|
|
|
Dallas Raceway: TOPMA, June 27, 2009
Photos and Text by Danny White
 |
| Chuck Poindexter ran 4.78 on his only shot at the new track. |
It was a very hot day for the return of the Texas Outlaw Pro Mod Association to the brand new Dallas Dragway in Crandall, Texas. This is the third race for the TOPMA racers who raced at the grand opening little more than a month ago. A total of fourteen racers came to qualify for the eight car show.
 |
| Gordon Graylick was testing this new 729 CID Tim McAmis Corvette. |
The field features 2008 TOPMA champion Ken Thomas in the LenMar Bad Bird Firebird, the fastest Roots blown in America. Former TOPMA champion Gaylen Smith, who won last night in Kennedale, in the Texas Bounty Hunter Cuda. Frankie Taylor in the Taylor Motorsports Corvette, the quickest outlaw PM not raced by Jason Scruggs. Doug Riesterer was in the LenMar Motorsports Mad Scientist Camaro, in his return from his accident in Michigan. Heath Harvey in the Thomas Motorsports Twisted Texan Grand Am. Eric Clark in the wild centrifugal supercharged Clark Bros. Firebird.
 |
| Eric Clark ran a 4.62 best but landed outside the field in the Clark Bros Paint & Body Trans Am. |
Carb wizard Chuck Poindexter was his nitrous Corvette. Gene Hector brought the Small Block Mafia Corvette with Nancy Matter in the crew. Wes Johnston, the number two finisher in ADRL Pro Extreme in 2008, is in the Hanning Racing Corvette. David Baldwin brought the sleek Butler Racing Corvette; Jackie Deaver is in the nitrous Underdawg II Camaro. Chuck Poindexter showed in his blown Beretta. Gaylon Gradick was out testing his new nitrous 63 Corvette. Texas Grim Reeper racer was behind the wheel of Jimmy Hector's Corvette.
 |
| Wild Wes Johntson only got one timed run on a 4.50 shutoff run that landed him outside the field. |
In test and tune Gaylon Gradick brought a new, beautiful Tim Mc Amis built 63 Corvette. In his first full pass Graylick ran a good 4.639, 153.37 down the track. Doug Riesterer made his first pass since his crash. Doug got a little loose at mid track and wisely shut off to a 5.572, 86.69 in the 3.90 capable Camaro.
 |
| Jackie Deeaver just missed the field by .01 with a 4.36! |
In the first round of qualifying the first pair up was David Baldwin and Eric Clark, Baldwin ran a good 4.35, 163.81 to Clark’s 4.521, 156.12. The second pair was Heath Harvey and Jackie Deaver. Deaver ran a 4.360, 166.30 while Harvey banged the blower in a ball of fire and ran a 5.402, 89.72. Racing resumed after a lengthy delay with Gene Hector running a 4.16, 176 pass in the small block Corvette but Gaylen Smith ran a 3.98, 191 in the Texas Bounty Hunter Cuda to go to the top of the field!
 |
| The Taylor Bros. are now backed by Gerald Hanning and Paul Taylor is seen spraying the defreezer |
Steve Wiley ran a good 4.132, 176 in Jimmy Hector’s Corvette, once owned by Dan Bandish and Ken Thomas shook hard on a 5.64. Doug Riesterer ran a good 4.09, 176.95 in his Camaro while Frankie Taylor pedaled on the big end with a 4.19, 163.85.Chuck Nuytten had problems on his run where he could only run a 7.087, 63.95 in his nitrous Corvette and his opponent Wes Johnston rolled through the lights and did not receive a time. Chuck Poindexter ended the round with a 4.78, 147.36 in his blown Beretta.
