POWELL PERFORMS @
ALBUQUERQUE
The Southwest Superchargers faithful
gathered for their third blown battle of 2009
on Memorial Day weekend in Albuquerque NM at
Albuquerque Dragway.
An attentive
staff and unsettled weather greeted 15 SWSC racers
May 23. Rain was in the
forecast
as the compressor competitors prepared for Q-1. At
6:30 Ray Stringers dragster and Greg Powell's
funster booted their burn outs into high gear. Rays
7.930/167.90 trailed Greg's 7.738/169.87 and
adequately portrayed the density altitude of 7300'.
Pair 2 was Doug Meshirer (r.e.d., s.b.c.) vs. Jason
Kiscadon (r.e.d., b.b.c.). Doug's ignition-plagued
10.901/122.13 followed Jason's 8.783/151.07. Next
Jacob Penner (Seminole, TX) and Sue Stringer
(Alamogordo, NM) fired their respective pipe. Jacobs
officially-ignored 7.408/185.01 overshadowed Sues
surprising 7.527/171.21. SWSC newcomer John Garcia
(Las Vegas NM Fiat altered) next warmed up to run
Odessa Tx.- based Don David (Bantam altered).
Garcia's nice 7.984/168.82 ran just behind Dons
7.714/171.29. Next SWSC past Points Champ Julian
Moody met T or C NM's Gary Hill. Hills Mopar broke a
Torqueflite on the burnout and Moody made a
7.906/168.63 single. Buck Woolen Jr. (Alamogordo)
ran Andy Mears (Lubbock) in Pair 6. Andy's soft
8.046/166.26 led Buck Jr.'s 8.114/169.44. Finally
Buck Woolen Sr's 500 + in dragster went
8.058/165.62.
The last qualifying run of the weekend
started around 8:30 with Greg Powell running Doug
Meshirer. Doug's small block refused to cooperate in
the cool night air (Ignition?) so Powell made a
first-rate 7.570/173.00. Two sons of Alamogordo
racers next ran together, Jason Kiscadon and Buck
Woolen Jr. Buck was the quicker of the two,
7.901/170.91 to Jason's 8.270/159.44. Don David
exhibited his experience in an altered by lifting at
300' or so to stay in his lane against Buck Woolen
Sr. who ran a 7.679/171.06. Next up was Andy Mears &
Julian Moody. Mears 7.864/175.08 slightly trailed
Moody's 7.767. John Garcia's Q-2 pass looked way
good 7.765/170.96 single. Jacob Penner got in the
program with his 7.513/174.59 vs. Bill Normans
8.019/168.30. Ray Stringer singled to a nice
7.71/167.77. So the SWSC escaped the rainy forecast
and put away their toys to await Sundays final
eliminations and another bleak weather outlook.
Day 2 of SWSC Race 3 of 2009 dawned mostly
clear and everyone was keyed up. The SWSC ladder was
full of surprises. #8 Julian Moody (!) would meet #1
Greg Powell. #2 Sue Stringer would run #7 John
Garcia. #3 Buck Woolen was to run #6 Ray Stringer.
And #4 Jacob Penner would meet #5 Don David in Round
1.
#1 Qualifier Greg Powell wanted to get
under way and called #8 Julian Moody out. Moody too
was anxious as he bulbed by .006 and ran 7.586/176
to Powell's winning 7.554/175. Next #3 Buck Woolen
Sr. lost on a sub-index 7.527/159 (BRAKES!) to #6
Ray Stringers legal 7.677/174. #2 Sue Stringer met
SWSC unknown John Garcia and the "Poco Loco" team.
Sues sub-index 7.590/170 surrendered to Garcia's
8.207/174. Finally #4 Jacob Penner ran #5 Don David.
In a double break-out pass Don David won with his
7.586/179 vs. Jacobs "worse" 7.530/172. And in Rd 1
the Mears Mazda Volvo "Oh-So-Close" Award for losing
by the closest margin went to Julian Moody (.032
behind Greg Powell).
The semi-final round was interrupted by a
brief light shower after the first pair. #1 Greg
Powell defeated #5 Don David when Don fouled and
lifted, 8.338/161 vs. Greg's near-perfect 7.631/163.
After a mild sprinkle #6 Ray Stringer met #7 John
Garcia. Garcia later said Ray "beat up on" him, Rays
7.724/171 taking the stripe over Johns 7.937/166.
In the oddest final in SWSC history, #1
Greg Powell met #6 Ray Stringer. Both sons of racing
fathers (big surprise) both all-iron small blocks.
Rays ride broke on the burn out (fractured drive
pins in the middle of his Mallory). Greg appeared to
be on his way to a stellar win but his trans
surrendered to the Torque Gods at the green. A
potentially great SWSC final quickly became a
non-event with Greg Powell earning the win (no time)
over Ray Stringer (no time).
The SWSC wishes to thank Lauren Jones and
the Staff of Albuquerque Dragway for having us
(Sorry 'bout that final). Hope to see you in 2010.
Special thanks to Gary Ferguson of Route 66
Motorsports, Inc. of Las Lunas for putting up $100
each day for the Best Pass. Saturday Greg Powell's
#1 qualifying 7.57 won and Sunday it was Sues 7.590.
Buck Woolen Jr. won the
Sunset Racecraft Progressive Qualifier Award.
Buck Woolen Sr. won the Harpers Oil Pan Oil
Retention Advantage Best Burn Out Award in Q-2.
The Jerry Norman Race Cars Driver Bounty on
Greg Powell was not awarded.
OK,
SWSC race fans, we're off to Desert Thunder
Raceway in Midland Tx. June 13. We'll see you at the
races!
Long
Distance:
D Meshirer