Motorplex "Old School Showdown" To Be Continued
T.B.F.A. Looks Ahead to San Antonio
Texas Motorplex – Ennis, TX – Saturday, April 21st, 2012
Event #1 of 8
Photos: Max Cackle Photography
The Texas Blown Fuel Association kicked off the 2012 racing season at the famous all concrete Texas Motorplex quarter mile. Sharing the spotlight with the Southwest Junior Fuel Association and local nostalgia funny car competitors, this unique event billed as the “Old School Showdown” brought back the feel of the good ol’ days of drag racing with over two dozen front engine dragsters, blown altereds, funny cars and jet dragsters.
(Team "Senior Moment" warming up)
The fan appeal was evident as fans lined up for a chance to meet the drivers and get autographs before the show kicked off just after five o’clock. The T.B.F.A. would like to thank Good Vibrations and Competition Sales of Dallas for their continued support of the series bonus programs, while welcoming AMS Racing Engines of Stephenville, Texas who will host the "#1 Qualifier Bonus" during the 2012 racing season. Eight cars were on hand to entertain the crowd, quarter mile style on a 7.60 index, as the call went out to bring the cars to the staging lanes for the first qualifying session.
(TBFA & SWJFA drivers signing pre-race autographs)
Qualifying Highlights:
Defending T.B.F.A. points champion Chris Stouffer rolled out first in the Carl Meador tuned “Defiant” dragster along side Ted McCord in the Mike Brown tuned “Senior Moment” dragster. Two fine looking blown slingshots pulled into the beams and blasted off the line side by side as they passed half track. As they went through the traps, Stouffer lit the boards with a stout 7.61 at 168 mph to McCord’s too quick 7.42 at 182 mph.
(Chris Stouffer)
(Ted McCord)
Dustin Johnson wheeled his “Fair Warning” blown altered out next along side the new look blown slingshot of Steve Matthews. The cars launched off the line and were neck and neck through the quarter mile as Matthews posted a 7.54 at 163 mph to Johnson’s 7.48 at 178 mph, two good passes just a few ticks under the index.
(Dustin Johnson)
Rick Grindstaff debuted his brand new “Quarterflash II” blown front engine machine along side the “Bad O’Man” blown altered of Wes Breiten. Breiten is the latest T.B.F.A. winner hoping to keep his hot streak going after winning the Texas State Championships last fall. Grindstaff spun the tires at the hit but pedaled his way to a 9.41 while Breiten posted an 8.07 at 179 mph to claim a spot in the top half of the field.
(Steve Dunkin)
Steve Dunkin made his debut with the T.B.F.A series in his “Foolish Pleasure” blown slingshot dragster and posted a strong 7.52 at 170 mph on his opening lap. Closing the session was Keith Breazeal, also making his debut with the T.B.F.A. series. Breazeal rolled through the waterbox in his stunning “Lunatic Fringe” blown 1948 Fiat bodied altered. After a successful first burnout, Breazeal staged the car and made his first hit, a planned short and safe sixty foot squirt, as the teams returned to the pits to prepare for the final qualifying session.
(Keith Breazeal)
Steve Matthews and Ted McCord rolled through the water to start the final session of qualifying as McCord posted an 8.72 to qualify fourth while Matthews’ used his 7.54 from first session to qualify number eight. Matthews hoped he could slow his car down just a few hundredths of a second and defend his Texas Motorplex title after winning at last season’s Super Chevy event at the Plex.
(Steve Matthews)
(Wes Breiten)
Wes Breiten and Steve Dunkin were out next and Dunkin moved to the number two qualifying spot with an 8.02 at 136 mph and Breiten stayed in the third spot with his 8.07. Chris Stouffer was out next and posted a consistent 7.64 elapsed time to hold onto the number one qualifying position.
