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Stopping by to catch up with Marion, North Carolina-based David and Tracy Pearson we noticed something just a little different with “Little Evil”, now sporting Vortech sponsorship on the side, with a V30 128 supercharger now feeding the small block Ford through a new Chisled Performance inter-cooler. Other changes include new stopping power from The Brake Man, new wheels, and some upgraded suspension from UPR, along with a fresh paint job from Addison Paint and Body covering the new front end and hood from Shoneck Composites. Total Seal, MBE, Wiseco, UPR, Proformance Transmissions, Billet Atomizer, Big Stuff, The Supercharger Store and First Choice Auto and Performance and a shout out to long time friend and ride along “Mustang” Mike Modeste, a true legend in the sport.
Marty Stinnett is rolling in with some new pieces from Garrett and Jeff Burns Racing Engines with new 98mm turbos and Stage Two heads topping the 470 cubic inch small-block Chevy. Marty was sure the “new look” tucked tire will be copied across the pits come Friday as other racers search for ways to improve traction.
Niagra Falls, Ontario, Canada based racer Ian Hill is a first time participant at SGMP this weekend with his “Grey Area” Mustang purchased from Douglas Vanstrom and fitted with 430 cubic inch small block Ford with a 114 MM Precision turbo out front. Hill races in the Ontario Grudge Wars at St. Thomas Raceway Park and will be racing in Limited Drag Radial this week. Hill did some suspension upgrades to the car and has one win in Grudge Wars so far. Vanstrom will be here Friday to assist.
Jack Greene, based out of Knoxville, TN, is the new owner of “The Warbird” formerly campaigned by Jason Harris in PDRA. It’s sporting radials now and entered in the No Time shootout with Jack making his first hits in the car on Wednesday. Mark Micke and Mark Menscer are honorary team members providing assistance as needed. The Greene’s raced the candy gold Nova in LDR previously.From left to right, Arnold and Jack Greene.
We stopped by Team Boddie’s pits and spoke with tuner Patrick Barnhill with PTP after he was adjusting the timing ramps on the Chevy II. Patrick has been in Orlando testing with several teams including Boddie, Andrew Demarco, Jim Bersani, Mark Wells and Charlie Cooper and some other teams preparing for the 2018 season. Boddie put together six street style No Time Team Boddie Racing events last year on the Westcoast and has seven planned for 2018 including Sears Point, Bakersfield and The Strip at Las Vegas. There is a big tire and small tire class as well as a street car class added for this year. Boddie has a Minor Brothers Hemi with twins in the Chevy II and will be focused on getting the car to work better this year, he is entered in the No Time 28/29 Shootout this weekend.
“The Reaper” is sporting a new Procharged engine combo this weekend for it’s race debut. The car was finished out at Travis Quillen’s shop for the fitment and some updates to the car and wiring. He was getting a chassis inspection by NHRA Division 2 official Mike Welles.
Bill Lutz has his former OL 10'5 car here for it's first event in near seven years. We will catch up with Lutz later this morning to check out the updated ride.
Blake Copson is here debuting the family’s new car here this weekend fresh out of Gary Naughton’s shop. The build started as an X275 car and not-so-gradually progressed to a full tilt Radial vs the World build. Father, Joe, and Blake went to Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School about two years ago and Blake did well enough to get the go-ahead to drive. The car features a Pro Line Racing Hemi fed with Garrett turbos backed by a M&M Trans and Pro Torque converter. The team had yet to make a hit when we chatted earlier today. Bucky’s Limited Autobody is responsible for the amazing one off candy Root Beer, flamed out paint scheme.
Kenjo Kelly is here also debuting his new Pro Mod/Radial ride — another racer with no testing prior to getting here. Kelly purchased the car from Chris Owens and now has a Pro Line Racing engine with Josh Ledford on the laptop, and was a McAmis Chassis finished by Dan Parker. Kelly is based out of Lake Jackson, Texas and is also in the new Street Outlaw No Prep Kings series which will start airing on February 27th.
Don Lamana from Pro Fab Performance in New Port Richey, Florida is running Pro 275 this weekend and is sporting some new Precision Gen II 94mm turbos for the event. The Southern Speed Racing-tuned car has run in the low fours in LDR trim and spent some time on the Haltech hub dyno last year troubleshooting a few issues, in part traced to some faulty wiring. Matt LaRue and Troy Fedora did some work in past couple of weeks to remove near one hundred pounds to get to class weight and allow some adjustment to weight placement. Don Lamana at left with Matt LaRue.
Mike Welles NHRA division 2 tech official is on the property this weekend doing chassis certs and tech assistance. “I’m Having fun, I love to see these fast cars, these are cars I don’t normally deal with. I deal with Stockers and Super Stockers and Comp and Alcohol cars on the NHRA side, but to see these blown cars with nitrous and fuel injection and all the different things they come over here and play with, and make them do what they do with the weight they are is just very impressive.”
