Classic Thunder Southern Nats Titles
to Dickey, Malloy, Goodson, and Pope

By Bill Pratt

Alan Pope drove Mike Coger's Plymouth to the B/Gas title.
Fantasy Photos

Ware Shoals, SC (May 31) - Jim Dickey, Pat Malloy, David Goodson, and Alan Pope won their respective categories at the Classic Thunder Southern Nationals nostalgia drag race Saturday.

Dickey, racing his "My Favorite Charity" 23-T blown altered, defeated Don Roddy's Chevy powered '48 Fiat in three straight matches. Dickey set Low ET and Top Speed of the meet with a 4.22 at 175.10 in the final. Roddy was a heartbeat behind at 4.27, 163.

Pat Malloy made his drag racing debut a successful one as he took his brand new California Chassis Engineering Junior Fueler to a win. Paired against Ronnie Benton in Roger Elmore's March Wind blown Chrysler wedge machine, Malloy took three straight. Benton took an early lead in round one, but Malloy passed him at half-track when the Chrysler's transmission broke, ending its day. Malloy came back to record two additional single runs. The injected Chevy powered machine ran a best of 5.50 at 140 with a baseline tune-up.

David Goodson won the A/Gas portion of the show in his immaculate "Alabama Outlaw" '69 Camaro roadster. Goodson recorded consistent 5.20s and 5.30s to win the eight-car show. He defeated Roger McConnell's Mighty Mouse Anglia in the final, 5.30, 132 to 5.41, 131. McConnell reached the final via massive holeshot wins over two quicker cars. Goodson also won the All Square Technology burnout contest, collecting another $100. Robbie Draughon set Low ET at 5.19 seconds.

Alan Pope drove Mike Coger's entertaining "Faded Memories" '39 Plymouth to the B/Gas win over an eight-car field. Pope defeated fellow newcomer Gayland Durham and his immaculate '41 Willys in the final, 6.68, 101, to a quicker but losing 6.55, 105.

Classic Thunder paid out a total of $8,000 in winnings to 22 racers, including $1,000 donated by Hot Heads Research and Racing.

Full results will be posted this week.

Bill Pratt