We Have Liftoff Video! Epic Wheelstands From Lights Out 8

As has become customary fare at the drag strip known as “The House of the Flying Cars”, a handful of machines entered low-earth orbit at Duck X Productions’ Lights Out 8 in South Georgia last week, but perhaps none were more awe-inspiring (or nearly disastrous) as of those Scotty Gaudagno and J.R. Pines.

httpv://youtu.be/3gF-9vT5rYk
Credit: TheRacingVids

Gaudagno, widely known as “Scotty G”, is one of the veterans of radial tire racing, having competed in Donald Long’s Georgia races perhaps more times than anyone else, all behind the wheel of his familiar blue fourth-gen Camaro. Once a Radial vs The World car and now running on 275’s, Gaudagno was competing this year in the Pro 275 eliminate with his nitrous-fed mount, and during qualifying he was reminded just how much power he has under the hood (it was enough to qualify him number one with a 4.06) when his machine climbed skyward and onto its bumper beyond half-track, creating a scene terrifyingly reminiscent of those that have ended in near-blowovers and crashes in the past. Fortunately for Scotty G, he was able to safely bring the nose back to earth and later went on to win the Pro 275 class.

On Sunday morning, Outlaw Drag Radial racer J.R. Pines got the attention of the trackside wheelstand judges (okay, so there aren’t any judges, but maybe there should be — “a perfect 10!”) during the early rounds of eliminations when his Mustang reached for the sky not once, but twice, ultimately dragging the bumper through the finish line stripe and blowing the timing blocks over in the process.

httpv://youtu.be/V6pfaMmmh_A
Credit: Free Life Films

httpv://youtu.be/sK28OeaDYvI
Credit: Racebarn Motorsports