Sparse but Speedy at the Classic
Thunder Southern Spring Nationals

By Bill Pratt

Alan Pope in Mike Coger's '39 Plymouth B/Gasser.
Photo by Fantasy Photos

Click to See More Ware Shoals Photos

After a rainout on May 17, the Classic Thunder tour returned to Ware Shoals Dragway for the Southern Spring Nationals. The sun shone brightly in Western South Carolina and the Classic Thunder teams put on a terrific race. Unfortunately, the crowd was relatively light, due in part to the rain date, and possibly due to several conflicting races in the region, including the world famous Super Chevy tour racing 80 miles away in Atlanta.

Ware Shoals was the scene of Classic Thunder's latest plan to pay pro racers a decent guaranteed payout. Unfortunately, only two altereds -- the consistently terrific Jim Dickey and Don Roddy teams -- and two front engine dragsters arrived to take advantage of the guaranteed payouts. Since Classic Thunder management had agreed to put up the money for the quickest 16 cars regardless of class, many of the Classic Gasser racers stepped up to their biggest ever paydays while several classic funny car, nostalgia dragster, and altered teams either stayed in the garage or bracket raced elsewhere. Full racer payouts appear in the sidebar. 

The Classic Thunder racers who did appear put on a phenomenal show. In addition to the two blown altereds and two front engine dragsters, the fans were treated to the antics of 18 rompin', stompin Classic Gassers.

The gassers came out for two qualifying rounds. In the Classic Thunder tradition, the quickest eight cars comprised the A/Gas field and the second eight comprised the B/Gas field. Two qualifying sessions produced the following lineups:

A/Gas

1. Robbie Draughon - 5.265
2. David Goodson - 5.419
3. Rickey Bowie - 5.467
4. Bailey Hastings - 6.041
5. Roger McConnell - 6.171
6. Steve Scott - 6.186
7. Chris Muenzer - 6.521
8. Jack Muenzer - 6.573

B/Gas

1. Alan Pope - 6.743
2. Gayland Durham - 6.759
3. Danny Austin - 6.857
4. Mac Pressley - 6.972
5. Jim Guillen - 7.133
6. Willie Wilson - 7.160
7. Robert Ashley - 7.293
8. Rob Bates - 7.388

Alternates

9. Jerry Curtis - 8.054
10. Justus Daniel - 8.091

Round one kicked off with the B/Gassers and a race just for pride. Neither Jerry Curtis in his purple Fat Rat '41 Willys nor Justus Daniel in his brand new, still in primer Kaiser Henry J, qualified for the field. Nonetheless, they made exhibition runs in each competition round. Curtis, who had experienced severe handling woes in qualifying, got it all together to record a 6.11, 113 to defeat Daniel, who also improved at 7.60, 92.

Alan Pope, driving Mike Coger's wild, wheelstanding "Faded Memories" '39 Plymouth then kicked off the actual race in B/Gas with a close win over Jim Guillen's "Rolling Thunder" Ford Pop, 6.81, 94 to 7.06, 95.

New members Gayland Durham and Willie Wilson then locked horns. Durham took his first official Classic Thunder win with a 6.74, 89 to Willie's 7.03, 98. Both cars are show pieces. Durham's '41 Willys features a fogged silver paint job with see-through maroon flames. Gayland did all the fiberglass work and paint himself. Wilson's "Little Shakey" four door Ford Prefect is another fine piece out of Roger McConnell's shop. 

Up next was Mac Pressley in his Hartsoe Bros. machine taking on newcomer Rob "Snake" Bates in his '65 Ford. Mac has removed the blower from his car, hence the switch from A/Gas to B/Gas. Mac took the measure of the primered Ford, 6.41, 99 to 7.37, 101. 

Robert Ashley then took an upset win over Danny Austin when Austin's "Red Hot Ryder" machine took a turn towards the right guardrail on the launch. Austin corrected and got back on the throttle, but it was too late. Ashley's Comet Cyclone had defeated the Anglia, 7.32, 94 to 8.20 at 87 mph. 

