ADRL Quarter Max Memphis Drags: Extreme Pro Stock

Photos by Gena White ~ Text by Danny White

Brian Gahm ran a good 4.108 175.55 to top the XPS field in the wild looking Gahm Racing Mustang.  Gahm got the bye run in the 820 Jon Kaase powered Mustang in the first round where he shut early to a 4.34 136.47. Gahm ran 4.110 178.41 to beat Jason Collins’ 4.146 173.18 in the second round to advance to the semis.   

New Yorker John Montecalvo got his colorful Cobalt to run a 4.121 175.02 for the number two spot. John soundly beat Morris Johnson Jr. in the first round 4.112 175.32 to 4.60 157.02. Montecalvo then defeated Dean Goforth  4.110 175.43 to 4.135 175.14 in the second round to earn his spot in the semis.

Pete Berner running the banner of event sponsor Quarter Max was the third qualifier at 4.124 174.96. The 827 Chevy powered Rick Jones 08 GXP was entering their first ADRL race.  In the first round Berner advanced when his 4.12 174.19 beat the red lighting 4.16 of Jeff Dobbins. Berner set low e.t in Memphis in the second round with a great 4.096 175.98 to the 4.170 173.87 of Doug Kirk.

Bob Bertsch made his ADRL debut in the Rislone backed 820 Hemi Ford Mustang. Bertsch had the tuning services of Chuck Samuel in Memphis helping to run a 4.131 174.01 to qualify number four. Bertsch won the first round when opponent Elijah Morton red lighted. Bob Bertsch put a holeshot on Robert Patrick in the second round to make it to the semis with side by side 4.13’s.

Robert Patrick’s 4.138 174.48 was good enough for the fifth spot. The 826 Ford powered Stang out of Purvis Ford ran a 4.137 174.59 to cover the 4.213 172.01 of Ron Miller. Patrick lost to Bertsch on a holeshot where they ran side-by-side 4.13’s!

Baytown winner Doug Kirk garnered the six spot with a 4.141 175.21. Doug Kirk’s 826 Ford Hemi beat the Cobalt of Cary Goforth in the first round. In the second round Kirk fell of to a 4.170 173.87 that Pete Berner beat with his great 4.096 175.98.  

Matt Hartford and his 4.141 174.59 earned him the seventh spot in the Wilson Manifolds 07 GTO.    Arizona based Hartford was the only driver in the field from west of the Rockies fell to the Oklahoma based Dean Goforth in the first round.

Jason Collins got into the top of the field with a 4.143 172.76 for the eighth spot in the Patriot Performance Cobalt. Jason Collins beat the Cavalier that Bert Jackson drives in the first round.  Collins ran a good 4.14 173.18 but was beat by the 4.110 175.81 of Brian Gahm.

Bert Jackson brought the Lucky Draw Cavalier of Enoch Love from Virginia to run 4.161 172.61 for the ninth spot. The 822 Chevy Hemi by Sonny Leonard fell to Jason Collins in the first round making for along trip home.

Dean Goforth was the tenth qualifier in his GTO with a good 4.168 173.74. Dean qualified just ahead of his son in the family’s 819 Sonny Leonard powered 07 GTO. Goforth stepped up in the first round in defeating Matt Hartford. In the second round Dean ran a 4.135 175.14 that was barely defeated by John Montecalvo.

Dean’s son Cary Goforth ran 4.172 173.74 for the eleventh spot in the final field. Cary and his 820 Sonny Leonard Hemi faced off against Doug Kirk in the first round. Kirk defeated the young Oklahoman in the match up.

Ron Miller has teamed with the Weinle family to field a 2004 Pontiac Grand Am. Miller ran a 4.195 171.82 for the number twelve spot with his 815 Ron Miller built engine. Miller could only run a 4.213 172.01 that was passed by the 4.137 173.59 of Robert Patrick.

Elijah Morton brought his 2007 Escort out of retirement to run the ADRL. Morton got the 824 Ford powered Escort to run a 4.236 at only 153.72 for the number thirteen spot.   Morton had problems all weekend long with the little Escort to make it down the track. In the first round Morton red lighted giving the win to Bob Bertsch.    

Jeff Dobbins ran a 4.253 155.47 in his clean 2008 Ford Mustang powered by an 822 Hemi.  Dobbins would be matched with Pete Berner in the first round. Jeff Dobbins improved to a good 4.16 174.17 but was preceded by a red-light start advancing Berner to the next round.

Morris Johnson Jr. returned to Pro Stock in the ADRL with a 2005 Cavalier with an 818 Chevrolet Hemi. Johnson had problems in Memphis running off the pace with a 4.529 158.91. Johnson has been running the plain white Cavalier in B/AA and in local Quick 8 action for the last couple of years.   In the first round his reverser broke forcing the crew to push the car back to race John Montecalvo. Morris ran a 4.60 that was easily beat by the 4.11 of Montecalvo.