John Sears reports at least 46 cars in X275 here this week, a good turnout for sure and sure to be an action packed class. NHRA safety inspector Paul Sieli is here assisting with tech in a new safety protocol enacted by Ozzy Moya, new track manager Nelson Hoyos and Donald Long to ensure all racers are in compliance. It's been a long couple of days for the tech team but things are quite a bit more relaxed here Thursday as teams are getting settled in to testing. The increased scrutiny caught more than a few racers by surprise requiring several packages of seat belts to be delivered, these from Racequip via Innovative Racecraft.
The Jokers Wild Corvette Pro Mod is owned by Kenny Kneece out of Eureka, South Carolina and runs outlaw Pro Mods along the east coast. The engine is from Gene Fulton and Kneece is here looking for some of that big money up for grabs. The paint and body is from Midland Paint and Body and he is on radials for the first time this weekend. The crew from left to right is: Kenny Kneece and Scott King with Kenny’s wife Michelle who lines of the car on the line (not shown).
Beef City, Texas based racer Lamar Swindoll has his new car here for it's debut, built from scratch in just eleven months with the chassis by Rick Stevens Race Cars and the rest in house at Swindoll's home.”Gold Dust” was built as a tribute to a car he had years ago that was raced on the street back in the day. Power comes from a Scoggin Dicky Race Shop 572 with an F1X-12 Procharger and APD Blo-Thru carburetor making just at 2,400 horsepower on low boost. The engine is backed by an M&M trans and FTI billet bolt together converter. “It's an all new combination for us with the blow through, I Just kinda wanted something low maintenance to go out here and make some laps. We tested a few laps back home in HMP in Texas so we have some data but you know it's like everybody, the weather has been crappy everywhere. We got a lot of people that help out, my mom and dad, my wife, Rick Stevens, FTI, Scoggin Dicky, Kenny Hubbard with the tuning, my uncles and family, Medina River Ranch, you know without those people we wouldn't be here.” Lamar Swindoll
Bill Lutz has had this Camaro for about twenty five years though the last seven it’s been “sleeping” in the garage. The car was campaigned back in the day in Heavy Street, OL 10.5 and Pro Street with a 615 cubic inch single four barrel combo. When he got sick last year he sold the Pro Mod and drug this car out for a new build. It was stripped down and the chassis was updated. Then fitted with a 477 cubic inch Minor Brothers Hemi with twin Garrett turbos. Plans for the car will be various no time and grudge style events with some limited testing at Darlington last year with good results. The paint and body work was done by Vic’s Body Shop and Crucial Peroformance and will feature a blue stripe on the car once they get back home. “The car is a warrior, it’s been around forever, it’s been down and out like I was and come back to life, that’s why we call it the Phoenix, it’s been resurrected.” Bill Lutz.
We stopped by the RPM Transmission pits to speak with Camren Massengale about the teams new engine combo from BES. It's an Concept Performance LSR block topped with RFD canted valve heads sporting 440 cubic inches topped with a Wilson Intake and Accufab throttle body with the gas routed out by custom step headers and fender exit exhaust. A Holley EFI manages 160 lb Billet Atomizer injectors and a plate nitrous system. So far they are tuning the engine fuel curve and have yet to activate the nitrous. Plans for 2018 include some Ultra Street events and select NMCA events. Camren and Rodney Massengale from, left to right.
Steve Gorman has his OL 10.5 Corvette here for the first time on radials this week. This is the second year for the car after winning the inaugural Mickey Thompson OL 10.5 series with his 481X powered Mustang. “The car is powered by a J&E Automotive built Alan Johnson small block with twins, we have been 3.98 with it, a 1.01 60' so far as a best and will be looking for 3.80's once we get going A to B with the car. I have to thank my crew chief John Vito and Shorty who make it to every event they can, I'd rather not run without them. Jamie Miller has taught me so much, Skinny Kid have always been right there with any help for me, Billet Atomizer, Pro Torque. From Left to right, Rick 'Honk if parts Fall Off' Steinke, Steven Gorman, John Viteo, Tom Tumtumolo aka 'Shorty'.
Round One Qualifying Results
Outlaw 632 racer Joey Smith leaked some fuel after the burnout which caught fire and was quickly addressed by the track staff, Smith was out of the car quickly and uninjured.
Walter Lannigan Jr earned top qualifier after one session in Outlaw 632 running a 4.38 at 159 in the Savannah, Georgia based 53 Corvette.
Paulo Giust was half of the first pair out in Radial vs the World Qualifying with Brad Edwards in the other lane. He scored a 3.99 at 193 on the pass while Edwards spun very early.
Keith Haney made a solid pass but spit sparks most of the way, He is currently top qualifier with a 3.85 at 196 MPH.
We are in round one qualifying of Radial vs the World and Andrew Johnson moved towards the center line in his Chevy Bel Air getting out of shape and got into the wall. The Johnson's are a family team with two cars here this weekend and his father Lester was next to run. He fired his car and drove down the track to be with his son in a unique incident. Andrew was alert and talking with the rescue crew so that is a big relief for all of us after the big hit into the wall.