A/Gas competition began with Bailey Hastings taking on Jack Muenzer. Bailey and his '33 Willys are local to Ware Shoals. Jack Muenzer and his Mondello Performance Parts '50 Olds is decidedly NOT local! He came all the way from Florida to race with Classic Thunder. Both racers improved from their qualifying times, but Hastings defeated the big, black Olds, 6.00, 112 to 6.49, 106.

Up next were Rickey Bowie and his wicked "Nitefire" blown small block Anglia taking on Chris Muenzer's "Back to the Future" '50 Olds. Bowie took the decision, 5.82, 110 to 6.56, 104. The father and son team of Jack and Chris Muenzer were surprised to find themselves in the A/Gas field. They usually match race each other, but they had a good time in competition.

The next race featured a match-up of two amazing cars. David Goodson's red, flamed Alabama Outlaw '69 Camaro roadster faced off against brand new member Steve Scott and his flawless '50 Henry J all the way from Tallahassee, Florida! Steve's machine is also hot red with orange and yellow metalflake flames that are best appreciated up close. Goodson's Camaro features a normally aspirated 500 plus cubic inch rat motor. Scott's machine features a screaming blown small block. After two killer burnouts (for which Goodson won the All Square Technology burnout contest), Goodson took a 5.29, 131 to 5.63, 125 decision.

The final A/Gasser match featured low qualifier Robbie Draughon and his slammed lemon yellow Thames panel truck taking on Roger McConnell in the nitrous assisted Mighty Mouse Anglia. Draughon had set the pace in qualifying with a 5.26. McConnell, who usually starts in the top two or three, had experienced problems and only qualified fifth. Things looked rough for Mighty Mouse, but when all seemed lost, the super rodent came through with a enormous holeshot to take the win! McConnell got off the line first, .064 to an extremely late .382, then held on for dear life as his 5.52, 129 beat Draughon's fast closing 5.33, 134. 

Only two nostalgia dragsters showed up to race in Ware Shoals. Roger Elmore has had his car at every Classic Thunder event since Midway last year, although it was not ready to run until this race. Ronnie Benton was finally going to get some track time in the blown Chrysler Wedge powered March Wind machine. Roanoke, Virginia's Pat Malloy showed up with a brand new California Chassis Engineering machine (a real Tuttle machine, not a kit). The small block Chevy powered Junior Fueler had never made a pass. The team worked feverishly to get a baseline tune-up into the motor in preparation for the first round. With only two machines on hand, Classic Thunder directors lined them up for a two out of three match race.

In the race, the blown March Wind blasted off the line with a 1.18 60 foot time and had the injected Chevy covered by a car length right off the line. Halfway down the track, however, the Chrysler machine slowed abruptly and the Chevy blew by for the first win, 5.50, 134 to 6.61, 72. Later analysis revealed that the March Wind had eaten its transmission. Unfortunately, the damage was not repairable and the Elmore team was through for the night. Malloy went on to take the default win via two singles.

The round ended with the amazing supercharged altereds of Jim Dickey and Don Roddy. These teams have really synchronized their acts, from side by side eighth mile burnouts to the staging "games" they employ in an attempt to rattle each other at the line. After their burnout and staging battle show, Dickey's KB powered '23-T put a win on the board with a terrific 4.23, 165. Roddy's Chevy powered '48 Fiat went 4.45, 158 in the loss.

Round two kicked off with match race runs by the losing first round gassers, followed by the actual gasser eliminations. These guys just like to race! The Muenzer team Oldsmobiles faced familiar opponents in the first match: each other! Son Chris defeated dad Jack on a holeshot, 6.51, 106 to 6.47, 106.

Jerry Curtis continued to show improvement over his initial qualifying numbers as the Fat Rat took a 6.05, 114 decision over Willie Wilson, who also found the sixes at 6.86, 103. Willie and his family were having a ball as they proudly carried on the tradition of African American gasser racers in the spirit of Stone, Woods & Cook and others.

Up next was "Snake" Bates with an improved 7.14, 100 in his brand new Ford. Snake reports that the car's primer pallor will give way to yellow or white pretty soon.

