Big Fun on the Bayou
Pro Mods in
Shreveport!
by Danny White (9/6/98)
The new Red River Raceway in Gilliam, Louisiana, held its
Days Of Thunder Pro Mod race over the Labor Day weekend with $10,000 up for grabs. The
race was supposed to feature a 16-car field but only seven showed to race. Factors keeping
the field down were broken cars from a Texas Quick 8 Association race Friday night in
Sealy, Texas, and several IHRA racers saving their parts and travel time for the IHRA race
in Epping, New Hampshire. The other factor was IHRA legal Pro Modified rules restriction,
legal keeping many "anything goes" racers from the Texas Quick 8 Association and
from the Deep South at home in their trailers.
The final qualifying order saw Gary Shearer from LaPorte, Iowa, taking
the pole position in his 1966 Corvette. Shearer set a new track E.T. record with a super
6.520, 209.85 on the final pass in qualifying. In second place was Mansfield, Texas,
standout Landon Jordan with a 6.581, 212.83. The 212.83 mph pass gave Jordan's Tommy
Mauney-built "The Kid" '63 Corvette the new track speed record. The unique EFI
Pontiac powered '68 Barracuda of Billy Harper from Paducah, Kentucky, motored to a good
6.656, 206.92 for third. The Torrance Racing '94 Grand Am with Charles Wooten driving ran
its best ever time for fourth. A 7.027, 198.77 just missed the six-second zone and the
double century mark.
Shreveport-based Mike Steele took the fifth spot in his Outlaw Pro
Street Firebird sponsored by Snapper. The all red Firebird ran a best of 7.388, 191.38 on
slicks as opposed to the treaded tires he usually runs. Steele's run was one of his best
ever, but Steele hurt the engine in doing so -- he was out for the rest of the
weekend. The number sixth qualifier was the Timmer Chevrolet '94 Camaro of Jerry Hicks
with a troubled 7.886, 194.35 pass. Hicks was returning to racing after an early year
accident and had trouble all weekend long. Hicks did get down the track in an early Sunday
test run, a good 7.110, 201.04 showed promise. In the final qualifying spot was Matt
Tolbert in his Austin, Texas-based Global Engineering 1987 Camaro at an off pace 8.647,
166.09.
The first round opened with Wooten running a solo pass when Mike Steele
could not show. Charles ran a problemed 8.265, 159.89 resulting in an engine failure that
put him out for the rest of the day. The second race had Billy Harper facing off against
Jerry Hicks. Hicks redlighted his chances away while Harper ran a consistent 6.642,
206.86. Hicks added insult to injury by crossing the centerline in his ex-Ed Burnley,
ex-Landon Jordan Camaro. Landon "The Kid" Jordan defeated Matt Tolbert, the
Corvette's 6.620, 210.83 defeating the small block Camaro's improving but far behind
8.449, 160.10. The final run of the first round saw Shearer take a solo pass of 6.582,
202.58 in the Shearer & Roberts '66 Corvette.
The semi finals had Billy Harper beating Landon Jordan off the line and
covering him from start to finish with a super 6.604, 207.53 to a piston-burning 6.834,
202. The final race of the semi finals had Shearer take another solo when Wooten could not
make it. Shearer ran another super run of 6.584, 210.69 to take lane choice over Harper.
The final race was a close match up on paper based on Shearer's Sunday
best of 6.58 and Harper's best of 6.60. Shearer, winner of the Summer Nationals at
Cordova, was considered the favorite because all his runs had been in the 6.50s over two
days. The race was a nail biter as Harper and Shearer left and stayed side by side. As
they got near the finish line, Shearer got crossed up and was disqualified when he ran
over the clocks with a 6.873, 168.35 while Harper ran a 6.618, 195.93 to win the $10,000
winner's check.
Red River Raceway should be commended for gambling the big dollars to
put on the Days Of Thunder Pro Mod event. More luck with scheduling and perhaps a format
change will provide this event the full field of cars it deserves.
Danny White
ddgw@valornet.com
