North Star Dragway, located on I-35 about 40 miles north of Dallas in Denton, Texas, made a big splash in the drag radial world with the announcement of the Evolution Custom Auto EX275 class, which guarantees $10,000 to the winner and $5,000 to runner up in a 32 car field.  After months of anticipation and countless hours of hard work from the staff at North Star Dragway, the series debuted on April 12th and 13th in a special two day event. 

After a full day of testing on Thursday, several teams had dipped into the 4.70 and 4.80 range and with 37 cars in the house shooting for a spot in the 32 car field the pressure was on and the bragging rights were on the line as the first two sessions of qualifying were concluded on Friday night.  Daniel Pachar took the top spot on Friday with a 4.68 at 150 mph in his turbo powered Ford Mustang, followed closely by Kyle Huettel’s 4.69 at 150 mph in his third gen nitrous assisted Camaro.  Terry Elam, Taylor Lastor and Jason Michalak rounded out the top five with the bump spot set at a 5.81 as the teams returned to the pits to put their machines to bed with two more qualifying sessions to go on Saturday.

With beautiful mid seventy degree weather and nothing but sunshine in the forecast, the expectations for Saturday were high and the fans packed North Star Dragway to see the baddest 275 cars North Texas has ever seen duke it out for the big money.  By the end of the final qualifying session, Taylor Lastor had climbed to the top of the charts with a 4.680 at 154 mph in his nitrous assisted first generation Camaro.    Oklahoma based Fred Silbernagel and his black turbo charged Mustang made the biggest improvement jumping from the thirty first qualifying position into the number eight spot.  Brad Medlock, Wayne Long, Paul Broydon and Chip Raderchak also claimed positions in the top ten of the qualifying list.  Mr. Evolution Custom Auto himself Marty Robertson put his 1968 Dodge Dart into the show in the final qualifying spot with a 5.25 at 144 mph as qualifying ended and it was time to put up or shut up as eliminations were to follow. 

Final Qualifying Order:

1. Taylor Lastor – 4.680 @ 154 mph

2. Daniel Pachar – 4.682 @ 150 mph

3. Kyle Huettel – 4.69 @ 150 mph

4. Terry Elam – 4.70 @ 153 mph

5. Jason Michalak – 4.737 @ 152 mph

6. Wayne Long – 4.738 @ 148 mph

7. Brad Medlock – 4.76 @ 152 mph

8. Fred Silbernagel – 4.79 @ 150 mph

9. Paul Broydon – 4.84 @ 147 mph

10. Chip Raderchak – 4.84 @ 148 mph

11. Rodney Whatley – 4.86 @ 146 mph

12. Michael Hollis – 4.87 @ 146 mph

13. Mike Kelley – 4.88 @ 146 mph

14. Joe Johnson – 4.90 @ 146 mph

15. Odie Sturgeon – 4.91 @ 144 mph

16. John Sheffield – 4.924 @ 147 mph

17.  Scott Peairson – 4.92 @ 147 mph

18. T.J. Gatlin – 4.93 @ 147 mph

19. Derek Lewis – 4.94 @ 141 mph

20. Jon King – 4.962 @ 143 mph

21. Bob Bales – 4.963 @ 128 mph

22. Tommy O’Donnell – 4.99 @ 141 mph

23. Mike McKee – 5.01 @ 141 mph

24. Miguel Varela – 5.04 @ 141 mph

25. Dave Comstock – 5.06 @ 142 mph

26. Manny Alvarez – 5.07 @ 143 mph

27. C.J. Peddy – 5.102 @ 141 mph

28. Tyler Stubbe – 5.102 @ 139 mph

29. Justin Curry – 5.107 @ 143 mph

30. Mike Kubicek – 5.14 @ 139 mph

31. Benny Wilmeta – 5.17 @ 137 mph

32. Marty Robertson – 5.25 @ 144 mph

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33. Shawn Ayers – 5.38 @ 133 mph

34. Thomas Cox – 5.43 @ 141 mph

35. Blake Catalanotto – 5.55 @ 142 mph

36. Greg Moss – 5.56 @ 124 mph

37. Gino Lerma – 6.00 @ 126 mph

The opening round brought some serious numbers to the scoreboards at North Star Dragway with many teams clicking off passes in the 4.70 zone.  Kyle Huettel laid down the quickest pass of the round with a 4.72 at 152 mph to take out Mike Kubicek.  Daniel Pacher, Fred Silbernagel, Taylor Lastor, Terry Elam and Jason Michalak also advanced past the first round with passes in the 4.70’s.  Michalak took out Tyler Stubbe who laid down his best pass of the weekend with a 4.83 at 146 mph but it just wasn’t enough to hold off the “Bad9er” Camaro of Michalak.

