SHRA Sportsman Racers Rumble at North Star Dragway

North Star Dragway - August 29, 2015

The fifth event of the MalloryPrint.com Southwest Heritage Racing Association was held Saturday, August 29th at North Star Dragway in Denton, Texas in a special event for the sportsman classes. Old School No Electronics and Electronics racers were joined by the Nostalgia Super Stock contenders to run not only an entirely new event first, but then finish up the rain delayed event from April in which only the first round was completed. With lots of racing on tap, a strong field in all three classes packed the pits on a comfortable late summer evening in North Texas under the watchful eyes of an eager crowd ready for some old school drag racing action. After two time trials, it was time play for keeps as SHRA staffers Max McGlothin and Justin Haas paired cars and sent them to the ready line.

In the Old School No Electronics category which included thirty cars, round one saw defending class Champion Chris Jarvis bow out early to Stephen Foster. Foster in his 167 Camaro then defeated Roger Johns 1947 Ford Pick Up in round two to advance to the quarter finals where he met Jim Baughan. Baughan proved his winning ability last season with two final round appearances, one win and a 2nd place points finish. In the quarter finals, Baughan got around Foster who red lit as Jay Casey, Jason Marshall and Mickey Frey joined Baughan in the semi-final round.

(Stephen Foster)

Jason Marshall and Mickey Frey came to the line, both looking for their first appearance in an SHRA final round. Marshall took a nice starting line advantage and never trailed, posting a 6.87 on a 6.85 dial to Frey's break out 7.14. Baughan in his 1937 Chevy Coupe lined up with Jay Casey's 1967 Ford Mustang and Baughan was off the line first and clicked off a 6.18 on a 6.17 dial to Casey's break out 6.48. It was Marshall and Baughan headed to the money round. In the final, Marshall took a very slight starting line advantage as both drivers were in the .020 reaction time range, but Baughan had the better package going dead on 6.17 at 107 mph to score his first SHRA event win of the season.

(Jim Baughan)

Teams still in competition from the April event were allotted one time trial before returning to the lanes and resuming competition with round two. Semi-final round action brought Stephen Foster back to the line to face Joe Elmore's 1963 Chevy Nova. Foster had the better reaction time and ran Elmore down to take the win with a 6.14 at 98 mph to move into the final to take on none other than Jim Baughan who benefitted from the bye run. In the final, something threw Foster off his starting line game as he was flat late, while Baughan kept a fender out in front all the way to score his second win of the night. Baughan capped off a dream weekend going undefeated and now holds a firm grasp on the Old School No Electronics points lead, with Foster in second and two events remaining this season.

(Jim Baughan)

In the Old School Electronics class, thirty one cars made the call for round one action. As the field dwindled down to the semi-finals it was Matt Hicks in his 1972 Chevy Vega set to take on defending class Champion Russell Cook's 1977 Chevy Nova. Hicks was off the line with a better reaction time and dead on 6.43 to take out Cook's 5.70 on a 5.69 dial. 2013 class Champion John Erwin rolled to the line next alongside Bobby Stevens 1969 Chevy Nova. Erwin had the better light and went dead on 5.59 at 123 mph to advance over Stevens' break out 6.20. In the final, Hicks was aiming for his first SHRA event win and he got it as his stellar .001 reaction time and 6.44 on a 6.43 dial took out Erwin's 5.61 on a 5.59 dial as Hicks and company were all smiles in the Old School Electronics winners circle.

(Matt Hicks)

In the resumption of the April event, Josh Freeman opened up semi-final round action in his 1974 Chevy Vega lined up with Riley Howard. Howard had just made the call for this event having drove from another track that had been rained out earlier in the day, but his day ended here with a -.006 reaction time while Freeman was final round bound and dead on 6.90 at 99 mph moving into his first career SHRA final. Russell Cook was back in action in the other semi-final pairing, lined up with Alex Garca's 1977 Chevy Monza. Garca had enjoyed a handful of round wins this season, but was yet to make an appearance in the final round. Garca was off the line with a slightly better light, but at the stripe his 6.70 broke out on a 6.71 dial while Cook posted a 5.72 at 120 mph to advance to the final round to face Freeman.

(Josh Freeman)

Cook and Freeman fired up their hot rods for the final time of the night, as both were hungry for the win light here. The cars crept to the stage beams and ambers dropped with Cook taking the reaction time advantage and carrying it through the finish line with a winning 5.74 on a 5.71 dial to Freeman's 6.93 on a 6.90 dial. Both were happy campers after a full day of racing as Freeman headed home to Austin, Texas now sixth in points while Cook currently claims the number two spot. Who is in the lead you ask, none other than Alex Garca, who's attendance at every event and zero first round losses has him holding a slim eight point lead over Cook with two events remaining this season.

(Russell Cook)

(Alex Garca)

Nostalgia Super Stock is the newest addition to the SHRA racing series and is steadily showing signs of growth. A nine car field traveled to North Texas for this event, their third of six points races this season. David Ardoin was the top qualifier in the August race and found himself in the semi-finals paired up with Doug Watkins. Ardoin in his 1968 Plymouth Barracuda had the reaction time advantage but Watkins' 1967 Chevy Malibu had the better package with a 6.45 on a 6.41 to earn him a spot in the final of his first SHRA appearance. Watkins would take on Wichita Falls winner Vic Corlett's 1967 Dodge Dart who went 7.06 on a 7.05 bye run to the final round. In the final, Watkins was favored early with a huge reaction time advantage and another 6.45 on a 6.41 earned him the win over Corlett's break out 7.02 as Doug Watkins scored his first career SHRA event win.

(Doug Watkins)

(Doug Watkins)

(Tony Smith)

April race contestants returned to the staging lanes to pick up in the semi-final round with Corlett back on the starting line, this time lined up with Bill Hugill's 1968 Dodge Dart. Corlett enjoyed a healthy reaction time advantage and his 7.06 on a 7.05 easily moved to the finals to take on Tony Smith, who's 7.07 on a 7.05 moved to the last dance in a bye run. This marked Smith's first SHRA final round appearance in what was an awesome drag race to watch. Both dialed 7.05, Corlett was off the line first, but Smith was closing the gap. At the stripe, side by side 7.04's popped up with the win light to Corlett on the lesser break out 7.047 to Smith's 7.042. Corlett notched his second event win and enjoys a comfortable points lead with three events remaining for Nostalgia Super Stock competition.

(Vic Corlett)

It was an action packed night of drag racing at the SHRA Old School Bracket Nationals in Denton, Texas and after a rain filled first half of the season, points battles have developed and racers now look forward to the next event coming up at Little River Dragway in Temple, Texas on September 12th.

Click Here to see photos from Denton!