Network
Friday
The rain lingered a little long last night delaying the morning track prep. Right now the scheduled go time is about 12 PM starting off with 6.0 Index, then DXP Street, Pro 275, Open Comp, SB Nitrous N/T, Ultra Street, Limited Drag Radial, Limited 235, Carolina N/T, Radial vs the World and X275. It takes about four hours to prepare the surface so the staff has been hard at it this morning.
Another car that caught our eye this week is this clean 1966 Chevelle post car owned by Jay Friedrich from Mackinaw, Illinois. Jay purchased the car while in college and has had it thirty five years with four different engine combinations. The most recent one is a 582 big block Chevy built by Mike Chenoweth with an F-2 Procharger providing boost and backed by a power glide transmission. The car rides on full TRZ Suspension and Menscer shocks. Jay has raced the car locally in an assortment of street car classes over the years and participated in Drag Week in 2017. He wasn’t able to finish due to a carburetor base plate screw falling into the engine and damaging the number five piston. There was no further damage and he was back at the local series the next week once back at home but he wants to try again this year.
The car is a low mileage 300 model with just 48,000 miles on the odometer and the 1970 era lacquer paint job has held up well and appears stock from fifty feet away. So far he has not run the car with full timing and boost as the local track isn’t prepped to the level needed to keep it hooked up on the trip. This year his vacation time coincided with Lights Out so he and a couple of friend loaded up and made the trip south and is entered in Open Comp to have a good time and see what the car can do on a good surface. Jay the the crew are looking for some five teens out of it if all goes right.
Tech is busy this morning with DXP Street entries, this Firebird “Da Bird” is driven by Shawn Mackelmore running out of 101 Dynamics out of Vernon Alabama and worked over the past two days here to finish up the build they started on December 26th with a frame and roll cage. The car has a Shaver Racing Engines small block Chevy topped with a Brodix intake, a Nitrous Outlet plate and Gary Williams carb. Shawn is one of several cars in the class that are last minute builds with zero test time before coming here this week.
James Rowlett is a long time participant here at Duck X events and is entered in DXP Street this weekend. He is running an LS based engine topped with Holley carb and plate system. They worked all night to finish up the car including some modification to the front bumper to comply with the strict rules package in DXP Street. Rowlett is is based out of Nashville and runs a Shannon Carnathan built 408 cubic inch mill running and Ice Ignition, which is based out of Australia. “ I just want to shout out to all the folks that have helped with the build and my crew, JT, Michah, Shannon Carnathan, Shane, Eric Malone and the 256 guys, so many people I can’t name them all right not but they know who they are.” – James Rowlett
Tech for DXP Street is stringent to keep a level playing field and every car has the plate spray bars checked along with the various fittings to ensure compliance. This S-10 is driven by Josh Addison and he was just rolling in this morning. Many of the races in the new class have no test time before getting here so it’s anyone guess what will happen when they let go of the button. Keep an eye on this class it’s sure to generate some excitement and already has plenty of controversy surround it.
Troy Pirez Sr will be driving the General Lee here this weekend in Ultra Street representing Innovative Racecraft. He won the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals in December and is using the trusty Fast Forward Race Engines big block Chevy engine from his infamous 3rd gem Camaro. They had planned a two car effort this weekend with Troy Jr. to run in the new DXP Street class but like many others were running up agaisnt the clock to be prepared and ran into an issue with the engine and no time to asses the problem or make repairs before coming up from Tampa.
Brian Keep is currently number one qualifier in Ultra Street with a 4.63 at 144 MPH. He works with RPM Transmissions and they have made some changes thet is showing improvement so far. He plans to run the Ultra Street series again this year which is currently led by Kirt Sanders after his win at the season opener US Street Nationals in Bradenton.
This makes the second event for Mr. Tommy Youmans after the repairs to the car and they were having issues with it not maintaining boost levels on a run. They went over everything with a fine tooth comb and traced it to a torn diaphragm in the waste gate. With that seemingly simple repair taken cars of they are ready to make the full boost asked of it and gathering some good data and start making real power today in round two qualifying. He is currently ninth in Pro 275 with a 4.10 at 180 MPH.
Nick Kokkas is based out of Canada and is entered in the small block nitrous N/T class this weekend. It was his first time on drag radials this weekend and he was surprised to find the tires moved near a quarter of the way round on the wheel after his run yesterday, which was a 1.12 60'. They were glued up but it's a change from slicks which are often screwed to the wheels. He sent his Bogart wheels over to Mac Fab for their on site services and is getting a single outside bead lock installed to make it through the weekend here. Nick runs a small block Ford from Dan Doyle Racing Engines and participates in the Ontario Grudge Wars and has plans to run in the Battle of the Titans series in Michigan this year. The car was purchased new by his father in 1982 and still has original paint besides the fiberglass doors and hatch where recently installed and not painted yet. He is sponsored by The Fire Within Muskoka, an extended family business that helps out with Nick's racing program.
Final Qualifying Results
Radial vs the World, Pro 275.
X275, Limited Drag Radial, Ultra Street.
DXP Street, Limited 235.
