It was a record setting evening for the Southwest Junior Fuel Association on Saturday, May 30th at North Star Dragway in Denton, Texas as twenty one cars dominated the pit area all eager to get the third event of the SWJFA season underway. After two completed events, your two time champion Keith Breazeal sat atop the standings in his normal position with Rick Grindstaff and Richard Brady hot on his heels. Grindstaff is coming off back to back runner-up finishes and has also a runner-up finish in Denton last season. Brady took the 2008 season off and came out to win the first event of the season at Penwell Knights Raceway. Though the big news in Denton was the car count and numerous new members making their SWJFA debuts.

Joe Scarlata of Garland, Texas made his first showing behind the wheel of Robie Robertson’s Corpus Christi based machine. Ted McCord made his first outing in Mike Brown’s beautiful “Senior Moment” Tulsa based entry. Former Pro Modified racer turned front engine dragster pilot Willie Brainerd of Tulsa debuted his “Trouble Maker” machine. Howard Tribbey, Thomas Hixson, Brian Andrews along with Ricky Marshall, Logan Pursur, Paul McCann and Kenny Stallard all also came to entertain the capacity crowd at North Star Dragway.

(Brian Andrews)

(Willie Brainerd)

Ricky Marshall debuted his new ride for 2009, a true show piece that goes as fast as it looks, and took the top spot after the first session of qualifying with a 4.80 at 141 mph. Keith Breazeal was right behind with a 4.82 at 142 mph with Mike Millsap, Scarlata and Grindstaff all clocking times in the four nineties. Richard Brady and Scarlata provided the most entertaining pair of the session as they did their impressions of two out of control fuel altereds! Brady started out hugging the centerline at halftrack and steered it back as Scarlata then got out of shape and also headed for the centerline and they were both out of shape as they tripped the clocks. Scarlata legged it through to a 4.94 at 138 mph to Brady’s 5.20 at 99 mph.

(Joe Scarlata)

(Richard Brady)

(Howard Tribbey)

(Brian Andrews)

The second session witnessed Mike Millsap step up big to a 4.85 at 141 mph to qualify third and Richard Brady improve to a 4.89 at 140 mph good for fourth. Ross Laird stepped up to a 5.00 at 137 mph to start seventh followed by Chad Daigre with a 5.05 at 136 mph to finish off the top half of the quick sixteen in the eight spot. Thomas Porter came into the session dead last and clicked off a nice 5.20 at 131 mph in the “Bone Peddler” to claim his spot in first round. Steve Dunkin’s “Foolish Pleasure” machine went 5.09 at 135 to qualify tenth. Howard Tribbey claimed the bump spot with a 5.99 at 111 mph while Logan Pursur, Thomas Hixson and Brian Andrews had to hope for better luck at the next event July 11th in Tulsa, Oklahoma, yet were all smiles nonetheless. Leading the first ever sixteen car field of Southwest Junior Fuel Dragsters to eliminations was Ricky Marshall with a 4.80 as the drivers drew cards, paired up and headed for the lanes for first round eliminations.

(Mike Millsap)

(Ricky Marshall)

(Rick Grindstaff)

(Chad Daigre)

Final Qualifying Order:

