Breazeal Notches Second Consecutive SJFA Win
Event #2 – Redline Raceway – Caddo Mills, Texas
Keith Breazeal took home the first official Southwest Junior Fuel Association event win at the season opener at Shreveport’s Red River Raceway and backed it up with another win at Redline Raceway in Caddo Mills, Texas. The rain clouds took a peek at Redline Raceway, but thankfully held off to allow a great night of front engine dragster action with the Southwest Junior Fuel Association. With just one official race in the books eight junior fuel dragsters along with the Outlaw Fuel Altered Association put on yet another great nostalgia drag racing show at the Prestige Ford Spring Nationals.
Qualifying got underway as the sun started to peek away behind the trees at the top end of the strip. Breazeal opened up the action with a 5.21 at 130 mph along side Don Scott’s 5.75. Next was circuit president Mike Millsap who went 4.95 at 139 mph and Ricky Marshall’s off pace 6.01. Mike Mauldin wheeled his machine to a 5.41 at 127 mph with Steve Dunkin along side at 5.42 at 127. Richard Brady made a nice 5.18 run at 130 mph along the beautiful machine of Brett Steinberg from Houston who clicked off a 5.41 at 126.
The second session of qualifying witnessed Millsap shaving a few hundredths off his first round time with a nice 4.89 at 139 mph to take the top spot heading into eliminations. Breazeal improved to a 5.20 but Ricky Marshall made the biggest move from eighth up to second with a 5.13 at 131 mph. Millsap claimed his second straight pole position and seemed to be the favorite heading into eliminations. Back in the pits, the S.J.F.A. drew cards as they do before each elimination round to set up the pairings. This process is referred to as “Luck of the Draw” and gives everyone a fair shot and taking home a winner’s plaque and more importantly the biggest check of the night.
Final Qualifying Order:
1. Mike Millsap – 4.89
2. Ricky Marshall – 5.13
3. Richard Brady – 5.18
4. Keith Breazeal – 5.20
5. Brett Steinberg – 5.411
6. Mike Mauldin – 5.414
7. Steve Dunkin – 5.42
8. Don Scott – 5.75
First round kicked off with Shreveport runner-up Steve Dunkin laying down a 5.48 to take out Brady who struggled to a 9.55. Breazeal took advantage of Mauldin’s red light and clicked off a 5.20 to advance to the semis. Scott left before the tree was activated so Millsap cruised to a 7.84 and would face Breazeal in the semi final and Marshall advanced over Steinberg and drew a match up with Dunkin in the next round.
First Round Results:
(W) Steve Dunkin (.416 rt) 5.48 at 126 mph vs. (L) Richard Brady (.683 rt) 9.55 at 59 mph
(W) Keith Breazeal (.413 rt) 5.20 at 130 mph vs. (L) Mike Mauldin (.373 red) 5.43 at 127 mph
(W) Mike Millsap (foul) 7.84 at 58 mph vs. (L) Don Scott (foul) no time
(W) Ricky Marshall (No Run Data) vs. (L) Brett Steinberg (No Run Data)
The S.J.F.A. drew cards again to pair up the semi-final which matched Marshall versus Dunkin in the first pair. Marshall laid down his best pass of the night with a 5.01 at 135 mph to take out Dunkin who clicked off 5.44 but left the big red bulb glowing at the starting line. Marshall would advance to his first final of the season. The next match-up found two heavyweights lining up for a ticket to the final. Breazeal was hoping to make his second final in a row and Millsap wanted to turn his awesome qualifying performance into an event win at Caddo Mills. Millsap got almost a five hundredths advantage at the tree but Breazeal ran him down with a nice 5.20 at 131 mph to Millsap’s 5.56 at 136 mph. It was now time for the last race of the night as the clock ticked past midnight.
Semi-Final Results:
(W) Ricky Marshall (.444 rt) 5.01 at 135 mph vs. (L) Steve Dunkin (.377 red) 5.44 at 127 mph)
(W) Keith Breazeal (.527 rt) 5.20 at 131 mph vs. (L) Mike Millsap (.478 rt) 5.56 at 136 mph)
In the final round Breazeal cut a .444 light and never looked back. The scoreboards lit up with a 5.24 at 130 mph while Marshall struggled in the opposite lane and fell to a 6.89 at 90 mph. Breazeal’s consistency won this event. All five passes by his machine were within four hundredths of each other.
Final Round Results:
(W) Keith Breazeal (.441 rt) 5.24 at 130 mph vs. (L) Ricky Marshall (.487 rt) 6.89 at 90 mph
“Well, as luck has it we've won two in a row now and I still can't believe it. I want to thank Mike Millsap for lending me a necessary part after qualifying and Don Scott for lending me parts straight off of his dragster before the final,” says Breazeal.
The Southwest Junior Fuel Association would like to thank Smiley’s Racing Products for their support in the 2007 racing season. The next stop for the S.J.F.A. is at Pine Valley Raceway in Lufkin, Texas on June 9th!
Click here to see photos from this event!
Low Elapsed Time – Mike Millsap (4.89)
Top Speed – Mike Millsap (139.75)
