Stallard Scores Win In
Debut Event at Ardmore
Ardmore Dragway – Ardmore, Oklahoma
August 30th, 2008
Race Report - Chris Graves
Photos - Chris Graves & Jenny Hart

Ardmore Dragway hosted their 3rd Annual Hot Rod Reunion to celebrate the Slow Poke Car club that started it all in 1955. Ardmore Dragway has that old school vibe as it is the oldest continuously operated drag strip the United States, a perfect place to have a hot rod reunion event. The Smiley’s Racing Products Southwest Junior Fuel series headlined the show in a non-points earning event with an eight car field including some new teams making their SWJFA debut.

Kenny Stallard brought out the Don Alexander owned “T-Town Hustler” based out of Tulsa with Chevrolet power and Howard Tribbey also from Tulsa made his first go in a brand new Hemi car.

(Howard Tribbey)

Qualifying concluded with Mike Millsap claiming his fifth straight number one qualifying effort with a nice 4.95 at 134 mph. Don Holley claimed the second qualifying position with a 5.15 at 134 mph, Thomas Porter’s “Bone Pedaler” nabbed the third spot at 5.23 and Steve Dunkin’s “Foolish Pleasure” finished out the top half in fourth with a 5.25 at 131 mph.

(Mike Millsap)

(Thomas Porter)

Final Qualifying Order:

1. Mike Millsap (Sachse, Texas) - 4.95
2. Don Holley (Denton, Texas) - 5.15
3. Thomas Porter (Burleson, Texas) - 5.23
4. Steve Dunkin (Aledo, Texas) - 5.25
5. Kenny Stallard (Tulsa, Oklahoma) - 5.26
6. Mike Mauldin (Wylie, Texas) - 5.43
7. Johnnie Laird (Springer, Oklahoma) - 5.803
8. Howard Tribbey (Tulsa, Oklahoma) - 5.805

(Mike Mauldin)

(Steve Dunkin)

Millsap and Porter lined up to kick off the first round of eliminations and one of the top qualified cars would be out early at the end of this one. Porter ran his best lap with a 5.22 at 130 mph but lost at the starting line with a -.019 reaction time. Millsap laid down his best run with a winning 4.94 at 137 mph. Steve Dunkin rolled out next along side Howard Tribbey. Dunkin clicked off a 5.23 at 132 mph to eliminate Tribbey’s 5.82 at 119 mph. Tribbey made his first full passes with a brand new car at this event and will hopefully be seen again soon on the SWJFA tour. Johnnie Laird took advantage of a Don Holley red light to advance with a 5.79 at 101 mph to Holley’s 5.11 at 134 mph. Holley’s -.042 reaction fouled out over Laird’s -.006. Kenny Stallard’s “T-Town Hustler” rolled out along side Mike Mauldin in the last pair of first round. Stallard’s 5.27 at 130 mph took out Mauldin’s 6.88 at 69 mph and Stallard advanced to face Laird in the semi-final.

First Round Results:

(W) Mike Millsap (.154 rt) 4.94 at 137 mph vs. (L) Thomas Porter (-.019 rt) 5.22 at 130 mph
(W) Steve Dunkin (.167 rt) 5.23 at 132 mph vs. (L) Howard Tribbey (.604 rt) 5.82 at 119 mph
(W) Johnnie Laird (-.006 rt) 5.79 at 101 mph vs. (L) Don Holley (-.042 rt) 5.11 at 134 mph
(W) Kenny Stallard (.048 rt) 5.27 at 130 mph vs. (L) Mike Mauldin (.013 rt) 6.88 at 69 mph

(Don Holley)

(Kenny Stallard)

The semi-final brought some good match ups include Steve Dunkin against Mike Millsap. Dunkin cut a stout .008 reaction time and clicked off a nice 5.20 at 132 mph to defeat the quicker but loosing 5.14 from Millsap. Dunkin advanced to his second final of the season and hoped to earn his first win of the year over the winner of the next race between Stallard and Laird. Laird’s “Rain Maker” got off the line first and clicked off a 5.53 at 123 mph but Stallard drove around him and got the win with a 5.24 at 130 mph. Stallard advanced to the final in his debut event to square off against Dunkin.

(Johnnie Laird)

Semi-Final Results:

(W) Steve Dunkin (.008 rt) 5.20 at 132 mph vs. (L) Mike Millsap (.241 rt) 5.14 at 123 mph
(W) Kenny Stallard (.146 rt) 5.24 at 130 mph vs. (L) Johnnie Laird (.053 rt) 5.53 at 123 mph

The T-Town gang brought their A game with a consistent hot rod which is what it takes to go rounds. Dunkin held a slight performance advantage as the two laid down side by side burnouts and pulled into the beams to decide a winner. Stallard cut an almost too good .004 reaction time and went 5.24 at 131 mph to take out Dunkin’s quicker 5.23 at 132 mph. Stallard and team could not have asked for a better debut event at Ardmore and look to be a future player in the Smiley’s Southwest Junior Fuel Association.

“We felt very welcome by the series and everyone treated us great. We had a great time. We are hoping to compete in the event at North Star Dragway in October and really looking forward to the 2009 season,” said car owner Don Alexander.

(Team "T-Town Hustler" Winner's Circle)

(Steve Dunkin Runner-Up)

Final Round Results:

(W) Kenny Stallard (.004 rt) 5.24 at 131 mph vs. (L) Steve Dunkin (.142 rt) 5.23 at 132 mph

Dunkin settled for his fourth career runner-up finish which leads the SWJFA. He will continue his search for that elusive win at the next Smiley’s Racing Products Southwest Junior Fuel event scheduled for North Star Dragway on October 18th. Dunkin is at the top of a tight points battle for second place with the Hawkins Brothers and Rick Grindstaff nipping at his heels in third and fourth. Their hopes of catching points leader Keith Breazeal are slim as he holds a 71 point lead with possibly only one points race remaining in the season. Breazeal most likely will just need to show up at the October event to clinch his second straight SWJFA series Championship. To see the rest of the points and find out more visit www.swjfa.com.

Browse event photos:
Chris Graves Gallery
Jenny Hart Gallery