Jim Guillen and Danny Austin then faced off in what looked like a good one, but Guillen's team had to push back "Rolling Thunder" after it lost fire. This sent Danny on a 6.77, 99 single. Moments later, the Guillen team got their car fired and Jim recorded a 6.99 at 96 that only could have been more fun to watch if it had happened next to Austin's 6.77!

Robbie Draughon took his screaming yellow panel truck to a 5.21, 135 decision over Steve Scott's Henry J at 5.96, 119, and it was time for the consolation runs to cease and the eliminations to recommence.

In B/Gas competition, Alan Pope and Mike Coger's '39 Plymouth outlasted Robert Ashley's 289 Comet Cyclone, 6.71, 95 to 7.25, 94. Then, newcomer Gayland Durham took the next race in a double breakout over Mac Pressley. Double breakout? Hey, isn't Classic Thunder all heads up racing? Yes, except for B/Gas. The way it works is, 16 gassers qualify. The quick eight form the A/Gas field and the second eight form the B/Gas field. To prevent faster cars from sandbagging in order to race the slower B/Gassers, an index is established. The index is equal to one tenth quicker than the overall ninth qualifier (or the number one B/Gas qualifier). Tonight, that was Alan Pope at 6.74, so the B/Gas index was 6.64 seconds. Got it? Well, Mac Pressley took the former Hartsoe Bros. machine to a great 6.37, 107, but that was actually too quick and Durham's pretty Willys took the win at 6.50, 104. Also too quick, but not as bad as Mac!

In A/Gas competition, David Goodson took the measure of Bailey Hastings, 5.30, 132 to 6.03, 112. Roger McConnell then conducted his SECOND giant killing of the night on another massive holeshot. He left the line .030 seconds after the light turned green, compared to Bowie's .250 light. That was all Roger needed, as the Mighty Mouse ran away and hid from Nitefire, 5.50, 132 to a quicker 5.38, 130. The margin of victory: one tenth of a second - just over a car length!

After Pat Malloy made a 5.55, 140 single in his injected digger, Jim Dickey and Don Roddy lined up for round two of their titanic blown altered match-up. Roddy had tuned up the Chevy to try to narrow the two tenths of a second gap that Dickey enjoyed in round one. At the green, Roddy leapt off the line first, .086 to .134 for Dickey's purple and black machine. Dickey joined in hot pursuit, however, recording a great .998 60 foot time. The Ware Shoals starting line had teeth! It was neck and neck until about 500 feet, when Roddy's yellow Fiat became enveloped in a fine smoke or mist. It looked like it was hazing its tires or worse. Dickey zoomed by for the win with bracket-like consistency, 4.24, 172 to 4.51 at only 136. It was later discovered that Roddy's fuel line had shaken loose and popped off. The fine mist was methanol. Of course, that killed the motor immediately. Luckily, a test of all cylinders revealed no apparent problems, and Roddy began tuning up the rat for one last shot at Dickey's Hemi.

The final round kicked off with Danny Austin's Red Hot Ryder facing Jim Guillen's Rolling Thunder. The two drivers (who were supposed to meet in the previous round but ran singles when Guillen could not fire) finally got their match. Austin's orange machine took the win with his best run of the night. His 6.74, 99 not only beat Jim's 7.23, 96, it also qualified as the 16th quickest run of the day, netting Danny extra bucks!

Next, Robbie Draughon and Rickey Bowie matched up. The two favorites to meet in the actual final were here only to impress the fans, as Roger McConnell's work at the tree took both of them out earlier in the night. Draughon and his Top Sportsman truck took the measure of the Nitefire machine in this one, setting low ET for the gassers (and third quickest ET overall) with a 5.19, 135 over Rickey's game 5.39, 131. 

Mac Pressley then took the Hartsoe Bros. Anglia (with original 1970 paint!) to a win over Willie Wilson's four-door Prefect, 6.45, 107 to 6.89, 104.