Round 1 Eliminations:

(W) Wayne Long (.561 rt) 4.80 @ 146 mph vs. (L) C.J. Peddy (.391 rt) 5.36 @ 126 mph

(W) Derek Lewis (.570 rt) 5.75 @ 139 mph vs. (L) Joe Johnson (.427 rt) 6.35 @ 141 mph

(W) Tommy O’Donnell (.489 rt) 5.03 @ 140 mph vs. (L) Rodney Whatley (.443 rt) 6.18 @ 123 mph

(W) Brad Medlock (.478 rt) 4.89 @ 148 mph vs. (L) Manny Alvarez (.464 rt) 5.01 @ 143 mph

(W) Chip Raderchak (.446 rt) 4.85 @ 148 mph vs. (L) Mike McKee (.420 rt) 10.73 @ 60 mph

(W) Daniel Pachar (.578 rt) 4.73 @ 151 mph vs. (L) Benny Wilmeta (.575 rt) 5.21 @ 134 mph

(W) T.J. Gatlin (.502 rt) 4.96 @ 145 mph vs. (L) Odie Sturgeon (.473 rt) 5.05 @ 145 mph

(W) Kyle Huettel (.394 rt) 4.72 @ 152 mph vs. (L) Mike Kubicek (Foul)

(W) Scott Peairson (.429 rt) 4.93 @ 147 mph vs. (L) John Sheffield (.456 rt) 5.48 @ 142 mph

(W) Mike Kelley (.517 rt) 5.37 @ 143 mph vs. (L) Jon King (.202 rt) 6.52 @ 142 mph

(W) Michael Hollis (.464 rt) 4.94 @ 144 mph vs. (L) Bob Bales (Broke)

(W) Fred Silbernagel (.415 rt) 4.79 @ 152 mph vs. (L) David Comstock (.506 rt) 5.03 @ 142 mph

(W) Miguel Varela (.531 rt) 5.05 @ 141 mph vs. (L) Paul Broydon (.494 rt) No Time

(W) Taylor Lastor (.504 rt) 4.76 @ 153 mph vs. (L) Marty Robertson (.440 rt) 8.39 @ 63 mph

(W) Terry Elam (.438 rt) 4.76 @ 152 mph vs. (L) Justin Curry (.527 rt) 5.04 @ 144 mph

(W) Jason Michalak (.465 rt) 4.79 @ 151 mph vs. (L) Tyler Stubbe (.453 rt) 4.83 @ 146 mph

The second round kicked off with Wayne Long lining up with Derek Lewis.  Lewis had been providing the crowd with some wild wheelstands in his nitrous assisted Chevy Nova but had troubles in this round and was no match for Long’s low elapsed time of the round, a 4.71 at 149 mph.  The biggest upset of the round saw Tommy O’Donnell taking the win light over Kyle Huettel who back-fired a nasty fireball at the starting line in round two.  Another big upset advanced local favorite Michael Hollis past number four qualifier Terry Elam as Hollis’ 4.97 at 142 mph was enough to take the win light after Elam had issues posting a 7.79 at 61 mph.

Round 2 Eliminations:

(W) Wayne Long (.494 rt) 4.71 @ 149 mph vs. (L) Derek Lewis (.535 rt) 7.90 @ 89 mph

(W) Brad Medlock (.506 rt) 4.82 @ 151 mph vs. (L) T.J. Gatlin (.377 rt) 4.96 @ 145 mph

(W) Daniel Pachar (.455 rt) 4.75 @ 151 mph vs. (L) Chip Raderchak (.458 rt) 4.94 @ 147 mph

(W) Tommy O’Donnell (.493 rt) 5.20 @ 141 mph vs. (L) Kyle Huettel (.485 rt) 12.82 @ 40 mph

(W) Jason Michalak (.470 rt) 4.76 @ 151 mph vs. (L) Mike Kelley (.457 rt) 4.95 @ 146 mph

(W) Fred Silbernagel (.565 rt) 4.78 @ 152 mph vs. (L) Scott Peairson (.401 rt) No Time

(W) Michael Hollis (.438 rt) 4.97 @ 142 mph vs. (L) Terry Elam (.538 rt) 7.79 @ 61 mph

