Melvin Goss was the number one qualifier at 4.70 and the winner of the Sheriff's badge tonight.
Keith Anglin was shaking down his new Lumina tonight.
The second race of the year for the Outlaw Top Sportsman organization occurred
last weekend at Redline Raceway in Caddo Mills. Eleven racers showed to race
for the eight car field. 2008 OTS champion Chris Dollar is still recovering
from a car accident that happened in the off season and 2007 OTS champion Tommy
Keeter took over the driving chores for Dollar. Second place 2008 finisher
David Baldwin made his first race of the year and Mat Thomas took his old
Camaro out of retirement while the team's Firebird is being redone. The Clark
Bros trashed the night before and the day of the race to make the race in their
centrifugal supercharged Trans Am, they were beset with ignition problems.
Kenny Duke was the winner at Kennedale, but lost in the first round tonight.
David Smith was beset with problems during qualifying leaving him outside the field.
The opening round of Outlaw Top Sportsman Qualifying began with recent winner
Texas Raceway winner Kenny Duke and the small block of Barry Williams. Duke got
there first with a 4.94, 152.54 run while Williams stumbled to a 5.56, 100.64.
David Baldwin, who finished number two in points in 2008. ran an early shut off
4.91, 136.55 to beat the shaking 5.17, 139.63 of David Smith. Jim Brinkerhoff
jumped to the top of the field with a good 4.73, 149.06 in his ex-Pro Stock
Trans Am, in the other lane Melvin Goss ran a 4.79, 149.06 in his Maverick.
Mike Jones and returning racer Keith Anglin faced off next in the first round
of qualifying. Anglin was sorting a new car and ran a 5.40, 121.03, while
Mike Jones ran a coasting 5.34 96.54 in the Frost & Jones Camaro. Mat
Thomas jumped to the number two spot with a good 4.76, 149.90 in his NX Nitrous
Camaro and Eric Clark had ignition problems running only 5.64, 101.67. 2007 OTS
champion Tommy Keeter ran a 4.82, 133.77 on a solo pass to end the round.
David Baldwin had handling problems tonight and lost in the first round.
Mike Jones made it to the semi-finals.
1 4.73, 149.06 Jim Brinkerhoff
2 4.76, 149.90 Mat Thomas
3 4.79, 149.96 Melvin Goss
4 4.82, 133.77 Tommy Keeter
5 4.91, 138.55 David Baldwin
6 4.94, 149.11 Kenny Duke
7 5.17, 139.53 David Smith
8 5.34, 96.59 Mike Jones
9 5.402, 121.03 Keith Anglin
10 4.891, 147.25 Barry Williams
11 5.649, 101.67 Eric Clark
Barry Williams had the only small block in the field.
Mat Thomas took his old Camaro out of the shop and made it to the finals.
Eric Clark and David Baldwin began the second round of qualifying. Baldwin
improved on a skating 4.83, 139.53 to land number five and Clark again had
problems on a 7.78, 66.29 run leaving in the eleventh spot. David Smith again
had tire shake problems on an 8.48 64.85 run leaving him number nine, Smith had
run 4.74 on an earlier time trail. Smith's opponent Jim Brinkerhoff failed
to improve on his earlier run when he ran 4.79, 146.20, but he was still in the
number one spot for the time being. Melvin Goss ran a great 4.70, 151.82 to
bump Brinkerhoff, while Keith Anglin ran a 5.43, 118.27 in his Lumina. The
final field was now set, but the actual spots were still up for grabs. Barry
Williams improved to a 4.89, 147.25 in the CTS small block Corvette for the
seventh spot and Kenny Duke ran another 4.94 to end up number eight.
Melvin Goss won the American Auto and Truck number, 1 Qualifier Award provided
by Paul & David Smith with his 4.704, 151.82 run.
Mike Jones took on Melvin Goss in this semi final race.
Jim Brinkerhoff's ex-Pro Stock is off to a good start this year.
Final Qualifying Order:
1 4.707, 151.82 Melvin Goss
2 4.712, 151.01 Mat Thomas
3 4.730, 149.06 Jim Brinkerhoff
4 4.798, 139.45 Mike Jones
5 4.824, 133.77 Tommy Keeter
6 4.831, 134.53 David Baldwin
7 4.891, 147.25 Barry Williams
8 4.942, 149.11 Kenny Duke
Alternates
9 5.170, 139.53 David Smith
10 5.402, 121.03 Keith Anglin
11 5.649, 101.67 Eric Clark
2007 OTS Champion Tommy Keeter is back at the wheel of the Wichita Tank Firebird while Chris Dollar recovers from a car accident.
Kenny Duke leaves the line.
Jim Brinkerhoff cut a great light in his first round race with David Baldwin.
Brinkerhoff proceeded to run 4.729, 149.75 to beat David Baldwin's skating
shut-off 5.393 97.74 run. The chance of back to back wins for Kenny Duke ended
in the first round when he red-lighted against Melvin Goss. Goss ran a winning
4.746, 150.91 to beat the improved 4.855, 147.78 pass of Duke. Mat Thomas got
the win with a pedaling 4.799, 135.58 run when Barry Williams spun the tires at
the starting line. Mike Jones won with a shut off 4.780, 136.20 in his Camaro
to beat the troubled 14.00 38.62 run of Tommy Keeter.
Former Iowa resident Jim Brinkerhoff has found a home in the OTS.
Keeter found problems all night in the beautiful Wichita Tank Firebird.
Quarter Finals
(W) 4.729, 149.75 (.409) Jim Brinkerhoff
(L) 5.393, 97.74 (.445) David Baldwin
(W) 4.746, 150.91 (.417) Melvin Goss
(L) 4.855, 147.78 (.391) Kenny Duke
(W) 4.799, 135.58 (.467) Mat Thomas
(L) 10.135, 49.83 (.429) Barry Williams
(W) 4.780, 136.20 (.440) Mike Jones
(L) 14.000, 38.62 (1.070) Tommy Keeter
Eric and Scott Clark worked all night to make the race at Caddo Mills but had ignition problems keeping them out of the field.
The semi-finals race had side by side 4.74's with Thomas getting the holeshot win over Jim Brinkerhoff.
To begin the semi finals Mike Jones got a holeshot on Melvin Goss, but the
Maverick came around him on the big end with a 153.95 mph charge at 4.714,
while Mike Jones ran a 4.783, 141.80 in the brand FX Camaro. Mat Thomas cut a
great .408 light and ran a 4.748, 146.63 to get by Brinkerhoff who ran a very
close 4.747, 149.06.
Semi-Finals
(W) 4.714, 153.95 (.469) Melvin Goss
(L) 4.783, 141.60 (.446) Mike Jones
(W) 4.748, 146.63 (.408) Mat Thomas
(L) 4.747, 149.06 (.444) Jim Brinkerhoff
After a night filled with oildowns and other
delays the finals finally took face in the wee hours of Sunday morning. Melvin
Goss took the holeshot win when Mat Thomas sleep on the light in the final,
Goss parlayed that into a winning 4.747, 144.97 to 4.741, 149.45 for Thomas.
The win propelled Goss into the points lead with a win and a runner-up finish
already this year.
Stan and Mat Thomas with crew in the winners circle.
Melvin Goss with his wife and son were happy winners tonight showing off the trophy.
Finals
(W) 4.747, 144.97 (.418) Melvin Goss
(L) 4.741, 149.45 (.529) Mat Thomas
The winner Melvin Goss and the runner up Mat Thomas both run Auto Shop parts and pieces!
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