Coker Notches Emotional Win in SWJFA Finals
Breazeal Wins Back to Back Championships
North Star Dragway - Denton, Texas
Event #7 of 7 - October 18th, 2008
Race Report & Photos - Chris Graves

The Smiley’s Racing Products Southwest Junior Fuel Association came to North Star Dragway along with the Royal Purple Outlaw Fuel Altereds to finish out their 2008 season with perfect weather, a great track and packed grandstands under the lights in Denton, Texas. Keith Breazeal, your defending series champion, sat perched atop the Smiley’s standings as he has for most of the SWJFA series’ short two year existence. Freshman team, the Louisiana based Hawkins brothers, held the second spot with Steve Dunkin sitting third heading into Denton. Breazeal and Dunkin are the only two drivers to make every SWJFA event since it’s beginning and both were on hand tonight in the seventh and final race of the year.

Dunkin has advanced to three final rounds in his twelve starts, but has yet to take home the winner’s plaque presented to each event champion by SWJFA President and racer Mike Millsap. Breazeal, well he has done it all with three wins in 2007 and four trips to the final round in 2008 claiming two wins at Evadale and Shreveport.

Thirteen dragsters came to square off for the final event of the season including Kenny Stallard, Chuck Rearick and Odie Coker who were all making their first start at a points earning event. Stallard is coming off back to back wins in non-point earning events in Ardmore, Oklahoma and Odessa, Texas. Coker is no stranger to the winner’s circle as the Ron & Mardy Ussery owned hot rod took home back to back wins at the NHRA Holley Hot Rod Reunions in the Junior Fuel “B” class (Columbus 2007, Bowling Green 2008).

The dragsters got the evening started around 6:30 p.m. just ahead of the fuel altered’s first qualifying session in what was to be a spectacular night of nostalgic drag racing action in Texas. Rick Grindstaff rolled his beautiful “Quarterflash” machine to the line and clicked off a career best 4.98 at 138 mph with Johnny Laird along side at 5.47 at 125 mph. This was Grindstaff’s first sub five second lap and a great way to start off the last event of his rookie season with the series. Grindstaff has attended every event this year and will finish in the Smiley’s Top 5 no matter what happens here at Denton.

(Rick Grindstaff)

Ricky Marshall and Don Holley lined up next in their pristine hot rods, both making their fourth starts of the season. Marshall tripped the beams with a 5.04 at 134 mph to Holley’s 5.23 also at 134 mph. Next up Kenny Stallard and the Tulsa based “T-Town Hustler” along side Steve Dunkin in “Foolish Pleasure.” Stallard and team went 5.07 at 135 mph to Dunkin’s close 5.10 at 135 mph. Mike Millsap and Thomas Porter were out next and Millsap went low for the time being with a stout 4.81 at 142 mph while Porter has issues in the other lane and got no time. The final pair of first session rolled through the water with Ken Hawkins and Odie Coker. Coker blistered the 660 to a 4.68 at 147 mph, to Hawkins’ nice 4.91 at 138 mph, wow.

The teams turned their cars around quickly and were ready for second session not long after the Outlaw Fuel Altereds wrapped up their first session of qualifying. So let’s switch lanes and let’s get it on! Don Holley stepped up to a 5.04 while Stallard clicked off another nice 5.07. Rick Grindstaff went 5.03 while Logan Pursur bested a 5.53 at 125 mph at his hometown track. Ken Hawkins wheeled his ride to a 4.93 at 138 mph and looked good heading into eliminations. Keith Breazeal had mechanical issues in first session and had to abort the run, but came out and clicked off a 4.90 at 139 mph to secure himself a spot in the field. Breazeal has now qualified for every SWJFA event in history as has Steve Dunkin who’s best of a 5.10 qualified him ninth, while Breazeal’s 4.90 took the third position. By qualifying for the show, Breazeal clinched the 2008 Smiley’s SWJFA Championship; his second in as many years, and could now worry about finishing off the season with a win here in Denton. Congratulations to the entire Breazeal Motorsports team on their back to back Smiley’s SWJFA Championships!

(Logan Pursur)

(Celebrating the 2008 Championship)

As qualifying continued, Mike Millsap went 4.99 at 138 mph, Chuck Rearick went 5.32 at 137 mph, Ricky Marshall clicked off a 5.11 at 133 mph and Thomas Porter got in the show with a 7.45 to round out the field.

This marked Odie Coker’s second SWJFA series start from the number one spot, coming off a series elapsed time and mile per hour record with a 4.68 at 147 mph lap in first session. Coker had issues in second session and shutoff on the line, but still took the top spot and hopefully could repair their issues before the call went out for first round.

(Odie Coker)

Final Qualifying Order:

1) Odie Coker (Dallas, Texas) – 4.682 at 147.88 mph
2) Mike Millsap (Sasche, Texas) – 4.817 at 142.68 mph
3) Keith Breazeal (Cypress, Texas) – 4.909 at 139.41 mph
4) Ken Hawkins (Shreveport, Louisiana) – 4.918 at 138.50 mph
5) Rick Grindstaff (Dickinson, Texas) – 4.981 at 138.55 mph
6) Ricky Marshall (Burleson, Texas) – 5.041 at 134 mph
7) Don Holley (Denton, Texas) – 5.044 at 136.36 mph
8) Kenny Stallard (Tulsa, Oklahoma) – 5.071 at 135.46 mph
9) Steve Dunkin (Aledo, Texas) – 5.101 at 135.54 mph
10) Chuck Rearick (Arlington, Texas) – 5.324 at 137 mph
11) Johnny Laird (Ardmore, Oklahoma) – 5.476 at 125.10 mph
12) Logan Pursur (Denton, Texas) – 5.530 at 125.73 mph
13) Thomas Porter (Burleson, Texas) – 7.451 at 58.78 mph

