Team Moody Thunders @ Midland

    The Southwest SuperChargers latest tiptoe to the tarmac was an outing to Desert Thunder Raceway in Midland Tx. and Julian Moody & The Pipeliner Team were again the standard by which others were judged.

      Fully eighteen supercharged hopefuls attended this the fifth SWSC race of the '09' season.  Q-1 was launch as Greg Powell and Ray Stringer fired their respective small blocks. Ray's loose 7.525/ 63mph trailed Greg's pedaling 5.127/141mph. Next Sue Stringer meet Julian Moody's funny. Both suffered from traction woes, Moody's 6.730/ 79 finished ahead of Sue's 7.649/ 60. While the Desert Thunder Raceway surface is among the best, this time the wind did us a disservice and deposited sand on the freshly prepped track immediately before time trials began. Bummer! Jack Bartlett and Andy Mears ran 5.574/ 137 & 6.058/ 112 respectively. Jacob Penner figured out the problem in time to go 4.822/ 148 to Bill Normans 5.127/ 129.  Gary Hill's decent 5.019/ 137 out-paced Don David's 5.488/ 121. Doug Mershirer new big block went 6.046/ 104 to Mike Jones 6.627/ 34mph. Clay Cunningham managed a 5.330/ 135 as Doug Kelley's altered spun and gave up early 5.75/ 85. Good thing, too, as Kelley "0" brakes and went into the sand box deep. A fair amount of damage ended Dougs day. Hope he repairs and returns soon. Buck Woolen next went 5.597/ 122 vs. Lyly Byrum's 5.845/ 97. Nice new car, Lyle! David Chesnutt's Lenco equipped car went 6.050/ 86 trailed Brittny Blakely's 5.374/ 131. And Q-1 rounded out with Russ Padgett making a 6.056/ 107 in his altered.

     The small blocks of Greg Powell and Jack Bartlett kicked off Q-2. Powell out ran Jack 5.246/ 127 vs. 7.148/ 77. Doug Mershirer's 6.162/ 101 fell behind Bill Norman's 5.067/ 132. Buck Woolen improved to a 4.865/ 132 to Mike Jones's 6.206/ 89. Sue Stringer likewise stepped up 5.256/ 137 vs. Russ Padgett's 5.954/ 115. Jacob Penner went just .003 off perfect 4.7975/ 149 against Gary Hill's way crooked 6.811/ 77. Clay Cunningham went a consistent 5.302/ 140 to Julian Moody's much improved 4.854/ 142. Ray Stringer stepped up to a 4.997/ 138 as Lyle Byrum ran 5.503/ 121. David Chesnutt went an officially ignored 4.663/ 147 and Brittny Blakely failed to get to the stripe.

     SWSC Elims began with #1 qualifier Jacob Penner #8 Greg Powell. Powell took the win with his near perfect 4.8014/ 144 to Jacob's equally stellar 4.7985/ 137. WOW! Not only was that #1 and #2 in the points but there went the Mears Mazda "Oh-So-Close" Award to the closest looser of the day! Penner's loosing margin.....   just .0029 sec. Nice show guys!  Don David won (5.042/ 131) when #5 Ray Stringer double stepped ( 5.191/ 138). #3 Buck Woolen took a win light over #6 Gary Hill, 4.889/ 144 to 5.492/ 122. #2 Julian Moody stole one when his 4.848/ 138 advanced over Bill Normans under index 4.796/ 146.

    The Semi final round started with Don David advancing to the final over Greg Powell 5.028/ 130 to 4.969/ 140. (Can you say HOLE-SHOT?). And the Pipeliner Team won a berth in the last stanza via their 4.842/ 138 win over Buck Woolen's 5.615/ 91.

    The final was #2 Julian Moody vs. #4 Don David. As the 'tree' came down Don's side showed the "red-eye", -.234. Don surrendered as Moody put up a nice 4.883/ 133 for the win! Mears Mazda up an additional bonus for the first repeat winner of 09.... instantly grabbed up by Julian Moody for his Abilene and Midland victories. And go back and review Team Moody's e.t.s...... tough! Great job Fellas!

    Congratulations to Brittny Blakely on her alternate qualifying position first time out with SWSC. Lyle Byrum and Bobby Brown, nice piece, a great addition to the SWSC program. Also Russ Padgett 2nd race with the SWSC (now I know your last name), see you again soon. David Chesnutt, hope you become a regular with us. Gary Smith and the soon to be finished Seismic Activity hemi powered dragster looking forward to your inaugural event.

    C'mon, lets go to El Paso September 6th for our next SWSC race of 09.

    See you at the races.........

    FRS.

   Harpers Oil Pan Oil Retention Best Burn-Out Mike Jones

   Bounty on Bill Norman (by Jerry Norman Race Cars) Julian Moody (.0417 r.t. to .3346 r.t.)

   Sunset Racecraft Progressive Qualifier Greg Powell (#8)