Bailey Hastings and Jerry Curtis then faced off in a battle of Willys, Hastings in his burnt orange '33 machine and Curtis in his purple '41. It was a terrific race with Hastings holding off Curtis by the slimmest of margins, 5.98, 112 to 6.03, 115.

In the first final of the evening, Alan Pope in Mike Coger's "Faded Memories" B/Gas '39 Plymouth (complete with '41 Willys front end) faced Gayland Durham's true 1941 Willys. Pope's Classic Thunder debut had been a good one, as his wheelstanding antics had the fans on the edge of their seats all day. Durham had impressed all with his terrific looking and running home built car. At the green, Pope exploded off the line with a telepathic .003 reaction time. Durham was clearly late with a .181, but he took off after the fleeing Mopar. In the lights, it was too close to call, but the win light came on in Pope's lane. His 6.68, 101 had held off Durham's quicker but losing 6.55, 105. The margin of victory was a scant .056 seconds - about eight and a half feet!

In A/Gas, David Goodson's hot orange Alabama Outlaw '69 Camaro roadster had been killing them with 5.20s and 5.30s all day. Roger McConnell had used 5.50s and some amazing holeshots to take out two of the best. Did he have one more giant killing up his sleeve? At the green, McConnell did grab the holeshot, but Goodson was on his game, too. The lights were .035 for McConnell and .056 for Goodson. The race was close, but the Outlaw punched out the Mouse in a close one, 5.30, 132 to 5.41, 131. The two cars were .089 seconds apart in the lights -- about a car length.

Pat Malloy took what amounted to another test pass in his brand new rail. The injected Junior Fueler went 5.76, 124 as the team continued to shake out the new car. Pat left Ware Shoals happy and vows to return.

The final race of the night featured the two big dogs of every Classic Thunder event, Don Roddy versus Jim Dickey. Chevy versus Mopar. Rat versus Keith Black. Fiat versus '23 Model T. After another side by side eighth mile burnout, the two combatants dry hopped towards the line. At the green, the Chevy again left first, but Dickey was a blink behind, .045 to .060. The two stayed welded together all the way down the track, their motors screaming through the dense evening air. Only the electronic eye knew the winner. The light flashed in Dickey's lane. The Hemi had beaten the Chevy three straight. But what a battle it was. Dickey ran low ET and Top Speed of the Meet with a 4.220 at 175.10 mph. Roddy's Untouchables Fiat was a heartbeat behind at 4.273, 163.82. The margin of victory: .038 seconds... the closest race of the day in ANY category.

The Classic Thunder Southern Nationals at Ware Shoals was a fun race, but was somewhat disappointing in the turnout of the faster cars. The series promoters put up $8000 in guaranteed performance bonus money and paid it all (the happy recipients of which were a number of gasser racers who finally got their due). Once again, the Classic Thunder Gassers proved to be the heart and soul of the organization and this race proved that 16 gassers and two killer blown altereds make a terrific show by themselves. Hopefully, once word of full payouts hits the garage gossip circuit, more fast cars will come and try to get them. 

Sparse also were the fans. About 500 of them showed up. Impromptu polls in the pits cited several reasons for the light turnout: It was a rain date. Super Chevy Atlanta was 80 miles away (and was VERY well attended - we went down to have a look on Sunday). The bracket classes had been converted to Index classes and most local racers voted their disapproval by racing elsewhere. There were several other possible reasons, big and small. All lessons lived and learned.

Classic Southern Thunder - the second annual version of our amazing inaugural event - will return to Ware Shoals on August 9. All the lessons learned at this event will be put into place for that race. In the meantime, the Classic Gassers have several dates by themselves, including events in Douglas, GA, on June 7, Fayetteville, NC, on July 4, Wilkesboro, NC, on July 19, and even the Willys Home Run in Buffalo, NY, on August 2. Various Classic Thunder members also will trek to the National Hot Rod Reunion in Bowling Green, KY, on June 21.

If you get a chance to see a Classic Thunder show, take the time to go. It might just make you remember why you fell in love with drag racing in the first place.

Bill Pratt
www.classicthunder.net