OTS at Redline Raceway, September 2009

Text and Photos by Danny and Gena White

The Outlaw Top Sportsman group returned to Redline Raceway in Caddo Mills for the fourth time this season. A field of 12 cars showed to race for the eight car field with eleven making it to the starting line. Newcomer Joe Butler did not make pass in the ex-Larry Webb ADRL XTF car. After two rounds of qualifying Chris Dollar took home the prestigious American Auto and Truck #1 Qualifying Award. 

Gaylon Gradick and David Baldwin began the first round of qualifying in their trick 63 Corvettes. Baldwin got there first with a 4.76 143.45 while Gradiick was all over the track on the top end with a 4.89 121.45 pass. Jim Brinkerhoff was fresh off his win in Denton and put down a wild 4.73 148.32 pass that covered the returning Randy Reschner in the Money Shot Corvette who ran a 5.02 143.27. Marty Neely had problem in his wild Anglia Panel on a 7.64 75.03 that was outran by chassis builder Johnny Arrington's 4.96 140.89 in his S-10.

Dewayne Pebworth ran a solid 4.81 148.37 in his Vega Wagon to outran Ed Roach's 5.00 141.38 in his Firebird. In the wildest race of the first qualifying round both Barry Williams and Chuck Poindexter flirted with the center stripe on the big end. Poindexter got there first with a 4.79 146.20 in his blown Beretta while Williams ran a shutoff 4.88 127.99. Chris Dollar got to the track late and barely got there to run a 4.72 152.30 in the 2008 OTS championship Firebird.     

First Round Qualifying

1     4.72  152.30   Chris Dollar
2     4.73  148.32   Jim Brinkerhoff
3     4.76  143.45   David Baldwin
4     4.79  146.20   Chuck Poindexter
5     4.81  148.71   Dewayne Pebworth
6     4.88  127.99   Barry Williams 
7     4.89  121.42   Gaylon Gradick  
8     4.96  140.89   Johnny Arrington
9     5.00  141.38   Ed Roach
10    5.02  143.27  Randy Rencher
11    7.69   75.03   Marty Neely
12    NT                   Joe Butler

Gaylon Gradick failed to improve on a 4.91 130.93 pass to begin the second round of qualifying while Johnny Arrington moved to a 4.81 148.11. Ed Roach got into the field with a shutoff 4.85 134.01 while Barry Williams ran a 4.881 146.57 to land on the bump, thus knocking Gradick out of the field. David Baldwin improved to a 4.73 145.30 while Dewayne Pebworth held steady at a 4.81 148.71.

Chris Dollar and Jim Brinkerfhoff ran 4.73 and 4.74 side-by-side respectively with neither improving. Marty Neely improved but still had problems on a 5.813 129.43 pass in his Panel to end qualifying. 

Second Round Qualifying

1     4.720  152.39   Chris Dollar
2     4.736  145.60   David Baldwin  
3     4.737  148.32   Jim Brinkerhoff
4     4.796  146.20   Chuck Poindexter
5     4.811  149.50   Johnny Arrington 
6     4.814  148.71   Dewayne Pebworth 
7     4.852  134.01   Ed Roach   
8     4.881  146.67   Barry Williams
9     4.898  121.42   Gaylon Graylick  
10    5.026  143.27   Randy Rencher
11    5.813  129.42   Marty Neely
12   NT                       Joe Butler

Jim Brinkerhoff and Dewayne Pebworth began the first round with Brinkerhoff defeating Pebworth 4.79 148.96 to 4.85 146.73. The second pair to race in the first round was David Balwin and Ed Roach, with Baldwin running a great 4.70 143.39 to beat Ed's 4.80 144.09. Johnny Arrington and Chuck Poindexter raced next  in the third pair of the first round with Arrington winning with a 4.82 146.09 to 4.86 145.89 win. Chris Dollar ran a 4.73 144.10 to beat the crossed up 9.54 53.07 of Barry Williams to end the first round. The semi-final pairing would be Dollar facing Arrington and Baldwin facing Brinkerhoff.   

First Round Eliminations

Jim Brinkerhoff (W) 4.748 148.96 (.457)
Dewayne Pebworth (RU) 4.852 145.73 (-.395)

David Baldwin (W) 4.702 143.54 (.491)
Eddie Roach (RU) 4.801 144.09 (.406)

Johnny Arrington (W) 4.826 146.29 (.452)
Chuck Poindexter (RU) 4.867 145.82 (.427)

Chris Dollar (W) 4.738 144.18 (.422)
Barry Williams (RU) 9.540 53.07 (.430)W

David Baldwin began the semi-finals with a 4.706 144.63 to beat the 4.75 149.11 of Jim Brinkerhoff in a race of the two top points leaders in the OTS. In the final pairing Chris Dollar beat  Johnny Arrington 4.77 139.41 to 4.80 149.06 to face David Baldwin in the finals at Redline Raceway.  

Semi-Finals

David Baldwin (W) 4.706 144.65 (.462)
Jim Brinkerhoff (RU) 4.755 149.11 (-.385)

Chris Dollar (W) 4.776 139.41 (.443)
Johnny Arrington (RU) 4.801 149.06 (.471)

In the last race of the night Chris Dollar got out on David Baldwin and held on to win with a throttle rapping 4.733 143.95 to the close 4.715 145.16 of Baldwin.

Finals

Chris Dollar (W) 4.733 143.95 (.426)
David Baldwin (RU) 4.715 145.16 (.450)

Chris Dollar had won his fourth OTS race out the last five held. Dollar just made it to the track to night at Caddo Mills after being standed in Denton, Texas about half the way from his Wichita Falls home. A call to 2007 OTS champion Tommy Keeter, who hauled tail to Denton to get Dollar and his race car to Caddo Mills to race! Dollar gave thanks to Tommy Keeter, and car owner David Tanner plus his wife Michelle and children Shawn and Jason Dollar. The final two races are October 16 at Texas Raceway and October 17 at Redline Raceway!