All thirteen cars made the call for first round, with the four quickest winners getting a ticket to advance to the semi-final. Don Holley and Thomas Porter opened up the first round of eliminations by running their best times of the night, but Holley got the win with a 5.02 at 136 mph over Thomas Porter’s 5.26 at 131 mph. Porter’s “Bone Peddler” digger finished the season tied for tenth place in the Smiley’s standings and will be back for more next season in his beautiful dragster. Breazeal and Hawkins rolled out next and in pair of heavyweights, your number one and two cars in the standings. Hawkins outran the champ but left too soon with a -.021 reaction time so his 5.00 at 136 mph lost to Breazeal’s 5.05 at 137 mph. That was Breazeal’s slowest round winning elapsed time of the season and Hawkins’ will finish the year in second place in the teams first season on tour, can you say “Rookie of the Year?” Mike Millsap blasted to a 4.82 at 141 mph to knock off Grindstaff who fell off to a 7.41. Grindstaff leaves the year on a good note with a handful of nice laps and a fourth place finish in the “Quarterflash” machine, not to shabby in his first year on tour.

(Thomas Porter)

Chuck Rearick got the nod over Steve Dunkin with a 5.19 at 136 mph over Dunkin’s off pace 6.27. Johnny Laird got the win over Logan Pursur with a 5.52 to Pursur’s 5.65. Ricky Marshall clicked off his best lap of the night with a 4.97 at 136 mph to take out Kenny Stallard who again went 5.07 but left -.0008 red at the tree. Odie Coker benefited from the first round bye run and blew everyone away with a 4.63 at 148 mph. Coker had the quickest reaction time (in a bye run!) and obviously the best run of the session on both ends, an obvious favorite heading into the semis.

(Kenny Stallard)

(Keith Breazeal)

First Round Results:

(W) Don Holley (.012 rt) 5.027 at 136.36 mph vs. (L) Thomas Porter (.098 rt) 5.26 at 131.12 mph
(W) Keith Breazeal (.018 rt) 5.05 at 137.74 mph vs. (L) Ken Hawkins (-.021 rt) 5.00 at 136.53
(W) Mike Millsap (.125 rt) 4.82 at 141.38 mph vs. (L) Rick Grindstaff (.429 rt) 7.41 at 68 mph
(W) Chuck Rearick (.026 rt) 5.19 at 136.94 mph vs. (L) Steve Dunkin (.225 rt) 6.27 at 130 mph
(W) Johnny Laird (.093 rt) 5.52 at 118.58 mph vs. (L) Logan Pursur (.072 rt) 5.65 at 127.44 mph
(W) Ricky Marshall (.014 rt) 4.97 at 136.36 mph vs. (L) Kenny Stallard (-.0008 rt) 5.07 at 137.53 mph
(W) Odie Coker (.005 rt) 4.63 at 148.17 mph vs. BYE

(Mike Millsap)

The four quickest winners advanced to the semi-final including Coker, Millsap, Marshall and Holley. The two quickest cars of the night paired up to kick off the semi-final with Millsap facing Coker. Coker left first and never looked back with a 4.63 at 148.91 mph to defeat Millsap who smoked the tires at the hit and went 7.11 at 63 mph. Millsap ends his year with a semi-final round finish in Denton and passed Don Scott in the standings to finish fifth.

Ricky Marshall and Don Holley came out next and Holley gave it away on the tree with a -.033 reaction time, while Marshall clicked off his best lap of the night with a 4.95 at 137.66 mph to advance to the final round to face Coker.

Semi-Final Round Results:

(W) Odie Coker (.057 rt) 4.63 at 148.91 mph vs. (L) Mike Millsap (.101 rt) 7.11 at 63 mph
(W) Ricky Marshall (.031 rt) 4.95 at 137.66 mph vs. (L) Don Holley (-.033 rt) 5.25 at 108 mph

This marks Marshall’s second final of the season as he looked to back up his win at North Star Dragway earlier in the season. Coker was looking for his first SWJFA series victory with two finals and two number one qualifying efforts under his belt in just three starts. Coker definitely had the performance advantage but the track conditions had changed drastically in the five hours that had gone by since first session. There was only one thing to do, line them up and send it!

Coker got drilled off the line with Marshall gaining over a tenth and a half advantage on the tree, but Coker ran him down and clicked off a 4.611 at 149.25 mph to take his first Smiley’s Southwest Junior Fuel win and break both ends of the series record book.

(Odie Coker in the final round)

Final Round Results:

(W) Odie Coker (.1657 rt) 4.611 at 149.25 mph vs. (L) Ricky Marshall (.0076 rt) 4.99 at 136.94 mph

(Ricky Marshall - Runner-Up)

(Odie Coker, Cam Coker and Ron Ussery accept the plaque from SWJFA Pres. Mike Millsap)

“It was a very special to share this win with my family and I want to dedicate this win to the memory of my grandfather Raymond Coker. I am truly grateful for the opportunities he and my father Don have given me. Being associated with Ron and Mardy Ussery and having the privilege to drive their hot rod is quite an honor. Along with Scott Givens and Cam Coker we have a great team, so look out west coast boys. I’d like to thank Dale Emery, Dennis Piranio and Terry Sullivan at Sullivan Motorsports but of course a huge thanks goes Mike Millsap, Smiley’s Racing Products and the Southwest Junior Fuel Association for giving us a place to race here in the southwest close to home,” said Coker.

So Odie Coker is your event champion, Keith Breazeal defended his 2007 Championship brought it home again this year and that puts a wrap on the 2008 Smiley’s Southwest Junior Fuel Association season. Congratulations to each and every team who participated in this year’s fun and next year is expected to bring a handful of new faces and hot rods to the series.

Click here to see photos from this event!