Frankie Taylor beat Steve Wiley, when Wiley could not stage the car in time. Taylor spun the tires on a 5.94 77.97 pass. Number one qualifier Gaylen Smith beat Lamar Swindoll next 3.98 to 4.39.

Ken Thomas got the holeshot win in the other semi final round with a 4.08 to the better 4.03 of Smith.

The Semis had Gaylen Smith taking on Ken Thomas and Frankie Taylor taking Chris Smith. All these cars have entered the three second zone save for Chris Smith, who has ran a 4.00 best. Frankie Taylor lost to Chris Smith when he had to pedal to a 4.56, Chris Smith powered to a 4.25 169.23. Gaylen Smith lost to Ken Thomas holeshot, Ken's 4.083 183.87 squeaked by the 4.03 of Smith. 

In the finals it was all Ken Thomas with a 4.09 win to beat the troubled 5.51 of Chris Smith.

In the final Ken Thomas got out on Smith, Smith had to pedal his tire shaking Camaro. Thomas ran a 4.09 178 to the 5.51 of Smith. It was a big win for Thomas and the Thomas Motorsports team that has only beat once this year. Draglist sends out congratulations to the Thomas Motorsports team for their big win.

The Thomas Motorsports crew in the US Outlaw Nationals victory circle.