Ricky Marshall Rises At North Star
North Star Dragway - Denton, Texas
May 17th, 2008
Race Report & Photos - Chris Graves
North Star Dragway hosted the Smiley’s Racing Products Southwest Junior Fuel Series on May 17th in Denton, Texas. This event marked the halfway point of the 2008 season. Houston based racer Keith Breazeal won the inaugural S.W.J.F.A. championship last year and continues to lead the pack with final round appearances in every event so far this year and a win at Shreveport. This season has welcomed some new faces to the scene including Rick Grindstaff, Johnny Laird, Thomas Porter, Jimmy Todd and the Hawkins brothers.
Ten dragsters made the tow to this feature event at North Star Dragway presented by Racing Sports Live Radio with headliners the Royal Purple Outlaw Fuel Altereds and Smiley’s Southwest Junior Fuelers. Rick Grindstaff got qualifying underway in his beautiful “Quarterflash” machine and laid down a nice 5.07 at 134 mph with Don Scott along side at 5.72. Keith Breazeal came out next and clicked off a 4.97 at 137 with Mike Millsap off pace at 5.84 in the other lane. Steve Dunkin went 5.25 at 131 mph in the “Foolish Pleasure” ride while Thomas Porter aborted his run early in the opposing lane. Ken Hawkins won at the last event in Denton and came out strong with a 5.04 at 134 mph while Jimmy Todd threw up a nice 5.27 at 130 mph in Buster Johnson’s “Proud American.” Ricky Marshall made his first appearance of the season at Denton and went 5.12 at 131 mph with Johnny Laird at 5.58 in the other lane to close out first session of qualifying.
(Steve Dunkin and Thomas Porter)
Ken and Keith Hawkins are in their first season with the series and have become contenders in a short period of time. Ken drove the family car to a win at Denton in March while Keith earned his competition license at the last event in Shreveport. Ken took the wheel for this event and stepped up his qualifying time to a 5.03 at 135 mph to earn him the number three spot. Steve Dunkin stepped up to a 5.21 and would start from the sixth spot. Mike Millsap stole the pole with a solid 4.92 at 137 mph pass and Laird improved to a 5.52. Breazeal clicked off another 4.97 pass and yet again appeared to be the car to beat heading into eliminations from the second qualifying position. Ricky Marshall improved to a 5.05 at 132 mph lap and would start his first race of the season from the fourth spot. Hawkins, Grindstaff, Todd and Porter also all improved on their qualifying times and with everyone on the top of their game the racers were eager to get the eliminations underway.
(Keith Breazeal)
Millsap claimed his fifth number one qualifying spot in his eight races with the series dating back to last season. Qualifying well is unfortunately Millsap’s best asset because at this point as he has yet to back it up with an event win, a stat he would surely like to knock off tonight. Thomas Porter got in on the bump spot in the “Bone Peddler” machine while Laird and Scott feel short and packed up early.
Final Qualifying Order:
1) Mike Millsap (Sasche, Texas) – 4.922 / 137 mph
2) Keith Breazeal (Houston, Texas) – 4.971 / 137 mph
3) Ken Hawkins (Shreveport, Louisiana) – 5.038 / 135 mph
4) Ricky Marshall (Burleson, Texas) – 5.057 / 132 mph
5) Rick Grindstaff (Dickinson, Texas) – 5.077 / 134 mph
6) Steve Dunkin (Ft. Worth, Texas) – 5.218 / 131 mph
7) Jimmy Todd (Blue Ridge, Texas) – 5.251 / 131 mph
8) Thomas Porter (Burleson, Texas) – 5.456 / 127 mph
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9) Johnny Laird (Springer, Oklahoma) – 5.529 / 123 mph
10) Don Scott (Garland, Texas) – 5.724 / 119 mph
Prior to every first round the qualified teams gather and draw cards in the “Luck of the Draw” meeting to form a ladder based on card pairings in an effort to offer each team an equal opportunity to go rounds. The first pair saw Grindstaff take the win over Porter although Grindstaff made his slowest pass of the night at 5.09 and Porter made his best a 5.32. Breazeal knocked off Todd with yet another 4.97 pass to advance to the semis. Dunkin cut a stellar .004 reaction time but had problems and could not compete with Hawkins’ nice 5.02 lap. Millsap had complications on his burnout when his injector net actually got sucked down and stuck in an injector which hung the throttle open and ended his night. Marshall then laid down a nice 5.05 to advance to the semi in a solo run.
First Round Results:
(W) Rick Grindstaff (.051 rt, 5.09 at 134 mph) vs. (L) Thomas Porter (.105 rt, 5.32 at 127 mph)
(W) Keith Breazeal (.006 rt, 4.97 at 137 mph) vs. (L) Jimmy Todd (.336 rt, 5.29 at 130 mph)
(W) Ken Hawkins (.147 rt, 5.02 at 134 mph) vs. (L) Steve Dunkin (.004 rt, 6.54 at 70 mph)
(W) Ricky Marshall (.020 rt, 5.05 at 132 mph) vs. (L) Mike Millsap (No Time)
The semi-final brought some great racing from the dragsters with a very close opening match-up with Marshall and Hawkins. Marshall got a slight starting line advantage and clicked off a 5.059 at 132 to defeat Hawkins’ quicker but loosing 5.050 at 135 mph. Breazeal and company had their car on a string with three straight 4.97 laps and backed it up with a 4.98 in the semi final round against Grindstaff, but Breazeal left too soon with a -.059 reaction time that ended his day and advanced Grindstaff to the final round with Marshall.
Semi-Final Results:
(W) Ricky Marshall (.047 rt, 5.059 at 132 mph) vs. (L) Ken Hawkins (.080 rt, 5.050 at 135 mph)
(W) Rick Grindstaff (.039 rt, 5.12 at 133 mph) vs. (L) Keith Breazeal (-.059 rt, 4.98 at 137 mph)
We were guaranteed a first time winner as both drivers advanced to their first S.W.J.F.A. final round. Grindstaff’s first season with the series had yielded no round wins prior to Denton but here he was lined up in his first final and a shot at taking home the team’s first win. Marshall was making just his third appearance racing in the series but in his prior two he earned a runner-up and semi-final finish so when he does come to play, he plays hard! Marshall had his car running very consistently with three straight 5.05 passes and held a miniscule performance advantage as the cars lined up for the final run of the night.
Grindstaff’s nerves got the best of him as he went red by -.023 but what makes it even worse for Grindstaff is that Marshall struck the tires at the hit and idled down track to take the win. Marshall’s traction problems in the final came as a surprise but a win is a win and Marshall took home the Smiley’s Racing Products winner’s plaque and check. Grindstaff had a bizarre night at the starting line in eliminaitons. After benefiting from a red light from points leader Breazeal in the semi-final Grindstaff went red when it counted most.
(The Final Round)
Marshall’s win marks the sixth different winner in the Southwest Junior Fuel Assocation’s one and a half year history. Many teams will be out next at the NHRA Holley Hot Rod Reunion in Bowling Green, Kentucky and the next S.W.J.F.A. event is scheduled for July 5th at North Star Dragway in Denton, Texas.
(Team Grindstaff - Denton Runner-Up)
(Ricky Marshall and Team - Denton Winners)
Top Speed – Keith Breazeal (137.99 mph)
Low Elapsed Time – Mike Millsap (4.922)
Click here to see photos from this event!