1) Ricky Marshall (Burleson, Texas) – 4.807 @ 141.15
2) Keith Breazeal (Cypress, Texas) – 4.825 @ 142.90
3) Mike Millsap (Sachse, Texas) – 4.858 @ 141.38
4) Richard Brady (Ft. Worth, Texas) – 4.893 @ 140.14
5) Joe Scarlata (Garland, Texas) – 4.947 @ 138.16
6) Rick Grindstaff (Dickinson, Texas) – 4.970 @ 139.10
7) Ross Laird (Ardmore, Oklahoma) – 5.009 @ 137.36
8) Chad Daigre (Lake Charles, Louisiana) – 5.053 @ 136.40
9) Paul McCann (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) – 5.089 @ 133.73
10) Steve Dunkin (Aledo, Texas) – 5.093 @ 135.62
11) Jay Briggs (Lake Charles, Louisiana) – 5.124 @ 132.86
12) Kenny Stallard (Tulsa, Oklahoma) – 5.139 @ 134.97
13) Ted McCord (Tulsa, Oklahoma) – 5.162 @ 134.73
14) Thomas Porter (Burleson, Texas) – 5.204 @ 131.16
15) Willie Brainerd (Tulsa, Oklahoma) – 5.281 @ 128.61
16) Howard Tribbey (Tulsa, Oklahoma) – 5.997 @ 111.19
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17) Logan Pursur (Denton, Texas) – 6.206 @ 119.78
18) Thomas Hixson (Dallas, Texas) – 6.275 @ 105.56
19) Brian Andrews (Wichita, Kansas) – 6.39 @ 122.25
20) Mark Hollander (College Station, Texas) – No Time
21) Don Holley (Denton, Texas) – No Time

(Thomas Porter)

(Logan Pursur)

(Kenny Stallard)

Richard Brady and Thomas Porter started off eliminations with Brady’s 4.90 at 139 mph taking out Porter’s 5.20 at 130 mph. Steve Dunkin rolled out and made his best lap of the night with a 5.07 at 136 mph and backed it up with the best reaction time of the round (.009) but was no match for Mike Millsap’s 4.87 at 138 mph. Next up Rick Grindstaff and Ross Laird did battle in the closest pairing of the round, with Grindstaff’s 4.98 at 138 mph holding off Laird’s 5.01 at 137 mph (.025 mov). Keith Breazeal clicked off a strong 4.83 at 141 mph to knock off the red lighting Howard Tribbey.

Making his first SWJFA start, Willie Brainerd had the pleasure of pairing up with number one qualifier Ricky Marshall, ouch. Brainerd did his job on the tree, but Marshall laid down a monster lap at 4.73 at 144 mph to advance over Brainerd’s 5.30 at 127 mph. Joe Scarlata put down nice numbers with a 4.89 at 127 mph to knock out Paul McCann. Chad Daigre earned his first SWJFA round win with a 5.02 at 136 mph over Jay Briggs who left before green. Ted McCord and Kenny Stallard closed out the round in another close pairing, with McCord edging out the win with a 5.09 at 135 mph to Stallard’s 5.10 at 135 mph.

First Round Results:

(W) Richard Brady (.031 rt) 4.90 at 139 mph vs. (L) Thomas Porter (.022 rt) 5.20 at 130 mph
(W) Mike Millsap (.028 rt) 4.87 at 138 mph vs. (L) Steve Dunkin (.009 rt) 5.07 at 136 mph
(W) Rick Grindstaff (.101 rt) 4.98 at 138 mph vs. (L) Ross Laird (.111 rt) 5.01 at 137 mph
(W) Keith Breazeal (.242 rt) 4.83 at 141 mph vs. (L) Howard Tribbey (red) 7.28 at 111 mph
(W) Ricky Marshall (.066 rt) 4.73 at 144 mph vs. (L) Willie Brainerd (.013 rt) 5.30 at 127 mph
(W) Joe Scarlata (.038 rt) 4.89 at 127 mph vs. (L) Paul McCann (.059 rt) 5.44 at 124 mph
(W) Chad Daigre (.050 rt) 5.02 at 136 mph vs. (L) Jay Briggs (red) 6.13 at 108 mph
(W) Ted McCord (.013 rt) 5.09 at 135 mph vs. (L) Kenny Stallard (.041 rt) 5.10 at 135 mph

(Ricky Marshall)

(Paul McCann)