Rick Grindstaff continued to battle for traction at the starting line but his 9.41 held on for the number five spot and Dustin Johnson ended up number six with a 10.79. Keith Breazeal discovered some troubling engine damage on his blown Fiat and wisely opted to sit out the rest of the event to let the “Lunatic Fringe” race another day.
Bad luck also struck the “Defiant” team who discovered engine damage that would also keep them from making the first round of eliminations. This was the first time that the Meador & Stouffer team would miss a first round of eliminations since the series’ first event in 2010 and the disappointment was obvious. The good news is, post race inspection has determined the damage wasn’t as bad as predicted and team “Defiant” should be back in action at the next event, May 5th at San Antonio Raceway. The same goes for Keith Breazeal as post race reports indiciate the green Fiat will also be in San Antonio!
Final Qualifying Order:
1. Chris Stouffer (Cleburne, Texas) – 7.61 @ 168
2. Steve Dunkin (Aledo, Texas) – 8.02 @ 136
3. Wes Breiten (Wolfe City, Texas) – 8.07 @ 179
4. Ted McCord (Claremore, Oklahoma) – 8.72 @ 97
5. Rick Grindstaff (Dickinson, Texas) – 9.41 @ 107
6. Dustin Johnson (Davis, Oklahoma) – 10.79 @ 75
7. Keith Breazeal (Cypress, Texas) – 12.14 @ 116
8. Steve Matthews (Ardmore, Oklahoma) – 7.54 @ 163
Rick Grindstaff and Steve Dunkin matched up to start the first round of eliminations as Grindstaff took the starting line advantage and it turned into a blown front slingshot pedalfest as the cars passed the sixty foot mark. Back and forth, on and off the throttle, Grindstaff got to the line first with a 9.49 to Dunkin’s 11.06.
(Rick Grindstaff)
Wes Breiten and Dustin Johnson pulled into the beams next in their blown altereds. Breiten was off the line first and in similar style, both cars were pedaling their way to the finish line. Breiten got there first but crossed the centerline in the process so Johnson took the win with a 7.85 at 158 mph to Breiten’s 7.93 at 156 mph.
(Dustin Johnson vs. Wes Breiten)
The final pair brought Ted McCord and Steve Matthews to the line, two cars trying their best to stay above the 7.60 index. McCord was off the line first with the best reaction time of the round (.014) but broke out the most with a 7.47 at 159 mph to Matthew’s slower break out 7.51 at 147 mph.
(Ted McCord vs. Steve Matthews)
First Round Results:
(W) Rick Grindstaff (.330 rt) 9.49 @ 97 vs. (L) Steve Dunkin (.553 rt) 11.06 @ 86
(W) Dustin Johnson (.370 rt) 7.85 @ 158 mph vs. (L) Wes Breiten (.228 rt) 7.93 @ 156
(W) Steve Matthews (.136 rt) 7.51 @ 147 mph vs. (L) Ted McCord (.014 rt) 7.47 @ 159
As the teams were preparing for the semi-final round the call was made by the staff at the Texas Motorplex to pull the plug on the remainder of the event due to a rapidly cooling racetrack surface, a decision agreed upon by the T.B.F.A. staff. The remainder of the season opener will be decided May 19th at North Star Dragway with Rick Grindstaff, Dustin Johnson and Steve Matthews still in competition.
The teams will have a week off before heading south to San Antonio Raceway to blaze the hides with the Painless Performance Outlaw Fuel Altered Association and Smiley’s Southwest Junior Fuel Association at “Texas Nostalgia Nationals” presented by the Texas Timing Association. You won't want to miss this showcase of the regions finest nostalgia drag racing machines. Bracket and index racing action starts at 9AM and the feature show is scheduled to kick off at 1PM. For more information visit www.texastiming.com.
Click Here to see photos from the Old School Showdown!
Good Vibrations Quick Reaction Time Bonus - Ted McCord (.014)
AMS Racing Engines Top Qualifier Bonus - Chris Stouffer
Competition Sales of Dallas "Luck of the Draw" - Rick Grindstaff
