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ADRL Safety-Kleen Dragpalooza Pro Extreme, Part 2
Photos by Gena White ~ Text by Danny White
The Daras Motorsports team ran their first ever ADRL race in Baytown. The team’s neat 62 Chevrolet bubble top was fresh from getting major updates. The biggest update was the new Mike Janis built Hemi with a PSI screw blower. Tommy D’Aprile and the Daras snuck up on the tune up running a best of 3.997, 189.04. The run got him in the field in the last session, but finally was bumped. It left D’Aprile the first alternate and the only non-qualifier in the threes.
In Baytown, you wouldn’t meet a happier DNQ than Rickey Cate. The 4.007, 185.21 run by Cate was his best ever run in the Dangerous Toy Chevy II. There has been a series of Dangerous Toys Chevy II’s racing in Texas since the eighties. Cate has raced the latest version with Alan Johnson 481 X power for the last few years; it received the blown engine only last year.
The Cannon‘s brought the 68 Firebird that he won his IHRA Pro Mod Championship with instead of the Headhunter Superbird. The Cannon installed screw blower combo in the car instead of legal engine. The PMS Excavation backed team like other struggled to get down the track on Baytown. Scott ran a best of 4.009, 190.27 in the final session, but was finally bumped.
The LenMar Motorsports team came to Baytown fresh off a test session at Texas Raceway where he ran a best of 3.98. In Baytown, the team (with the addition of Brandon Pesz) struggled with tire shake issue in the Texas Bounty Hunter/Hell Hoss. In the last session, Gaylen Smith ran a 4.04, 188.91 best in Baytown and in the twentieth spot.
Late last year Mike Bell teamed again with Roy Hill to race Pro Extreme. The team built a new screw blower combo for the Roy Hill Drag Racing School Mustang. The team ran a best of 4.057, 189.77 to earn the twenty-first spot.
In one of the big surprises of the race, Bil Clanton did not make the final field in the Big Money Studebaker. It was said it is only the third time he has not made the field in the five-year history of the ADRL. The 4.072, 180.65 run Clanton ran made the twenty-second spot.
Chris Smith has been knocking on the door to his first three second run for the last couple of years. Smith again came close in the All Jacked Up Camaro but the 4.075, 166.99 made the twenty-third spot. The 4.07 run also hurt the team engine on the top end.
Joey Martin took over the driver’s seat of Toney Russell’s Low Mad late last year. Over the winter, the Russell’s built a new screw blower combo. In testing, the team has had highs and lows running a 3.91 and suffering shake and breakage. In Baytown the 4.119, 187.11 best landed Martin the twenty-fourth spot.
Heath Harvey came to Baytown looking to top the 4.08 best ever time he ran in Ennis. The 4.08 run showed 3 second potential for the Thomas Motorsports team. This was the first time out for the team in 2009: they put down three solid runs. The best Harvey could run was a 4.128, 180.40 for the twenty-fifth spot.
Gene Hector and the Small Block Mafia brought two blown small Corvettes to Baytown. The team brought the tried and true Corvette and a brand new Rick Jones built Corvette. The team started with the new Corvette suffering through new car issues running a best of 4.68. In the final session the Hector team brought the old Corvette, which ran 4.159, 180.09 for the twenty-sixth spot.
The Reid Motorsports team made their 2009 debut in Baytown. The North Texas team was looking to make the field and run a three. Randell Reid made runs in the low four-second range, but the 4.180, 175.78 best came up short. Reid landed the twenty-seventh spot.
Jerry Hicks enlisted the tuning help of famed ex-PM racer and local radio host Bo Mungle to tune his Hicks racing 63 Corvette this weekend. The team showed gradual improvement over the race weekend through testing and qualifying. Hick’s 4.195, 174.84 landed the number twenty-eight spot.
Henson Motorsports and driver Bubba Stanton premiered the new look Widowmaker Corvette in Baytown. The team and famed tuner Lonnie Houde struggled with a new combo. The team ran 4.017, 188.19 in testing breaking an engine. In qualifying the Widowmaker could only run a 4.21, 163.87 best for the twenty-ninth spot. Bubba showed his driving skills when the Corvette made an abrupt left turn across the center lane and he kept it off the wall.
Grant McCrary and the LenMar Motorsports Hemi Hoss was the fastest turbocharged Pro Extreme in Baytown. Despite being the best turbocharged entry, it was not without issues. The 4.223, 183.15 showed potential but was filled with shake for the thirty spot. The run was off the 4.12 best Grant has run in testing with the beautiful car.
Brandon Snider sold his Corvette last year and bought this Camaro from Mike Knowles. The team tested in South Georgia the week before without success. Baytown was almost another test session for the team. Snider ran a 4.313, 143.25 in the Lil’ Evil Camaro to qualify number thirty-one.
Dan Bandish brought the Modern Day Outlaw Camaro to Texas from Florida. Bandish ended the 2008 season with a series of strong showing in ADRL action. Looking to build on that the team was unable to make the field. Shake and traction issue held Bandish to a 4.362, 168.32 best, and the number thirty-two spot.
Alex Viscardi who raced Extreme 10.5 in the past brought out the teams new turbo Mustang to Baytown. The Viscardi’s made their Pro Extreme debut and enlisted Pro Street legend Chuck Samuel to tune the team’s new ride. The 4.48, 166.17 was good enough for the thirty-third spot.
Former Clash of the Titans champion Buddy Farmer made it to Baytown on Saturday. It only gave the Missouri based racer two shots to get into the field. Farmer ran 4.896, 165.97 to earn the thirty-four spot in the Jeffers built Corvette.
Wes Johnston and the Hanning Motorsports team had a new wrap in Baytown. The number two team had tire shake and handling issues in testing and qualifying. Wild Wild Wes could only run a 5.122, 109.08 to garner the thirty-fifth spot.
The Al-Anabi team’s new Pro Extreme Camaro made its debut in Baytown. The 57 Chevrolet raced by the team was sent to Qatar to race there. The Howard Moon tuned team suffered the new car gremlins as Von Smith ran a 5.19 96.70 best. The run was good for the thirty-six spot.
Former Pro Street racer Elliot Thompson made his Pro Extreme debut in Baytown. The Thompson family debuted a new twin turbocharged Corvette. The team struggled to get the Corvette off the starting line on Friday in testing and in the first round of qualifying. Thompson ran a best of 10.691 66.29 Friday night. The Corvette broke on the pass and was unable to continue.
Former Pro Top Outlaw dragster took to Pro Mod racing very quickly last year. The Decker’s ran 3.92 last year in his ADRL debut. In Texas Brian Decker was hoping to better than but was unable to. Decker broke in testing and was unable to compete in the actual race.
No other car caused as much prerace controversy as the Wootton Racing Camaro. The car debuted a Joe Monden built and tuned injected nitro 420 CI Hemi. The car was limited to 50% percent nitro in Baytown. Wootton broke on his only test pass on Friday that garnered a best of 5.742, 79.16.
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