MOODY MAULS SWSC FIELD IN DENTON
The Southwest Superchargers
held its ninth gathering of the supercharged faithful
October 13 in a return to North Star Dragway in Denton. TX.
Several SWSC regulars made test runs Friday night
checking their tune-ups against the lower altitude 4.70
eighth-mile index. Greg Powell, Julian Moody and Mike Jones
all reportedly were pleased with their passes. Glen Powell
also was testing and licensing his new car/combo in
preparation for 2008.
A "condensed" display in Denton Saturday morning
revealed nineteen (!) SWSC machines... and a couple others
reportedly displayed elsewhere or didn't display at all.
Check the photo album to see why the word condensed was
used.
North Star Dragway management encouraged the SWSC
to produce the first 16 car field if possible. Here's how it
went.
Qualifying began at 6:00 pm as the SWSC newbie
Bubba Kolner made a single in his BBC powered slingshot. A
problem prevented Kolner from making a pass and he would
return later. Next up another new face, Jim Garritson and
the "Our Gang" dragster, came out to meet Greg Powell in his
SBC machine. Garritson's car kind-a-struggled to a 9.71/45
mph as Powell ran a nice 4.74/144 mph. L.H Newlin tested
wife Francis' tune-up vs. Eddie Tidwell. Newlin's 23T
wheelied big-time 6.50/ 97mph as Tidwell produced an
officially ignored 4.58/153 mph (more than 1/10 under
index). Reigning SWSC Points Champ and current points leader
Julian
Moody ran Jack Bartlett next with Moody turning
4.72/149 mph against Bartlett's 4.66/148 mph. Another SWSC
newbie appeared in the personality of Andy Mears and his BBC
powered "Banzai!" dragster. His opponent in Q-1 was Buck
Woolen. Buck made an incredibly close to the index
4.6975/146 mph vs. Mears' first ever SWSC 2pass of 4.96/115
mph. Paul Harris (Bockman Racing) steered and weaved to a
5.35/143mph against Jacob Penner's discounted 4.59/154 mph.
Jack Chapman's "Hoopie" also had handling woes and mustered
a 5.84/86 mph alongside Bubba Kolner's re-emergence pass, a
nice 4.73/149 mph. Ken Reierson's beautiful if abbreviated
slingshot ran 5.43/145 mph vs. Mitch Muse's 5.48/133 mph.
Bill Norman's "Flashback" Hemi-powered funster went
4.6976/150 mph as Sue Stringer's dragster ran a 4.76/150
opposite. Don David's Bantam pulled a
HUGE wheelie.
Don saved the chassis but only ran 5.48/139 mph and watched
#1 Qualifier Mike Jones run 4.6984/149.30 mph. Finally Chris
Stouffer sneezed a blower burst panel in Carl Meador's 23T
and coasted to a 6.52/70 mph. Nineteen cars made qualifying
passes in Q-1.
Q-2 started with the small block machines of
Bartlett and Powell. Powell slowed slightly 4.88/142 mph as
Bartlett put up a great 4.706/147 mph. Mears picked up to
4.79/139 mph on a bye. Sue slowed to 8.85 vs. Woolens
4.67/148 mph. L.H Newlin got in with his 4.86/140 mph.
Chapman's 5.04 was outpaced by Jones' 4.64/147 mph. Muse
outran Reierson 5.27/136 mph to 5.36/144 mph. A nice side by
side saw Kolner go 4.68/157 mph! against
Moody's 4.67/150 mph. Penner went 4.71/151 mph against
Norman's 4.63/150 mph. Chris Stouffer again closed the
session with a 5.36/93 mph.
Three SWSC cars broke in qualifying. Eddie
Tidwell, Jim Garritson and Paul Harris all reported unable
to run as pairing was being arranged. The SWSC would have
its first ever 16 car opening round!
#10 Andy Mears ran #7 Julian Moody first pair.
Mears ran under index and lost to Moody in Mears first pass
in SWSC competition 4.62 to 4.71. Ken Reierson (moved up
from #15 to #14 when Harris broke) next paired with #3 Buck
Woolen. Reierson pedaled the slingshot to 5.54 vs. Woolen's
winning 4.73. #13 Mitch Meuse lost to #4 Jack Bartlett in Rd
1. Muse' 5.24 was outrun by a 4.73 by Bartlett. Pair #4 was
neighbors #11 L.H Newlin vs. #6 Bubba Kolner. Kolner ran
under seeding Newlin into Rd #2 (7.36). #12 Jack Chapman
paired with #5 Jacob Penner with Penner's sub index 4.68
advancing Chapman into the next round. #9 Sue Stringer
progressed courtesy of Greg Powell's red light. #15 Chris
Stouffer (also moved up the ladder ) was "counted out" on
the tree vs. #2 Bill Norman. Norman ran a 4.82 after the
North Star Dragway tree gave Stouffer a red light. #17 (up
one) Don David defeated #1 Mike Jones 4.79 to 4.80 to
advance in a battle of the Big Inch Altereds.
Rd 2 was initiated by #7 Julian Moody firing his
Keller-tuned dragster to run #2 Bill Norman and The Fabulous
Fat Boys. The Boys made a sub index 4.63 as Moody proceeded
on his nice 4.72. Jacob Penner (reinstated as per SWSC rules
to replace a broke Newlin) lost to Buck Woolen 4.65 to 4.74.
#9 Sue Stringer had luck on her side when Don David's Bantam
broke a rear on the burn-out. And Jack Chapman coasted to a
win after Jack Bartlett burned to a 4.67 sub pass.
The Semi-final round began around 11:00 for #3
Buck Woolen and #7 Julian Moody. Moody and Team advanced to
the final for the umpteenth time on a 4.75 as Woolen ran his
quickest time of the weekend 4.66. #12 Jack Chapman went
to his first final when #9 Sue Stringer "bulbed" (.381 r.t).
#12 Jack Chapman (altered/Ransom Canyon, TX)
prepared to run #7 Julian Moody (dragster/El Paso). When the
smoke cleared (figuratively) Jack Chapman had gotten his
first runner up in SWSC competition and Julian Moody & Team
had not only won another SWSC
event but locked up the SWSC 2007 Points Championship!
Congratulations of the highest order to Jack & Amy
Chapman and Team on their first final And Congratulations to
Julian Moody, Henry Keller, DJ, and all for their win and
Championship.
A big SWSC "Thanks" to the Owners and Staff of
North Star Dragway. What a beautiful and
well-prepared facility. We look forward to returning in
2008!
The final SWSC race of 2007 will be October 27 at
Abilene, TX. C'mon, we'll have a great time! We'll see you
there!
Spread 1-16 4.6803 to 5.3668 .686
1-8 4.6803 to
4.7486 .0683
Passes 4.70-4.80 14
4.60-4.70 17 (sub-index)
Two SWSC regulars were no-shows (Hill / McCoy) and
Biggest field EVER!
See you at the races!
Floyd