(W) Taylor Lastor (.487 rt) 4.78 @ 153 mph vs. (L) Miguel Varela (.496 rt) 5.02 @ 143 mph

Wayne Long’s 1967 Chevy II rolled through the water box alongside Tommy O’Donnell’s turbo charged Mustang to kick off the quarter final round as eight cars still stood standing in the fierce competition.  Long blasted to a 4.71 at 148 mph easily taking the round win and advancing to the semis.  Brad Medlock took out Daniel Pachar as both cars struggled early but Medlock gained traction and his 5.13 at 145 mph held off Pachar’s 6.88 at 107 mph.  Michael Hollis kept his upset streak alive by knocking out Jason Michalak after Michalak had mechanical issues and Hollis’ 4.95 at 143 mph took him to the semis.  In the closest pairing of the round, Taylor Lastor also advanced into the semis taking out Fred Silbernagel with a 4.73 at 152 mph to Silbernagel’s 4.80 at 152 mph.

Round 3 Eliminations:

(W) Wayne Long (.772 rt) 4.71 @ 148 mph vs. (L) Tommy O’Donnell (.566 rt) 6.93 @ 106 mph

(W) Brad Medlock (.419 rt) 5.13 @ 145 mph vs. (L) Daniel Pachar (.451 rt) 6.88 @ 107 mph

(W) Michael Hollis (.476 rt) 4.95 @ 143 mph vs. (L) Jason Michalak (.488 rt) No Time

(W) Taylor Lastor (.465 rt) 4.73 @ 152 mph vs. (L) Fred Silbernagel (.496 rt) 4.80 @ 152 mph

Brad Medlock’s turbo charged Ford Mustang rolled out alongside Wayne Long’s Chevy II in the first pair of the semi-finals.  Medlock took this one on a holeshot as his better reaction time and 4.76 at 150 mph was just enough to hold off Long’s quicker but loosing 4.73 at 149 mph.  Taylor Lastor ended the winning streak for Michael Hollis as Lastor’s 4.72 at 152 mph advanced over Hollis’ 4.94 at 143 mph.  Brad Medlock and Taylor Lastor would meet face to face in the final round, turbo vs. nitrous, Camaro vs. Mustang, let’s get it on!

Semi-Final Round Eliminations:

(W) Brad Medlock (.447 rt) 4.76 @ 150 mph vs. (L) Wayne Long (.489 rt) 4.73 @ 149 mph

(W) Taylor Lastor (.493 rt) 4.72 @ 152 mph vs. (L) Michael Hollis (.433 rt) 4.95 @ 143 mph

Lastor of Cleveland, Texas, and Medlock of Little Rock, Arkansas burned out and slowly crept into the beams as the crowd gathered on the starting line to witness who would take home the big money and become the first winner of the Evolution EX275 series.  The cars left the line strong and Lastor started to pull ahead and carried his Camaro through the traps with flames belching from the exhaust, lighting the scoreboards with a 4.67 at 155 mph to Medlock’s loosing 4.75 at 150 mph in a great final round battle under the lights at North Star Dragway.

Final Round Results:

(W) Taylor Lastor (4.67 @ 155 mph) vs. (L) Medlock (4.75 @ 150 mph)

Gene Nicodemus, owner of North Star Dragway, put up $1,000 to win and $500 to runner up on a second chance eliminator race which included all non-qualifiers and first round losers.  John Sheffield made it to the final round defeating Jon King in the semi-finals with a holeshot 4.92 at 146 mph to King’s 4.90 at 145 mph.  Shawn Ayers laid down a stout 4.70 at 154 mph in his turbocharged Mustang to take out Joe Johnson’s 4.85 at 148 mph.  In the final round, Shawn Ayers took the win light with a strong 4.68 at 154 mph to take out Sheffield’s 4.88 at 142 mph.

Second Chance Eliminator Final Round Results:

(W) Shawn Ayers (4.68 @ 154 mph) vs. (L) John Sheffield (4.88 @ 142 mph)

 After it was all said and done the big money stayed in the lone star state of Texas but there’s more Evolution Custom Auto EX275 action coming at North Star Dragway with three more events this season, scheduled for May 31-June 1, August 30-31 and October 18-19th.  The three remaining events will feature the same payout and new class announcements coming soon.  Stay tuned to www.northstar-dragway.com for details and don’t be scared to come down to Texas and play, everything is bigger in Texas, including the payout! 

CHECK OUT THE HUGE GALLERY AFTER THE BREAK!