The second round brought up some great pairings and also so jumpy drivers on the starting line. Keith Breazeal and Rick Grindstaff lined up to kick off the second round and Breazeal went -.0008 red to the racer right behind him in points, wasting a 4.85 at 141 mph while Grindstaff laid down his best run of the night with a 4.94 at 139 mph to advance to the semis. Chad Daigre had a solid 5.0 car all day and knew he would have to get a jump on the tree to take out Joe Scarlata who had been in the 4.80’s and 90’s. Daigre jumped by -.041 and went 5.02 at 136 mph as Scarlata pulled past to take the win with a 4.87 at 141 mph. Richard Brady did his job on the tree against Ricky Marshall and put down his best numbers of the night with a 4.86 at 140 mph but couldn’t hang with Marshall as he powered past to a 4.74 at 143 mph to advance. Concluding the second roundm, Mike Millsap threw down another nice 4.85 at 140 mph to knock out Ted McCord who went -.0019 red. Unlucky Steve Dunkin in first round and Richard Brady in second, who ran their best elapsed time in eliminatons and cut the best reaction time of their round and both loose.

Second Round Results:

(W) Rick Grindstaff (.156 rt) 4.94 at 139 mph vs. (L) Keith Breazeal (-.0008 rt) 4.85 at 141 mph
(W) Joe Scarlata (.069 rt) 4.87 at 141 mph vs. (L) Chad Daigre (-.041 rt) 5.02 at 136 mph
(W) Ricky Marshall (.022 rt) 4.74 at 143 mph vs. (L) Richard Brady (.004 rt) 4.86 at 140 mph
(W) Mike Millsap (.181 rt) 4.85 at 140 mph vs. (L) Ted McCord (-.0019 rt) 5.04 at 135 mph

(Ted McCord)

(Mike Millsap)

The heat was on the semi-final as Scarlata faced off with Grindstaff and Marshall paired with Millsap. Grindstaff opened the session by going -.010 red against Scarlata who tripped the clocks with a 4.90 at 130 mph. Grindstaff went almost three complete events without loosing a round and like many others in the later rounds, took himself out on the line but had another strong showing and gained points on leader Breazeal. Mike Millsap had to get a jump on the tree to contend with Marshall’s 4.70’s and he cut too much going -.039 red, putting down a 4.86 at 140 mph while Marshall streaked straight down the strip to low elapsed time and top speed, 4.72 at 144 mph.

Semi-Final Round Results:

(W) Joe Scarlata (.0012 rt) 4.90 at 130 mph vs. (L) Rick Grindstaff (-.010 rt) 5.03 at 139 mph
(W) Ricky Marshall (.035 rt) 4.72 at 144 mph vs. (L) Mike Millsap (-.039 rt) 4.86 at 140 mph

Scarlata was advancing to the final in his first race as the pilot of Robie Robertson’s machine formerly wheeled by Roy Rogers. Marshall was heading to his fifth final in his seven SWJFA starts since 2007. An historic night for the Southwest Junior Fuel Association closed with the quickest and fastest side by side pass of the night with Scarlata laying down his best, a 4.81 at 141 mph but Marshall got him on the line and blasted to a 4.74 at 143 mph to take the win!

Breazeal was out first and blasted to low elapsed time and top speed of the event, 7.655 at 172.22 mph to knock out Grindstaff who has his hands full as the car shot towards the Christmas tree at the hit of the throttle.

(Final Round)

Final Round Results:

(W) Ricky Marshall (.022 rt) 4.74 at 143 mph vs. (L) Joe Scarlata (.077 rt) 4.81 at 141 mph

(Ricky Marshall)

“I want to dedicate this win to my Uncle David that has recently passed away. I want to thank Bud Hammer, Wayne Ramay, Jon Hansen, Scott and Frank Parks, Rich Howell, Jim Cullen, Darin and Denver Schutz, Dale Emery, Wayne Marshall (bad --- paint), Al's Plating, SWJFA, and my bad --- crew Brian Sturgeon, Jason Marshall, Kris Crich, my family and friends for their support and my wonderful wife Cecelia. I know that there are more people that I may have forgotten to mention. It was great to be #1 qualifier and win first time out, like a dream of mine. We had a great time and one heck of a party!” said Marshall.

The SWJFA series schedule will reach it’s halfway point July 11th at the Nitro Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma where another heavy car count is expected to fight for those Smiley’s Racing Products and Champion Spark Plug points!

Click here to see photos from this event.