Wednesday

It’s time for Lights Out 11 presented by Dart and we are here to bring you our coverage from track side to deep in the pits this week. Wednesday kicks off qualifying with a night session that is sure showcase some amazing performances.

Ontario, Canada based racer Ian Hill has built a DXP Street legal combo for his 1968 Camaro that spent most of it’s life in NHRA Stock Eliminator and was converted to run small tire N/T races about five years ago. “We tried running a plate nitrous system with this car last year with good results so when the DXP rules came out we looked them over and it looked like we were very close so put a hood scoop on the car and let her rip.” Ian told us this Wednesday afternoon while getting teched in. He rolled in untested and will make the first runs on this combo this evening. Ian runs a Engine Racing Development small block Chevy with an Induction Solutions nitrous system. DXP Street is the newest class from Donald Long and featured a limited plate nitrous system based on the 4150 series carburetor size using factory bore space small block engines, cast intake manifolds and the spec Mickey Thompson SS Drag Radial. Cars have already run in the 4.9X range and it’s sure to feature some excitement and controversy here at the debut event this weekend at Lights Out 11 presented by Dart.

“Everything is going great so far this weekend. I have to give a big hats off to the racers, they have come in prepared with their safety equipment up to date and tech cards filled out, it’s saving us a lot of time getting everyone through tech…” John Sears told us. “We have Mike Wells here to to chassis certifications for any cars that need an update or new cars. Every year we continue to improve the safety of the event and encourage the racers to have the proper equipment and it’s better than it’s ever been this year.” Eric Lowe (pictured at right) is handling the DXP Street tech. Eric worked with NHRA for a while and has worked with Roger Conley who is also involved in the rule making with the class and currently at RC2 Motorsports. There are several specific tools used to check the carburetor base plate and venturi size as well as nitrous fitting ID and a “yard stick” for the front bumper height and overhang.

The tech line was long today as racers congregated from across the country as one of the baddest races f the year gets under way and the 2020 season heats up here at South Georgia Motorsports Park.

J.R. Gibson has been on a racing hiatus for just about six years now spending time with his family, takin care of business and racing Jr Dragsters with his two daughters up in Michigan at US 131 and Milan as well as some over in Muncie, Indiana. The car had been sitting for some time now and he thought it was time to get back in the driver’s seat. He pulled the engine and sent it to Pro Line to be freshened and threw some 88 MM turbos on it and is entered in Limited Drag Radial this weekend. J.R.’s crew this weekend as always is Jay Trisel.

The run order today was Radial vs the World, X275, DXP Street, Pro 275, SB NOS N/T, Ultra Street, Limited Drag Radial, Limited 35 and Carolina N/T. Weather ended the first qualifying session just after midnight while still in LDR so Ultra Street was the last completed round for the day.

Team KTR sits in first and third with marcus Birt leading hte Radial vs the World field after one round of qualifying is in the books with a 3.62. Steve Jackson landed third with a 3.65.

Mean Dean Marinis ripped off a 4.29 at 166 to lead X275 by a slim margin as Eric Moore was hot on his tail running a 4.30.