 |
| Steve Wiley was driving Jimmy Hector's Corvette running a 4.09 best. |
First Round Qualifying
1 3.98, 191.00 Gaylen Smith
2 4.09, 176.96 Doug Riesterer
3 4.13, 176.50 Steve Wiley
4 4.16, 176.50 Gene Hector
5 4.19, 163.85 Frankie Taylor
6 4.35, 163.81 David Baldwin
7 4.36, 166.30 Jackie Deaver
8 4.52, 156.12 Eric Clark
 |
| Chuck Nuytten is being staged by his son, he ran a PB with a 4.16! |
9 4.78, 147.36 Chuck Poindexter
10 5.40, 89.72 Heath Harvey
11 5.64 Ken Thomas
12 7.08, 63.95 Chuck Nuytten
13 N/T Wes Johnston
 |
| David Baldwin ran a 4.35 to land on the bump. |
The second round began quickly after the first round due to the race being behind schedule. Gaylen Smith ran a good 3.96, 191.68 to keep the top spot and Eric Clark fell off to a 4.61, 154.00 leaving him out of the field. Gene Hector banged the blower at the hit of the throttle on the burnout leaving David Baldwin to solo to a 4.366, 163.27. Chuck Nuytten stepped to a 4.16, 171.03 while putting a ton of flames & sparks out the headers.
 |
| Frankie Taylor busted into the threes with the Hanning Racing backed Corvette |
In a matchup of LenMar Motorsports teammates Ken Thomas ran a 4.003, 183.01 to beat Doug Riesterer’s shutoff 5.974, 78.33. Frankie Taylor put on a show with a 3.98, 191.29 and Steve Wiley ran a good 4.09, 175.60 in Jimmy Hector’s Vette. Wes Johnston ended the round with a shutoff 4.50, 124.82 in the Hanning Racing Vette.
 |
| Doug Riesterer was back from a accident at the ADRL race in Michigan, Doug ran a 4.00 best and lasted til the semi's. |
Second Round of Qualifying
1 3.96, 191.08 Gaylen Smith
2 3.98, 191.87 Frankie Taylor
3 4.00, 185.01 .Ken Thomas
4 4.09, 175.60 Steve Wiley
5 4.09, 176.96 Doug Riesterer
6 4.16, 171.25 Chuck Nuytten
7 4.16, 176.50 Gene Hector
8 4.35, 163.81 David Baldwin
 |
| Gaylon Smith was the number one qualifier at Dallas raceway. |
9 4.36, 166.30 Jackie Deaver
10 4.50, 124.82 Wes Johnston
11 4.52, 156.12 Eric Clark
12 4.78, 147.36 Chuck Poindexter
13 5.40, 89.72 Heath Harvey
 |
| Larry Goree is staging Ken Thomas at Crandall. |
In the first round Doug Riesterer began eliminations with a winning 4.004, 184.42 over the 4.184 of Steve Wiley who took out a cone on the top end of the track. Ken Thomas broke into the threes with a winning 3.977, 183.69 to the 4.361, 162.38 of Chuck Nuytten who got the holeshot on Ken. In the closest race of the round Gene Hector got the holeshot and the win with a 4.073, 179.66 to the oh-so close 4.091, 189.05 of Frankie Taylor. The number one qualifier Gaylen Smith ran a good 3.997, 191.00 to trailing 4.342, 164.28 of David Baldwin
 |
| Gaylen Smith had won the last two races at Dallas Raceway but fell in the final to Ken Thomas. |
Ken Thomas raced Gene Hector in the first pair of the semis winning with a 3.973, 185.64 to the small block’s 4.148, 175.37. Gaylen Smith took a solo pass into the finals when teammate Doug Riesterer could not start, Smith went up in smoke and shut off to a nine-second time.
 |
| Ken Thomas got back on track with runs of 3.97, 3.97, and 3.98 to win the Dallas Raceway title. |
After two in the morning the finals was run at the new Dallas Raceway and it is an all LenMar finals! In the battle of teammates Ken Thomas beats Gaylen Smith in the finals 3.981, 185.56 to the shut off 5.34,.51 of Smith. This was Gaylen's first loss ever at the new track with two wins and now a runner up. Congrats go to Ken Thomas and LenMar Motorsports team.
| |
Copyright 1996-2013 by